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Products and Services

  • shoes retail,
  • high fashion,
  • high quality,
  • exclusive footwear,

Specialties

  • Italian Shoe Store,
  • Womens shoes,
  • Mens shoes,
  • Childrens shoes,
  • Leather shoes,
  • Leather handbags,
    • leather belts,
    • leather wallets,
  • more...
  • less...

Languages Spoken

  • English,
Location
1526 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y2
Useful Information

Opening Hours *Holiday hours

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
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Meet the owner

In 1967, a young couple set out to Italy for an unusual honeymoon: a shoe buying expedition! Newlyweds Carmine and Isa D’Onofrio decided to combine business with pleasure back in their native country.

“My parents quit their jobs and went on a two-month holiday to buy shoes,” says their daughter Veralena Casellato, who now runs Kalena’s Shoes & Accessories, an iconic footwear emporium on Commercial Drive. “My parents met in Canada but they both emmigrated from Italy. They went back to buy shoes because my mother complained that she could not find good quality leather shoes here.”

When they returned from their honeymoon, Isa and Carmine founded Kalena’s , named after Veralena’s father’s home town in in the Molise region. The couple was determined to introduce Vancouver women to classically elegant, impeccably constructed Italian shoes. “That is still what we sell today,” explains Veralena. The European footwear shop was an instant success; it seems Vancouverites were ready for stylish, well-made and comfortable Italian shoes for men and women.

Growing up, Veralena admits she lived the dream of many a young girl – she got to dress up in gorgeous shoes every day. “It was like magic to be in the store when I was young," she recalls. "I always wore the most beautiful shoes to school.” When she got older, Veralena accompanied her father on buying trips to Italy. "He taught me how to look for high-quality craftsmanship,” she says.

Ratings & Reviews - Kalena Importing Ltd

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Editor’s Pick
Find stylish sandals at these Vancouver shoe stores

Find stylish sandals at these Vancouver shoe stores

For those who dream of strolling across a Venetian piazza in a stylish pair of strappy sandals, admiring the made-in-Italy footwear at Kalena’s is perhaps the next best thing. Situated in the Little Italy ‘hood, this family-owned boutique has been bringing fine Italian shoes and accessories to Vancouverites since 1967. The neighbourhood shop carries Euro-style sandals for men, women and children. The impeccably crafted designs don’t come cheap (prices start at $125.00) but the shoes will last for years and are a true investment.

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