Kelowna’s retail scene has gained a notable new addition with the opening of an EMMYDEVEAUX storefront in Pandosy Village, as founder Emily Salsbury also steps into the public spotlight with a campaign for Mayor of Kelowna. The brand’s new street-level location at 2983 Pandosy Street marks a fresh chapter for the Alberta-founded fashion label, which has shifted its centre of gravity to British Columbia in recent years. The company’s website now promotes in-person shopping at that address, listing regular store hours in Kelowna.
The new boutique is a compact 680-square-foot space, but it represents something significant for the business. Salsbury said the store opened only about four weeks ago and is serving as a real-time test of what physical retail could look like for the brand after years of operating through e-commerce, studio space, and selective in-person access.
“This is a good first step for us,” she said. “I love physical retail. If we continue in any capacity, it’s going to be that, because we’ve figured out what the physical retail can look like.”
Located in Kelowna’s Pandosy Village, near the waterfront and surrounded by other fashion businesses, the store benefits from a growing cluster of apparel retail. Salsbury described the area as distinct from downtown Kelowna, but still part of an active urban corridor with strong pedestrian traffic and a mix of lifestyle-oriented businesses.
Retail Test Follows Years of Kelowna Investment
While the storefront is new, EMMYDEVEAUX has not arrived in Kelowna overnight. Salsbury said she established a design office in the city more than three years ago, with that upstairs space now functioning as office and shipping operations. Over time, Kelowna became the practical and creative base for the business.
At the same time, the company has fully exited Edmonton. Salsbury said nothing remains of the brand’s former operations there after persistent building issues, including flooding and leaks, damaged inventory and archives, and broader structural challenges. That retreat closed the book on the label’s earlier Alberta chapter and reinforced Kelowna as its new operational home.
The shift aligns with the brand’s broader positioning. EMMYDEVEAUX describes itself as a capsule-driven label founded by Emily Salsbury-Deveaux in 2018, with a focus on timeless silhouettes, fit, and versatile wardrobe pieces rather than trend-driven fashion.
The company also continues to emphasize direct-to-consumer selling and a reserve-first production model through its website.
A Brand Built on Design Precision and Customer Trust
The EMMYDEVEAUX Kelowna store also arrives at a time when the company is refining its product strategy rather than chasing rapid expansion. Salsbury said the business has developed a core catalogue over roughly eight years, and that being fully based in Kelowna has allowed her to focus more deeply on design. She said about 25 new pieces are currently in development, alongside continued work on the Harper Heel footwear line.
What makes the company unusual is the level of trust it appears to have built with its customer base. Salsbury said roughly 70 per cent of many products are still pre-ordered before arrival, allowing the brand to reduce risk while maintaining a highly engaged community.
“When you focus on the design of the product, that’s the only reason we keep going,” she said. “I have these customers who are so trusting of the brand that they’ll pledge up their money.”
That approach fits with the brand’s stated philosophy. On its website, EMMYDEVEAUX presents itself as a business rooted in careful design, technical pattern drafting, and clothing intended to work across different settings and stages of daily life.
Physical Retail Returns to the Conversation
For Salsbury, the Kelowna storefront is about more than selling clothing off a rack. It is also about evaluating whether the brand has a viable long-term brick-and-mortar model.
She said consumers often walk into the shop without immediately understanding the concept because the space is visually minimal and product-led. However, once they look up the company online and return with more context, the brand story becomes clearer. That discovery process is one reason she sees the store as an experiment rather than a final answer.
The company’s online channels still reflect a hybrid retail approach, with Canadian and U.S. e-commerce activity alongside selective in-person shopping, and a separate U.S. site serving American customers from Portland-based fulfillment.
Founder Launches Bid for Kelowna Mayor
The EMMYDEVEAUX Kelowna store is opening at the same moment Salsbury is entering civic politics. Local media reported on April 17 that the business owner and fashion entrepreneur is set to run for mayor in Kelowna’s 2026 municipal election, while her campaign presence has also been promoted through her public “Emily for Kelowna” channels.
Salsbury said the decision grew out of both her business experience and her sense that the city needs stronger direction. She described the move as a natural extension of years spent working in retail strategy, economic development, consulting, and brand-building.
“I’ve got this huge bucket of knowledge, and what can I do next?” she said. “I love community, and I’m really good at getting things done. I just felt like I’m the right person for it.”
She said she has been in a research and listening phase for several months, attending council meetings, public forums, and community events while inviting residents to book meetings, calls, and walks with her directly. According to Salsbury, this period is less about campaigning in the traditional sense and more about understanding what residents see as the city’s biggest needs.
It is still unusual to see a fashion founder open a boutique while simultaneously launching a mayoral run, but in Salsbury’s case the two efforts appear connected by a common theme of local engagement. She framed both the business and the campaign around the idea of building something durable and useful, whether that means clothing designed to last or a civic platform built through listening and research.
“My plan right now is to run for mayor and run a good campaign and get the job, and do the work,” she said.
What Comes Next for the Brand
Salsbury said she has no fixed five-year expansion plan for EMMYDEVEAUX at this stage. Instead, she is using the Kelowna store as a testing ground to determine whether a scalable physical retail model exists for the brand, and whether a larger format or additional locations could make sense over time.
The current space limits the breadth of product that can be carried. However, it offers valuable insight into customer behaviour, merchandising, and how the brand translates in a physical environment after years of operating primarily through e-commerce and controlled distribution.
At the same time, Salsbury acknowledged that future growth may depend on strengthening the company’s operational structure. She said she is exploring the addition of an equity operating partner who could focus on scaling the business, including retail expansion, partnerships, and broader business development.
“I have to stay in my lane,” she said. “I need to stay focused on the product, the manufacturing relationships, and making sure we deliver. What I really need is an operating partner who can help take this to the next level.”
For now, the brand remains intentionally measured in its growth. Salsbury emphasized that maintaining product integrity and customer trust remains the priority, even as she evaluates new opportunities. The Kelowna store represents both a return to physical retail and a strategic checkpoint, one that could shape the next phase of EMMYDEVEAUX’s evolution.
