Nathan Fielder is coming to Vancouver for the opening of the first retail pop-up store of Summit Ice.
Fielder, originally from Vancouver, is the host of Comedy Central’s Nathan for You. On the show Fielder, who studied business at the University of British Columbia, seeks to help small businesses with (usually) outlandish schemes. In one of his most infamous pieces, he improved the fortunes of a Los Angeles coffee shop by renaming it “Dumb Starbucks.” It worked for awhile, until Starbucks’ lawyers intervened.
Summit Ice dates back to 2015. He founded the company after learning that his favourite outerwear company, Taiga, featured Holocaust denier Doug Collins in one of its winter catalogues. As part of the pop-up store’s opening, owners of Taiga apparel will be able to trade in their old winter jackets for a free Summit Ice soft-shell jacket and “Deny Nothing” pin.
Summit Ice is dedicated to producing quality outdoor apparel and raising awareness of the Holocaust. As part of his trip back to Vancouver, Fielder is donating $150,000USD of Summit Ice profits to the board of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre.
On a 2015 appearance on Conan, Fielder said that he had been wearing Taiga jackets for around 10 years when he saw Collins in the winter catalogue.
“As a Jew, I was like, ‘oh crap. In searching for a replacement, I couldn’t be sure that any other jacket companies weren’t hiding dark secrets as well.”
The Summit Ice pop-up store is one day only, this Sunday, March 26, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 138 East Broadway. Donations will also be accepted in exchange for other Summit Ice clothing while supplies last.
According to Summit Ice website, “Any Taiga jackets collected will be disposed of in a manner deemed appropriate by Mr. Fielder.”
The Vancouver Holocaust Education Center, an acclaimed teaching museum devoted to Holocaust based anti-racism education.