Our Story: A Brief House of Knives History

House of Knives was first established in 1979 as a corporate chain. The company's evolution into a proud, 100% Canadian family-owned and operated business began in 1987 when Allan Eng purchased an existing franchise location in Victoria, BC. Andre Eng immediately joined to help part-time while still in high school, stepping in full-time after finishing culinary school. From there, the brothers set their sights on growth. In 1992, they scaled rapidly by acquiring the master franchise for British Columbia, instantly expanding their footprint to 10 locations. Together, they built a unique business model driven by a broader product selection, elevated customer service, and deep product expertise—establishing the Western region as the most successful in Canada.

Following 20 years of a successful partnership, the business transitioned to full family ownership when Andre and his wife, Qua-Fung, purchased the company from Allan in 2008. In 2011, they acquired the full national rights to the House of Knives brand from the original corporate owners, setting the stage to scale across Canada. This interprovincial expansion launched in earnest with new Alberta locations in Red Deer (2012), Calgary (2014), and a landmark showroom in the West Edmonton Mall (2016). Today, House of Knives features 14 premier brick-and-mortar showrooms across British Columbia and Alberta.  

One Brand, Two Specialized Teams

For over 45 years, House of Knives has been Canada's premier destination for world-class cutlery, kitchen tools, and outdoor gear. To best serve our customers in a modern market, our ecosystem operates through two highly specialized channels under the unified leadership of our President, Andre Eng:

• Our Retail Showrooms: Our physical storefronts across Western Canada are dedicated to delivering the expert, hands-on, in-store experience and unparalleled product knowledge we've been celebrated for since 1979. [To find a location near you, click here.]
• Our Digital & Commercial Engine: House of Knives partners with Equinox as our official brand partner and licensee. Equinox completely manages and operates this e-commerce platform, handles global product sourcing, runs our commercial wholesale distribution, and services our corporate and personal gifting clients.

Our Unified Mission

Whether you visit a physical showroom, order premium gear online for your home, or manage a corporate wholesale account, you are supported by the exact same House of Knives commitment to quality, sharpness, and expert service.