While Canadians have seen a number of store closings over the past couple of years, it’s not all doom and gloom.
International brands still have ambitious plans to cross the border. Just last year, retailers like Bottega Veneta, Morphe, Laline, and Nordstrom Rack opened Canadian locations, and this year Chick-Fil-A, L.L. Bean, Eataly, and more are slated to open.
And according to The Globe And Mail, another big American brand is allegedly planning on expanding into Canada.
Ulta Beauty is expected to open its first Canadian stores in late 2020 or early 2021.
This is huge news for beauty lovers across the country. The Illinois-based beauty brand is similar to Sephora, but has larger stores and a wider range of prices, services, and products. Ulta carries everything from price-friendly favourites like Maybelline and Revolution Beauty, to higher end exclusives like Tarte Shape Tape and Kylie Cosmetics.
According to sources close to The Globe And Mail, Ulta has enlisted in the help of Sam Winberg, a Canadian retail real estate expert of brokerage Retail CND, to feel out potential locations. Winberg is allegedly in talks with a number of big landlords, and old Sears’ storefronts could be the start of the beauty retailer’s expansion.
Ulta expanded its e-commerce experience to Canadians in 2017.
For years, Ulta was a must-visit for Canadians traveling through the states. But in April 2017, the retailers expanded its shipping to Canadians, allowing all beauty lovers to shop the online.
As of right now, there are no known Canadian locations for Ulta Beauty yet, but we’ll be sure to update you as news progresses.
The beauty brand could be just what malls need to reenergize.
“Ulta has some significant advantages – it is an energetic, aggressive competitor with a lot to offer customers,” Pamela Danziger, president of retail consultancy Unity Marketing in Stevens, Pa., told The Globe And Mail. “It creates an energy in the store which is what malls need desperately today to survive.”
In order for a mall to be successful, it needs to offer more than just shopping. More and more shopping centres are moving towards retail-tainment — evolving into destinations where shoppers can spend their entire day. Case in point: Square One Shopping Centre. More than just a destination to explore retailers, additions like The Food District and The Rec Room drive foot traffic and give visitors a full experience, breathing new life into the mall.
Featured image: Yelp
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