Bamboo Ballroom The

Little alcoves built into the Bamboo Ballroom space display beautiful shoes, boots, hats and bags like they’re the latest pieces of art at a gallery. Meanwhile, everything from formal dresses to jeans hang on racks throughout the women’s clothing store on Whyte Avenue.

Since 2005, Bamboo Ballroom has been a staple spot in the city to purchase local brands from best friends, Kyla Kazeil and Anastasia Boruk. And, the name of the business, Bamboo Ballroom, summarizes not only the personalities of the two friends – Kyla considers herself casual and organic, while Anastasia is more glitzy and glam –but also the types of items they carry.

“We had the space, we had the business plan but we couldn’t come up with a name. I said, 'what about Bamboo something,'" says Kyla, who is also the owner of the restaurant, The Common, on 109 Street. "And, Anastasia said, ‘Maybe, if it was Bamboo Ballroom.’ It’s really a juxtaposition between our two personalities." And, the store also carries high-end items that sway between the glamorous and the casual spectrum.