A U.S.-based women's clothing retailer known for its quality boho designs and dreamy in-store atmosphere quietly and permanently closed one of its Toronto locations a few weeks ago duringthe recent provincewide shutdown.

Free People Eaton Centre — which was one of only threeFree Peopleshops in the city and the province, as well as one of only six across Canada — shuttered at the end of February, shortly before "non-essential" retailerswere allowed to reopenas part of the region'sentry into the grey zoneof Ontario'scolour-coded reopening framework.

Though the brand and its parent company, URBN (also behindUrban OutfittersandAnthropologie, among others) declined to comment on the situation, would-be shoppers and associates at other FP locations confirmed the news.

:( Saw Free People closed in Eaton Centre :(

— Alana Rayman (@AlanaRayman)March 17, 2021

Low foot traffic and the lengthy forced closures were presumably contributing factors, as the health crisis and subsequent lockdowns have pushedtens of thousandsof stores and restaurants out of business nationwide.

Free People locations在Yorkvilleat Yorkville Ave. and Bellair, as well as atCF Sherway Gardensin Etobicoke, remain open to the public for in-person shopping with limited capacities, as well as for curbside pickup and delivery.

The perhaps more popular Urban Outfitters actually started out under the banner Free People back in the 1970s, and long after UO changed its name, Free People re-emerged as a more boutique experience offering different styles at a higher price point in 2002.

The Eaton Centre store, which first opened its doors in early 2016, is now visibly shut down and also no longer listed among the brand's159 locations across the U.S. and Canadaon its website.

With so few FP stores north of the border, customers will definitely be missing this central Toronto outpost.