Vancouver-based women’s fashion retailer Aritzia will add 4,837 square feet to its Vancouver flagship, giving it a corner presence and creating one of its largest locations in the world. When completed in 2016, it will be Aritzia’s largest Canadian store – even larger than its massive new flagships in Montreal and Edmonton.
Aritzia currently operates out of three adjacent Robson Street storefronts. Several years ago, Artizia’s original 1,597 square foot Robson Street location grew by annexing the adjacent 3,565 square foot 1110 Robson Street retail space. Last fall, Aritzia annexed an adjacent 3,028 square foot storefront to open Vancouver’s first free-standing location for its house brand, Wilfred. Aritzia will take a further 4,837 square feet in the corner Deecorp Properties Ltd building according, according to Artizia. As a result, Aritzia will gain a prominent retail presence at the southwest corner of Robson Street and Thurlow Street.
Until a couple of years ago that corner was occupied by Starbucks, which also continues to operate a location diagonally across the street.
When completed, the expanded Artizia will span 9,999 square feet, excluding the adjacent 3,028 square foot Wilfred. If accurate, this would be Artizia’s third-largest location in the world after two New York City locations — its Fifth Avenue store is 13,500 square feet and its Soho flagship is expanding from 10,680 square feet to 18,320 square feet.
We recently revealed that Aritzia’s largest Canadian location, measuring 9,800 square feet, was set to open in Montreal and before that, an expanded 7,900 square foot unit opened at West Edmonton Mall. The expanded Robson Street flagship will surpass both. Sources say that an even larger Canadian location could be created via retail space annexation, and we’ll discuss this more when permitted.
Aritzia currently operates 49 Canadian locations, as well as 15 in the United States. Founded in 1984, Aritzia’s target market is women aged 14 to 30. Much of the clothing sold in its stores are its own exclusive brands, including TNA, Talula, Babaton, Wilfred, Wilfred Free, Community, Le Fou, La Notte, Sunday Best, Paradise Mine, The Castings, Six Eleven, and Auxiliary. Stores also carry clothing from brands such as Citizens of Humanity, Mackage, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Nike, Levi’s, Ebbetts Field, A Gold E, Havaianas, and J Brand Jeans.
