1956 – A young lady trying on a flamboyant costume with many feathers at Malabar (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 1991)
Malabar costume shop was once located at 10-14 McCaul St (at Renfrew Place, on the northwest corner) in the Queen Street West neighbourhood of Toronto.
For 99 years, the iconic shop dressed up the city, one costume at a time, and its impact extended past Toronto’s borders to across Canada, the United States and beyond. The Malabar name became synonymous with costumes for opera productions, musicals, theatre performances, masquerade balls, holiday-themed events, and dancewear. It catered to professional artists, amateur performers, and everyday individuals alike.
Malabar’s Beginnings
The company was founded by the talented Sara Mallabar in Winnipeg in the early 1900s. Sara began her business by catering to the affluent carriage trade, providing ball gowns. As the live theatre scene thrived, Sara recognized a promising opportunity in industry. She collaborated with the Winnipeg Operatic Society, where her craftsmanship earned her a reputation as professional costumer in the theatrical community.
In the early 1920s, Sara’s son Harry boarded a cattle train and moved to Toronto. In 1923, he opened a costume and dancewear shop on Spadina Ave. Sara later joined him, and in those early days, the business consisted of just Harry, his mother, and one employee working to build the Toronto business. Over the next seven years, the shop relocated to a few other storefronts along Spadina Ave. As the business grew, the store moved to a larger location, settling at 309-311 King St W in 1930, in what is now known as the Entertainment District.
By 1950, Malabar was the top costume house in the country, with shops in Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. Around this time, the second letter L was dropped from the Toronto’s company name. This change was made because costumes, letters, bills, and more were being sent to the wrong Malabar location, and Harry hoped this would help resolve the issue.
In 1956, a devastating fire severely damaged the King St W building and its contents.
The Move to McCaul St
1972 – Malabar Costumer storefront at 10-14 McCaul St, just north of Queen St W in Toronto. The building was constructed between 1912 to 1913 as showroom and office for a specialty grocery products company (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 43, Item 34)
The family initially believed it was the end of Malabar’s, so they worked together to restore the Toronto business. With the help of Luigi Speca, a master cutter/tailor who was a long-time employee and later became the owner of Malabar, Harry exceeded the quality of the costumes lost in the fire, creating even more stunning designs. A Malabar costume had to be both beautiful and durable to withstand frequent use and alterations.
At their new shop on McCaul St, the storefront occupied the first floor, while the second and third floors housed offices, workshops, and storage for various costumes. When costumes were returned, they were maintained in the basement, which also stored smaller items.
By the 1960s, Malabar’s Canadian-made costumes were being seen on stages throughout Canada and the United States. By the 1970s, the company had complete wardrobes for over 60 operas and was believed to have a collection of up to 50,000 costumes. Malabar employed three tailors and twenty seamstresses who crafted costumes to order. Approximately 75% of the business was comprised of costumes and rentals for professional operas and amateur musicals, while the remaining 25% consisted of costume and formal rentals.
During Halloween and Christmas, Harry’s wife, Jean, and his daughters assisted at the shop, as these were particularly busy times of the year. The demand for costumes was so high at Halloween that police officers were hired for crowd control.
In the mid-1980s, Luigi Speca took over the business. Around 1999, the company began storing many of their costumes in a warehouse located at 122 Brock Ave.
The Malabar Collection Lives On
In 2019, Mr Speca sold the collection of over 30,000 costumes to the Sarasota Opera in Florida for $2 million. The Sarasota company had a long history of renting costumes from Malabar for its productions in addition to creating its own. The purchase ensured the preservation of the most extensive costume collection available for rent in North America, which includes outfits worn by renowned artists such as Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne.
Toronto’s Legendary Costume Shop Closes
March 21, 2021 – Looking northwest towards the Malabar costume shop at 10-14 McCaul St and Renfrew Place, just north of Queen St W
After nearly a century in operation, the flagship store in Toronto closed in March 2022.
Throughout its years, Malabar collaborated with well-known designers, including producing and renting costumes to the Canadian Opera Company. They also outfitted participants in the Eaton’s Santa Claus Parade, the CNE Grandstand shows, local skating clubs, masquerade balls and many children participating in high school operettas and musicals.
The Winnipeg store, founded in 1903, and the Ottawa store, opened in 1966, are still in operation as of March 2025. However, the Montreal store, which was established in the 1930s, closed in 2018.
About the McCaul St Building
The three-storey building, clad in buff brick, was constructed between 1912 and 1913. It was designed by architect Charles Willmot to serve as a showroom and office for Harold F. Ritchie & Co., a Canadian dealer specializing in grocery products from British and American sources.
While today some of the building’s windows still feature Malabar signs, the property has been on the market for several years. As of writing this post, it is currently listed at just under $17 million. It is important to note that this century-old building is not listed on the city’s heritage register.
Did You Know?
Sara Mallabar was encouraged by a fortune teller to direct her dressmaking talents into creating costumes.
One of Malabar’s most stunning costumes was a coronation robe weighing 21 kg (46 pounds), worn in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Boris Godunov. In 1976, this costume was valued at $3,000, which translates to over $15,000 when adjusted for inflation in 2025.
One of the oddest costume requests was from a woman who wanted a wig with a golden cage and a live parakeet to place inside.
Harry Malabar, who lived to be 100 years old, passed away in 2000. In honour of his centennial birthday, his family and friends established the Harry and Jean Malabar Costume Award for costume design at Ryerson University, now known as Toronto Metropolitan University, a year before his passing.
March 21, 2021 – Looking northwest towards the Malabar costume shop at 10-14 McCaul St and Renfrew Place, just north of Queen St W. The company was founded in Winnipeg in 1903 and opened its first store in Toronto in 1923. Malabar moved to the McCaul St building in 1956 and closed its doors in 20221956 – A young woman at Malabar trying on a costume for a fancy dress party (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 1990)1956 – A young lady trying on a flamboyant costume with many feathers at Malabar (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 1991)1956 – A young woman at Malabar trying on a Scottish highlander’s costume (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 1989)Between 1960 and 1970 – A young lady trying on a costume meant to evoke a Mountie’s uniform at Malabar (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 1987)May 31, 1971 – Looking northeast from Renfrew Place towards Malabar costume shop at the corner of McCaul St. Notice the grey Canada Life Building in the distance on the right (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 70, Item 23)1972 – Looking southwest on McCaul St at Renfrew Place towards Queen St W. The photo shows the Toronto Barber School on the left and Malabar Costumer on the right. Malabar’s sign features a man wearing a tux and a top hat with the words: “Tuxedos, Costumes, Dance Supplies, Fabrics” (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 43, Item 31)1972 – Malabar Costumer storefront at 10-14 McCaul St, just north of Queen St W in Toronto. The building was constructed between 1912 to 1913 as showroom and office for a specialty grocery products company (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 43, Item 34)July 2, 2020 – Malabar signs on the building at 10-14 McCaul St and Renfrew Place in Toronto. The vertical sign displays the tragedy/comedy theatre masks and pointe ballet shoes, while the banner and window signage advertises costumes, makeup, and dancewearMay 23, 2020 – The front entrance to the former Malabar shop at 10-14 McCaul St in the Queen Street West neighbourhood. The photo was taken during the COVID-19 pandemicAugust 29, 2020 – A pirate costume, along with dresses and hats, once available for rental at the former Malabar shop on McCaul St. Notice the box on the left says: “Malabar Limited Theatrical Costumes – 10-12-14 McCaul St, Toronto – Show Business is our Business”August 29, 2020 – A wall of masks at the former Malabar costume shop in TorontoAugust 29, 2020 – The front of this costume rack showcases 1920s flapper dresses with sequins and beaded detail that were once available for rent at the former Malabar costume shop on McCaul St in TorontoAugust 29, 2020 – Racks at Malabar filled with various types of costumes, including popular characters, warrior outfits and empire dressesAugust 29, 2020 – A rack at Malabar holds various costume hats, including a swan, a few royal crowns, and a toadstoolAugust 29, 2020 – In addition to racks of vibrantly coloured costumes, Malabar also had a rack featuring 1920s and Great Gatsby-style suitsAugust 29, 2020 – In the centre is a vertical purple and gold Malabar sign. To its left is a wall of colourful ballet slippers and feather boas, and to its right are various dancewear itemsAugust 29, 2020 – A costume rack, an old piano and costume hats near the front window at Malabar in TorontoAugust 29, 2020 – Racks at Malabar in Toronto with Cavalier, Medieval, and Renaissance costumesMay 23, 2020 – The front entrance of the Malabar costume shop at 10-14 McCaul St in Toronto on a spring day. Notice the building’s iron gates, handrail, and lampsMay 30, 2020 – When the building at 10-14 McCaul St was home to Malabar, it offered not only costume rentals but also makeup, dance supplies, and dance shoesMay 30, 2020 – A window display at Malabar on McCaul St showcased a Little Red Riding Hood costume on the left and an 1800s dress and hat costume on the rightAugust 29, 2020 – Ladies costumes on display in the front window at Malabar once at 10-14-McCaul St in TorontoAugust 29, 2020 – Looking northwest towards the building at the corner of McCaul St and Renfrew Place when it was home to Malabar costume shop. In 2019, Mr. Speca, who had owned Malabar since the 1980s, sold over 30,000 costumes to the Sarasota Opera in Florida. This sale ensured the preservation of the most extensive costume collection available for rent in North AmericaAugust 29, 2020 – A sign advertising theatrical costumes and dance supplies at Malabar in the window at 10-14 McCaul StNovember 21, 2020 – Looking southwest along McCaul St, towards Queen St W. The three-storey building, constructed in 1912/13 for the Harold F. Ritchie Co. as a showroom and office, housed the Malabar costume shop from the mid-1950s until 2022March 21, 2021 – Looking northwest towards Malabar, when its flagship location was at the corner of McCaul Street and Renfrew Place in the Queen Street West neighbourhood. The Malabar name became synonymous with costumes for theatre and opera productions, musicals, holiday-themed events, masquerade balls and dancewearMarch 10, 2024 – Looking northwest along McCaul St, just north of Queen St W in Toronto. A TTC streetcar passes by the building that housed Malabar from the mid-1950s until 2022. Notice the “For Lease” signs on the building. As of writing this article, this century-old building is not listed on the city’s heritage registerMarch 10, 2024 – The back of the building at 10-14 McCaul St, previously occupied by the Malabar costume shop, features an old metal staircase on its exterior. This staircase provided access to the upper floors, served as a fire escape, and was a practical solution for space constraintsJanuary 18, 2025 – Looking northwest towards the building that was formerly home to Malabar, located at the corner of McCaul St and Renfrew Place in Toronto. Although the name “Malabar” is still visible in the windows, there are also “For Lease” signs displayed on the buildingMay 2019 – Looking southwest towards the former Malabar costumes warehouse at 122 Brock Ave, between Queen St W and Dundas St W in the Brockton Village neighbourhood of Toronto (Google Maps) April 6, 2025 – Malabar was located at 309-311 King St W from 1930 to 1956, after which they moved to their McCaul St location1928 and 1929 – Mallabar Costumer advertising in The Varsity, the University of Toronto’s student newspaper, when the costumer was located at 452 Spadina Ave. The ad says, “Masquerade Costumes – More than 5000 costumes to choose from – Select your costume for Hart House Masquerade”1932 and 1933 – Mallabar Costumer is advertising tuxedo rentals for $1 to students in The Varsity, the University of Toronto’s student newspaper. Notice that Mallabar is spelled with two letter L’s and is located at 309-311 King St W1938 – The Toronto City Directory showing the locations and phone numbers of Malabar Costume and notice two L’s in the name (Courtesy of Toronto Public Library)1938 – The Toronto City Directory showing the location and phone number of Malabar Costume and notice two L’s in the name (Courtesy of Toronto Public Library)1960 – The Toronto City Directory showing the address of Malabar Ltd (Courtesy of Toronto Public Library)1924 – Goads Map showing the location of the Harold F. Ritchie & Co. Building, later home to Malabar (Toronto Public Library)April 27, 2025 – Malabar, which sells costumes, dancewear and make-up, is located at 1610 Merivale Rd in Ottawa, OntarioApril 27, 2025 – Malabar Theatrical & Dance Supplies Costumes and Malabar Costumes signs located at 1610 Merivale Rd in Ottawa, Ontario
SOURCE
The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Feb 6, 1956, pg 1
The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jan 29, 1972, pg 29
The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jul 17, 1976, pg 29
The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Nov 16, 1989, pg C14
The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jul 22, 2000, pg A14
