Canadian intimates retailer Knix is accelerating its brick-and-mortar expansion across Canada with plans to open 10 new stores in 2026, including its first Atlantic Canada location in Halifax as the company pushes toward more than 30 stores nationally by year-end.
The Toronto-based brand, which specializes in leakproof underwear, bras and shapewear, has already opened new locations this spring at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo and Devonshire Mall in Windsor, with additional stores scheduled for Masonville Place in London later this month and Halifax Shopping Centre in mid-June. The Halifax store will be the brand’s first in Atlantic Canada.
Nicole Tapscott, chief commercial officer at Knix, said the retailer’s expansion strategy is being driven by growing consumer demand and strong online brand penetration in key Canadian markets. The company, which opened its first retail store on Toronto’s Queen Street prior to the pandemic and now operates 21 locations across Canada, is targeting further growth in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia while evaluating additional suburban and major urban markets.
Tapscott said the retailer looks at customer concentration, shopping centre co-tenancies and opportunities to build community engagement when selecting new locations, adding that the Halifax store marks the company’s first expansion east of Ontario.
Store sizes range from 900 to 1,900 square feet. A store in Toronto on Queen Street first opened in November 2019.
“We’re very choosy around where we expand. We try to be really thoughtful with where we go, and of course we need a minimum number of square feet for the stores for a couple reasons. One, we want a great merchandise floor plan, but we also design the stores for a really differentiated in-store experience, whether it’s inclusive fitting rooms,” said Tapscott.
“We make a lot of space for fitting rooms because we’re in the intimate space, and try-on and fit is really important. We also provide areas to have conversations with our stylists because often women are coming in to have quite personal conversations about whatever it is that they’re experiencing. People have different ranges of comfort.”
Tapscott said the brand has really started to scale in the last couple of years.
“By the end of this year, we’ll be upwards of 30 locations. We’re looking to continue to open stores in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. You’ll see our fleet continue to expand both in major metro areas as well as suburban locations,” she said.
“We start with where the demand is. Where is the concentration of our customers? We have strong brand awareness for a 13-year-old business in Canada. We’re well penetrated online in most major cities. We look at where we have customers, community, influencers, and ambassadors. Then we look at which shopping centres we should be in, where we could have the most potential upside and impact.
“Then we get very thoughtful about co-tenancies, who’s around us and how we position the brand. Then we look at the specific location within the centre. Does it have the right footprint and floor plan? At the end of the day, we choose locations where we feel we can really engage with community. Community is at the core of our business. Halifax is a great example. We saw a strong emotional connection there, and when a great location became available, we jumped at the opportunity.
Tapscott said retail will continue to be a huge lever for Knix, and it will follow the market.
“Canada remains a priority. There’s still a lot of room to grow. When we look at new markets, we’re very thoughtful. Expansion into new regions and provinces is done strategically to ensure we can deliver a consistent, high-quality experience. We’re definitely looking at the U.S. for store expansion, but we’re being very choiceful,” she said.
“The brand is 13 years old, and when it was founded, it entered a category where there was real white space, especially in the intimate space, there weren’t many brands speaking to inclusivity or empowerment. Knix really spoke to the majority of women, saying, “We see you, and we’re going to talk about things that matter to you that others don’t.” We’ve been extraordinarily consistent with that message. In our most recent brand awareness study, the number one association was “a brand that gets me.” That’s incredibly powerful. The second was women’s health. Through consistency, our tone, who we cast, the people we support, and products that solve real problems, we’ve developed real trust with our customer base.”
Tapscott said there are brands that make and sell things, and that’s great. Then there are brands that respond to culture, and others that shape culture.
“You have to decide which you want to be. Sometimes you react to what matters to your customer, but other times you help push culture forward. I think Knix does that. For example, perimenopause, one of the top podcast topics recently, barely registered in search trends a couple years ago. Knix launched a campaign in December 2023 called “The Invisible Period.” It was a double entendre. We’re not a massive company, but we punch above our weight by talking about what matters to our customers. That’s a great example of how we help shape conversations.
“The customer today is smarter than ever, more informed, with more access to information. If you haven’t treated her like a smart person, she’ll figure it out. Knix has always respected its customer, and that shows through in the service. I think that’s good for consumers. They have the power to be discerning. Wallets are tight, so I really appreciate that people continue to buy and trust our products.”
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