Tilley on Ossington Ave in Toronto (Image: Tilley)
Iconic Canadian retail brand Tilley, known for its signature outdoor adventure hats, continues to evolve its concept with the opening of its first store under the leadership of well-known designer and entrepreneur Joe Mimran.
The new 1,500-square-foot store at 61 Ossington Avenue in Toronto brings Tilley to the next generation of Canadians.
The new location marks the first store opening under a new ownership led by Mimran, who has taken an active role in expanding the iconic safari product line, while reinvigorating the brand.
“Tilley is an iconic lifestyle brand that proves fashion and sustainability can coexist. A Tilley hat is more than simply a lightweight, practical, durable, reliable, stylish travel essential. It’s a piece of fashion history on your head,” he said.
Tilley at 61 Ossington Ave in Toronto (Image: Tilley)
“The opening of this first reimagined store brings to life The World of Tilley in a way we simply couldn’t do in other retail channels.
“We don’t consider this a short-term journey. As consumers increasingly demand ‘no-compromise brands’ that are authentic and sustainable and ethical and fashionable and a good value, we believe Tilley has a home in everyone’s closet. And we look forward to having everyone come on the journey with us.”
Mimran today controls the company with his business partner Frank Rocchetti. The partnership took over the leadership about two years ago and began implementing changes to the brand.
“They’re pretty exciting changes for the company itself and for the brand,” said Mimran.
Tilley at 61 Ossington Ave in Toronto (Image: Tilley)
What began with a single hat in 1980, has expanded into mens, womens, and kids outerwear, apparel, and headwear, that marry form and function – high-performance materials and features, crafted into beautiful collections with character.
“This is the first Tilley store. All of the old Tilley stores have been closed down and this is the first of the renewed brand, the remastered Tilley brand. This is quite important,” said Mimran. “Even though it’s a neighbourhoood store on Ossington which is a very hot street here in Toronto and shopping centre, this is really the first look that people will have of the store.
“But we sell across Canada and the United States, UK, Australia now. We opened up Australia. And we sell in France, we sell in Spain, we sell in Germany. We have thousands of doors that we sell but this will be the first freestanding Tilley store.”
Tilley Pop-up at Yorkdale (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Expansive windows and greenery invite shoppers in, and custom fixturing and Canadian Oak paneling create a beautiful backdrop to discover (and touch and try-on) merino, cashmere, canvas, cotton twills, technical materials, and more.
“We wanted to show the change in direction of the brand by putting it on what I consider to be an Indie street. It’s where a lot of fresh, new brands that come into the market want to hit a particular type of consumer. And it’s a street that I believe you get a certain level of credibility by being there,” said Mimran.
“It reminds me of the early days of Queen Street when I put the first Club Monaco on Queen Street way back when. It has that same kind of vibe to it. That was really what we wanted to signal to the market, that there’s this new fresh approach to the brand without taking out all of the great heritage that had been built into the brand.
“The company has been known essentially for its adventure hat . . . It’s usually worn hiking, fishing, and safari. And it has a very traditional appeal to an outdoor customer. It’s an incredibly well made product that’s guaranteed for life. But essentially that was sort of the entire business for the last 10 years. We wanted to extend that into apparel. We wanted to extend it into a winter product. It’s crazy that a Canadian company, hat company, is known for sun protection with no real winter offering to speak of. So we have amped up all of the winter offering on hats. We have introduced just a tremendous amount of apparel. We do a complete trek line. We do technical fabrics in travel type of apparel. So more fashionable but still all very functional and very outdoor inspired. This spring we’re introducing a golf line.”
Tilley Pop-up at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Tilley)
He said 70 to 80 per cent of the products are made from recycled materials or organic materials.
The brand has also just opened a pop-up location at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
“With the importance of omni-channel, we think that the stores will continue to be an important part of the growth of the brand,” added Mimran.
Mondou, a Quebec specialty pet supply retailer, has recently celebrated its 80th store opening and is looking to expand more into the Quebec market.
“We are very proud. We opened our 80th and it was a tremendous success. We are very happy and excited about the new store. It is a great place for us to grow our business because there were a lot of customers asking for a Mondou store in that region,” says Pierre Leblanc, the CEO of Mondou.
Pierre Leblanc
Located in L’Assomption in Quebec, the 80th store opened on November 10th and has 4,000 square feet of retail space. Mondou celebrated with a grand opening event where there was free coffee, nail clipping, dog washes, and gifts. “It was a really good event and celebration with our customers, it was a door crasher. We had dozens of customers waiting at the door – and next time we will do better,” says Leblanc.
Customers have been requesting this specific location and now they have it. The store, like all Mondou stores, will offer free nail clipping and dog washing.
“Mondou has 80 stores in Quebec and only focuses on Quebecers and that is basically where we are focusing at the present time, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change in the future but Quebec is our market area. We are really pleased to be there in that specific place, it is an average store but we have free services such as nail clipping and dog washing, so it was really great for our customers,” says Genevieve Paquet, the Merchandising and Store Concept Director at Mondou.
#1 Pet Specialty Store in Quebec
Image: MondouMondou L’Assomption (Image: Mondou)
Leblanc says Mondou is the number one pet store in Quebec in terms of sales and is still performing well. In 2022, Mondou opened six new stores in new markets and four Mondou locations were renovated or relocated.
To achieve the number one pet speciality store in Quebec, Mondou focuses on building relationships with its customers. To do that, Mondou has three different concepts which are specialized to what that specific community needs. The three concepts are flagship, original, and smaller stores. Leblanc says Mondou also succeeds in its points program as it is the best program in Quebec, and not just under pet stores.
“We have a lot of loyal customers. Most of our customers are coming back all the time. They buy not only food, but from every different category. So we believe that is a significant reason why they want to come and they come back, so we are focused on that. We are not just a transaction based company, we like to build relationships with our customers. There is a reason why we have services like nail chipping and dog washing that are free – we are very close to our community and we believe in that,” says Leblanc.
One way Mondou supports and gives back to the community is by donating. From this year alone, Mondou has raised over a million dollars to go towards different shelters. “We are product, we are service, but more than anything – we really try to build long term relationships with our customers and I think that is the basis of our success,” says Leblanc .
Expansion Plans
Mondou Atwater (Image: Mondou)
“We are going to accelerate. The customers are asking to have more stores closer to them, so yes we will be adding more stores. We want to be at the right location to serve our customers and next year we will be expanding more. We don’t know how many stores yet, but we are going to focus on the right market. We don’t want to open any stores unless it is the right location, place, and market,” says Leblanc.
Leblanc was only able to confirm two new Mondou store openings. One will be located at 670 Rue Principale in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts and will be opening December 15th. The second opening confirmed is at 584 Chemin de la Touraine in Boucherville and will be opening January 26th (2023). The Boucherville store will be Mondou’s second location in that area.
In addition to upcoming expansions, Mondou has expanded its assortment and has introduced a new omnichannel Access Plus to make it easier for customers to access all products at Mondou.
“Access Plus will provide customers with more products that are not found in stores. Even when a customer is shopping at our smaller stores, we want to give full access to all the products to the customer by Access Plus where everything is available to them. We really try to serve our customers, and it is irrelevant which channel they are using to find the right product,” says Paquet.
Image: Mondou
Leblanc says this is another category where Mondou is ahead of almost everyone in Quebec, is that its online store and physical stores are not competing – they are working together to build the best customer experience and to do that, Mondou has merged its online and physical stores so customers can access everything Mondou has to offer.
To expand what Mondou has to offer its customers, Leblanc said it has expanded its assortment offerings and will continue to bring in new products to stores. In the past year, Mondou added 1000 SKU’s in not only food, but accessories.
“We are trying to pursue customer needs and trying to create something of an impulse to the customer to come in often to our stores, not only to buy a bag of food but also look at accessories such as toys. To stay on top of what is best, Mondou works with vets to ensure the product offers are the best for our customers.
“We have vets that work for us and they look at the products we sell to make sure they are pet approved because we have that concept of pet approved products. Those kinds of small details are all over the place, and for us the term wellbeing is not only something we place on the wall, it is something we live through everyday and customers know we really care for them,” says Leblanc.”
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past three days.
Tarry talks about the stories and issues being covered, where to find the publication , the concept and how it’s different from the daily Retail Insider news website, and what’s next for the magazine.
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Furniture and home decor store MUST is expanding with the opening of its newest, and ninth, location just west of Montreal’s downtown.
It offers 40,000 square feet of retail space over two floors and the West Island address presents the largest surface area of any MUST store.
As guests enter through its doors off Highway 40, they’ll be met with a serene and luminous setting, punctuated with gigantic windows that will allow for an abundance of natural light. Once inside, the grand space will greet customers with inspiring design features, including distinct spaces separated by majestic archways, spectacular pendant lamps, luminous white glass ceilings, and enclosed spaces with natural wood floors inspired by the intimacy ambiance of home, said the retailer.
MUST West Island (Image: MUST)
Walid Laaraba, Vice President MUST banner and Group Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, said the MUST brand was created in 2005 and its first collection lived within its Maison Corbeil stores.
Walid Laaraba
“After much success, it quickly became a client favourite and we started to open standalone stores as of 2016. Today, you can find the MUST collection at Maison Corbeil in Quebec, in Home Société concept stores in Ontario and MUST West Island is the fourth store dedicated to this banner. The MUST brand offers a curated selection of high-quality, design-forward furniture and accessories at an accessible price for the bedroom, living room, dining room and outdoors,” he said.
“The new MUST store located in the West Island will offer residents in the west of Montreal and its surrounding areas a design destination closer to home. At 40,000 square feet, split on two levels, it will be the largest MUST store to date. Exclusive to this location will be the new MUST “In Stock” section which will allow customers to purchase furniture and decor items directly from the showroom floor and bring them home in one single, seamless shopping experience.
“Thanks to an added 8,000 square feet of warehouse space, this service will be available for the first time to shop not only small accessories but also larger furniture pieces, such as sofas, chairs, tables and beds. Like our other stores, the West Island location will house its own dining experience. We’ve chosen Clarke Cafe, the local Pointe-Saint-Charles institution, to offer customers a place to relax, savour a coffee, and enjoy authentic Italian meals during their shopping journey. The café will be ready to serve clients starting this Spring 2023.”
MUST West Island (Image: MUST)
MUST Kirkland (Image: MUST)
MUST Kirkland (Image: MUST)
He said MUST wants to continue to offer its customers an exceptional shopping experience through products that combine style and quality at an affordable price.
“And we want to bring it to more Canadians through our ecommerce store. A strategy that will allow the brand to expand nationally,” added Laaraba.
G2MC is the parent company of the brand.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to open this brand new flagship store in the West Island,” said Eric Corbeil, co-president at G2MC. “It’s thanks to the constant support from our customers that we are now able to offer residents west of Montreal our greatest selection of attainably priced furniture and accessories in our biggest retail space to date.”
MUST Kirkland (Image: MUST)
MUST Kirkland (Image: MUST)
Inspired by current trends, MUST transforms the latest materials and textiles into contemporary pieces that can be mixed and matched to enhance any space. For the bedroom, living room, dining room and outdoors, customers can expect affordable, design-forward furnishings for every part of their home, said the retailer.
The new flagship will also highlight the brand’s exclusive made-in-Canada products.
G2MC was created through the consolidation of Galerie du Meuble (acquired in 2012), Maison Corbeil (2013) and Jardin de Ville (2015). G2MC is a leader in mid to high-end interior and exterior furniture. The company serves its clientele through its 17 stores in Quebec and Ontario (Toronto and Ottawa) as well as its three transactional websites. G2MC’s brand portfolio comprises: Maison Corbeil, MUST, Jardin de Ville, Home Société, La Galerie du Meuble.
Halifax Shopping Centre is adding retail giant Winners to a larger location on the site as part of its multi-million dollar redevelopment project.
Sherri Kelsie, General Manager of the Centre, confirmed the new Winners is slated to open in the Spring of 2024.
She said Winners will be in 38,000 square feet in the former Sears space which was about 150,000 square feet.
“We have the Halifax Shopping Centre Annex which is located across the street from us which is a lot of big box retailers, a lot of outdoor retail. Winners is actually located there currently as a tenant of ours now. So they will be moving across from the Annex and moving into the shopping centre and are expanding by about 11,000 square feet,” said Kelsie.
“Bringing that into the enclosed shopping centre for sure will provide a complement to our existing fashion retailers 100 per cent. We’re really excited for them to be moving into the shopping centre and help with the retail experience. We’ll have ladies, mens, children and home decor as well.”
The shopping centre opened a new lululemon store in September and a new Swatch store in October. There’s also a pop up Frank and Oak which opened in October for five to six months with the possibility of the retailer continuing in the shopping centre after that.
Simons will be opening its first location in Atlantic Canada in about 56,000 square feet of the former Sears space. It will take up the upper level. Winners will take the majority of space in the middle level of the old Sears site. There’s an additional 5,000-6,000 square feet in that level which will be used as a restaurant. The lower level of the former Sears is like an exterior and it will have two tenants, not being disclosed at this time, moving into that space of about 45,000 square feet.
“Simons and Winners should both be opening by Spring of 2024. And those will be the last two to open. We intend to have all of the retailers hopefully opened by Spring of 2024 including the restaurant,” said Kelsie.
Future Simons at Halifax Shopping Centre
“I think having the addition of Winners coming in and Simons, especially being new to the market, is going to expand greatly on our retail here and it’s exciting for the city for sure. We just had a really strong Black Friday as well so the momentum we’re hoping will continue through the holidays and continue through 2023.
“We’ll continue to be focusing on our customer experience and expanding our retail mix to suit all of our shoppers. So we’re really looking forward to 2023 and 2024.”
In May, the Halifax Shopping Centre announced it was embarking on a $52-million redevelopment project that will dramatically enhance the shopping experience by providing new retail and dining options as well as an updated aesthetic. The new design will complement the previous $70-million redevelopment completed in 2017, with a focus on natural light and clean, modern finishes.
The updated Halifax Shopping Centre, designed by MMC International Architects Ltd. will feature a three-level glazed atrium connecting fashion, lifestyle, and site amenities. The atrium space will be flanked by an additional entrance, allowing for increased pedestrian flow.
lululemon at Halifax Shopping Centre Swatch at Halifax Shopping Centre
Halifax Shopping Centre is the leading retail complex in Atlantic Canada, featuring a range of exclusive retailers including Apple, Aritzia, Browns, Michael Kors, Victoria’s Secret, and Zara. The site features over 170 stores and services including prime office space and was named one of the Top 30 Shopping Centres in Canada by the Retail Council of Canada study.
Kelsie said traffic and sales have been increasing since 2021.
“Our traffic has been increasing as well as our dwell time in the shopping centre. I think we’re going to have a great holiday and probably a really great 2023,” she said.
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Rooted in the purpose to champion creativity, the One of a Kind Show has been a tradition for the Toronto community since 1975.
Taking over the Enercare Centre in Toronto in late November annually, the Winter One of a Kind Show (OOAK) brought together 600+ artisans from across Canada into a single location over a two week period.
With the return of in-person events in 2022 and the opportunity to bring lessons learned from the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years, Retail Insider sat down with Janice Leung, Director of the One of a Kind Show, to talk about this years event and the future of the event.
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Janice Leung
“We are so excited to be back IRL supporting the artisan community this holiday season,” said Leung. “Our intention with this Show is to inspire shoppers to support Canadian businesses and allow individuals to rediscover the power of creativity and celebrate our community.”
“We’ve gathered the most creative entrepreneurs from across the country, and for 11 days, they are all under one roof. What really sets our event apart from other shopping is that it’s not simply ‘shopping’ when you buy from One of a Kind. You’re also supporting small businesses, getting to know creators behind the brand and at the end of the day, you’re helping them do what they love and transform their passions into a career. We’re proud to have been able to champion that movement since our first show in 1975 and we feel very lucky to be able to do that to this day.”
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The One of a Kind Show features a full conference floor of creators, including the Rising Stars, Fashion District, Original Art Gallery and the popular ‘Flavours’ section. Also included is a programmable section called “LET’S MAKE” by cricut.
“It’s really about what the core of One of a Kind and what it’s is about for us, it’s about championing creativity. I think more than ever, there are more partners and sponsors that also align with our vision. In that sense, we have been able to lay out what our ‘why’ is and work with like-minded partners that will allow us to do that.”
“Shopping will always be the key element for One of a Kind. But we are also looking at answering the question of how do we utilize experiences so that people feel that when they come to OOAK, they are participating in something bigger?”
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Long-term vendors and prospective future vendors are able to connect directly with the team to secure future One of a Kind Show participation.
“Our sales team spend a lot of their time going to other events, sourcing through social media, and really understanding what our community is doing. That way, they are ready for the next event. It’s truly an ongoing cycle in which one show is on, but we’re already working on the next.”
“The Spring Show exists in that sense, even though the two shows (Winter and Spring) are different, and I think people come to the events with different purposes. What’s great about the spring show is that it allows some more of the emerging makers to test the waters and see what OOAK is all about, and then graduate to the bigger event.
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind is about scale. The 2022 winter show went from November 24th to December 4th, with weekdays and Saturdays being 10am-9pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.
“Our vendors, when they first start out, they may not necessarily be ready for One of a Kind,” said Leung.
“A key reason is that we are a huge show and that you have to produce a lot of inventory and there’s a lot that goes in behind the scenes. For us, our team will work with them and nurture them through the process, so that they can think of OOAK as a career goal.”
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Being on-site at a conference can be overwhelming for a small business, staffing a booth for 11-hours a day everyday for two weeks.
‘We work with a really great staffing agency and we make sure that the artisans know that it’s an available resource and how they can utilize it,” said Leung.
“It’s interesting to think about having a day off during an event, as sometimes I think that small business owners may think that ‘this is my everything – I can’t take a day off’. But we know that if you don’t take a day off, you’re not at your best. We do try to encourage our vendors to have balance, and we feel like in order for them to do that…by providing them a resource like a staffing contact that they would be able to find that balance.”
“There’s also a sustainability aspect to it, when you are utilizing a local agency, you’re also creating local job opportunities for people within the community that you’re in. That’s a nice element to the process that transpires beyond the very nature of the show and broadens it into the community.”
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
During the pandemic, OOAK was able to pivot due to the seasonal impact.
The 2020 show was entirely virtual, with a website created to allow creators to connect with the community.
November 2021 had a timed entry function, as the province was in the midst of another COVID-19 outbreak and implemented health guidelines that limited the size of indoor crowds. That year was also impacted with no sampling, which is a substantial part of the experience in the food category at the show.
“We are learning that people are shopping differently. The 2020 show was purely virutal, as there was no other choice at that time so they were all shopping online because that was all they had. Whereas, Last year, people were slowly coming back but we were still at a stage where certain guests were not comfortable being in person.”
Food Hall at One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“But I think this year, people are ready to get back into this ‘new normal’ so they do want to come and shop in person. I think that is a trend that the retail industry is seeing in general, as ecommerce is dropping a little bit for the in-person experiences.”
“We try to tell our artisans that it’s going to be a bit of both for the next little bit. We’re not going to go back to purely ecommerce and ecommerce alone – but we also know that it’s not going to be purely in-person either. We try to give them educational opportunities and a different way of thinking about the show. If people don’t buy right away, how can you continue you nurture that lead so that you build a life-long relationship with that customer.”
“It’s kind of that bit of learning, but it’s also what are some of the ways to drive people to the event and shop from you immediately. With shipping costs rising and increased costs – not having to pay shipping and not having to wait – that’s a nice little benefit as well.”
New Artisan at One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Rising Stars – The Future Creators
One of the sections of the One of a Kind Show that draws attention is Rising Stars.
“I think the Rising Stars is a great way for the creators to test the market and get their feet wet.”
“We noticed an interest trend, that during the pandemic, for many people, it was a time of self-reflection. We have people who started out leaving their 9-5 and start a business.”
“A good example is Jillian Davis from Leaf and Root. Before the pandemic, she was a dental hygienist and couldn’t work during the pandemic so she started a passion project. So she creates fun planters with cheeky sayings on them and then she got a Rising Star booth at the last show. It has resonated with our community and her audience that she’s now got a bigger booth.”
“I think that another thing that happens when you start your business online is that you don’t actually have that face-to-face engagement with your customer. Sometimes when you think One of a Kind, you think about shopping. But it’s also a great way for our vendors to do customer research. What do people like and what are they not receptive to. And when you take all that insight and make your business better.”
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
With the Winter Show being two weeks and the Spring Show being four days, the team at One of a Kind and Informa Connect are able to think about future trends.
“We talk a lot about our vendors. We talk a lot about our partnerships in order to create unique experiences. Another area we’re looking to is programming and how we are able to give another level of prospective to allow people to come to the show and experience the vendors and the show.”
“We brought late-night shopping back, which was paused during covid. but it allows customers to shop until 11pm with free parking and free coat check and programming all night. It puts the show into a ‘Show within a Show’ feeling and gives people a reason and a different audience. We also implemented a family day, which was planned on a Toronto District School Board PA day. This gave families an opportunity to come to the show and make memories together with family-friendly programming.”
“I think programming is another way to contextualize the shopping in a little bit of a different way that we’ll see how that goes into the future.”
One of a Kind is produced by Informa Canada, which produces and manages over 45 seminars, conferences, trade and consumer shows every year, including Fan Expo. With events in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, the reach spans coast-to-coast in Canada. As a well known entity, Informa Canada produces events in many sectors including construction, design, craft, art, real estate, furniture and furnishings.
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of a Kind Show Winter 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Podcast [Interview] RBC Launches Buy Now Pay Later Platform 'PayPlan by RBC'
RBC has launched a new buy now pay later platform called PayPlan by RBC. It is already getting tremendous reception from retailers.
Craig interviews two special guests: Neill Ashe, Senior Director, Payments & Commerce at RBC, who talks about PayPlan by RBC and how it functions. Craig then speaks with Troy Skinner, Parts Asset Manager at Martin Motor Sports, about how the retailer is seeing success with PayPlan.
The Interview Series podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Also check out our The Weekly podcast where Craig and Lee discuss popular content published on Retail Insider which is part of the The Retail Insider Podcast Network.
Interviewed this episode:
Neill Ashe, Senior Director, Payments & Commerce at RBC
Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!
Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
European-based outdoor coat maker Wellensteyn has plans to launch the brand in Canada in the New Year.
Tony Flanz, President of Montreal-based Think Retail, which consults and represents international, national, and regional retail chains and is representing the European brand, said the company hopes to open its first store in Canada in 2023 with British Columbia and Ontario markets of interest.
He said the iconic outdoor coat company caters to fashion and function.
György Gonda, CEO of Wellensteyn, said the brand has the largest portfolio in jackets and is the leading jacket brand in the premium segment in Europe.
Wellensteyn in Osnabrück, Germany (Image: Wellensteyn)
Gonda said Wellensteyn’s success is based on a quality product with a lower price point than many competitors in its category. The brand also sells T-shirts, hats, hoodies and sweatshirts.
Tony Flanz
“The Wellensteyn brand dates back to 1940s Germany when Adolf Wuttke, a welding rod dealer who made instruments used to help explore the depths of the North Sea, set out to create the best quality outerwear for men,” said Flanz in a blog on his company’s website.
“Initially targeted to those working in the shipyards and on the water, the parkas were made with unique waxed sailcloth designed to stand up to the elements, while keeping workers safe and warm.
“The family business, eventually taken over by Adolph’s grandson, Thomas, in the ‘90s evolved, moving beyond workwear and protective clothing to build a strong brand that offers a vast array of stylish gear.”
Wellensteyn at Designer Outlet Parndorf (Image: Mcarthur Glen)
He said the Wellensteyn collection today is available to men and women around the globe, embodying the same dedication to quality, with an elevated focus on style.
“Its destination retail locations are a magnet for European shoppers, making it a marquee tenant. Now the company, which is available in North America through select retail partners, is ready to bring its globally recognized and growing brand to Canada,” added Flanz.
“Think Retail is thrilled to work with the trendsetting team at Wellensteyn on its exciting Canadian debut. The focus is on B.C. and Ontario, with a preference for outlet malls, however high streets and super regional malls will be considered. Ideal size is 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. This is a high-profile brand that would make an ideal co-tenant, drawing in shoppers who appreciate Wellensteyn’s combination of history and innovation.”
