Things Engraved used to run a counter at Conestoga Mall, 550 King Street North in Waterloo. That store closed with the rest of the chain in January 2020 — the Yelp listing for it just says "CLOSED," and the chamber-of-commerce directory now lists the brand "Online Only in Waterloo, ON."
So what do you actually do for engraving in Kitchener-Waterloo in 2026? That depends on one question: are you engraving something you already own, or buying a finished engraved gift?
The short answer.
Things Engraved's Conestoga Mall store closed in January 2020. Royalty Engraving now covers the region for walk-in personalization, and Brentwood Custom Lasering and CM Awards & Engraving handle industrial and trophy work. If you want a finished engraved steel tumbler or bottle, order direct from a maker — we engrave to order in our Calgary workshop and ship to Kitchener-Waterloo in 1–3 business days, engraving included.
Your four options in Kitchener-Waterloo, compared
| Option | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Regional kiosk (Royalty Engraving) | Small personal items, walk-in jewelry and gift engraving | A counter operation, not a standalone shop — limited stock, limited hours |
| Industrial laser shops (Brentwood Custom Lasering, CM Awards) | Plaques, signage, trophies, corporate awards | Built for awards and signage, not a shelf of personal gifts |
| Jewelry engravers | Rings, watches, jewelry you already own | Jewelry-only equipment; won't touch a steel tumbler or water bottle |
| Order direct from a maker | Finished engraved steel tumblers, bottles, and mugs, shipped to your door | Not same-day: made to order, ships in 1–3 days |
If you're engraving something you already own
Kitchener-Waterloo has real engraving and laser shops, just not a dedicated personalized-gifts storefront the way the mall counter used to be. Brentwood Custom Lasering and CM Awards & Engraving both run laser setups built for plaques, signage, and trophies — they'll take a personal piece, but it's priced and scheduled like a commercial job. Royalty Engraving's regional counter is the closest thing left to the old walk-in-and-wait experience, though stock and hours are limited compared to a standalone store. Jewelry engravers in the region handle rings and watches, but that equipment isn't built for stainless steel.
Call ahead with the item and the material. A laser calibrated for a lamacoid plate or a gold ring isn't set up for a stainless tumbler, and a shop quoting sight-unseen is guessing.
If you're buying an engraved gift
This is the hole the mall counter used to fill. Things Engraved sold the item and the engraving as one purchase — pick a flask, add a name, walk out. What replaced it in Kitchener-Waterloo is either a limited-stock kiosk or a shop built for corporate awards, not gifts.
We took the direct route instead. LAMOSE makes the tumblers and bottles ourselves and engraves every order in our Calgary workshop: the laser cuts through the powder coat into bare steel, so a name can't fade, peel, or wash off. Engraving is included, not an add-on. Your order is made when you place it and ships to Kitchener-Waterloo in 1–3 business days. 7,577 Etsy reviews sit at 4.9 stars.
Two places to start:
- Grouse 16 oz tumbler, $35. Double-wall 18/8 stainless steel, 6 hours hot, 12 hours cold, wide-mouth flip lid. The everyday cup people keep on their desk.
- Robson 21 oz bottle, $40. 12 hours hot, 24 hours cold, one-hand sport cap. Still cold on the walk between meetings on King Street.
See the Grouse — or add a name, a date, or coordinates to any piece and it ships engraved.
What about bulk orders in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Kitchener-Waterloo has been called "Silicon Valley North" for a reason: BlackBerry is headquartered here, Google runs a satellite office, and the University of Waterloo's engineering program feeds a startup density that's among the highest outside Silicon Valley itself. That's a region full of onboarding kits, hackathon swag, and team gifts that need to feel like more than a logo on a mug. A department gift for university staff, a launch gift for a startup's first ten hires, a thank-you for a co-op team — the workshop doesn't change, only the name on each piece does. Tell us about your project and we'll reply within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Things Engraved still open in Kitchener-Waterloo?
No. The Conestoga Mall store in Waterloo closed in January 2020 along with the rest of the chain's 73 Canadian mall locations. The brand is listed "online only" in the region today.
Where can I get engraving done on an item I already own in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Brentwood Custom Lasering and CM Awards & Engraving (plaques, signage, industrial work), Royalty Engraving (a regional walk-in counter), and local jewelry engravers for rings and watches.
How much does custom engraving cost in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Bring-your-own-item shops price per job, by material and size — call with the item for a real number. On our side, engraving is included in the product price: a Grouse 16 oz tumbler is $35 engraved, a Robson 21 oz bottle is $40 engraved.
Can I order an engraved gift online in Canada?
Yes. We engrave names, dates, logos, and coordinates on steel tumblers, bottles, and mugs in our Calgary workshop and ship across Canada, Kitchener-Waterloo included, in 1–3 business days.
By Chen Deng, founder of LAMOSE. We started at a mall kiosk in Edmonton in 2017, the same kind of counter Things Engraved ran, and now engrave every order in our Calgary workshop.
Skip the Counter Search Entirely
Order a finished engraved tumbler or bottle direct from our Calgary workshop, or get a bulk quote for a department, startup, or team gift in Kitchener-Waterloo.
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