A uniquely whimsical and art-driven gathering space has officially opened its doors on George St.
The Leonor—a bookshop, teashop, boutique, and event venue all in one—has been brought to life by co-owners Deanna Horton, Sara-Jeanne Hosie and Lauren Bowler, three talented women deeply connected to Stratford’s arts community.
The idea began with Deanna, a longtime supporter of local artists who had been known to host performers in her home and, during the pandemic, coordinated online concerts for musicians. She approached friends Lauren and Sara-Jeanne—both actors and close collaborators—with the vision of creating an escape for the community: a place built on creativity, conversation, and connection.
Together, they shaped that vision into The Leonor, a warm, imaginative space featuring curated preloved books, a tea room with seating for 25 people, a boutique of unique upcycled clothing, and ultimately an intimate event venue. Most of the boutique’s offerings—loose-leaf teas and candles created by Lauren and Sara-Jeanne, art, cards, jewellery, and more—are 90% local or Canadian-made.
As performers, Sara-Jeanne and Lauren say they are inspired by the idea that audiences usually only see the finished product. At The Leonor, they want to bring the community into the creative process—encouraging play, experimentation, and what they affectionately call goofery, mayhem, and magic. The Leonor is a space built around process, not perfection.
“We love the rehearsal room,” the owners say. “It’s where the discovery happens. We wanted to build a place where that energy is shared.”
Think tea, books, and being fully present. The Leonor’s Open Swims—drop-in hours Fridays and Saturdays from 12–5 p.m., expanding soon to Thursdays—offer a relaxed experience: tea service and tea mocktails, with a rotating menu of 16 loose teas, baked goods, including scones and cookies, and the most delicious nuts. This summer, a cozy backyard patio will open, complete with iced tea offerings.
There is no Wi-Fi, by design. “The point is to talk to each other,” the trio says. “To be in the moment.”
The Leonor is also an emerging venue for small arts events, with ticketed gatherings held Thursday through Tuesday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., plus Sunday events at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. With a 25-person capacity, the space has already hosted seven successful events ranging from book launches and improv nights to board-game socials and themed evenings—each designed to spark conversation and connection over tea.
One upcoming highlight is April 19th’s “Stratford Idol: The Leonor’s Last Laugh,” where a lineup of artists will face absurd challenges designed to make them break into laughter—while the audience votes on who keeps a straight face the longest.
The business takes its name from Leonor Fini, the Argentine-Italian surrealist painter, designer, and mask maker known for her daring creativity. Though a contemporary of artists like Dalí, her work was undervalued in her time and is still being discovered today.
Fini’s relentless experimentation—and her habit of drawing other creatives into her orbit—perfectly captures the ethos of The Leonor. “In Stratford, there is so much undiscovered talent,” the owners say. “We want The Leonor to be a forum for that talent.”
Sara-Jeanne, Lauren and Deanna are grateful to the many local actors and contractors who helped transform the space, including Corey Denham, Gord Miller, Jamie Mack, and Sara-Jeanne’’s husband Kevin, whose craftsmanship has helped The Leonor truly dazzle. Very importantly, the second floor boasts a bright conference room for rent that can host up to a dozen people around a long meeting table. Be sure to keep this in mind for your next private gathering!
And if you’re looking for conversation starters when you meet these wonderful women, Deanna was a former diplomat – yes a real live ‘The Diplomat’ in our midst! – who in her exciting career was posted to foreign capitals that include Hanoi, Tokyo and Washington. Sara-Jeanne is in three Stratford Festival productions this summer, including the role of Old Took and Lord Eagle in The Hobbit, Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Eleanor Marwood in The Tao of the World. As for Lauren, you will find her in Montreal this spring in an outrageously fun new Canadian musical about family, faith and one very special plant, called Grow.
For more information, find The Leonor in our directory!
