Toronto neighbourhood outraged over vandalism at popular shop

A Toronto neighbourhood is outraged over the vandalization of a popular shop selling tea and gifts.

Pippins Tea Company has been around for over 15 years and had its beautiful front window containing a flowery display smashed in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The shop is closed for curbside pickups on Sundays, and owner Barbara Snow DeAngelis was only made aware of the incident when a customer noticed and posted about it on Facebook.

Snow DeAngelis and a staff member boarded up the broken window and contacted a repair company, which is expected to fix the window Monday.

The post about the vandalism has gotten over 350 reactions and around 100 comments on Facebook, with people saying it's "terrible," "brutal," "disgusting" and "awful."

"That's terrible," wrote one commenter, "especially right now when local businesses are struggling so much! Why would you kick somebody when they're down!"

"Totally senseless and undeserving," wrote another. "Thankful no one got hurt!"

"So sad... like shop owners don't have enough to worry about right now," said another commenter.

"That is just awful," someone else said. "Barb Snow DeAngelis does NOT deserve this — Pippins always has the most beautiful uplifting window displays."

Snow DeAngelis tells blogTO she's gotten "offers to chip in to help pay for the window, offers to help, overwhelming sentiments of their appreciation and love for Pippins."

"I am moved and the community has touched my heart more than they can know," she says.