Hong Kong-based upscale eyewear brand MUJOSH has added its first Canadian store to its portfolio of over 700 boutiques across Asia and the South Pacific. The store’s opening is in line with a recent trend of international and local expansion of eyewear brands into Canada.
MUJOSH opened in West Edmonton Mall at the end of February and the company is planning further expansion in Canada and the Philippines, into 2017. The brand hopes to open 1,000 new outlets.
“This successful debut in Canada marks a milestone for MUJOSH on its way to expand globally,” the company said in a press statement.
The eyewear fashion brand was founded in 2010 and has stores in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia, in addition to Canada. West Edmonton Mall averages 90,000 to 200,000 shoppers daily and 32 million consumers annually.
The deal to acquire the West Edmonton retail space was negotiated by Ben Lebrecque of Quebec-based Oakmont Real Estate Services.
Over the past year, Canadian retail saw several new eyewear brands enter the market or expand across the country. In the fall of 2016, New York eyewear Warby Parker opened its second Toronto store. Australian brand Bailey Nelson recently opened at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby and the Bentall Centre and Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Montreal-based BonLook will continue to expand across Canada with 20 new stores.
Two American eyewear retailers will soon announce the opening of their first Canadian freestanding stores, according to Retail Insider.
