Canadian apparel retailer Kit and Ace continues its national retail resurgence with the opening of a new 3,500-square-foot location at Park Royal Shopping Centre in West Vancouver. The store, situated in a high-visibility corner unit within The Village section of the mall formerly occupied by Peloton, showcases the brand’s refined design aesthetic and marks another milestone in its growing Western Canadian presence.
The new Kit and Ace Park Royal store embodies the brand’s contemporary and approachable aesthetic. The space features deep blue walls and ceilings, extensive glass frontage, and abundant natural light, creating an inviting, elevated retail environment. The location enjoys strong pedestrian visibility and aligns with the brand’s focus on community connection and lifestyle integration.
In a statement, David Lui, CEO of Kit and Ace, shared his enthusiasm for the brand’s latest opening:
“We’re thrilled to announce the opening of our newest KIT + ACE in Park Royal Shopping Centre in The Village — a community that celebrates connection, creativity, and modern living. This new space reflects our belief that when you feel your best, you live your best — with technical fashion designed for comfort, confidence, and versatility from day to night.”
Lui expressed gratitude toward the team behind the new store, adding, “A heartfelt thank you to our incredible team for bringing this vision to life, and to our new neighbours — we can’t wait to welcome you in.”
Expansion Momentum Across Canada
The Park Royal opening follows a year of rapid growth for the brand, which has been steadily rebuilding its retail network under the ownership of Unity Brands Inc. Since being acquired in July 2023, Kit and Ace has undergone a transformation that blends strategic expansion, product innovation, and renewed consumer engagement.
Throughout 2025, Kit and Ace has opened new stores and pop-ups in several key markets across Canada. These include a long-term pop-up at The Well in downtown Toronto, the brand’s largest store to date at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, and new storefronts at Bayview Village in Toronto, CF Market Mall in Calgary, and Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby. Each location has been strategically chosen to strengthen the brand’s connection with urban professionals seeking comfort, quality, and functionality.
The Kit and Ace Park Royal location builds on that momentum, extending the brand’s reach within the Greater Vancouver Area while reinforcing its commitment to bricks-and-mortar retail as an experiential anchor for its direct-to-consumer strategy.
Expanding into the Home Space
Beyond apparel, Kit and Ace is broadening its lifestyle reach with the introduction of a new home goods line, launched in partnership with TJX Canada, the parent company of Winners, Marshalls, and HomeSense. The collection, now available in over 300 stores across Canada, marks the brand’s official entry into the home category.
Announcing the initiative, David Lui said, “KIT + ACE has officially expanded into the home space in collaboration with TJX Canada – Winners, Marshalls, HomeSense, now available in over 300 stores across Canada.” Explaining the rationale behind the move, Lui added, “Why home? Because comfort doesn’t stop at what you wear. Our goal has always been to help people feel the difference — through softness, function, and thoughtful design.
Extending that same sensibility into the spaces where we rest and recharge was a natural next step.”
The new range features tactile, comfort-driven products including Cable Knit Throws and Bouclé Knit Throws, with more home innovations expected in future collections.
Lui described the collaboration with TJX as “a natural brand extension” that allows Kit and Ace to reach more Canadians in a new setting.
“Launching Home with TJX is a natural brand extension and allows us to share the KIT + ACE experience with even more Canadians — at home, in every season.”
Leadership and Strategic Direction
Under the leadership of David Lui and Unity Brands founders Joe Mimran (Club Monaco, Joe Fresh) and Frank Rocchetti (Tilley, Loblaws), Kit and Ace has embraced a renewed focus on design excellence, customer experience, and sustainable growth.
The brand’s design and development functions have been centralized in Toronto, leveraging Mimran’s long-standing design expertise and infrastructure. This shift has helped modernize Kit and Ace’s product assortment while reinforcing its Canadian identity.
Lui’s leadership has also prioritized operational agility, allowing Kit and Ace to experiment with flexible retail formats such as short-term pop-ups that evolve into permanent spaces. This approach reflects a broader industry trend toward adaptive retail models that respond quickly to changing consumer habits and market conditions.
Founded in Vancouver in 2014 by Shannon Wilson, former lead designer at Lululemon Athletica, and her stepson J.J. Wilson, Kit and Ace initially gained attention for its proprietary “Technical Cashmere.” This machine-washable innovation married luxury with practicality and set the tone for the brand’s future direction.
After an ambitious global rollout that saw the company expand to over 60 stores worldwide, Kit and Ace faced challenges that led to a major restructuring. By 2017, the brand had refocused on its Canadian roots, closing international locations to concentrate on core markets and online growth.
Under new ownership since 2023, Kit and Ace has redefined its identity while preserving its foundational mission: to create smart, easy-to-love, and made-to-last clothing. The current product lineup emphasizes breathable, stretchable fabrics and clean silhouettes designed to transition seamlessly from work to leisure.
did all the peloton stores close now with this replacing it?
I’m not sure if all of the Peloton stores have closed yet, but I believe that was the ultimate plan after store closing announcements last year.