Robson and Burrard is like the Shibuya Crossing or Oxford Circus of Vancouver, the recognizable hub of a bustling downtown core, wrought with shoppers and families. So it’s a little surprising to find one of the city’s homes for elite street wear tucked away under a sushi restaurant in a spot you’d expect to see the Body Shop or Aldo.

El Kartel has been running things in Vancouver for years now. Home to the best selection of Stussy, Maharishi, Buddhist Punk and Evisu that the city has to offer, it’s not rare to see out of town DJs and musicians dropping large sums on the hard to find and the hot.

The big bonus with El Kartel is their in-house designs. Riffing on everything from Banksy inspired Graff designs to traditional luchador iconography; their graphic design is one of a kind and big with everyone from the DJs to the rockers of Vancouver.

El Kartel is even a home for the sneaker freaks and shoe junkies of Vancouver. While other spots in Vancouver have been good to the serious Nike and Reebok fiends, El Kartel digs deep repping PF Flyers, Asics and Converse. Kicking it old school as the kid’s like to say.