Adidas welcomed people in the Spadina Avenue and Queen Street West area to the “new” neighbourhood. On Friday, Adidas Originals reopened its Queen Street West location as part of Toronto’s own “Neighbourhood Concept” store — an Adidas boutique that contains distinct local elements, which symbolize and represent the neighbourhood it’s located in.

For Canada, this is the first Adidas location of its kind, according to a recent press release by the company. Montreal and Vancouver are also adopting this Adidas “Neighbourhood Concept” model later on this year, the release notes.

This “Neighbourhood Concept” model is part of Adidas’ initiative of remaining locally relevant by forging relationships with local artists and creative types within various neighbourhoods as well as promoting the Adidas Originals brand.

Although the Queen Street West location officially opened Friday, Aug. 11, Adidas unveiled the newly designed store on the Thursday night as part of an exclusive block party. Mississauga, Ont.-born and Grammy nominated hip-hop artist PARTYNEXTDOOR put on a special guest performance at the event. Other Canadian musicians performed behind the newly refurbished location as well.

There were many people involved in getting the renewed Queen Street West location launched, including Sean Brown, Amrit Kumar and Mriga Kapadiya (of NorBlack NorWhite) and Toronto artist Mango Peeler. Adidas Canada worked, in conjunction with these artists, on customized T-shirts “that will be available as an exclusive gift with purchase when the store opens,” the press release states. Adidas also partnered with Gyimah Gariba, a Toronto illustrator, who created custom artwork for the Queen Street West store.

The ground level of the store displays the classic Adidas Originals line, while the second floor serves as a remodelled activation space, which will enable visitors to connect with and revere Toronto’s creative culture as it relates to the Adidas Originals brand and its “Neighbourhood Concept.”

www.adidas.ca

Photos by Jorden Lee and Misha Mulalu