Hi, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Leon Drzewiecki, owner of NYLA Fresh Thread.

The years before opening NYLA, I saw a lack of men’s fashion options in Nanaimo. The closure of Rickwood’s Menswear in 2009 meant the menswear options in Nanaimo were limited to the big box stores, shops with a primarily youth or young adult demographic, and places that were much too formal for everyday shopping. As a father of three, born and raised in Nanaimo, the laid-back local shopping experience I was seeking simply did not exist for middle-aged men's clothing anymore.

In 2014 when the old site of Ken Thompson's Menswear became available, I made the decision to bring a local menswear shop back to downtown Nanaimo. As a carpenter by trade, I was definitely out of my comfort zone running a men's fashion retailer. Thankfully, the local community was behind us supporting NYLA Fresh Thread through the good times, and the bad, to eventually helping us become the store we are today.

I’d like to personally invite you to our store at 206 Commercial Street, downtown Nanaimo. Thank-you for your continued support!