Every great business has a story. Ours is about Kimono Shop, a love of Japanese kimono and yukata, a team of dedicated people, and a shared dream of bringing something special to customers across America.
At Kimono Shop, we’re often asked about the people behind the business. Who are we? How did we get started? And what makes our shop different?
Those are questions we love answering because our story is about much more than selling beautiful garments. It’s about the people who make it all possible, the relationships we’ve built with our customers, and a shared passion for the timeless beauty of Japanese kimono and yukata.
One person who has played a particularly important role in shaping our journey is Ron Irving, our General Partner. Ron’s experience in the clothing industry, his connection to Japan, and his vision for the future have helped bring Kimono Shop to where it is today.
But perhaps the most important part of Ron’s story isn’t just what he has accomplished. It’s how he has helped bring people together around a common purpose.
A Career in Clothing Leads to a Passion for Kimono
Ron spent much of his professional life in the clothing industry, developing experience as a buyer, merchandiser, and through work with clothing manufacturers. His background gave him a deep understanding of apparel, from product selection and quality to the practical considerations that make a garment work for the customer.
Loungewear became a particular area of expertise. That experience would prove especially valuable when he joined forces with Kimono Shop.
Yet Ron’s interest in Japanese garments went beyond business.
Through his experiences working and traveling in Japan, he developed a lasting appreciation for Japanese culture and the beauty of its traditional clothing. Kimono and yukata offered a unique combination of design, comfort, craftsmanship, and history that resonated with him.
As Ron began to wind down his career, he found an opportunity to bring those professional experiences and personal interests together. Joining Kimono Shop gave him a chance to continue doing what he loved while helping introduce more Americans to the garments that had captured his imagination.
It was a natural next chapter: a lifetime of apparel knowledge meeting a genuine enthusiasm for Japanese kimono and yukata.
From Chopa to Kimono Shop: A Name That Tells Our Story
Sometimes, a change in name reflects a much bigger vision.
For Ron, the name of the business was an important part of how customers understood what we offered and what we stood for. He became a driving force behind the effort to change the name from Chopa to Kimono Shop.
Why? Because the name Kimono Shop communicates something immediately recognizable. It tells customers what we’re passionate about and makes it easier for people searching for Japanese kimono and yukata to find us.
The change was about more than a new name. It was an opportunity to put our passion right at the heart of our identity.
We wanted our name to reflect the products we love, the customers we serve, and the commitment we share to Japanese garments.
Today, Kimono Shop represents that straightforward promise: a place for people who appreciate kimono and yukata and want to discover the right garment for themselves or someone they love.
We’re proud of the journey that brought us here, and we’re excited to keep building on it.
Building Something Special Through Employee Ownership
One of the most meaningful parts of our company’s evolution has been the move toward employee ownership.
Ron helped lead the reorganization that made Kimono Shop employee-owned, reflecting a belief in the importance of the people who contribute to the business every day.
We believe that when people share in the ownership of a company, they have an opportunity to share in its future, too.
At Kimono Shop, our staff isn’t simply a collection of people performing separate jobs. We’re a team working toward a common goal. Each person contributes to the experience we provide, from helping customers find the right garment to keeping the business running smoothly behind the scenes.
Employee ownership gives that shared effort an especially meaningful dimension. We all have a stake in what we’re building, and we all want to see Kimono Shop thrive.
That doesn’t mean we all have the same responsibilities or expertise. It means we share a commitment to doing our best, supporting one another, and helping the company grow.
For our customers, we hope that commitment is reflected in the care we take with our products, the service we provide, and the enthusiasm we bring to our work.
One Team, One Shared Passion
What makes Kimono Shop special isn’t any single person. It’s the way our people come together.
We each bring our own experiences, knowledge, and strengths to the business. We share ideas, solve problems, and work toward the same goals. And because we’re owners as well as colleagues, we have a personal investment in the future we’re creating together.
Most importantly, we share a genuine appreciation for the products at the center of our business.
Kimono and yukata are beautiful garments with a rich cultural heritage. We enjoy their colors, patterns, fabrics, and versatility, and we love helping customers discover what makes them special.
Some customers come to us already familiar with Japanese clothing. Others are exploring kimono and yukata for the first time. We want both to feel welcome.
Whether someone is looking for a comfortable cotton yukata, a distinctive kimono, a thoughtful gift, or help finding the right size, we want to make the experience enjoyable and rewarding.
That shared enthusiasm is part of what brings us together as a team. We’re not simply trying to sell a product. We’re helping people discover something we genuinely appreciate.
Sharing the Beauty of Japanese Kimono and Yukata with America
Japanese kimono and yukata have a distinctive place in the world of clothing. Their designs reflect generations of artistic tradition, while their variety offers something for many different tastes and occasions.
We’re proud to help make these garments accessible to customers throughout America.
For us, that means more than offering a wide selection. It means helping customers understand the differences between garments, choose fabrics that suit their needs, find comfortable sizes, and discover designs they’ll enjoy wearing.
Ron brings decades of clothing-industry experience to that mission. His background in buying, merchandising, manufacturing, and loungewear helps inform the way we think about our products and our customers.
His experiences in Japan add another dimension: a personal appreciation for the garments and the traditions behind them.
Together with our employee-owners, that knowledge and enthusiasm help shape the Kimono Shop experience.
Our ambition is simple. We want more people to discover the joy of kimono and yukata, and we want every customer who shops with us to feel that there’s a dedicated team behind the business.
Looking Ahead: Our Story Continues
Ron Irving’s journey to Kimono Shop brought together a lifetime of professional experience, a longstanding interest in Japanese clothing, and a vision for building a business around shared ownership and purpose.
His leadership helped us embrace a name that better reflects our passion, strengthen our employee-owned approach, and bring our team together around a common mission.
But our story doesn’t belong to Ron alone. It belongs to everyone who contributes to Kimono Shop, and to the customers who have supported us along the way.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to share our love of Japanese kimono and yukata with you. Every order, every question, and every conversation helps make this journey worthwhile.
As we look to the future, we remain committed to the things that brought us together in the first place: a love of beautiful Japanese garments, a dedication to our customers, and a belief that a great business is built by people who care about what they do.
Thank you for being part of our story.
From all of us at Kimono Shop, we look forward to helping you discover your next favorite kimono or yukata.
Explore our collection at KimonoShop.com and discover what we’re so passionate about.
