WLKN, a Quebec based fashion retailer, will be adding three to four new locations this year and has plans on expanding throughout Canada with a goal of 12 locations within three years. After a recent decline in sales, the company is being careful about expansions, but still sees opportunities with landlords.
“We are still looking to open more locations, but it has been a very tough year business-wise,” says Pierre-Olivier Mercier, the CEO of WLKN. “The retail environment has been challenging, and we have seen a significant drop in sales. Despite this, we are working on securing deals with landlords to make new expansions feasible. We are currently negotiating for three to four new locations this year, with a goal of opening 12 stores across Canada within the next three years. We are focused on making strategic decisions to ensure our growth is sustainable.”
Expansions
The first few new locations for this year will be in Toronto, Alberta, and Vancouver. After these first locations, the brand will be opening six a year to meet its goal. Exact locations are unknown right now but will be available at a later date.
“We want to see if we are able to find good locations with good deals with the landlord, and if possible to have a group of locations in Alberta and Vancouver. We are currently working on these negotiations and have already started on the Western expansions. During the next two to three years, we would like to open 12 locations from Toronto to Vancouver. Once a deal is done, we can move pretty quickly.”
In addition to Western Canada, the brand is also looking at expanding on the East Coast leaning towards New Brunswick and Halifax. Currently, WLKN does not have any expansion plans set for Quebec.
As the brand continues to expand, Mercier says they are looking for mall locations ranging from 22,000 square feet to 3,500 square feet.
New store design and online shopping experience
In addition to opening new locations, WLKN is also planning on redesigning stores for its existing locations in Sherbrooke and other locations by 2025.
“We will redesign as our current design now is about ten years old, so we will bring a fully new design to customers by Spring 2025. Our Sherbrooke location and other locations are part of this plan. We are aiming to create a modern and engaging shopping environment that meets the expectations of our target demographic, which is primarily between the ages of 15 to 35.”
To maintain loyalty and to attract new consumers, Mercier says he wants to ensure the brand continues to reflect the latest trends and offers a unique shopping experience. The brand is looking to give locations a fresh, contemporary look: “These designs are not just cosmetic, they are part of our strategy to stay competitive and attract more foot traffic to our locations.”
In its expansion, the brand is working with Oakmont Real Estate Services Canada Inc.
Mercier says the brand will also be enhancing its e-commerce platform to provide a more seamless shopping experience for consumers who shop online. The new e-commerce refresh includes integrating inventory across all locations which will allow consumers to have more options and better availability of sizes, colours, and styles.
“We are still focused on customer service based, human to human interactions, but we have updated our website. So every customer who shops online will have more options now. But in store, we still like focusing on customer service. We still think that most of the physical retail part is still the customer service, and sadly, I think it is something that is lost but that is why are are trying to keep it strong in our locations.”
The company was founded in 2010 and provides a variety of streetwear clothing for men, women, and youth. The brand also carries a selection of accessories and jewelry. The first expansion into the Ontario market was in 2016 and because of economic pressures, have been struggling with sales, but will refresh the brand and expand to raise success.
“Right now, we are trying to survive. I think economically in Canada, we are not in good shape and I think it is just going to get worse. We are trying as much as we can to be online, on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to raise awareness and we try to work with influencers in Toronto and Montreal, but we are very careful about everything we are doing. We want to expand more because we think we will get a better deal. But, we are very careful about everything because business is very tough this year.”
WLKN should be looking at high-performing fashion malls such as Richmond Centre; Coquitlam Centre; Chinook Centre or Southcentre in Calgary; Southgate or West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton; and Polo Park in Winnipeg.
WLKN has owed our brand $ for several months now. focusing on expansion without paying back the brands they buy product from is pure idiotic.