Courting athletic apparel success

Winnipeg Free Press

26-07-2025

Bryan Salvador and Ogo Okwumabua want you to relax, and they've got just the clothing — and multi-purpose space — for you to unwind in.
The co-founders of athletic apparel brand Zueike Inc. are celebrating the grand opening of their new south Winnipeg location. In addition to serving as a place where people can purchase comfortable clothing, the Chevrier neighbourhood site includes 'the campus,' an outdoor space behind the store that features a 3-on-3 basketball court.
Members of the public are invited to join the celebration at 65 Trottier Bay today from noon to 4 p.m. The event will include family-friendly yard games, a bouncy castle, music, food and product discounts.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Ogo Okwumabua (left) and Bryan Salvador, co-owners of Zueike Inc., an apparel line that specializes in comfortable clothing for athletes, at their new facility at 65 Trottier Bay
When Salvador and Okwumabua started the company seven years ago, they drew on their shared Nigerian heritage to name it. Pronounced
'zu-we-kay,' the brand takes its moniker from the Igbo word for 'relax.'
The company's new campus and grand opening celebration are the entrepreneurs' way of inviting the community to do just that, Okwumabua said.
'It's just a great space that allows us to have a lot of flexibility,' he added. 'We want people to have fun and say, 'This was a great day.''
The two friends were working as sales representatives at a local competitor when they started thinking about creating a brand of their own.
In 2018, they left their jobs and started Zueike at 45 Trottier Bay (moving a few doors down the street this spring), with a vision of offering the kind of clothing they wore between games when they were university athletes. (Salvador played volleyball at the University of Winnipeg and Okwumabua played basketball at the University of Manitoba.)
'I'm a big sweatsuit guy. I love sweats,' said Okwumabua, 47.
'We were always in sweatsuits, so we wanted to kind of create a more fashion-forward team wear,' added Salvador, 41.
Today, Zueike offers a range of clothing. In addition to shorts, pants and hoodies, the company sells leggings, jackets and trucker hats.
The clothing is designed in Winnipeg and manufactured by partners in China and India. Screenprinting and embroidery is added at the company's headquarters, where the founders employ 10 people.
Zueike has proudly created clothing for major local sports teams including the Winnipeg Jets, Blue Bombers, Goldeyes and Sea Bears.
Additionally, the company has filled a recent Sport Manitoba order for 500 walkout uniforms Team Manitoba athletes will wear at the Canada Games next month in St. John's, N.L.
Zueike has also taken over as sponsor of the 2,200-square-foot lounge in Sport Manitoba, where athletes can rest in between competitions.
The sponsorship is a natural fit, given one of Zueike's slogans is 'Lounge everywhere,' said Amber Marra, brand and marketing manager at Sport Manitoba.
'(They're creating) a vibe that makes it feel relaxed and will inspire athletes,' Marra said of the lounge.
She discovered Zueike on social media shortly after the company got started and was struck by what it had to offer.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
The campus features a 3-on-3 basketball court for leagues, camps and community events.The campus features a 3-on-3 basketball court for leagues, camps and community events.
'A local company doing loungewear is not something I'd necessarily seen and they were really trying to be bold and doing a lot of different activations around causes,' Marra said. 'They've picked some cool things to get involved in and they're walking the walk.'
Marra is referring to a Black Lives Matter-inspired collection the company released in 2021 and a T-shirt the company manufactured a few years ago to promote mental health awareness.
Zueike supports a number of causes, Salvador and Okwumabua said. The company provides scholarships and awards to high school students through local charity CanU and co-sponsors an annual block party with Black History Manitoba.
Relocating a few doors down from its original location in April and gaining the campus has given Zueike a new spot to host special events.
The campus will also host a 3-on-3 basketball league, upcoming basketball development camps and can double as a pickleball court.
Okwumabua said one of the things he most enjoys about his work is making connections in the community.
'Including initiatives like the campus allows us to have different legs (and) keeps us thinking in fresh, new ways,' he said.
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It's a welcome addition to the street, said Joe Bradbury, owner of Finish First Autobody, one of Zueike's neighbours.
'It's amazing to see a thriving Manitoba business grow,' said Bradbury, who personally owns Zueike-brand clothing. 'They have great quality and great service.'
Salvador and Okwumabua plan to establish a retail presence across Canada in the years ahead. But first, they have a grand opening event to host.
'We wouldn't be where we are without the community and people who have supported us to this day,' Salvador said. 'It will just be great to show them what we've been doing.'
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Aaron EppReporter
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
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