Popular U.S. clothing retailer J. Crew coming to Canada
Wed Nov 17, 1:59 PM
Marc Weisblott
Yahoo! Canada News
The first Canadian location of clothing retailer J. Crew will open in Toronto in 2011, according to a note published in the company's latest catalogue.
Founded as a mail-order company in 1983, which featured casual clothing in fashionable photo spreads, the preppy styles proved enduring enough to spawn physical outlets in 1989.
There are more than 320 J. Crew stores in the United States. The 24th annual editions of the catalogue are also mailed north and the strategy has made J. Crew a popular online shopping destination.
But the lack of a presence in malls relegated J. Crew to cult status in Canada. But similarly successful names that have held back on entering the country have only benefitted from pent-up demand.
Target, the stylish discount retailer whose bullseye logo dates back to 1962, confirmed its first international expansion this fall. An obscure Canadian apparel chain called Target responded by opening more locations with the apparent hopes of being paid a tidy sum to change its name.
Kohl's was reportedly also checking out Canadian real estate this year. The department store, also founded in 1962, would probably face initial confusion with longstanding Canadian bookstore Coles.
Marshalls, an off-price family department chain founded in 1956, has announced plans for six Canadian locations in 2011.
The company believes the marketplace can support between 90 and 100 locations, compared to 800 in the United States. Parent company TJX is already well established in Canada with more than 200 locations of Winners, which would retain its name, a strategy similar to the coexistence of Best Buy with the Canadian chain it bought in 2001, Future Shop.
After all, for retailers taking a belated plunge into Canada, the initial curiosity generates much free publicity through the media.
Victoria's Secret, the lingerie retailer whose catalogue of scantily clad models was deliberately designed to appeal to both sexes, became a familiar name across the continent since its first store opened in 1977.
Yet, the chain lacked a physical presence in Canada prior to opening in the West Edmonton Mall in August. Since then, 10 more Victoria's Secret stores opened in Alberta and Ontario, with plans for at least 35 more.
Juicy Couture, the provocative clothing line best known for its pricey velour tracksuits, also opened in two Toronto malls this year. Crate & Barrel, the half-century-old housewares and furniture chain, opened its third Canadian location last month in Mississauga.
But there are also a few familiar American retail names that have come and gone in Canada. Kmart locations were sold in 1997 to the Hudson's Bay Company, who rebranded them as Zellers. Radio Shack became The Source after a licensing agreement was terminated in 2004.
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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/yahoocana...ming_to_canada
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