2019 Retail Recap: Store Openings, Store Closings, and Beyond
Every year, store openings, store
expansions, and store closures affect the Canadian retail industry. 2019 was no
different.
As we say hello to 2020, we’re looking
back at the biggest Canadian retail news of the past 12 months to see where we
might be headed next.
Store Expansions
Retailers expanding across Canada are
often either:
- Fitting a niche, like men’s suit wear.
- Falling into either the retail high-end or
retail low-end, but not so much in between.
- Adapting to modern times through new
technology, supply chain optimization, or meeting consumer expectations – such
as more sustainable fashion.
Here are some examples of how that looked
in 2019:
- Since March 2018, Nordstrom Rack has added
seven stores across Canada. The latest, announced in fall 2019, is opening in
Langley, B.C. Additional locations are expected to open in Metro Vancouver.
- Sherwin-Williams, a paint manufacturer,
added 31 net new stores in North America in the first nine months of 2019.
- IKEA Canada expanded in 2019, but with a
smaller footprint. The home goods retailer began opening smaller, urban stores
- Canadian footwear retailer, L’Intervalle,
has opened 14 stores in the past five years and could be opening more in the
future.
- Leon’s Furniture is continuing its
expansion. It recently opened a smart store in Coldbrook, N.S. with an 11’
video wall that allows shoppers to view any piece of furniture in real size.
- Dollarama continued to expand across
Canada in 2019. It also launched an e-commerce store, selling its products
online.
- Giant Tiger also expanded rapidly in 2019,
breaking ground on a new headquarters and opening new stores across the
country.
- In addition to plans to open more flagship stores, Suitsupply partnered with Nordstrom to open in-store concessions in three stores.
- Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee shop, currently has four locations under development. They have also partnered with Porter Airlines as their in-flight coffee provider.
Store Openings
As existing retailers expanded their
Canadian presence, new brands entered the market space for the first time.
International retailers continued to open
locations in Canada in 2019, with brands such as L.L. Bean, MUMOSO, and
Reformation opening stores this past year.
Some examples from 2019 include:
- Swiss Chocolate Brand, Läderach, opened
its first standalone flagship store in North America at the Toronto Eaton
Centre.
- Balenciaga, a French luxury brand, opened its
first standalone Canadian storefront at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
- Aéropostale, a U.S. retailer that was
previously in Canada but left in 2016, made its return last year. They launched
collections in 75 Bluenotes stores across Canada. They plan to add 20-to-30
freestanding new concept stores in Canada in 2020.
- Chinese sports brand Li-Ning launched its
first retail showrooms in Canada in Ottawa and the Greater Toronto Area.
Many of the retailers entering the
Canadian market space are choosing to do so in large centres or popular
shopping areas – like the Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale Shopping Centre, the
West Edmonton Mall, downtown Montreal, or Vancouver.
Store Closures
While 2019 saw store expansions and
openings, unfortunately, it also saw a continued trend of store closures.
These include:
- Payless ShoeSource closed all 248 Canadian
stores and about 2,300 in the United States.
- Home Outfitters closed all 37 stores.
- Green Earth closed all its stores, as did
Jean Machine.
- The last two Zellers locations in Canada
closed their doors.
- Town Shoes closed its final doors in
January.
- Gymboree closed all U.S. and Canadian
stores.
- Forever 21 closed its 44 locations in Canada after filing for bankruptcy.
- Bentley Leathers is closing about 90
stores in Canada.
Many of the stores that have closed did
not have an e-commerce presence. They also tended to be more “legacy” brands
that fell into the middle market, vs. finding a niche or fitting in the retail
high-end or low-end.
What do you think will happen in 2020?
Will we see more store openings, expansions, or closures? Share your thoughts
with us on social media. Storesupport Canada is on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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and online with Storesupport Canada’s innovative solutions for manufacturers.
We make sure your products are kept in stock, displayed attractively, and much
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