It was the late 1960s when Kitsilano became the hippie capital of Canada and kickstarted Vancouver’s reputation as a home for lentil-knitting, deodorant-shunning pot-smokers. But it would be a further 30 years till things got more hip than hippie with the arrival of brands like yoga studio Semperviva, Capers Organic Store (now Whole Foods) and, of course, the mighty Lululemon.
“Kits has always been a strong centre for self-care, possibly inspired by the incredible natural beauty in our immediate environment,” says Gloria Latham, founder of Semperviva, which opened in 1995. “We opened before Whole Foods came to town but there were a few vegetarian restaurants like the Naam and Lifestream and, of course, we have had Banyen Books in our neighbourhood for a long, long time. There was very little yoga in the community at that time – just the odd class in community centres or church basements.”
As well as the natural environment, brands were lured by the mindset of the people. Saje Natural Wellness opened its store in Kits 16 years ago. “Kitsilano is a hub for like-minded people with a strong sense of community who share the values of health and wellness, and put a priority on soulfulness vs square footage,” says Kate Ross LeBlanc, co-founder and CEO of the brand.
In the past couple of years, the area seems to be evolving further with even more self-care-focused eateries, exercise joints and salons opening. The clientele is changing too: still laid back and wellness-focused, but more pressed for time. Moreover, customers want an experience, not just a service. Salons like nail specialist Joyride and barbershop Undercroft offer perks like head or hand massages and full-service coffee bars. HÄLSA Float Spa has a nutritionist on staff.
Not even exercise is immune, with customers in that field also wanting more bang for their buck. Newbies in Kits include The Dailey Method and Method Indoor Cycling, both of which offer high-intensity spinning, and Pure Barre Fitness, which specialises in barre classes. “Yoga definitely paved the way for indoor fitness in Vancouver but I think the trend is toward more diverse activities,” says Tanya Schneider, owner of Pure Barre Fitness. “We now know through research that the best kind of workout is one that is varied. It makes complete sense to challenge your bodies and muscles in different ways to achieve that all around optimal health.”
The latest spaces to open are multifunctional, like RYU, an exercise-gear retailer that also runs free classes, and TurF Living, where you can eat, work out and shop. “When we first imagined TurF, we thought about our perfect day off and all the places in Kits we go to for coffee, brunch, shopping, and workouts. It dawned on us that we needed to bring all of this into one space,” explains co-founder Deanne Schweitzer.
Who is the new clientele? “The dynamic of this little neighborhood lends itself well to the urban millennial who leads an active, busy lifestyle,” says Shelby Turner, owner of the Undercroft.“With those individuals comes the evolution of Kitsilano. We are always looking for ways to work smarter, not harder!”
Kits has strayed far from its hippie roots, with the area accused now of being too shiny, insular and squeaky clean; but these new names say they aren’t just about making people look good. They all have Kits’ long-running peace-and-love goal of creating a sense of community. Says Schweitzer: “The scene at TurF and Kits is truly expanding. Wefeellike our mission to create community is coming to life daily.”
“My husband and I started yoga a bit later than most people do these days,”says Latham. “And although both being quite fit, we didn’t feel totally comfortable walking into yoga classes. We wanted to create an environment that everyone could feel at ease in, and we designed a schedule to be welcoming to everyone.”
