No summer is complete without time on the beach, soaking up some sun. Whether you’re spicing up your favourite suit or looking for a brand-new look, your fashion hotspot is The Hula Hut.

With branches in Winnipeg and Gimli, the company is looking forward to celebrating 23 years this December.

The shop carries women’s swimwear from sizes 0 to 22, and a small selection of men’s swimwear. Shelves are also stocked with clothing, sandals, sunglasses, and hats.

Accidental success

Owner Pat Lewyc says she never intended to run a swimwear shop. With a career in head office as a category manager for several national retailers specializing in children’s and women’s clothing, Lewyc opened a small kiosk at Grand Beach in 2003 while waiting to discover what she wanted the next step in her life to be.

“Things just fell into place,” Lewyc recalls. “What was going to be this one summer at the beach until I figured out what it was I was going to do became 23 years. And here we are.”

With prior experience in swimwear, Lewyc says that, wherever she went, she noticed swimwear.

“I would often find myself in Grand Forks, and I saw that, in this tiny little town of Grand Forks, there was a greater selection of swimsuits there than there was in [Winnipeg].”

Wanting to expand the choices in her home city, Lewyc took matters into her own hands.

Finding the right fit, finding the fun fit

Dealing with stretch marks, puberty, body image, and weight fluctuations is all in a day’s work for Lewyc, who approaches every interaction with enthusiasm.

“It’s the personal gratification of making someone feel very differently about themselves.”

Lewyc says that one of her greatest moments was helping a 13-year-old girl find a swimsuit the day before leaving for camp. The girl and her mother had been shopping all day, struggling to find something that suited a young woman stuck between childhood and adulthood.

“I was closing the store. She and her mother were standing in the door, tears running down their faces because they couldn't find anything that made her not feel really weird about going to camp the next day. So I stayed open for another hour.”

Not only did the girl go home with a comfortable, well-fitting bathing suit, but this interaction also changed what products Lewyc chose to stock in the following years.

“Another woman, she made my cry, actually,” Lewyc shares. “She had been over 500lbs, and she was the smallest she’d ever been in her life. And she just wanted bikinis. All she wanted was bikinis. It was absolutely incredible to witness her making this choice.”

Lewyc emphasizes that her staff range in both age and experience level. She aims to ensure that every client feels comfortable and supported while in her store, so if you’re not feeling comfortable, guests are welcome to ask for a different assistant.

Seasonal trends

Before making orders or looking ahead into the next season, Lewyc carefully reviews travel trends and plans accordingly.

“Winter travel is very big- everyone’s going to Europe now and they’re going in the fall,” she notes. “I find that a very interesting change of travel habits, but it’s really fabulous because it changes your culture. And I swear, 99% of Manitoba goes to Mexico. And 95% of them go to Puerto Vallarta every winter. So we start bringing in our fresh inventory in November to carry you right through cruise season.”

A rough start

The Hula Hut has branches in both Winnipeg and Gimli. The Gimli branch opened in 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewyc shares that this was a huge risk, but the community rallied behind them.

“The entire community welcomed us with open arms and congratulated us on having the courage to open during such a strange time. And how could you not stay? How could you not stay if the whole town welcomes you?”

The support of the community helped The Hula Hut make it through the pandemic, despite the drop in sales due to border closures and limited access to common tourist destinations.

“Gimli is a beautiful little town. It’s not far away at all. I feel so lucky to be there.”

The Summer Sale is on now until the end of the month at both locations. For more information about hours, new arrivals, and the coolest trends, stop by The Hula Hut at 1504 St. Mary’s Road in Winnipeg and 10 Centre Street in Gimli.