The Legacy
In 1978, Marilee and Uldis opened their flagship casual clothing shop Bimini In The Beaches at 2064 Queen Street East, Toronto. For over two decades they carried all the big brands: Tommy, Mondetta, Nautica, Timberland, Silver, Diesel, Big Star, Edwin, Cross Colors, OP, Chip & Pepper, and Oshkosh Bigosh.
But their claim to cult fame was their branded sweats, and in particular their Made in Canada oversized garment dyed Non-Fiction by Tiger Brand embroidered sweatshirts. The colours were pure 80s & 90s, and are still remembered fondly by their customers.
In 2005, after 27 years, they decided it was time to walk away. Now – almost 20 years later and led by Marilee and Uldis’s eldest son Joshua – we are reviving the family’s legacy.
The Name
Marilee and Uldis met for the very first time in 1976 at Bimini’s Tavern, a classic Vancouver pub in the Kitsilano neighbourhood. At the time, Marilee was working for the real estate ombudsman, and Uldis for the post office. They’d move-in together just a few short months later, and eventually move to Uldis’s hometown of Toronto. It was there, on the east side of town, where they decided to open a small retail shop, named after the bar where their lives together had first begun.
The shop, located at 2064 Queen Street East, was originally called Bimini with the logo designed by the two of them. Marilee penned the “B” & Uldis filled in the “imini”.
The Closing
In 2005 the world was shifting away from the one in which the store had flourished. Consumption habits were changing quickly, and fast disposable fashion was becoming the new normal. Inexpensive garments made cheaply overseas were everywhere, and Bimini’s approach to fashion and retail, like so many other tried and true Canadian brands, had quickly become unsustainable.
Marilee and Uldis, refusing to compromise on the things that made their passion special and meaningful, made the near impossible decision to walk away.
The Reopening
The very last Bimini In The Beaches sweatshirt was sold 20 years ago, but now Marilee and Uldis have passed the torch to their son Joshua, and – together with new partners – a new era of Bimini In The Beaches has begun.
Bimini was famous for their branded sweats and denim, and that’s still our focus today. Our colourful, vintage-inspired sweats would feel right at home in the old store back in the 80s. As for the denim? More on that to come. We make everything in Canada, using the best materials and partnering with manufacturers that share our values. It’s all about slow fashion, just like it was back in the day.
