Kit and Ace has opened its relocated store at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto, moving into a better-positioned space as the Canadian apparel retailer continues to refine and expand its national store network.
The approximately 2,370-square-foot store opened last week, replacing a roughly 3,000-square-foot location elsewhere in the mall. Despite the reduction in size, Kit and Ace CEO David Lui told Retail Insider that the new location has been performing considerably better.
“The store actually went smaller from 3,000 square feet in the old space,” Lui said. “But this location has been way better.”
The new Kit and Ace is positioned between Rodd & Gunn New Zealand and L’Oro Jewellery in a prominent fashion corridor at Sherway Gardens. Andrews is immediately nearby, while Maison Birks, Free People, Harry Rosen and Indigo are also located in the surrounding area.
The relocation had been planned for several months. Lui previously told Retail Insider that the company intended to move into what he described as a better location within the shopping centre.
Stronger Location at Sherway Gardens
The move reduces Kit and Ace’s footprint at Sherway Gardens by approximately 630 square feet, or about 21 per cent, while giving the retailer a new position within the shopping centre.
The approximately 2,370-square-foot space places Kit and Ace within a cluster of fashion, jewellery and lifestyle tenants. Its immediate neighbours are Rodd & Gunn and L’Oro Jewellery, with Andrews and Maison Birks also nearby.
The early performance described by Lui illustrates the importance of positioning within a shopping centre, particularly for specialty retailers where customer traffic, adjacencies and visibility can be as important as the overall size of a store.
For Kit and Ace, the move also fits with a broader approach to real estate that has emphasized the quality of individual locations rather than simply maximizing store size or pursuing a predetermined number of openings.
Flexible Approach to Kit and Ace Real Estate
Flexible retail arrangements have played a role in Kit and Ace’s expansion under Unity Brands, which acquired the company in 2023.
Lui previously explained that temporary and flexible stores can allow the company to establish itself in a market while retaining the ability to improve its real estate as opportunities become available. Kit and Ace has also sought to maintain a complete expression of the brand even when operating through temporary arrangements.
Sherway now provides an example of how that flexibility can work within an established shopping centre. Kit and Ace moved to a space that the company considers better positioned and which Lui says has been performing better since opening.
The approach has accompanied considerable growth. Kit and Ace had four stores when Unity Brands acquired the company in 2023. Its network has since expanded to 17 locations through new openings, relocations and returns to markets where it previously operated.
Kit and Ace Reaches 17 Canadian Stores
The Sherway relocation follows a series of openings for Kit and Ace across Canada.
The company recently opened a 4,700-square-foot store at Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill, one of the largest locations in its current network. That opening brought the retailer to 17 stores nationally.
Kit and Ace also recently returned to West Edmonton Mall with an approximately 3,500-square-foot store in space previously occupied by Michael Kors. The retailer had operated at the Edmonton shopping centre during an earlier period of expansion before leaving the market.
Earlier in 2026, Kit and Ace opened an approximately 2,200-square-foot store on Government Street in Victoria. The location has performed well, serving customers who previously travelled to Vancouver or purchased products online.
The different footprints also illustrate Kit and Ace’s willingness to adapt its stores to individual real estate opportunities. Its recent locations range from approximately 2,200 square feet in Victoria to 4,700 square feet at Hillcrest Mall, rather than adhering to a single standardized store size.
Selective Growth Under Unity Brands
Kit and Ace’s current expansion follows a significant repositioning of the business under Unity Brands.
Founded in Vancouver in 2014, Kit and Ace originally expanded rapidly in Canada and internationally before contracting its store network several years later. Unity Brands acquired the company in 2023 and has since rebuilt its physical presence.
The retailer now operates multiple locations in major markets including Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, with additional stores elsewhere in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
Lui has said Canada could potentially support approximately 20 to 25 Kit and Ace locations, although the company does not consider that figure a formal target. Its approach is to evaluate the strength of individual markets and available real estate before committing to additional locations.
The Sherway relocation fits that approach. Kit and Ace had already established a customer base at the shopping centre, but opted to move when an opportunity arose for a location the company considered stronger, even though it meant taking less space.
CF Sherway Gardens Continues to Evolve
The relocation is taking place during a period of significant change at CF Sherway Gardens.
The Etobicoke shopping centre has seen substantial shifts in its tenant mix in recent years following the departures of several large department store anchors. New retailers, restaurants and entertainment concepts are also reshaping parts of the property.
Within the existing mall corridors, changing availability is creating opportunities for retailers to relocate and reconsider their positioning within the property.
Kit and Ace’s new store places the company among a concentrated group of fashion and premium retailers. Rodd & Gunn sits directly beside the space, while L’Oro Jewellery occupies the adjoining location on the opposite side. Andrews, Maison Birks and other fashion-oriented tenants are within the same immediate section of the mall.
For Kit and Ace, the early results suggest that the improved positioning is outweighing the reduction in square footage.
