NOVEMBER 2017 BCBUSINESS 41
S
o, this is where my
kids' backpacks
got their start. At
Herschel Supply
Co. headquarters in
East Vancouver's
rough-hewn
Railtown neighbourhood,
the atmosphere on a sunny
August morning is brisk.
About 130 of the company's
170 employees work here,
alongside founders Lyndon
and Jamie Cormack, who
are chatting with staƒ.
The ground …oor of the
28,500-square-foot digs is
open space, natural light and
dark wood, oƒset by a many-
headed chandelier whose
tendrils could represent
Herschel's rapid worldwide
expansion. The company
the Cormacks established
in 2009, named after the
Saskatchewan town that is
their ancestral family home,
now sells its retro-inspired,
fashion-forward bags,
apparel and accessories in
72 countries.
In a few days, Lyndon is
heading to Shanghai, where
Herschel has one of its four
satellite oŒces. For the busi
-
ness, which manufactures in
China, being a hit with style-
and budget-conscious young
consumers from Tokyo
to Paris to New York also
means battling a rising tide
of Asian-made knockoƒs.
"We spend out of our ears to
protect our brand not only
here at home but globally,
and the tap's never going
to get turned oƒ," Lyndon,
who would win most staring
contests, says from the edge
of his seat in the staƒ lounge.
"It's a constant —ght, but we
take it extremely seriously."
He shares that intensity
with Jamie, the senior
Herschel co-founder by two
years, whom I meet in his
sparsely decorated oŒce.
The Cormack brothers are
friendly people who show a
genuine interest in others,
but they didn't get where
they are by being timid.
If Lyndon comes oƒ as a
—rebrand who can rally the
troops, Jamie is a smoulder
-
ing presence with an edge
of his own. On the window-
sill behind his desk sits a
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