Furniture store Black Rooster Decor has secured a location in The Well, a massive mixed-use development in downtown Toronto.
“The Well is a transformational project and one of the most complex, multi-faceted developments Toronto has ever seen,” said Oliver Harrison, SVP Leasing and Tenant Experience with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, which is developing the project with Allied.
“This is choreographed city-building, and this carefully curated retail mix will play a vital role in establishing The Well as a vibrant, lively destination for residents and visitors to Toronto. We are excited to welcome Black Rooster Decor into the fold. This independently-owned and operated furniture and accessories brand diversifies our retail offering. It is well-situated to appeal to the 1,700+ residents living at The Well and to shoppers from across the city.”
The Well is a massive 7.8 acre site in downtown Toronto which will be home to about 1.2 million square feet of office space and 1.5 million square feet of residential space including 1,700 condominium and purpose-built rental units. At the base of the project is a retail and foodservice offering that will also include a massive 70,000 square foot multi-tenant food market that is expected to become a significant attraction.
Nina Ber-Donkor, Owner of Black Rooster Decor, said when she initially visited The Well site she was “blown away by the community, the space, and the space we’re getting we’re really pleased. It’s a corner unit. It’s perfect for us and we loved the whole vibe of the whole community and the entire Well project. We were really inspired by that and really impressed by it.”
“It’s a game changer for us. We really feel we’re going to be able to expand our brand not just outside of the U.S. but also Toronto. I feel it’s going to put us more in people’s thoughts when it comes to home decor,” she said.
Black Rooster started online about 11 years ago. It was an e-commerce business only until 2014 when it opened a bricks and mortar location.
“We’re a home furnishings store. Lighting. Arts. Rugs. Accessories. Plants. We’re a fully furnishable home decor store. Online we have a lot more. We have a very large showroom online and in store at our current location a small showcase of what we carry.”
Black Rooster has been in Leslieville for the past nine years at 1075 Queen Street East.
Ber-Donkor said Black Rooster will keep its current location and its second location at The Well will open in the fall.
The location at The Well is going to be about 2,500 square feet. At Leslieville it’s about 1,500 square feet. At The Well, it will be located next door to Structube.
“We’re primarily an online store. Most of our business is done online. We ship to the U.S. and a lot of our customers are from the U.S.,” said Ber-Donkor.
“Most of our brands are luxury brands and everything is very well curated and thought out. We try not to do mass-produced items. We don’t have things that people are going to see in everybody else’s home. So when you shop with us you’re shopping for something that’s going to be unique and that’s also a piece you can move with you as you go through life and expand your family or move different houses. Most of our pieces are timeless.”
Black Rooster Decor says it scours the world for unique and stylish furniture and accessories that are top-quality and made to last.
Its catalogue ranges from mid-century modern to European furnishings.
It now ships worldwide, and has warehouses in the United States.
“We support North American companies and like-minded small businesses and artisans as much as possible. Many of our larger pieces are made from reclaimed material. We only sell merchandise we have seen ourselves and vouch for 100 per cent,” says the company.
