Change is in the air at Upper Canada Mall with a number of new stores, some of which will be open in time for holiday shopping.
A new LCBO on the lower level of the mall and a Winners store, which will go on the upper level where Sears was formerly located, are both slated to open before Christmas.
“Everyone’s going to be able to have those new options when they come for holiday shopping,” said Leah Walker, Upper Canda's general manager.
They are just two of the big changes at the Newmarket mall. In the new year, an expanded Aritzia store will open across from the current store, where Lululemon and Laura were previously located.
While the current store is 4,000 square feet, the new expanded Aritzia is nearly 16,000 square-feet. It will also feature A-OK, which is the clothing store's in-house cafe. The cafe will have an entrance from the mall's main corridor, as well as from the inside of the store, Walker said, so customers can either enjoy a coffee and a treat while shopping or as a standalone experience.
Other new offerings coming soon for shoppers include clothing store Pseudio, cotton candy store Fluffy's, and Beauty First spa.
The new stores come in the wake of recently opened Structube, a mega furniture store, and clothing store Envy+Grace.
The Rogers retail outlet is moving to a new location within the mall.
Walker said the goal is to offer a wide variety of stores in the mall.
"That’s really what we’ve heard from our consumer and what our leasing team has been focused on, just enhancing the different types of categories that Upper Canada provides to our customers and really you can see the momentum that’s built," she said.
With home goods stores like Structube, department stores like Winners, and food and beverage stores like Fluffy's and the LCBO, the mall is providing more than just clothing.
"Our community has an appetite for this. They’re shopping closer to home, so they’re wanting that from the Upper Canada shopping experience,” Walker said.
The response to the changes have been really positive, she added.
“I know it’s really exciting, especially when a comment is ‘you have everything I need and you’ve brought that to us,” she said.
Over the past couple of years, the mall has had to close or limit in-store shopping due to COVID-19, but with restrictions lifted for the past few months, she said there has been a big demand for in-store experiences and mall traffic is back up.
"Now people are coming back.They’re enjoying events. They’re spending more time wandering and just exploring,” she said.
Upper Canada Mall has hosted a number of events this year, including Easter festivities, Pride Month, a summer STEM Minds program offering classes for kids while their parents shopped or relaxed, and a back to school event. Walker said as time goes by, they'll offer more events and experiences customers have enjoyed in the past.
That includes visits with Santa, which will offered by appointment again this year, as well as other festive activities.
“We had really great feedback from our guests that they liked the appointment, so they can plan their Santa visit accordingly,” she said.
And with Christmas just over 100 days away, Walker said in retail, it's never too early to start thinking about the holidays.
