Vancouver-based accessories line Herschel Supply Co. has confirmed that it will open its first Canadian storefront in Gastown next summer.

Best recognized for its utilitarian leather-and-canvas backpacks, the company has acquired both 347 and 349 Water Street—the former of which was most recently Oriental Rug Bazaar—and will combine the two spaces to form a 5,000-square-foot flagship store.

The space is situated in the historic Greenshields Building, which is classified as a Heritage A site—representing the “best examples of a style of type of building—by the City of Vancouver. “We’re collaborating well with the city to make sure we can create a beautiful space,” Lyndon Cormack, cofounder of Herschel, tells the Straight during a recent interview in Deep Cove, “so we can accomplish both their goals and our goals.”

Construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks. According to Cormack, it will carry a diverse selection of core and seasonal Herschel products—including backpacks, headwear, coats, and travel accessories—unseen at its existing retailers. “It’ll have the best representation of Herschel products, most likely in the world,” he says.

Founded in 2009 by brothers Jamie and Lyndon Cormack, Herschel Supply Co. produces a wide range of men’s and women’s accessories, including backpacks, duffel bags, totes, and wallets. It’s named after the small town of Herschel, Saskatchewan, where three generations of the siblings’ family were raised.

Herschel operates a head office in Railtown and a number of retail storefronts in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, though these are owned by third parties. The Gastown boutique will be the first Herschel-owned store and the company’s largest retail concept yet.

In the meantime, Vancouverites can check out Herschel's Lemonade Stand pop-up, which offers a collection of citrus-themed accessories and cold-pressed lemon juices. The sales from the latter will benefit arts education for youth in B.C.