WORDS & PHOTOS BY CHRIS TIESSEN
‘It’s five o’clock somewhere,’ I chuckle, raising a dram of amber liquid to my lips. The spirit — peaty, smoky, divine — slides down with ease. I glance at the label: Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, aged sixteen years. ‘We keep our most discerning clients’ favourite drinks close at hand,’ says Matt Cebulski, co-owner of Kultiq, as he gently returns the bottle to the shelf, ‘so they can sip while they shop whenever they visit the studio.’ Classy. And entirely in keeping with the world’s finest boutiques — think Saks Fifth Avenue, Leica, and now, improbably yet perfectly, Kultiq Studio & Gallery in the heart of downtown Kitchener.
If you haven’t yet heard of Kultiq, you’re forgiven. The curated space — a seamless blend of art gallery, coffee and spirits bar, and boutique men’s clothier — opened its doors only this past October. The brainchild of thirty-somethings Matt Cebulski and Brendan Diamond, Kultiq is a metropolitan marvel in a region that has begun to welcome cosmopolitan concepts. It’s a bold outlier — and, hopefully, a harbinger of more to come. Because our region needs more spaces like this: thoughtfully crafted, beautifully executed passion projects led by entrepreneurial visionaries who have chosen to invest here — not despite this location in southwestern Ontario, but because of it. Indeed, our region is poised to welcome dreamers who believe there are enough design-savvy, discerning souls in our midst to support something truly special: bold characters who don’t have to head to Toronto or Montreal for inspiration.
I haven’t been inside Kultiq for more than five minutes, and I’m already smitten. Housed in a restored century-old building on Ontario Street — built in 1910 by Bell Telephone, Matt tells me — the studio and gallery is nothing short of spectacular. At the front of the space, soaring exposed brick and concrete walls frame a stunning array of mostly Canadian contemporary art: David Grieve’s sweeping, abstracted landscapes in oil; Susan Gale’s vibrant acrylic urban landscapes; Fiona Debell’s joyful gouache abstracts — and many more. White half-walls fill the centre of the gallery, adorned with even more captivating works: Ethel Voronkova’s atmospheric environments; Lori Mirabelli’s playful abstracts.
‘The art is ever rotating and always inspiring,’ Brendan notes as I wander through the space, ‘so no two visits are ever the same.’ What impresses me most isn’t just the quality of the art — it’s the impeccable curation. As someone who studied art history and visual culture across four universities, and who spent much of his twenties crisscrossing Europe’s great galleries, I like to think I know a good gallery when I see one. And this? This is splendid. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Brendan, after all, grew up steeped in the art world. ‘My mother, Paula White Diamond, owned and ran her own successful gallery in St Jacobs and then Waterloo since 2007,’ he tells me. ‘When she decided to slow things down,’ Brendan continues, ‘Kultiq brought her business into the fold.’ This space, then, is an evolution of the PWD Art Gallery — and what an evolution it is.
Deeper into Kultiq, two rich green leather sofas frame a low-slung coffee table littered with covetable magazines: The Rake, Robb Report, Monocle — and, to my delight, the latest issue of TOQUE. ‘I’m a bit of a print nut,’ Matt says as I thumb through the most recent issue of Monocle — a brainchild of Canadian print tycoon (and inspiration) Tyler Brûlé. He adds, ‘There’s something inherently luxurious about a quality publication. It’s intentional, deliberate — opulent, even.’ Much like this place, I can’t help but think. We move deeper still — past the bar stocked with good whiskies, lovely wines, and a fantastic fully mechanical espresso press — into Kultiq’s third act: their men’s clothier.
For someone like me, who takes almost indecent pleasure in quality craftsmanship, the back of Kultiq is a sensory playground. I spot Barbour waxed jackets (favoured by British royalty), Service Works chore coats (as seen on ‘The Bear’), Malbon Golf caps, Open Era tennis polos — and racks of the loveliest sport coats, button-ups, and knits from international brands I don’t yet recognize, but feel an urgent desire to know. Like Salvatore Martorana, a small Sicilian maker of handcrafted suit jackets and overcoats. Edo Camicie, a family-run producer of boutique, small-batch tailored shirts. And Distretto12, a Florentine manufacturer of the finest sweaters, blazers, suits and polos. ‘A lot of the brands we carry are small, family-run European operations we’ve gotten to know personally at international fashion tradeshows in Milan, Chicago, and elsewhere,’ Brendan tells me. Matt adds: ‘We care deeply about these smaller brands because we care deeply about the people behind them.’ Soon enough, Kultiq’s lineup will include its own signature label, Charlie Green — a natural extension of Matt and Brendan’s commitment to craftsmanship and character. And the business also does custom suits, jackets and shoes with Munro Atelier. A wedding party’s dream, then.
In the corner of the back room, next to a rack of unstructured sport coats, I spot a standalone wooden counter. ‘That’s our Negroni bar,’ Matt says. ‘for when we host our events.’ While I haven’t yet made it to one of Kultiq’s legendary gatherings — like their recent Masters watch party, which paired golf gear with cocktails from Ayr’s own Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery — I’m keen to change that. In the meantime, TOQUE has teamed up with Kultiq to present a month-long pop-up art exhibit, featuring work by Kultiq’s stable of fine artists along with a slew of craftspeople featured in past issues of TOQUE. It’s running at a large King Street space in downtown Kitchener and, depending on when you’re reading this, it might still be on. (The show wraps May 25.)
Kultiq is the kind of place that reminds you why it’s worth seeking out the good stuff — whether that’s art, clothing, coffee, or community. Thoughtfully curated and expertly executed, what Kultiq offers is a welcome addition to a region that’s ready for more spaces like it. Whether you’re looking for a new favourite sport coat, a standout piece of art, or just a place to sip a good Scotch or americano and soak it all in, Kultiq offers something worth returning to — again and again.
Editor’s Note: Kultiq has since moved out of their DTK space but are still available online.
KULTIQ STUDIO & GALLERY
48 ONTARIO ST N, UNIT 101, KITCHENER, ON
kultiq.co
