June 16, 2023 – Although brick and mortar stores are closing due to the economic effects of the pandemic, Canadian Filipino-owned retailer Cambio & Co. recently opened the doors to a new showroom catering to the Filipino diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
For the past five years, Cambio & Co. has been an e-commerce and online-only retailer, providing customers around the world access to sustainably made jewellery and wedding essentials handcrafted by artisans in the Philippines.
The new physical space is located in Toronto’s immigrant-rich neighbourhoods of East York and Scarborough and featuresthe company’s collection of their bestselling Philippine pearls and pre-colonial gold jewellery, as well as designer bags and handmade ceremony items. Customers can book an appointment with one of the company’s stylists and receive a personalised shopping experience for events like weddings, birthdays and graduations as well as everyday fashion needs.
"As an e-commerce and online-only retailer for the past five years, we're thrilled to be opening our first physical space for the Filipino community in Toronto," says Gelaine Santiago, Co-founder and CEO of Cambio & Co. "Coming out of the pandemic, people are craving in-person experiences that are unique and interesting, but also meaningful. Opening the doors to our showroom allows us to create more livelihood opportunities for artisans in the Philippines, and also foster deeper connections with the Asian community in the GTA.”
From the offer of slippers upon entering to capiz chandeliers and rattan furniture, the showroom evokes sentimental details familiar to the Filipino diaspora.An interactive map of the Philippines is available where visitors are encouraged to add a pin indicating their family’s origins.
“We were honoured to be one of the first to experience Cambio & Co.’s new showroom,” says Julia Palatino, a long-time customer who had posted on her social media account @julesxjems after her visit. “My favourite part about the experience was learning about Cambio’s journey, the artisans, and their jewellery making techniques… Thank you to the wonderful team for being so welcoming and patient with us.”
The in-person showroom was launched in time to celebrate Asian Heritage Month in Canada and Filipino Heritage Month in June, an important time for the Asian community.
To learn more and schedule an appointment at Cambio & Co.’s showroom on 19 Waterman Avenue in East York, visit https://www.shopcambio.co/pages/showroom.
About the Author
Rachel Ramos-Reid started writing for magazines and newspapers when she was still a junior at the University of the Philippines’ Communication degree program majoring in Journalism. She continued to write in a public relations/corporate communications capacity in various private and government offices until moving out of the country in 1997 to work as Programme Officer for the arts and culture branch of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO-SPAFA) in Bangkok, Thailand. At the end of her term, Rachel found herself immigrating to Canada in the year 2000 and again searching for new beginnings. Currently she is the Executive Assistant to a small rural college on Vancouver Island.
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