Two Vancouver roommates sell shoe brand to company behind Kit and Ace

Casca Footwear, a Vancouver-based shoe company with humble basement suite beginnings, has just been sold to the company that recently bought Kit and Ace.

The shoe company, created in 2017 by Braden Parker and Kevin Reid in their basement suite in Kitsilano, has just been acquired by Unity Brands Inc.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have built over the last seven years, and I’m looking forward to seeing Casca achieve new levels of growth with Unity Brands,” said Braden Parker, co-founder and CEO of Casca Footwear.

Casca

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Parker and Reid have quite the story when it comes to Casca. While they were roommates in Kits seven years ago, they had a vision that revolved around crafting footwear that flawlessly fused functionality, comfort, and style.

Parker says Unity really understood their vision for the company and recognized they want to support the customer experience, adding, “their commitment to nurturing quality-driven brands that deeply resonate with consumers aligns with the ethos on which Casca was founded.”

 

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The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Unity Brands, which was founded in early 2023, is described as a “leader in retail innovation and brand stewardship” and is helmed by some big names in the retail industry in Canada — David Lui (CEO of Kit and Ace), Joe Mimran (Founder of Club Monaco and Joe Fresh), and Frank Rocchetti (of Tilley and Loblaws).

Vancouver-based Kit and Ace was recently acquired by Unity.