TORONTO—At the recent Shopify Summit 2025, spaces looked a bit different than your typical employee conference. Instead of hotel ballrooms or expo halls, attendees explored eclectic environments inspired by where many small business dreams begin: basements, garages, and local bars.
Held at Toronto’s Enercare Centre, the ecommerce company's annual gathering welcomed more than 6,000 global employees for a week of connection, collaboration, and hands-on creativity. From a cozy vinyl-listening lounge to a hidden speakeasy to stage design inspired by shipping materials, every space reflected Shopify’s builder-first culture—and its push to reimagine what a company conference can be. 
Scaffolding and eye-catching, collage-like designs marked the entrance to the food court. Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
“Bringing 6,000+ employees together demands more than just keynotes and beige backdrops,” said Sara Vinten, creative director at agency Mint, which collaborated on the event alongside SaltXC and Shopify’s internal team. “Summit was designed to leave attendees inspired, connected, and reenergized.”
Shopify’s internal mantra—supporting merchants from “idea to first sale to full scale” noted Vinten—guided every creative choice. Design elements drew inspiration from the language of commerce, incorporating things like packing tape, shipping labels, and wooden crates throughout the venue. The main stage, for example, featured hidden crate entrances and working garage doors that delivered theatrical surprises, setting the tone for keynote talks from 14 Shopify leaders. 
A makeshift convenience store featured custom items from Shopify merchants—plus posters with company Easter eggs and inside jokes.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
But the summit was about more than sleek design or inspiring speakers. A three-day “Hack-Day-a-thon” challenged employees to tackle real-world problems facing Shopify merchants, while a sold-out developer conference called Editions.dev welcomed more than 2,000 partners for hands-on innovation and early product access. 
To round out the week, Shopify hosted Editions.Dev, a sold-out, paid experience for 2,000+ ecosystem developers and partners, built around early product access and hands-on innovation.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
Throughout the week, interaction was built into the DNA of the experience. “Rather than forcing networking into the agenda, we layered it into every moment—through jam sessions, dance floors, and quiet one-on-one corners,” Vinten explained.
Those intimate moments were especially felt at The Clubhouse. Modeled after a basement hangout, the space featured games, record players, and a conversation pit to encourage relaxed, informal conversation. “The Clubhouse took inspiration from the basement, where many aspiring entrepreneurs dream up their next big business idea while playing a game or just chilling to a favorite record,” Vinten said. 
"The Clubhouse took inspiration from a basement, where many aspiring entrepreneurs dream up their next big business idea while playing a game or just chilling to a favorite record," said Vinten.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
In another area, a hidden doorway led to The Vault—a speakeasy-style dive bar that nodded to all the late-night napkin ideas scribbled over a round of drinks. “These two spaces were specifically designed to be discovered,” said Vinten. “They tapped curiosity and inspired word of mouth from those lucky enough to find them.”
The Vault’s makeshift stage turned out to be a breakout hit. “As creatives, the number of times we’re asked to build a jam space that’s never used is positively dismal,” Vinten noted. “But the stage in The Vault was vibing constantly with killer impromptu jam sessions that went so late into the night that a 2 a.m. burger delivery was in order.” 
At the Vault, guests could pick up an instrument and join a jam session. "It’s safe to say that if that were a permanent bar, we’d all be regulars!" said Vinten.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
In the Garage space, guests could unplug from their computers and tinker with tools.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
During Après Summit, guests got "caked" by DJ Steve Aoki.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
Vinten credits the seamless experience to the close collaboration between the internal Shopify team and its agency partners. “The process was incredibly collaborative, with the Shopify team there every step of the way, guiding both agencies and adding more meaning to each moment by ensuring every detail authentically reflected Shopify’s unique company culture," she said. 
"We created a range of touchpoints that helped guests recharge their way," said Vinten. One of those was The Fort, a large shipping box that held a relaxing sound-deprivation space.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
There was also a Taylor Swift-themed silent disco party.Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
For other brands hoping to break the traditional conference mold, Vinten offered this advice: Start with a human-to-human approach that authentically connects guests to the brand, and also appeals to different learning styles.
“There’s a reason conference fatigue exists. This type of work has a tendency to be treated as formulaic,” she said. “We’re grateful to work on a brand like Shopify that embraces new ways of working, because great creative isn’t a formula; it’s a sometimes meandering walk—with occasional dead ends—that requires tenacity, a killer team, and brave clients to pull it off!” 
“After debuting at the Enercare Centre last year, Summit 2025 returned to the venue with fresh momentum," said Vinten. "Building on the success of year one, Mint and Salt worked together with Shopify to refine the layout and guest flow to resolve past challenges, while elevating the creative across every touchpoint. ... The sheer scale of the event itself and how seamlessly it all came together was deeply gratifying."Photo: Courtesy of Shopify
