Downtown Toronto’s retail landscape is about to get a trendy update.
Quebec-based home furnishing retailers MUST and Home Société will be opening in a condo development in the Corktown neighbourhood of Toronto in 2024. Construction hoarding has been installed at the ‘Home on Power’ development at the corner of Parliament and Adelaide St E.
Both brands will have their own separate entrances.
The move from the brand comes as downtown Toronto is experiencing a surge in condo developments that are completing or near-completion, which gives the G2MC-brands a ready-made customer base for its interior home decor solutions.
G2MC is a furniture retailer operating under the Maison Corbeil, Jardin de Ville, Galerie du Meuble, MUST, and Home Société banners.
In addition to the new location, the brand has confirmed that there will be another opening in Ontario. A standalone MUST store will join the retail offerings at Heartland Town Centre in Mississauga, opening at the end of 2023, making it the first standalone MUST store in Ontario.
Retailers Adapt to Urban Living Trends
MUST and Home Société aren’t the only brands targeting the condo dwellers. The company is setting up urban storefronts as a way to directly appeal to the downtown residents who live in compact spaces but still have disposable income to outfit with quality and style.
The brand aims to fill the niche by opening up a store in an area of the core that’s seeing densification and long-term development.
Sister concept Jardin de Ville has seven locations in Quebec and Ontario, including a store in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood.
A Retail Ecosystem Grows in Home on Power
‘Home on Power’ has started to see residents move in over the past few months, giving retailers in the area a long-term view of the potential customer base – including Staples. The office retailer underwent a facelift in 2022, shifting from its former King Street East location to a new format store on Richmond Street, which was caused by the Ontario Line subway construction.
The new Staples storefront focuses on serving small businesses and entrepreneurs, even including a podcast recording studio and a Mos Mos coffee bar.
Aisle 24 Set to Join the Retail Lineup
Home on Power will also be home to Aisle 24, a rapidly expanding Canadian cashier-less convenience store concept. Known for its innovative technology, Aisle 24 has been on an growth plan, opening locations in trendy Toronto neighbourhoods like Liberty Village, Entertainment District, and The Distillery District. The brand recently made its Alberta debut with two new stores in Edmonton.
Aisle 24’s inclusion in the ‘Home on Power’ complex adds to the project’s image as a destination for urban retail innovation.
The Backstory on Parent Company, G2MC
MUST and Home Société are a part of the G2MC portfolio, a heavyweight in the Canadian furniture and decor market. Formed through the merging of several Quebec-based brands—Galerie du Meuble in 2012, Maison Corbeil in 2013, and Jardin de Ville in 2015—G2MC has expanded its footprint to 17 stores across Quebec and Ontario. The company also operates three e-commerce platforms and boasts a diversified portfolio of brands, signalling its strong position in both mid and high-end markets.
Maison Corbeil will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The brand was founded in 1973 by Colette Corbeil and her husband Raymond and continues today with her sons Éric and Stéphane. Retail Insider will be profiling the retailer as more details become available for the celebration.
As G2MC gears up to open its new downtown Toronto location, it’s clear that the city’s retail landscape is in the midst of a transformation. Businesses are increasingly focusing on urban-centric strategies to appeal to a new generation of city dwellers, and MUST has the opportunity to position itself at the forefront of this trend with the right investment at the right time.
