*At CF Sherway Gardens, opened September 22. Photo: Saje*

Popular Vancouver-based Saje Natural Wellness has announced several new locations, as it looks to grow to about 50 Canadian stores by 2018. By the end of this year, Saje will operate 34 Canadian locations which is impressive, considering that the retailer had only 14 stores when we first reported on the company in September of 2014. We spoke with co-founder and CEO Kate Ross LeBlanc for an update.

Ms. Ross LeBlanc revealed that Saje will open locations this fall at Winnipeg's St. Vital Centre on Friday, October 2, at Oshawa Town Centre on October 16, and at Avalon Mall in St. John's, Newfoundland, on November 6. Also opening in November will be an expansion of Saje's Vancouver Robson Street flagship, which annexed an adjacent retail space to create a 1,200-1,300 square foot location and will feature the company's first Healthy Enviro shop-in-store.

Last week, Saje opened a location in the north expansion wing of Toronto's CF Sherway Gardens. We've used its 30 foot Italian-tile facade as the photo at the top of this article.

In 2014, Saje opened a total of eight stores in West Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, as well as four locations in the Greater Toronto Area. In January of this year, it announced a further 12 stores.

Ms. Ross LeBlanc further revealed Saje's big plans for 2016, which includes opening between 10 and 15 new stores. She said that the company has two more Toronto stores (including one at Upper Canada Mall)in the works and as well, Halifax will see two new stores -- one streetfront, the other at Halifax Shopping Centre. A second West Edmonton Mall location will open early next year, complimenting Saje's highly successful existing mall store. Also in Edmonton, Saje will replace its Southgate Centre store with a unit featuring Saje's 'new look', as Southgate's existing store reflects an older store design from a few years ago. Saje will also open a location at hybrid outlet centre Tsawwassen Mills, to be located south of Vancouver.

Ms. Ross Leblanc also revealed that the company is examining the feasibility of expanding into the United States, with more details to follow.

Founded in 1991 as a single store at Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, Saje retails hundreds of different natural wellness products, accessories and gift ideas. Products contain 100% natural ingredients, including plant-derived essential oils and base ingredients. Profit Magazine just ranked Saje as #154 in its top 500 fastest-growing Canadian Companies.

Saje seeks retail space between 700 and 1,200 square feet in top tier malls and high traffic street front locations. John Snable is responsible for mall opportunities and Kate Ross Leblanc is responsible for high profile street-front locations. For leasing enquiries, contact johnsnable@sympatico.ca or kate@saje.ca.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: September 29, 2015