Vancouver-based Herschel Supply Co. has opened a new store in Banff, Alberta with a two-level, 2,800 square foot location at the corner of Banff Avenue and Wolf Street in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.
Retail Insider sat down with Lyndon Cormack, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Herschel Supply Co. to discuss the Banff store and what it means to the brand moving forward.
RI: What’s unique about the Banff location, and what spoke to you about the actual space – what made you sign on the dotted line?
LC: Growing up we spent a lot of time exploring the town of Banff and wandering those mountains. It’s our favorite place that holds a lot of memories, and to open a store in the heart of it, well it just doesn’t get much better than that.
Part of it was actually lucky timing. We were on a work trip in Banff, and a flyer for 229 Banff Avenue caught my eye. The same business was in that space for decades. It’s one of the most prime locations you can have on Banff Avenue: a corner lot, playground right across the street, and the first corner most people hit when they enter the town. You don’t get locations as good as this.
In terms of the actual space, Herschel Supply Banff is a two-level store, allowing us to showcase a wide selection of Herschel products. You’ll find our signature collection of backpacks, bags, travel accessories, luggage and apparel.
RI: With Banff undergoing a transformation in a post-pandemic travel era, what can you see the store focusing on and how can the brand look at the overseas traveller vs the out-of-province visitor?
LC: The pandemic highlighted the beauty we have in our own backyard, and Banff is a prime example. The town has seen more visitors than ever before, and there’s a renewed importance of being outside for both travelers and locals. The hope is that our Banff store will bring everyone together. Our bags have always been designed to get you to every journey, whether you’re taking a day trip to Banff or you flew across continents to get here. Our products speak to everyone.
RI: With this being in Retail Insider, our readership would be interested in hearing about what’s next for Herschel Supply Co. for Q3 and Q4 2023 and if there’s anything that you can share with us about the future plans past this fiscal year?
LC: Herschel has two more store openings later this year. We’re moving from the mountains of Banff to the busy cities of California and New York. The California store will be Herschel’s first on the west coast of the US, followed by our second location in New York City. As with all of our retail spaces, these stores will blend our roots in the Pacific Northwest and the unique local environment of each city.
Fairfield Real Estate Inc. represented the landlord for the transaction.
“Today we are congratulating Howard and Pat Martin the owners of 229 Banff Avenue in Banff Alberta on the grand opening of the new Herschel Supply Company store at their building,” shared Fairfield. “This high-profile corner location has been held by their family for generations and is known locally as the ‘Earls Building’ with the well know restaurant operating on the second level for many years. Monika Blachut & Michael L. Kehoe at Fairfield Commercial Real Estate Inc. were engaged by Howard & Pat as their exclusive leasing broker for the building. Fairfield Commercial secured the Vancouver BC based apparel brand Herschel Supply Company to lease 4,700 square feet on the main and lower-level retail spaces.”
The store was constructed by Build It.
Additional Photos of Herschel Supply Co in Banff, Alberta
