Whit Kingston | 259 Princess Street | whitkingston.com
Many who choose to call Kingston home take pride in the city for all it has to offer: the waterfront scenery, the friendly people, and the beautiful downtown filled with awesome local shops. If you take a moment to step inside one of those shops, Whit Kingston, you will find a clothing and gift store that pays homage to the Limestone City through apparel and home items donning the names of local neighbourhoods and lakes.
View this post on Instagram
Owners, Cyndy Gibson and Rob Sinclair, have been retailers in Kingston for about 28 years and opened Whit Kingston in 2017. Their effort to honour Kingston and its history is not reserved for the patriotic clothing they sell, it’s also in the name. “The location we are in, if you look at the awning, there is an old sign that says Whitney’s Carpets and Rugs. This was a retailer several generations ago and lasted several generations. We were like ‘let’s give it a nod to the family that used to have a store here for generations,” Ms. Gibson explains. She adds, “We are really proud to be in Kingston. So, we thought that tied nicely.”
View this post on Instagram
The Kingston pride echoes through Kingston hoodies, Bobs Lake Ts, and cozy toques with neighbourhood names like Skeleton Park etched in bold font. “We want to have local pride and wear something that looks cool,” says Ms. Gibson. But it’s not just locals who pick up the Kingston-inspired items. She explains, “Something like Skeleton Park resonates with so many people who have many generations in the city but then a tourist will come in and see Skeleton Park because it’s just so interesting. Then we will explain the backstory of Skeleton Park, which is really important to know.”
View this post on Instagram
For Whit Kingston, it’s about more than recognizing its town and history through clothing, apparel and its name, they also make an effort to check in and promote neighbouring businesses. Ms. Gibson explains, “I find as a community we have to look out for each other so knowing my neighbours and trying to promote each other. You’ll see that we try to do that a lot on social media. If a new patio opens or there is a new feature going on somewhere else. It’s important for us to be supportive of independent businesses.” Adding, “You can’t be an island. We have to work together. It only enhances us if our neighbours are healthy and are bringing in customers that are happy. We’re always excited when someone new wants to open here, to keep building what our next generation of independent businesses will look like.”
