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Lao Feng Xiang Opens 1st Canadian Location

By
Craig Patterson
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Facade of Lao Feng Xiang on Alberni Street in downtown Vancouver
Facade of Lao Feng Xiang on Alberni Street in downtown Vancouver. Photo: Lao Feng Xiang

Pricey Shanghai-based jeweller Lao Feng Xiang just opened its first Canadian location in Vancouver’s ‘Luxury Zone’. A company representative explained why the retailer chose to open in Vancouver, and how Canada is only the third international market for the brand.

Interior of Lao Feng Xiang on Alberni Street in downtown Vancouver
Interior of Lao Feng Xiang on Alberni Street in downtown Vancouver. Photo: Lao Feng Xiang

Lao Feng Xiang is China’s oldest jewellery brand, as well as the world’s 16th-largest luxury goods company. Founded in 1848, the brand boasts a network of 2,800 retail stores in China as well as individual locations in Sydney, Australia and in New York City. Lao Feng Xiang is particularly known for its 24-karat gold and jade creations. 

The Vancouver boutique, measuring about 1,300 square feet, is located at 1016 Alberni Street in the heart of Vancouver’s ‘Luxury Zone’. Last month, Canada’s first location for pricey luxury brand Jaeger-LeCoultre opened next door, and current neighbours include Hermes, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Dior and Montblanc. Between now and the spring of 2016, the area will see the opening of freestanding locations for luxury brands Prada, Moncler, Brunello Cucinelli, Versace, Strellson and Stefano Ricci. 

Company representative Wang En Sheng provided written responses to four questions about Lao Feng Xiang’s new Vancouver store. Questions were asked by Retail Insider editor Helen Siwak:

1. Why have you decided to expand into Canada?

We see Canada as a very multicultural country. As the third largest city in Canada and the largest in the west coast, Vancouver has one of the largest Chinese populations in North America and is famous for its quality of living, natural beauty, multiculturalism and a high tourist destination.  All of the above are important factors that contribute to our expansion decision to Canada.

2. Has anything specific spurred this expansion?

We participate in the JCK show in Las Vegas every year and have considered the US market since 2007.  It only made sense that we started looking at the Canadian market immediately after our decision to expand to the USA.

3. Do you have any specific goals in the Canadian market?

Lao Feng Xiang will strive to meet the needs of not only the local customers, but also the global visitors to Vancouver. Millions of residing overseas Chinese still have a strong bond with home, seeing a long established Chinese brand they grew up with not only serve them economically but also culturally and sentimentally.

4. What are some facts or stories that you would like the Canadian audience to know?

Lao Feng Xiang is one of the oldest Chinese jewellery brands in existence. We have been in business since 1848, spanning 167 years of continuous operation. In our logo, you will see the three Chinese characters representing the beautiful and auspicious phoenix. The phoenix has an important meaning in Chinese culture “The bird rising from the ashes symbolizes rebirth” they can also stand for “The lucky and fashionable Phoenix”.  Bestowed upon this beautiful bird are two powerful wings, representing inheritance and innovation, core values of our business.

Lawyer Ritchie Po (far left) and THECloset YVR owner Helen Siwak (red hair) with Lao Feng Xiang reps at the Vancouver store’s grand opening.

Gold, which represents luck and fortune, holds great meaning in Chinese culture, so Lao Feng Xiang has tied its brand to 24K gold jewelry for many years.

DSW Designer Shoes Reveals 4 Canadian Locations to Open Next Spring

By
Craig Patterson
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Popular value-priced American footwear retailer DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse has revealed 4 new locations, all scheduled to open in the spring of 2016. After they open, DSW will operate 17 Canadian stores, well on its way to a goal of roughly 40 to 50 Canadian locations. 

In April, we announced an additional six Canadian DSW locations in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Ontario. We attended the opening of its Sherwood Park Mall (suburban Edmonton) location last month, where we interviewed DSW Canada CEO Bruce Dinnan to gain insight into his company’s continued plans to open Canadian stores. 

The four new stores will average about 20,000 square feet and will be located in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan: 

-Oakville, ON: Oakville Town Centre 1
-Ottawa, ON: Train Yards Shopping Centre
-Halifax, NS: Chain Lake Drive Plaza
-Regina, SK: Grasslands Shopping Centre

The Ottawa, Halifax and Regina stores will be the first DSW location for each market. 

On August 7, 2014, DSW opened its first Canadian locations in the Greater Toronto Area. In December of 2014, DSW announced a new Whitby, ON location as well as its first for Western Canada. 

DSW also sells online, and it’s Canadian e-commerce site launched in the winter of 2014. DSW’s Canadian stores also operate as fulfillment centres, shipping ordered product either to customer’s homes or to local Town Shoes-owned locations for pickup. DSW’s new Western Canadian stores now also act as new e-commerce fulfillment centres, as the brand expands nationally.

DSW’s Canadian stores are about the same size as its U.S. locations. Mr. Dinan says that DSW is ideally seeking Canadian retail space in the 18,000 to 24,000 square foot range. Each Canadian DSW store will have over 22,000 pairs of shoes, as well as an extensive selection of handbags and accessories. About 80% of the brands in DSW’s American stores are carried in Canada, and Canada’s DSW stores also carry brands exclusive to Town Shoes. 

DSW is hugely popular in the United States with over 430 locations in that country. Its name indicates its business model – it sells designer shoes at discounted prices. The company has hundreds of millions in cash and no debt. 

Saks 5th Avenue to Open Canada’s Largest Suburban Luxury Store [With Renderings]

By
Craig Patterson
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When it opens early next year, American luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue‘s second Canadian location will be Canada’s largest suburban luxury department store. Located at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto, Saks will surpass the size of Holt Renfrew‘s suburban stores, which have grown in size over the past several years.

According to Sherway’s landlord Cadillac Fairview, the mall’s three-level Saks will measure an impressive 132,256 square feet. The new store, scheduled to open on Feburary 25, 2016, will occupy the southern portion of the mall’s former 225,000 Sears location. Sport Chek will occupy most of the remainder of Sears, measuring about 70,000 square feet. Remarkably, Sherway’s Saks will be only marginally smaller than the mall’s new Nordstrom, scheduled to open spring/summer of 2017. When completed, Sherway’s Nordstrom will be about 138,000 square feet.

Saks Sherway “will feature an open format so customers can easily navigate their way through as they shop”, according to Saks. The store will feature a basement-level food hall operated by Toronto-based Pusateri’s Fine Foods, estimated to be about 19,000 square feet. Sherway’s Saks will also feature a restaurant operated by Oliver & Bonacini, a salon/spa operated by New York City-based John Barrett, and concessions for cosmetics brands Aesop, Kiehl’s, and others. 

Saks Sherway will be about 10,000 square feet larger than Holt Renfrew’s 122,000 square foot Mississauga Square One location, currently under construction. That Holt Renfrew location is scheduled to open in the spring of 2016 and when completed, will be Canada’s second-largest suburban luxury store. Holt Renfrew’s Toronto Yorkdale Shopping Centre store is almost as large, measuring about 121,000 square feet. Holt Renfrew stores have grown substantially over the past several years. It’s Yorkdale store, for example, measured just over 65,000 square feet before it expanded in early 2014, while its current CF Sherway Gardens store measures only 33,600 square feet. Earlier this year, Holt’s closed its 36,000 square foot Ottawa and 33,000 square foot Quebec City units, as the retailer continues its $300 million expansion which will focus on operating larger stores. For now, the company’s Sherway and Edmonton stores are its only remaining units measuring less than 40,000 square feet, while its 83,000 square foot Montreal store will close in 2017 to be merged into a 220,000 square foot Ogilvy/Holt’s flagship. 

Saks’ Sherway store will by no means be the retailer’s largest suburban store, however. In the United States, where flagship retailers are more common in suburban malls than downtown, Saks boasts several units substantially larger than Sherway. Its new Houston Galleria store location, set to open in the spring of 2016, will measure about 198,000 square feet. Its Bal Harbour Shops (Florida) unit will also relocate next year to a 180,000 square foot space, which some say could also include a food hall like in Saks’ Canadian stores. Saks also operates large suburban locations in Las Vegas (Fashion Show Mall, 166,000 square feet), Boca Raton, Florida (Town Center at Boca Raton, 148,000 square feet), Atlanta (Phipps Plaza, 150,000 square feet) and Troy, Michigan (Detroit metro, Somerset Collection, 160,000 square feet).

Saks’ largest confirmed Canadian location will be its 170,000 square foot CF Toronto Eaton Centre flagship, scheduled to open February 18, 2016. This Saks location will be one of Canada’s largest luxury retailers, surpassed only by Holt Renfrew’s 185,000 square foot Toronto Bloor Street flagship, Holt’s expanded 187,000 square foot Vancouver CF Pacific Centre unit, and Montreal’s 220,000 square foot combined Ogilvy/Holt’s flagship. The Vancouver store’s expansion is expected to be completed before the end of 2016, while the expanded Montreal store is expected to be finished about a year later. 

Saks Fifth Avenue has confirmed intentions to open stores in Vancouver and Montreal and as well, possibly in Calgary. Saks hasn’t indicated how large these locations will be, nor where they will be located.

David’s Tea Reveals Substantial Expansion Plans

By
Craig Patterson
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David's Tea
David's Tea (PHOTO: JPDA.NET)

Rapidly expanding Montreal-based retailer David’s Tea plans to almost double its current Canadian store count over the next several years. We spoke with the company’s President and CEO for details. 

Founded in Montreal in 2008 by David and Herschel Segal, David’s Tea retails over 150 types of tea, including exclusive blends, limited edition seasonal collections and traditional straight teas, as well as the largest collection of organic teas and infusions in North America. It also offers lattes, iced teas and sparkling iced teas, as well as non-consumable items such as teapots, cups, kettles, infusers and lids.

Following the company’s initial public offering, common stock began trading on The NASDAQ Global Market on June 5, 2015. Herschel Segal is also the founder of fashion retailer Le Chateau which proved strategic, given that David’s Tea opened its first physical store in the Le Chateau retail space on Toronto’s trendy Queen Street West. 

David's Tea
Image: David’s Tea

We spoke with company President and CEO Sylvain Toutant, who explained how David’s Tea plans to continue expanding into new Canadian communities, as well as within existing markets. The retailer currently has 138 stores and over the next few years, that number could grow to over 250 Canadian locations.

This year alone, David’s Tea opened almost 30 stores and according to Mr. Toutant, the company will continue expanding outside of large metropolitan areas into smaller Canadian cities. He explained how David’s Tea is particularly seeing strong sales in places like Rimouski, Quebec and Cornerbrook, Newfoundland, prompting it to consider other secondary markets.

David’s Tea also operates locations in the United States. It entered the U.S. in 2011 and now operates 28 stores in seven markets. Mr. Toutant says that the company is looking to eventually operate about 320 U.S. locations as it looks to reach about 550 North American stores. 

Mr. Toutant explained the importance of omnichannel to David’s Tea, which has been a component of the company from the time it opened its first bricks-and-mortar location. The retailer’s website went live before its first store opened in Toronto in 2008, and customers continue to use its website to order products and otherwise see what’s in store. 

DAVID'S TEA AT ST. VITAL CENTRE, WINNIPEG
DAVID’S TEA AT ST. VITAL CENTRE, WINNIPEG. PHOTO: WWW.STVITALCENTRE.COM

We asked Mr. Toutant about David’s Tea’s iconic teal-blue branding and eye-catching logo. He explained that David’s Tea had strong branding from the beginning, which helped it grow quickly into a household name. Having exceptional products is equally important, and David’s Tea endeavours to carry high-quality product, 80% of which are consumable. 

Speaking to the topic of retail space, Mr. Toutant explained how David’s Tea stores are ideally in the 800 to 850 square foot range within shopping centres, while streetfront locations are generally about 1,000 square feet, to accommodate amenities such as restrooms. David’s Tea will also consider opening stores in lifestyle centres, outlet centres, and airports. Brokerage Oberfeld Snowcap represents David’s Tea’s in Canada.

Exceptional Retail Opportunities in One of Canada’s Wealthiest Boom Towns

By
Craig Patterson
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Opportunities continue to present in one of Canada’s wealthiest regions, with retailers and developers clamouring to invest in the County of Grande Prairie, Alberta. Despite recent press about low oil prices negatively affecting the province, the County of Grande Prairie is booming due to economic diversification that includes commerce, forestry, agriculture, and energy (exploration, services and production). The County’s master-planned community, Clairmont Heights, is seeing tremendous interest from investors, and there’s still opportunity for retailers and investors to become involved in the building of an entirely new community.

The County of Grande Prairie is at a considerable advantage when compared to surrounding areas. Residential property taxes are lower than neighbouring jurisdictions, primarily due to the County’s substantial commercial tax base. Recognizing this benefit, demand for housing is fierce and developers are addressing demand by investing millions into new housing starts. Remarkably the County of Grand Prairie, with a population of just 28,000, has a third of the number of housing starts of booming Saskatchewan with a population of over one million.

The ability to create a master-planned community is a huge benefit to the County. Called Clairmont Heights, the County’s new village centre will feature a commercial high street featuring at-grade retailers, with residences above. Population projections could see an additional 6,000 residences housing an anticipated 15,000 people. Density will dissipate from the core to feature subdivisions of attached and detached homes, while substantial commercial centres will be developed along busy Highway 2, which sees substantial vehicle traffic accessing various parts of the region. Schools, recreation and other amenities will be optimally placed within the master-planned region, with further benefit gained from being located on Clairmont Lake.

In June, the County held a highly successful economic summit, where it highlighted considerable demand for new retailers in a recent market gap analysis (PDF). Potential investors, retailers, landlords and other interested parties were presented with immediate retail opportunities for grocers, liquor stores, banks, coffee shops, as well as a variety of other categories. Despite its relatively small population, the County of Grande Prairie’s purchasing power is exceptional. It boasts an average household income of $109,000 annually and with a lower-than-average cost of living, residents have exceptionally high discretionary incomes. As a result, demand for new retail is substantially higher than in similar-sized communities lacking exceptional growth and affluence.

Several major retailers are showing interest in the master-planned community, and there is still considerable opportunity for retailers and investors. County of Grande Prairie’s Economic Development Manager, Chris King, will be at ICSC Toronto on October 5 to 7 with Dale Bellavance, CEO of Bell Group International and Brooks Hoffos, CEO of Fuse Realty. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Chris King at: 780-513-3956 or by email: cking@countygp.ab.ca.

Sherway Gardens Reveals Next 2-Phase Expansion Details

By
Craig Patterson
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Last week, Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens opened the first of three expansion wings planned for the shopping centre, as part of its $550 million overhaul. We spoke with the mall’s General Manager to gain insight into what landlord Cadillac Fairview has planned for Sherway between now and mid-2017, including new wings anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.

The mall’s north expansion opened last week with about 50 new stores and an additional 210,000 square feet of retail space. Replacement locations for Sporting Life (38,000 square feet) and menswear retailer Harry Rosen (24,000 square feet) joined new and relocating mall tenants. This north expansion is the first of three phases planned for the centre before the summer of 2017.

We spoke with CF Sherway Gardens General Manager Andy Traynor, who revealed details of all three expansion phases. Mr. Traynor discussed the north phase first, and how its high ceilings provide for dramatic store facades and an overall exciting shopping experience. He explained how the mall’s new upscale Gourmet Fare replaces Sherway’s previous food court, which some complained lacked variety. As well, a number of retailers with locations in older parts of the mall relocated to the new expansion, freeing-up retail space for more new tenants. Mr. Traynor explained how CF Sherway, being one of Canada’s most productive shopping centres, sees tremendous demand for retailers seeking space in west Toronto.

The mall’s east phase, set to open in the spring of 2016, will feature a 132,000 square foot three-level Saks Fifth Avenue location. Saks will occupy the southern portion of the mall’s former 225,000 square foot Sears space, with a 19,000 square foot Pusateri’s-operated Saks food hall on its basement level. Most of the remaining Sears space will be occupied by Sport Chek, which will take three floors and about 70,000 square feet for a technology-filled flagship modelled on the company’s highly successful West Edmonton Mall prototype. Mr. Traynor explained how this Saks phase has exceptional visibility from three major freeways which isn’t by accident — Eaton’s, which originally occupied the Sears box, requested the best highway visibility when the mall was being designed.

The mall’s south phase, set to open towards the middle of 2017, will involve the ambitious demolition of the mall’s former Sporting Life (once occupied by defunct Nordstrom-esq retailer, Bretton’s). In its place, Nordstrom will open a 138,000 square foot store boasting spacious 17-foot ceilings. High ceilings will also characterize the retail wing leading to the new Nordstrom, currently hosting smaller retailers and the former food court above. The current stairway, escalators and elevator will be removed now that the food court has relocated, providing clear sightlines towards the new Nordstrom from the mall’s centre court. Several two-level retail spaces will flank the new hallway leading towards Nordstrom, with the mall’s signature teflon-coated, stretch-fabric tent-like roof remaining above.

Valet parking will be available both at the north end of the mall, as well as in the new south wing where Nordstrom will be located. Mr. Traynor explained that the mall’s expanded parking facility will extend below Nordstrom and that shoppers will be able to access the store via a set of parking-accessible escalators.

Saks Fifth Avenue is scheduled to open on February 25, 2016, and the opening date for Nordstrom is possibly delayed. Although we were told several months ago that Nordstrom’s Sherway store would open at the end of March, 2017, it could now be delayed until later that summer.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: October 1, 2015

Study Ranks Canada’s Favourite Supermarkets, Finds Consumer Dissatisfaction

By
Craig Patterson
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Study Ranks Canada's Favourite Supermarkets, Finds Consumer Dissatisfaction

The Canadian grocery landscape is increasingly very competitive, with traditional supermarkets battling for market share with discounters, mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs and even drug stores. Field Agent Canada just completed a mobile survey about the grocery shopping habits of Canadians in order to determine which retailers are Canada’s Favourite Supermarkets 2015. Until now there has not been a widely published study that looks at how supermarkets are performing in the eyes of the shopper.  

The survey was conducted between Sept 15 and Sept 23 with 974 Canadians, coast-to-coast. The study looked at overall perceptions on both a national and regional basis, as the grocery landscape is unique from one region to another.

“When we asked respondents to rate the two retailers that they shop at most for groceries; the retailer with the highest overall score is Farm Boy, an independent grocery chain based in Ottawa with 19 stores across Ontario” says Jeff Doucette, General Manager of Field Agent Canada. “This is an up and coming retailer that is definitely one to watch!”

Rounding out the Top Five scores were Longo’s (Ontario), Loblaws (Ontario / Quebec), Save-on-Foods (BC / Alberta) and Your Independent Grocer (National, excluding Quebec). Three of the five are independent chains, while Your Independent Grocer is a franchise chain from Loblaw, which also counts its namesake banner in the Top Five.

“It is interesting to note that all retailers in the Top Five are ‘full-service’ supermarkets and all of the banners have been growing their number of stores in the past couple of years”, noted Mr. Doucette. “These are the operators that other supermarket executives should have their eye on.”

While Canada’s Favourite Supermarkets fared better, the average grade for the overall score of all retailers is only a “B”, making it clear that Canadians want their supermarkets to do more and be better.

Beyond uncovering Canada’s Favourite Supermarkets, the study also investigates the performance of key areas of the store such as Produce, Meat and Seafood and takes a look at various elements of the shopping experience including customer service, store cleanliness and checkout speeds.

“Each retailer has specific strengths and weaknesses and this data will be interesting both to industry executives and the average Canadian grocery shopper”, stated Mr. Doucette. “We are excited to have completed the most thorough study into Canadian perceptions about Supermarkets in recent memory, ” he said. 

In addition to national results, the full study highlights the best performing grocers in each category for six regions across Canada (BC/North, Alberta, Manitoba/Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec & Atlantic).

Full results can be downloaded at http://fieldagentcanada.com/final-report 

Saks Fifth Avenue Reveals Canadian Salon/Spa Provider and New Short Film

By
Craig Patterson
-

Saks Fifth Avenue has revealed that its Canadian salons/spas will be operated by North America’s largest luxury salon provider, based out of New York City.  As well, Saks just launched a short video featuring a real-life Canadian couple as part of its ongoing Canadian marketing campaign.  

According to Saks, John Barrett will operate Saks’ first two Canadian salons, as well as take over Saks’ U.S. salon and spa operations. Hairstylist John Barrett opened his first salon in 1996 in the penthouse of department store Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. The company has grown to become the largest collection of luxury salons in the United States, known for exceptional service and talent. Saks says that John Barrett plans to invest heavily in the infrastructure, equipment and technology for each salon location. Salons will be designed by Tricarico Architecture and Design, and will be run by staff personally chosen and trained by John Barrett. 

This week, Saks launched a two-minute film as part of its Canadian advertising launch. Called ‘I Left My ♥ in Toronto’, the film stars a real life couple, Alyssa Campanella (American actress and model) and Torrance Coombs (Canadian actor, on CW’s TV drama series, Reign). The film chronicles the couple’s intercontinental romance, with Alyssa living in New York and Torrance based in Toronto. After shopping at Saks’ Manhattan flagship, Alyssa flies to Toronto to see Torrance, and they tour the sites before she has to leave. It’s a rare example of a film shot in Toronto that actually portrays Toronto, and it can be viewed directly below. 

The video above also provides insight into more designers that will be carried at Saks’ Canadian stores. While Torrance’s clothing in the video was by Saks Fifth Avenue Collection, Alyssa wears clothing from designers Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Proenza Schouler and Valentino, as well as shoes by designer Alexandre Birman. 

Saks’ first Canadian location, its Canadian flagship, will open on February 18, 2016 within the Hudson’s Bay Queen Street building at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. A week later, on February 25, 2016, Saks’ second Canadian store will open at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens. Saks confirms intentions to open stores in Vancouver and Montreal, as well as possibly in Calgary. 

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: September 30, 2015

Nordstrom Eaton Centre Flagship Configuration Revealed

By
Craig Patterson
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Landlord Cadillac Fairview recently updated its leasing site to include plans showing CF Toronto Eaton Centre‘s new Nordstrom location, set to open the third week of September, 2016. Nordstrom will locate in some of the retail space formerly occupied by Sears, with some adjacent prime ground floor space going to Japanese retailer Uniqlo and an unknown retailer that some speculate could be an Apple Store flagship.

Nordstrom still occupy almost 213,000 square feet over three levels at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, at the south end of the former Sears space with entrances into the mall. Uniqlo will occupy about 28,000 square feet with its entrance from within a newly-renovated Yonge Street/Dundas Street mall entrance (see plans below), with about 10,000 square feet at street-level and almost 20,000 square feet upstairs.

Several sources speculate that a Yonge Street-facing multi-level retail space marked above as “mystery retailer” could become occupied by a large Apple Store flagship, though this rumour may be untrue, according to Buzz Buzz Home and a discussion at Urban Toronto. 

A source provided us with a rendering of the exterior of the new CF Toronto Eaton Centre Nordstrom, which shows what appears to be a three-level cream-coloured box at the base of the existing (reclad) eight-level former Sears box. We were asked not to publish the rendering by the source, so we’re awaiting official renderings to be provided by Nordstrom.

Below Nordstrom, Sears’ basement level has been reconfigured to include multiple retailers, located down a new hallway joining Dundas Street to the rest of Toronto Eaton Centre via the mall’s ‘Level 2’. This is indicated in the plan below. 

CF Toronto Eaton Centre will be Canada’s fourth Nordstrom location. Nordstrom’s first Canadian store, measuring 140,000 square feet opened at Calgary’s CF Chinook Centre in September of 2014 and on March of 2015, a 157,000 square foot location opened at Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre. Earlier this month, a 230,000 square foot Vancouver location opened at CF Pacific Centre.

Thank you to Urban Toronto‘s ‘officedweller’ who initially drew our attention to this topic.

Saje Natural Wellness Reveals Continued Expansion Plans

By
Craig Patterson
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Popular Vancouver-based Saje Natural Wellness has announced several new locations, as it looks to grow to about 50 Canadian stores by 2018. By the end of this year, Saje will operate 34 Canadian locations which is impressive, considering that the retailer had only 14 stores when we first reported on the company in September of 2014. We spoke with co-founder and CEO Kate Ross LeBlanc for an update. 

Ms. Ross LeBlanc revealed that Saje will open locations this fall at Winnipeg’s St. Vital Centre on Friday, October 2, at Oshawa Town Centre on October 16, and at Avalon Mall in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on November 6. Also opening in November will be an expansion of Saje’s Vancouver Robson Street flagship, which annexed an adjacent retail space to create a 1,200-1,300 square foot location and will feature the company’s first Healthy Enviro shop-in-store.

Last week, Saje opened a location in the north expansion wing of Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens. We’ve used its 30 foot Italian-tile facade as the photo at the top of this article. 

In 2014, Saje opened a total of eight stores in West Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, as well as four locations in the Greater Toronto Area. In January of this year, it announced a further 12 stores.

Ms. Ross LeBlanc further revealed Saje’s big plans for 2016, which includes opening between 10 and 15 new stores. She said that the company has two more Toronto stores (including one at Upper Canada Mall)in the works and as well, Halifax will see two new stores — one streetfront, the other at Halifax Shopping Centre. A second West Edmonton Mall location will open early next year, complimenting Saje’s highly successful existing mall store. Also in Edmonton, Saje will replace its Southgate Centre store with a unit featuring Saje’s ‘new look’, as Southgate’s existing store reflects an older store design from a few years ago. Saje will also open a location at hybrid outlet centre Tsawwassen Mills, to be located south of Vancouver.

Ms. Ross Leblanc also revealed that the company is examining the feasibility of expanding into the United States, with more details to follow. 

Founded in 1991 as a single store at Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, Saje retails hundreds of different natural wellness products, accessories and gift ideas. Products contain 100% natural ingredients, including plant-derived essential oils and base ingredients. Profit Magazine just ranked Saje as #154 in its top 500 fastest-growing Canadian Companies. 

Saje seeks retail space between 700 and 1,200 square feet in top tier malls and high traffic street front locations. John Snable is responsible for mall opportunities and Kate Ross Leblanc is responsible for high profile street-front locations. For leasing enquiries, contact johnsnable@sympatico.ca or kate@saje.ca.

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