Aritzia Plans North American Expansion

Canadian retailer Aritzia (Vancouver) is testing new store concepts as it plans for continued growth in North America, reports Women’s Wear Daily.

The company’s ceo, Oliver Walsh, said there’s room for more stores in both Canada and the U.S., particularly in New York. Aritzia launched its first New York store in 2011 — a 10,680-square-foot unit in SoHo — and plans to expand the space to 18,320 square feet this year. The company also operates a 13,500-square-foot flagship on Fifth Avenue and plans to open a new unit in the Flatiron District this year.

Walsh also revealed that a Los Angeles store is on the horizon, along with the largest Aritzia store in North America slated for Quebec, plus new locations in Halifax, Oshawa, Vaughan Mills and Saint-Bruno, Canada.

The company currently operates 49 locations in Canada and 15 in the U.S.