Vancouver’s run club culture has officially hit that very specific crossover point where sport, social life, and post-run carbs all blur into one beautifully chaotic lifestyle moment.

Lee’s Donuts has just leaned all the way into it with the launch of Lee’s Run Club, a limited-edition merch collection inspired by the city’s booming run club scene and the undeniable truth that most runners are, at some point, powered by carbs.

Launching May 26, the drop includes a small capsule of tees, hats, and tote bags, available exclusively at the brand’s Gastown location while quantities last. It’s a playful extension of one of Vancouver’s most iconic donut institutions, and a reminder that sometimes the best running motivation is what comes after the finish line.

Lee’s Donuts is Turning Run Club Culture Into a Full Lifestyle Moment

The collection was created in collaboration with Vancouver-based apparel brand Basico Branco, blending run club aesthetics with Lee’s signature nostalgic branding and humour.

It’s a natural cultural crossover for a city where run clubs have become more than fitness groups: they’re social calendars, friend-making machines, and weekend rituals that often end in coffee, donuts, and a very justified post-run treat.

Yes, a donut shop launching run club merch might sound ironic… and that’s kind of the point!!

As Allan Bacani, owner of Lee’s Donuts, puts it, the idea came from watching Vancouver’s running culture evolve in real time.

Run clubs have become such a huge part of Vancouver culture and we kept seeing the same thing, people finishing runs and rewarding themselves with coffee and donuts. We thought, why not lean into it? At the end of the day, runners really are powered by carbs.

What’s Inside the Lee’s Run Club Collection

The limited-edition capsule is intentionally small, designed for local drop culture and in-person community energy rather than mass production.

The collection includes:

• Run club-inspired graphic tees
• Branded hats
• Everyday tote bags

Everything is available exclusively in-store at Lee’s Donuts Gastown, with no online sales planned. Customers can preview pieces online, but the actual drop is very much a “show up or miss out” situation.

It’s part merch release, part cultural moment, and part excuse to go get a donut in Gastown.

Lee’s Donuts is Also Hosting Community Run Club Events

To go with the launch, Lee’s Donuts is also stepping directly into Vancouver’s run club ecosystem with a series of community runs in partnership with local groups.

Upcoming runs include:

• May 28 – Hosted by A Very Good Run Club
• May 31 – Hosted by Saunter Run Club (TBC)
• Additional programming tied to Global Running Day on June 3

Each run will include Lee’s Donuts swag, raffle prizes, and, most importantly, donuts waiting at the finish line.

Because if there’s one thing Vancouver’s run culture has collectively agreed on, it’s that effort should be rewarded immediately.

Run clubs have become one of the city’s most social ways to meet people, especially among younger communities looking for something that sits between wellness, movement, and casual connection.

At the same time, food culture, especially comfort food with nostalgia, has never left the conversation. Lee’s Donuts sits right at that intersection, already woven into Vancouver routines, weekend walks, and late-morning treat runs.

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