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Latest update: Jan 10, 2016

Through my research over the last few months putting together this pretty exhaustive guide, I came away discovering that Vancouver’s menswear retail scene is surprisingly complete. Whether you’re looking for contemporary/designer wear, rugged workwear, or streetwear, you have a great number of options.

If you’re visiting from out of town and only have a few hours to shop I would make it a point to head to Gastown and visit Roden Gray, NiftyDo, Neighbour, Dutil, and Haven. These guys are doing everything right from brands, to decor, and service. In April and October, the Gastown Shop Hop event is a fun night to walk around the area with discounts and complimentary drinks at most stores.

With Nordstrom opening in September, I’ve thought about what I would add if Vancouver were my own version of retail SimCity. First of all, I’d drop in a large Uniqlo downtown for basics and a SuitSupply for entry-level suiting. Then I’d bring in a world-class, independent classic menswear store in the vein of The Armoury or BRIO. Another would be a luxury shoe store like Leffot or Leather Soul. My hope is that Leatherfoot in Toronto will expand further into clothing and open a store here soon, killing two birds with one stone. Lastly, a shaving store that sells artisanal brands like Maggard Razors would round out the upgrades.

Read a breakdown of my favourites of each store’s brand offerings below and let me know in the comments if I missed anything. I’ve also included a few high quality outdoor clothing outfitters because, if you’re going to take part in the BC lifestyle, you’ll going to need at least a performance rain jacket.

Independent Stores



Alpine Start Outfitters | 68 West Broadway

Canada Goose | Mammut | Marmot | Patagonia | The North Face | Black Diamond | Smartwool | Ibex

Andy Trott | 2034 West 41st Ave.

Crockett & Jones MTO | Gloverall | Lavenham | Barbour | Samuelsohn | Lipson

Andy runs his own very small shop carrying mostly British and Canadian brands, serving a clientele built over his four decades in the retail business. He’s able to order made-to-order shoes from Crockett & Jones for his customers. If you’re buying a Barbour at full price, get it from Andy as he offers a free re-waxing service.

Australian Boot Company | 1968 West 4th Ave.

R.M. Williams | Blundstone

The Board of Trade Co. | 227 Union St.

Silent by Damir Doma | Mark McNairy | A Kind of Guise | Eytys | Timo Weiland

The Block | 350 West Cordova St.

Filson | Gloverall | APC | Steven Alan | Oliver Spencer

Men and women’s store, the proprietor is married to the owner of Eugene Choo which explains why they have a lot of brand overlap as they travel on buying trips together.

Boboli | 2776 Granville St.

Missoni | Etro | AMI | Massimo Alba | Heschung | Officine Generale | Paul Smith | Issey Miyake | Orlebar Brown | Alexander Olch



A beautiful luxury store that has been in business since 1985.

Brooklyn Clothing Co. | 418 Davie St. / Howard Clothing Co. | 112 - 15850 26th Ave., Surrey

Barbour | Japan Blue | Canada Goose | Filson | Tanner Goods

Unfortunately, only their Calgary store carries Viberg.



Charlie & Lee | 223 Union St.

Duluth Pack | The West is Dead | Filson | The Hill-Side | Wolverine | Naked & Famous | Velva Sheen

CICINO | 848 W. Hastings St.

John Lobb

Contraband | 1060 Hamilton St.

Rick Owens | Damir Doma | Raf Simons | Pierre Balmain | Hood by Air | OFF-WHITE

A small store that carries high-end darkwear/gothninja brands as well as the new high fashion/streetwear hybrids like HBA. Their Toronto store carries John Elliot, Thom Browne, and Dries Van Noten but due to Roden Gray’s city exclusive, they aren’t allowed to display them here.

The Corner Store | 2601 Main St.

Nike | Asics | Reigning Champ | Naked & Famous

Dutil | 303 West Cordova St.

Pure Blue Japan | Levi’s Vintage Clothing | Baldwin | Rogue Territory | Tellason | APC | Naked & Famous

The city’s original all-denim store, they’re one of the few stores in North America that stock Pure Blue Japan. Chainstitch hemming costs $30. Hopefully they start including that for free with purchases soon.

Eugene Choo | 3683 Main St.

APC | United Stock Dry Goods | Pendleton | Oliver Spencer

Feuille | 565 Howe St.

Finn’s on Broadway | 3031 West Broadway

Bills Khakis | Johnston’s of Elgin | Samuelsohn | Coppley | Harris Tweed | Lipson | ExOfficio

This store has been in business since 1952 and most of their clientele were probably born around that time as well.

Granville Island Hat Shop | 4 - 1666 Johnston St. / Hastings Hattery | 157 West Hastings St.

Run by the same owner, both stores have a large selection of hat brands.

gravitypope | 2203 West 4th Ave.

Clarks Originals | Common Projects | Converse Jack Purcell | Red Wing | Chippewa | Sperry | Wolverine | New Balance | Superga

SNS Herning | Stephan Schneider | Gloverall | Band of Outsiders | Barena | Engineered Garments | Billy Reid | Margaret Howell | Orlebar Brown | Robert Geller | Sunspel | Gant Rugger

Their footwear store has possibly the most diverse selection in the city. The space next door carries their clothing selection with a lot of great brands, although I wish it was bigger to be able to better display them.

HAVEN | 52 East Cordova St.

Visvim | Hender Scheme | Engineered Garments | Tricker’s | Viberg | Stone Island | Stone Island Shadow Project | White Mountaineering | Ten C | TAKAHIROMIYASHITA The SoloIst | New Balance | Nonnative | Nanamica | OAMC | Post Overalls | Sophnet | Kapital | Junya Watanabe MAN | Common Projects | CHUP | Arc'teryx Veilance | Acronym

Walking into Haven is like walking into the closet of a 20something millionaire who made all of his money from making an app that lets you share street art. From a distance the racks look full of items any young guy would want to wear, until you flip over the price tag and realize no one that age should be buying anything that expensive. Next, you feel the jacket with its made-in-Japan technical fabric that costs $100 a square foot or the sneaker made up of dozens of separate pieces of vegetable tanned leather, sewn together by hand. Suddenly it all seems worth it.

Hill’s of Kerrisdale | 2125 West 41st Ave.

Gitman Vintage | Rag & Bone | Filson | Red Wing | Barbour | Pendleton | Homespun Knitwear | Penfield | Stutterheim | Naked & Famous

This is where the Aritzia family business started in 1914.

Ingledew’s Shoes | 900 West Hastings | 650 West 41st Ave. (Oakridge Centre) | 802 Park Royal North | 4567 Lougheed Highway (Brentwood)

The easiest place to try on or buy Allen Edmonds. Well, at least until Nordstrom opens.

KOKKO | 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond (Aberdeen Centre)

Balmain | Damir Doma | Guidi | Hood By Air | Junya Watanabe | Kenzo | OFF-WHITE | Raf Simons | Rick Owens | Silent by Damir Doma | Undercover | Vivienne Westwood

Leone | 757 West Hastings St.



Boglioli | Brunello Cucinelli | Saint Laurent | Dior | Giorgio Armani | Lanvin | Versace | Alexander McQueen| Valentino | Prada

Almost a small luxury department store, Leone has been around since 1987 and carries a large selection of expensive designer brands.

Livestock | 141 East Pender St. (Chinatown) | 239 Abbott St. (Gastown) | 1709 West 4th Ave.

Nike | New Balance | Adidas | Converse | Asics | Reigning Champ | wings + horns | Arc'teryx | Levi’s Vintage Clothing

Like sneakers? This is your place.

Mountain Equipment Co-op | 130 West Broadway

Outdoor Research | Patagonia | Smartwool | Wigwam | Darn Tough | Fox River

Neighbour | 125 - 12 Water St.

Unis | Patrick Ervell | Mackintosh | Stephan Schneider | Our Legacy | Norse Projects | Christopher Raeburn | Dana Lee | Christophe Lemaire | Sunspel | Junghans | Mismo | Porter

Most of the brands that they stock employ a clean, minimalist aesthetic in a beautiful space with a ton of natural light.

NiftyDo | 227 Carall St.

3sixteen | Apolis | Buttero | Buzz Rickson | Railcar | Rogue Territory | Saint James | OSC Cross | Archival Clothing | Velva Sheen | Ewing Dry Goods | Left Field NYC | United Stock Dry Goods

Owned and run by Don and Won Lee, two workwear enthusiast brothers, this small store carries many brands you can’t find elsewhere in the city. Super nice guys, once I accidentally stayed 15 minutes past closing time just talking to them. Free hemming with any purchase.

Nouvelle Nouvelle | 209 Abbott St. | 208 East 12th Ave.

Apolis | Steven Alan | Filson | RVLT | London Alexander | Blackbird

Ray Rickburn | 2100 West 4th Ave.

Barbour | Naked & Famous | Stutterheim | Reigning Champ | Pendleton | Penfield

A spinoff of Hill’s, this smaller men’s boutique offers many of the same brands in a different part of the city.

Roden Gray | 8 Water St.

Alden | Barena Venezia | John Elliot + Co | FEIT | Thom Browne | AMI | Givenchy | OAMC | Kapital | Boglioli | Sacai | Marni | kolor | Nonnative | Buscemi | Dries Van Noten | Moncler | S.N.S. Herning | Nanamica | Tanner Goods | Mr. Gray | New Balance | Common Projects

If the Vancouver menswear scene were to elect a president, it would be Roden Gray. Many brands have an exclusivity agreement with the store dictating that no one else in Vancouver can sell them.

Rowan Sky | 334 West Cordova St.

Aigle | SeaVees | Red Wing | New Balance | Wolverine | Soludos

Some questionable offerings (Kenneth Cole? Really?) keep this store from having my full co-sign however, if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll be safe.

Secret Location | 1 Water St.

Finamore | Scarpe de Bianco | Pringle of Scotland | G. Abo Napoli | Opening Ceremony

This store is private shopping only. If you’re in the store, they don’t let anyone else in until you’re done. Most people make appointments, poors need not apply. I didn’t know this the first time I went in and felt extremely uncomfortable knowing I wasn’t buying anything so I left before finding out everything they had to offer. They were selling a couple of Saphir shoe care products, that was cool. I can afford that.

Still Life | 2315 Main St.

Gitman Vintage | Penfield | Superga | Tellason | Todd Snyder x Champion | New Balance | Filson

Valhalla Pure Outfitters | 88 West Broadway

Arc’teryx | Icebreaker | Mammut | Marmot | Outdoor Research | Patagonia | Smartwool | Wigwam | Fjallraven | Ibex

WANT Apothecary | 2956 Granville St.

WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie | Steven Alan | Acne Studios | Maison Kitsuné | Filippa K | Aesop

Brand Stores

Brooks Brothers | 1026 Alberni St.

For now, their shoe section may be best place in the city for quality dress shoes.

Brunello Cucinelli | 765 Thurlow St.

Burberry | 1101 Alberni St.

Club Monaco | 1034 Robson St. | 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby (Metrotown Mall)

Their sale section should be every beginner’s starting place for improving their wardrobe. The Robson store has a great upper floor men’s section that feels a bit like a club house.

Ermenegildo Zegna | 701 West Georgia St. (Pacific Centre)

Frank & Oak | 316 W Cordova St.

Showroom where you can sample the goods from this online-only Canadian company and have them shipped to your house.

Goorin Hats | 1188 Hamilton St.

Hermès | 755 Burrard St.

J.Crew | 1088 Robson St.

James Perse | 2717 Granville St.

Moncler | 748 Thurlow St.

New Balance | 1158 Robson St.

This store has the largest wall of Lifestyle models (574, 996, 998, 1300, etc.) in North America.

The North Face | 792 Granville St. | 2136 West 4th Ave.

Patagonia | 1994 West 4th Ave.

Red Wing Shoes | 4707 Kingsway, Burnaby

Brands based in Vancouver

Arc’teryx | 2033 West 4th Ave. | 2155 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver (factory store)

The outerwear brand also stocks their higher-end Veilance line at their store on 4th.

Dayton Boots | 2250 East Hastings St.

Dayton has been making boots in Vancouver since 1946, read about my visit here.

Indochino | 1014 Homer St.

The online MTM brand recently opened a showroom in the heart of Gastown where you can get feel the fabrics and get measured up for a custom suit. That way if the measurements are off you can blame them and not your friend or spouse who tried their best.

Kit & Ace | 151 Water St.

The lululemon founding family’s next venture, they sell “technical cashmere” garments which I assume is the next level up from technical merino. Look for them to expand quickly, they have a lot of money at their disposal.

Lifetime Collective | 4386 Main St.



Skate/board inspired casualwear.

lululemon athletica | 970 Robson St. | 2113 West 4th Ave. | 189 - 650 West 41st Ave. (Oakridge)



A Vancouver staple, our biggest fashion export deserves a spot on this list even if the one pair of shorts that I own of theirs was given to me by friend who once worked in their call centre.

Motherland | 466 West Cordova St. | 3647 Main St. | 2080 West 4th Ave.

This local chain of men’s boutiques stocks their own in-house label National Standards (not to be confused with sneaker brand National Standard), producing shirts, t-shirts, pants, sweaters in Vancouver. Their cut is especially great for tall, slim guys. Their shirts are the the only ones that have ever come close to a perfect fit off-the-rack on me. One of my friends who was certain that the shirts would not fit his strangely proportioned body came out of the changing room asking “If this is made for guys like me, how are they still in business?” I don’t know.

Oak + Fort | 355 Water St. | 650 West 41st Ave. (Oakridge) | 4700 Kingsway (Metrotown)



This newer brand mainly caters to women but does have a small men’s collection. Fashion-forward designs at introductory prices, albeit with lower quality fabrics.



Reigning Champ | 2119 West 4th Ave.

High quality sweatshirts and activewear, made in Vancouver.

wings + horns | 133 West 5th Ave.



Owned by the same parent company as Reigning Champ, wings + horns produces Japanese-inspired streetwear pieces right here in Vancouver and is carried in stores all around the world. Look out for the yearly late fall w+h/RC sample sale, if you can get there early on the first day you won’t be leaving empty handed.

Department Stores

Harry Rosen | 700 West Georgia St. | 650 West 41st Ave. (Oakridge Centre)

Allen Edmonds | Tom Ford | L.B.M. 1911 | Boglioli | Brunello Cucinelli | Isaia | Incotex | Canali | Samuelsohn | Moncler | Kiton | Polo Ralph Lauren | Ralph Lauren Black Label | Swim’s | Tod’s

Arguably the biggest name in Canadian men’s retail, their strength lies in their suiting and business wear options.

Holt Renfrew | 737 Dunsmuir St.

Tom Ford | Mackintosh | Public School NYC | Saint Laurent | Alexander Wang | Loro Piana | Shinola | Cheaney | AMI | Canali | Paul Smith | Acne Studios

Spread over three floors, this is the city’s foremost luxury department store for men and women.

Nordstrom | 725 Granville St. (opening September 2015)

After almost 3 years under construction, once completed this will be the company’s Canadian flagship.

Grooming Products

House Of Knives | 2655 Granville St. | 4800 Kingsway (Metrotown)| 1004 Park Royal South

Feather | Merkur | Dovo | Timor | Taylor of Old Bond Street | Colonel Conk

If you’re looking to buy a new straight razor I think this might be the only spot in town.

MASC | 433 Davie St.

Merkur | Muhle | Baxter of California | Imperial | Proraso | Geo F. Trumper | Uppercut | Malin+Goetz | Dovo | Feather | Jack Black | eShave | Marvis | Hairbond

A small store that carries only men’s grooming and skin care products.

Old Faithful Shop | 320 West Cordova St.

D.R. Harris | Kent

Located in a beautiful 1903 building, Old Faithful stocks a lot of handmade, beautiful household items. Their instagram boasts 41k followers and it’s easy to see why. If you could somehow walk into VSCO cam this would be the place.

Revolucion | 1063 Mainland St.

Edwin Jagger | Merkur | Parker | Kent | Cella | Penhaligon’s | Castle Forbes | Jack Black



A cigar and small gifts store with a small but quite decent shaving section.

Zennkai Salon | 782 Granville St. | 2131 West 4th Ave. | 4820 Kingsway (Metrotown) | 1942 Minoru Blvd. (Richmond Centre)

Layrite | American Crew | TIGI | Sexy Hair | AG | Sebastian | Wahl

My favourite place for hair products, they’re really more a store than a salon.

Barbershops

Barber & Co. | 214 Abbott St. | 106 - 1120 Hamilton St. | 3395 Cambie St. | 905 Dunsmuir St. | 2808 Main St.

The Belmont Barbershop | 111 East Broadway

JD’s Barbershop | 235 Abbott St.

Farzad’s Barber Shop | 126 - 1208 Homer St.



FortKnight Barbers | 46 Alexander St.

Main Barbers | 3555 Main St.

Mr. Hobbs Barbershop | 3065 Granville St.

Regal Barbers | 971 Hornby St.

Uppercut Barbershop | 2308 West Broadway

Tailors

Albert’s Tailor | 227 - 7470 Granville St.

Kerrisdale Custom Tailors | 2082 West 41st Ave.

Martin Fisher Tailors | 310 - 1275 Venables St.

Made to order custom clothing from tailor Michael Mahood. I currently have two orders with him and I’ve very much enjoyed the process, review forthcoming.

Oakridge Tailors | 5534 Cambie St.

The most often recommended place in Vancouver. If you have something expensive that needs work, bring it here.

Threads Fashion Alterations | 3170 Cambie St.

Townline Tailors | 541 Howe St.

Cobblers

East Van Shoe Repair | 60 East Hastings St.

Owner/operator Rebecca trained at Quick Cobbler and soon struck out on her own. I’ve heard great things so I’ll be bringing her my next pair in need of work.

The Quick Cobbler | 430 West 2nd Ave.

In business since 1984, this is the largest shoe repair store in Canada.

Eyewear Stores

Bailey Nelson | 303 Cambie St.

Australia’s higher quality answer to Warby Parker, this is their first and so far only brick-and-mortar shop in North America.

Bruce Eyewear | 219 Abbott St. | 3553 Main St.

Moscot | Cutler and Gross | Thom Browne | Garrett Leight | Salt Optics | Mykita



The most diverse selection in the city hands down.

Durant Sessions | 315 West Cordova St.

Oliver Peoples | Eyevan 7285

My new favourite eyewear shop. Many unique and exclusive brands but all classic designs. They can also tint lenses any colour you like, right in the shop.

Granville Eyeland Framemakers | 45 Water St.

No longer on Granville Island, the only handmade frame maker in Canada is now in Gastown.

Supply stores

Button Button | 318 Homer St.

Need to swap the buttons on your sportcoat? This comically niche store has what you’re looking for.

Dressew Supply | 337 West Hastings St.

Go here to find super cheap sewing materials. I bought a retractable spool of tailor’s tape for 25 cents.

Lonsdale Leather | 32 West 5th Ave.

A warehouse with leather hides, hardware, and tools. If you want to get into leatherworking or just buy a new belt buckle, this is the place.