Vessi Steps into U.S. Retail with Bellevue Store Opening

BELLEVUE, WA – January 07, 2026 – Vancouver-based footwear brand Vessi opened the doors to its first permanent U.S. retail store today at the upscale Bellevue Square, marking a significant milestone for the digitally native company. Known for its viral marketing and proprietary waterproof knit technology, the move into American brick-and-mortar retail signals a calculated pivot from a successful online-only model to a broader omnichannel strategy.

Founded in 2018, Vessi rapidly grew a global following, selling over two million pairs of its lightweight, waterproof sneakers primarily through its website. The new Bellevue store allows customers to physically interact with the products for the first time in the U.S., a key factor for a brand built on a unique material feel and function.

"Opening our first U.S. store is an important step for the brand," said Andy Wang, co-founder and CEO of Vessi, in a statement. "The Pacific Northwest has always been a core market for us, and Bellevue is a natural place to bring the Vessi experience into a physical retail setting."

From Clicks to Bricks: A Calculated Leap

Vessi's journey is emblematic of a major trend in modern commerce, where successful direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands leverage their online success to build a physical presence. The company, which launched with a Kickstarter campaign, built its empire through savvy digital marketing, utilizing influencer collaborations on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to create viral moments and generate authentic user content. This digital-first approach allowed the brand to scale rapidly without the initial overhead of physical locations.

However, the move to Bellevue Square follows a path paved by other digital natives like Allbirds and Rothy's, who discovered that physical stores are powerful tools for customer acquisition and brand building. In an increasingly crowded e-commerce landscape, brick-and-mortar locations offer a tangible way to stand out. They serve not just as sales points, but as experiential hubs where customers can see, touch, and test products, deepening their connection to the brand. For Vessi, allowing shoppers to feel the lightweight, flexible knit and witness its waterproof capabilities firsthand is an experience that a webpage cannot fully replicate.

This expansion into the U.S. comes after the company tested the retail waters in Canada, opening its first store in Burnaby, B.C., in 2022. The success of its Canadian locations likely provided the data and confidence needed to cross the border. The strategy is clear: use the vast trove of online sales data to identify and target regions with a high concentration of existing customers, thereby minimizing risk and maximizing the impact of a new store opening.

A Natural Fit in a Rainy Region

The choice of Bellevue, Washington, is anything but arbitrary. The Pacific Northwest, famous for its persistent drizzle and wet winters, represents an ideal product-market fit for a brand whose identity is built around all-weather footwear. Vessi's origins in rainy Vancouver gave its founders a deep understanding of the need for a shoe that could withstand the elements without sacrificing style or comfort—a sentiment that resonates strongly with consumers in the Seattle metropolitan area.

Bellevue Square itself is a strategic bullseye. The shopping center is a premier retail destination that draws from an affluent and tech-savvy demographic, with a median household income in the surrounding area of $177,000. Its proximity to major tech campuses like Microsoft ensures a steady flow of consumers who often value innovation, functionality, and modern design. By placing itself among luxury and contemporary brands like Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, and Apple, Vessi is positioning its products as premium, high-performance essentials.

The new store will carry Vessi's complete footwear lineup, allowing customers to try on various styles and find the perfect fit, along with a selection of the brand's outerwear. This direct interaction is crucial for converting curious online browsers into loyal in-store buyers.

Beyond Commerce: A Commitment to Community

Reinforcing its community-focused brand ethos, Vessi has pledged to donate all profits from the Bellevue store's opening period, running through its first weekend of operations, to support local flood relief and recovery efforts. In a nod to its Canadian roots, a separate donation will also be made to aid flood-affected communities in Abbotsford and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. These regions are historically susceptible to flooding, and the initiative highlights the brand's connection to the climate and challenges of the areas it serves.

This act of corporate social responsibility is consistent with Vessi's past actions. Early in the pandemic, the company donated thousands of pairs of shoes and shifted marketing budgets to provide PPE for frontline workers. Furthermore, the brand has built its production process around sustainability, using 100% vegan materials and a manufacturing method that it claims reduces each pair's carbon footprint significantly. Such initiatives resonate powerfully with modern consumers, who increasingly favor brands that align with their values and demonstrate a genuine commitment to social and environmental causes.

The Science of Staying Dry

At the core of Vessi's appeal is its proprietary Dyma-tex technology. Unlike traditional waterproof shoes that often rely on chemical coatings or bulky internal booties, Vessi's shoes feature a patented, three-layer knit material. The magic lies in the Dyma-tex membrane, which contains millions of nano-sized pores.

These pores are too small for water molecules to penetrate, rendering the shoe 100% waterproof. However, they are large enough to allow heat and moisture from sweat to escape, making the shoe remarkably breathable. This solves the common complaint of traditional rain boots and waterproof hikers, which can feel clammy and uncomfortable after extended wear. The result is a shoe that feels like a lightweight, stretchy sneaker but performs like a rugged all-weather boot.

This technological differentiator is what sets Vessi apart in a competitive footwear market. While established brands use proven technologies like Gore-Tex, Vessi's focus on integrating its proprietary waterproof system into a stylish, everyday sneaker silhouette has carved out a unique and successful niche. The Bellevue store now serves as a living laboratory where this innovation can be demonstrated, solidifying the brand's promise of all-day, all-weather comfort directly with its customers.