read the reviews

staff footwear picks

Our Stores

gravity pope edmonton

gravity pope calgary

gravity pope vancouver

tailored goods edmonton

tailored goods vancouver

Gravity Pope was founded in 1990 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Prior to establishing Gravity Pope, Louise Dirks worked retail for many years and then studied clothing and textiles at the University of Alberta. She has always been extremely interested in fashion and modern style.

After University, she co-owned an import shop. She and her partner traveled the world to find unique artisan goods. They traveled to India, Thailand, Nepal, Turkey, Morocco, Guatemala, and Mexico on a regular basis, buying beautiful hand made products. In the process, they purchased a line of boots from Czechoslovakia called Monkey Boots. The distributor for Monkey Boots also sold Dr. Martens. Louise Dirks and her partner brought in a few pairs to their import shop and were surprised how quickly they sold. Soon there became a growing section of Dr. Martens merchandised amidst embroidered Indian cashmeres, Turkish kilims, and Guatemalan Ikats. The shoe selection outgrew it's small space in the import shop and in 1990, Gravity Pope was born.

Originally, Gravity Pope sold only footwear and a small area in the back was subleased to a friend who opened a coffee bar. In later years this space flourished into a clothing section filled with unique fashion brands. In 1992, due to increased workload and traveling and buying for both the import shop and Gravity Pope, the partnership ceased and Louise became the sole owner of Gravity Pope. At this time, Dirks began importing a small collection of clothing lines which were featured in the back section of the store that originally housed the coffee bar.

In a city known mostly for the world's largest shopping mall, West Edmonton Mall, Gravity Pope remained a popular and successful streetside store on Edmonton's Whyte Avenue, eventually becoming a leader and an example for business on the popular shopping and entertainment strip. Through the nineties, Louise Dirks and Gravity Pope provided much of western Canada with fashionable footwear and clothing. From grunge Dr. Martens to raver style platform shoes, Gravity Pope built a reputation for keeping up with and keeping ahead of fashion trends. Striving to be a fashion leader, but also a resource for well built, hand-crafted shoes; Dirks worked to import quality shoes that reflected traditional shoe making techniques to compliment trendier styles.

Building upon Gravity Pope's growing reputation a second Gravity Pope location was opened in in June 2000, in Calgary, Alberta on the popular 17th Avenue, known for trendy shopping and entertainment. The opening of the second Gravity Pope appeased the numerous shoe fans in Calgary who were willing to make the three-hour drive on to find great footwear.

Beginning in Fall 2002, Gravity Pope began selling its own private label footwear in a limited number of styles in addition to its legendary selection of domestic and imported brands.

Demands for more stores throughout Canada brought about the opening of a third store. In April, 2004, a Gravity Pope location was added in Vancouver, British Columbia, in beautiful Kitsilano. Gravity Pope is popular with customers from all parts of Canada, with demands for stores in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Saskatchewan, and even Nunavut. Plans for growth continue, in the meantime Gravity Pope offers an extensive website gravitypope.com that showcases the selection of over 3000 footwear and clothing items. In May 2006, Gravity Pope moved their head office and warehouse facility to a larger location where 8 full time employees work in shipping, receiving, web sales and maintenance, and administration.

In May, 2007 a new extension of the Gravity Pope brand of shops opened in Old Strathcona in Edmonton. Gravitypope Tailored Goods expands Gravity Pope's amazing selection of clothing fashions into a recently renovated and beautiful 3000 square foot retail space in the heart of Old Strathcona. Located in the historical Crawford Block building on Gateway Boulevard, gravitypope TAILORED GOODS offers a new shopping experience for Edmonton's fashion conscious consumers. Quck on the heels of Gravity Pope Tailore Goods opening in Edmonton, our 5th store opened in Vancouver. Gravity Pope Tailored Goods opened its doors right next to our shoe store on West 4th in Vancouver in September 2007.

Presently, Gravity Pope has a total of 100 employees and operates 5 stores.

Gravity Pope works to provide shoes for customers with special requirements like vegetarian shoes and ethically made shoes. A number of exclusive and limited edition styles are also available. Today Gravity Pope continues to offer an extensive selection of footwear for men, women and children. The selection covers a variety of genres, including sport, comfort and fashion. Some of the brands include Paul Smith, Chie Mihara, Trippen, Georgina Goodman, Sigerson Morrison, Moma, Cydwoq, Camper, John Fluevog, Converse, Kenneth Cole, Hugo Boss, Earth, Keen, Birkenstock, Clarks, Puma, Adidas, Vans and Reebok.

Gravitypope TAILORED GOODS has maintained the same approach to bringing new and exciting labels to customers. Featuring noted Scandinavian brands Acne Jeans, Denim Birds, Fillipa K and Nudie Denim; sought after Californian designers Corpus, Ella Moss, Hazel Brown, Mon Petit Oiseau, Nice Collective and Trovata; environmentally concious brands EDUN and Loomstate; American classics Betsey Johnson, C&C California, Development, Earnest Sewn, Free People, Freshjive, Full Circle, Splendid and Stussy; and prized european lines April 77, Drykorn, Fred Perry, Hugo Boss, Nolita, Rare, and Tara Jarmon. Look for exciting new additions Barking Irons, Borne, Gilded Age, Jovovich-Hawk, Rodejber and Paul Smith men & women plus new accessories and jewelry collections coming for fall 2007. With this great collection of labels and designers, gravitypope TAILORED GOODS now has the space to showcase and introduce more collections to Edmonton’s unique and style focused consumer.