There were long lineups for fast fashion on Thursday morning, but the typical Vancouver weather didn’t deter folks from showing up at the Shein pop-up downtown.
Daily Hive was on the scene at 804 Granville Street, and many shoppers were wielding umbrellas ahead of Thursday’s 10 am pop-up launch.
A few folks in the lineup told Daily Hive they were there for the gifts Shein was offering to early birds who showed up to the Vancouver launch.
Clearly, the rain was no obstacle for folks who wanted to get their hands on some Shein merch, and Daily Hive counted nearly 200 people in line on Thursday morning, which stretched from Granville and Robson down past the Orpheum.
@freshdailyvancouver Around 150 people are lined up outside the brand-new SHEIN pop up store in Vancouver. The brand is expecting approximately 6,000 visitors over the next few days 👀 #vancouver #vancouverbc #downtownvancouver #shein ♬ Eyes Like Blue Skies (Instrumental) – SoulChef
From Thursday, April 11, to Sunday, April 14, the event is taking over a two-story unit, featuring an extensive selection of Shein’s trendy and affordable clothing.
Amir Ali/Daily Hive
Apart from its temporary, seasonal use for the Spirit Halloween costume store, this 5,600 sq ft retail space — wedged between The Lennox Pub and the former Daiso Japan store — has been vacant since the closure of Payless Shoes almost exactly five years ago.
Amir Ali/Daily Hive
Some locals have been divided about the pop-up store, with one person telling Daily Hive, “I feel like it’s a bad way to represent Vancouver.”
Shein has been a controversial brand within the fast fashion industry for the way it operates to get its low prices, including allegedly unfair wages, unsafe working conditions for its employees, and environmental impacts from its production and sourcing.
Are you going to be checking out the pop-up today? Let us know in the comments.
With files from Kenneth Chan, Beth Rochester and Katy Brennan