TORONTO
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“When we look for a store location, we’re not too concerned about foot traffic.”
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THAT SECRET STORE To passers-by it might be just another clothing store tucked away in a discreet spot of an up-and-coming neighbourhood, but to streetwear devotees, it’s a HAVEN. QUEEN STREET EAST, TORONTO / - Arthur and Daniel Chmielewski don’t think of it as a store as much as they do a showroom. Haven’s exposed brick, industrial wrought iron accents and white gypsum board walls rising from the polished concrete floors provide a blank canvas for the highly exclusive, urban styles tidily racked and folded throughout the Berkeley Street space, at the corner of Toronto’s Queen Street East. A wall of factory-style windows lets in the late day’s sun, lighting a white oak laminated counter that sits like a giant butcher’s block in a corner of the tidy white space. Single samples of each clothing item hang on racks, sit artfully displayed on recessed shelving that’s inset with slimline lighting, or are featured prominently on two low-slung, Douglas fir benches stained to match the shelving detail. JAPANESE RETAIL Much of the work was completed by the brothers themselves with considerable help from their contractor father, says Arthur, explaining that the clean aesthetics are something one might find in a Japanese retail environment. A massive ten by six-and-a-half-foot-wide custom mirror reflects a glassed-in section whose contents are just a little more exclusive that the regular collection. “This section is where you’ll find $2,000 jackets,” says Arthur, explaining that if there was a specialization for his store it would be Japanese streetwear and technical outerwear. Since 2006, the Edmonton-born brothers have curated designs from the likes of Original Fake, Acronym, Neighbourhood, WTAPS, Sophnet, Junta Watanabe MAN, Wings + Horns and more to establish a solid reputation as purveyors of one of the most complete collections of luxury streetwear available in Canada. ROOTS OF A STYLE Distinct from hip hop, streetwear has roots in 1980s skate wear and many of the fashions draw inspiration from military, outdoor and work clothing aesthetics.
It was adopted as urban fashion in Japan in the nineties and strengthened into designer and luxury apparel quickly finding a foothold in the U.S. market in the early 2000s. With price points ranging up to $500 for pants and $2,000 for jackets, many of the brands Haven carries appeal to a market of clothes buyers most interested in technical features, and the exclusivity offered by this carefully curated collection. To round off its offerings, Haven also has a selection of more affordable collections for more price conscious shoppers. A FAITHFUL CLIENTELE “When we look for a store location, we’re not too concerned about foot traffic,” he says, explaining that consumers forming the niche market in which he and his brother first ventured, by opening a Haven store in Edmonton, know the brands they carry and form a faithful customer base. While its slick web site delivers a large part of its sales, having a physical presence in major Canadian cities is a must, says Arthur, explaining that building a network of stores is part of an effort to consolidate a national presence as well as provide its customer base with the chance to physically experience the product. “Many of our customers have only heard of or seen these brands on the web, so having stores across Canada means they can see this stuff first hand,” says Arthur. As physical expansion goes, Toronto is the third store. Vancouver saw the company’s second store open in 2009, tucked away in a corner of Gastown. Its Queen Street East store sits in an eclectic neighbourhood, but that has always been a draw when the duo looks for locations. “We’ve always been drawn to up-and-coming neighbourhoods that have historical appeal,” says Arthur of his new Corktown space. n – Yvan Marston
Havenshop.ca
10 • SPRING 2012