Mastermind Toys has entered the luxury retail landscape with five new holiday pop-up boutiques inside Holt Renfrew stores across Canada. The collaboration, which runs from November 1 until early January 2026, introduces the toy retailer to a premium audience in four major markets.
The initiative includes pop-ups at Holt Renfrew’s Bloor Street and Square One locations in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as stores in Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver. The move marks an unexpected yet strategic pairing between Canada’s largest specialty toy retailer and the nation’s leading luxury department store chain.
Marcello Piane, Vice President of Store Operations at Mastermind Toys, said, “It’s a great opportunity to work with Holt Renfrew and reach new customers during the holiday season.
The partnership allows Mastermind Toys to extend its footprint beyond its traditional standalone stores, connecting with a new demographic of customers who frequent Holt Renfrew’s curated retail environments. Each boutique features a tailored selection of premium toys, collectibles, and exclusive holiday merchandise.
“We wanted to make sure each pop-up felt Unique and Playful,” Piane explained. “The assortments are curated to suit the market and reflect Holt Renfrew’s luxury positioning while maintaining our own sense of fun and discovery.”
The Toronto Bloor Street pop-up, located on the mezzanine level of Holt Renfrew’s flagship store at 50 Bloor Street West, sits near the women’s footwear department and next to a Longchamp boutique. The mezzanine level also features holiday gifts and the Holts Café restaurant, creating a seamless integration between gift shopping and luxury experiences.
Inside the Bloor Street Pop-Up
At the Toronto Bloor Street location, the Mastermind Toys pop-up offers a mix of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and luxury appeal. Among the highlights is a limited selection from Germany’s Steiff, the heritage toy brand recognized for inventing the teddy bear in 1902. One of the Steiff bears featured in the boutique is priced at around $700, with a handcrafted rocking horse costing even more.
Manager Josie Grech described the collaboration as “a unique, specially curated experience for Holt Renfrew customers.” She added, “Some items you’ll only find in this location. The Barbie collection and several exclusive Lego designs were chosen specifically for Holt Renfrew Mastermind pop-ups, alongside beautiful Coco Village and Cuddle + Kind products.”
Coco Village, a Quebec-based brand recently acquired by Mastermind Toys’ parent company, adds a design-led aesthetic to the mix. The line includes baby furniture, puzzles, and arts and crafts items. Grech noted that the assortment aims to balance premium materials with educational play.
“It starts with a clear plan, team partnership, and the passion to make it all come together,” said Marcello Piane. “A special thank-you to Joanne Tobin (District Manager), Marley Llakaj (Director, Visual Merchandising), Arif Mukhtar (VP, Retail Development), and our Store Managers who went above and beyond to make this happen — Josie, Jackie, Jamie, Samantha, Bree, and Peter. Your dedication and support brought this to life in a beautiful way, and we are incredibly grateful. Also, a special thanks to our Buyers, Allocators, and Warehouse & Distribution, Marketing, and IT Teams. Your combined efforts and collaboration are very much appreciated.”
Curated Assortments With a Luxe Touch
Each of the five Holt Renfrew pop-ups reflects both Mastermind Toys’ educational philosophy and Holt Renfrew’s luxury sensibility. Products from Steiff, Coco Village, and Cuddle + Kind embody craftsmanship and social impact, aligning with both retailers’ emphasis on quality and values-driven shopping.
“The Cuddle + Kind line is a beautiful addition,” said Grech. “Each doll is handcrafted and ethically produced, with meals donated for every item sold. They’re the kind of toys that children grow attached to, becoming their companions over the years.”
Other notable items include high-end wooden toys, plush animals, and seasonal exclusives that appeal to both children and collectors. “It’s all about storytelling and discovery,” said Piane. “We want families to find something special that sparks imagination.”
Aligning With Holt Renfrew’s Holiday Vision
The timing of the collaboration was deliberate, coinciding with Holt Renfrew’s annual transformation into a festive holiday destination. The partnership provides both brands with an opportunity to create experiential retail moments that blend playfulness with sophistication.
According to Grech, preparations began in late summer. “Once the partnership was confirmed, everything came together quickly,” she said. “Our teams worked closely to design the spaces, merchandise the displays, and make sure it reflected both Mastermind’s spirit and Holt Renfrew’s holiday aesthetic.”
Each location was designed collaboratively, using fixtures and signage consistent with Holt Renfrew’s standards while maintaining Mastermind Toys’ signature colours and interactive displays. The result is a cohesive in-store experience that stands out amid high-end fashion and accessories.
A Season of Strategic Expansion for Mastermind Toys
The Holt Renfrew partnership follows a period of renewed growth and reinvention for Mastermind Toys under its new ownership. Acquired in 2024 by Unity Acquisitions Inc., a consortium led by Canadian retail veterans Joe Mimran, Frank Rocchetti, and David Lui, the brand has been evolving from a specialty toy store into a broader children’s lifestyle destination.
This year, the company also welcomed toy industry executive Stéphane Tétrault, founder of Imports Dragon and co-owner of McFarlane Toys, as co-owner and investor. Under the leadership of CEO John Bayliss, appointed in May 2025, Mastermind Toys has launched its “3.0” experiential store concept, featuring expanded assortments and more immersive shopping environments.
In October 2025, the company opened its first downtown Montreal flagship, signaling a deeper national push. Around the same time, its sister brand Coco Village debuted at Quartier DIX30, further cementing the company’s expansion into Quebec.
Luxury Meets Play: A New Retail Frontier
The partnership between Mastermind Toys and Holt Renfrew reflects a broader shift in luxury retail, where experiential and family-oriented concepts are finding a place alongside high fashion. Holt Renfrew has increasingly embraced pop-ups and short-term activations, using them to showcase new collaborations and bring fresh energy to its stores.
Earlier in 2025, Holt Renfrew hosted the Tilley Sport pop-up at its Bloor Street flagship in Toronto. The launch included a 40-look runway presentation and a green carpet experience featuring designer Kim Newport-Mimran’s new Tilley Sport collection, with the concept slated to rotate to Square One and Yorkdale later in the year.
Recent additions such as Maje and Levi’s further highlight Holt Renfrew’s evolving strategy. The French contemporary label Maje opened boutiques at Square One, Calgary, and Montreal in August following the end of Hudson’s Bay, while Levi’s relaunched its premium denim line through elevated in-store experiences. Together, these efforts reinforce Holt Renfrew’s leadership in luxury retail and its appeal to younger consumers seeking accessible-luxury offerings.
The initiative also coincides with a new leadership era. Holt Renfrew’s recently appointed CEO, Franco Savastano, formerly led Swiss department store Globus under the Selfridges Group, where he oversaw a major modernization of the brand. His arrival follows the departure of Sebastian Picardo earlier this year and signals continued innovation ahead for Canada’s top luxury department store.
