Popular value-priced American footwear retailer DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse is currently building its first Edmonton store, and we had a peek at the construction site. Confidential lease plans indicate that the West Edmonton Mall store will span just over 20,100 square feet, replacing multiple retailers on the second level of the mall's 'Phase I'.

DSW says that the Edmonton store will open this spring, possibly as soon as April. We'll update this article when we learn more.

DSW will locate in three retail spaces adjacent to Sears. Retailers formerly occupying the space include Quebec-based craft retailer De Serres as well as Artemis Unique Imports and Alberta Academy of Aesthetics.

This spring, DSW confirms that it will also open two Calgary locations, as well as a store in Whitby, Ontario. Sources from around the country say that DSW is also building other stores, and we'll discuss these locations in the next while.

DSW is hugely popular in the United States with over 430 locations in that country. Its name indicates its business model - it sells designer shoes at discounted prices. The company has hundreds of millions in cash and no debt.