Vancouver-based footwear brand Native Shoes, known for its "forward thinking, ultra lightweight and Beast Free footwear” is the latest brand to be opening its own retail store. In mid-December of this year, Native Shoes will open its first standalone retail space in Vancouver’s Gastown area, at 14 Water Street.

The store will feature Native Shoes’ core product line of footwear in new prints and colourways for the Fall season, as well as recent launches like the water-resistant Treklite boot collection and Monaco Velcro for kids.

The Vancouver-based company was founded in 2009 with three classic shoe silhouettes constructed entirely from a single material: EVA. The brand has since expanded to offer a variety of silhouettes for adults and kids in futuristic fabrics, available to consumers in 30 countries worldwide.

“We’re extremely proud to open our first retail location in our hometown Vancouver,” says Kyle Housman, President at Native Shoes. “This new space will be a creative hub where design, fashion and community intersect.”

The new retail space is described as being “likened to a high end, minimalistic yet sustainable space”, with a design inspiration that draws from Native Shoes’ west coast roots, pulling in natural wood for fixturing and a monolithic moss wall sourced from the forests surrounding Vancouver”. The store will feature a large-scale ‘gumball machine’ installation to display Native’s classic Jefferson shoe, and will foster an interactive and design-driven atmosphere for both adults and kids. The store will also feature a dedicated community space to host pop ups with "artists, like-minded brands and individuals”.

Native Shoes will replace another ‘ethical' retailer, Nicole Bridger, which recently shuttered its women’s fashion store at 14 Water Street.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: October 20, 2017