H2O Plus Closes Canadian Stores, Halts Shipping

American skincare brand H2O Plus has closed its last Canadian location, which operated on the third level of CF Toronto Eaton Centre. The company also says it is no longer shipping its products to Canada. H2O Plus is in a state of transition, which includes relocating its corporate headquarters and outsourcing its product manufacturing. 

Founded in Chicago in 1989, H2O Plus LLC develops, manufactures, and markets water-based skin care products. The company’s distribution includes H2O Plus retail stores, e-commerce, and distribution through other retailers. In July of 2011, H2O Plus LLC became a subsidiary of Tokyo-based POLA Orbis Holdings, Inc.

H2O Plus entered the Canadian market in 1999 and at one time, operated several Canadian locations. Its first store was at 929 Robson Street in downtown Vancouver, which closed in December of 2013 to be replaced by a Tesla Motors showroom. Its other Vancouver locations included an Oakridge Centre store, as well as a kiosk at Metropolis at Metrotown, both of which closed several years ago.

H2O Plus continues to operate two U.S. locations, in Chicago and New York City, as well as several in Asia. As recently as 2008, H2O Plus operated 15 U.S. stores and 61 locations globally with sales in excess of U.S. $120 million. Sales are now estimated to be half that amount. 

In July of 2015, H2O Plus announced that it was relocating its headquarters from Chicago to San Francisco, and that it was shifting its business model from a manufacturing company to one that focuses on the marketing and sales of H2O Plus products around the world. The company believes that a San Francisco headquarters will allow it to gain greater access to Asian markets. Manufacturing of H2O Plus products will gradually be transferred to third-party companies in the United States, it said.