BodyMods will expand into Alberta for the first time this year with the opening of two studios in Calgary, marking the Canadian company’s latest step in its Western Canadian growth strategy.
The company said its first Alberta location will open at CF Chinook Centre on Aug. 15, followed by a second studio at CF Market Mall on Oct. 1. The openings will bring BodyMods’ network to 12 locations and represent its first move beyond British Columbia.
On the company website it also said a studio is coming soon to Edmonton’s Southgate Mall.
Founded in 2002 by Sarah Bolton and Nathan Arnold, BodyMods said the Alberta expansion is part of a broader growth plan that includes establishing 12 additional studios by 2028. The company said it currently operates 10 locations across British Columbia specializing in body jewellery retail, professional piercing services and tattooing.
The Calgary studios will offer the company’s full range of body jewellery as well as professional piercing and tattoo services. Customers will also be able to receive jewellery styling advice and consult on custom tattoo work.
Arnold said the company’s growth reflects changes in public acceptance of body piercing and tattooing since it launched more than two decades ago.
“When we started BodyMods, body piercing and tattooing simply weren’t as widely accepted as they are today. We spent a lot of time convincing people that this industry could be professional, welcoming, and a natural fit for shopping centres,” said Arnold. “We believed in its potential long before it became part of the mainstream, and we set out to build a company that would help redefine what people could expect from body modifications. Bringing BodyMods to Alberta is another step in that journey, and we’re excited for what’s still to come.”
The company said it was established after Bolton and Arnold identified what they saw as a gap in the market for a business focused on professional body piercing and tattoo services in what they described as a safe and inclusive environment.
According to the company, its expansion has coincided with broader acceptance of body piercing and tattooing as forms of personal expression among Canadians of different ages and backgrounds.
Bolton described the Calgary openings as a significant milestone for the business and its long-term growth.
“Opening in Calgary is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of. It’s an opportunity to introduce more Canadians to BodyMods and everything we’ve spent more than two decades building,” said Bolton. “Opening in two of Calgary’s premier shopping centres is a reminder of how far our industry has come. Over the past 20 years, BodyMods has helped shape the industry we see today, and we’re excited to be part of where it goes next.”
The Chinook Centre studio, identified by the company as Studio 9, will be located at 6455 Macleod Trail S.W. The Market Mall location, identified as Studio 10, will open at 3625 Shaganappi Trail N.W.
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