Jewellery and accessory brand Caroline Neron opened its first store location outside of the province of Quebec this month, and it plans to expand across Canada over the next several years.

Canadian actress and singer Caroline Neron founded her namesake brand in 2004, beginning with wholesaling jewellery and accessories. In 2010, the company launched its first store locations in the province of Quebec. The company now sells accessories, handbags, and jewellery, and has also expanded into a line of fragrances and sunglasses. Besides its headquarters in Montreal, Caroline Neron also has an office in Paris.

Caroline Neron’s first location outside of Quebec opened earlier this month at West Edmonton Mall. The company chose the Edmonton mall to help it gain exposure, according to Caroline Neron Executive Vice President Benoit Bouchard. West Edmonton Mall’s shoppers are about 50% tourists, and the new retail space is in a prominent location on the second level the mall’s ‘Phase 3’ between the mall’s ‘World Waterpark' and its Santa Maria ship, alongside popular brands Swatch and L’Occitaine.

*(Click above for interactive West Edmonton Mall map)*

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At about 1,600 square feet, the West Edmonton Mall store is larger than most Caroline Neron locations, according to Mr. Bouchard. Future Caroline Neron locations will ideally be in the 1,200 to 1,300 square foot range, he said. The company also operates four mall kiosks, on top of 12 freestanding stores in the province of Quebec. Caroline Neron is represented in Canada by brokerage Oberfeld Snowcap.

According to Mr. Bouchard, the brand will launch two locations in the Toronto area within the next few months: at Scarborough Town Centre, and at Square One in Mississauga. In the fall of 2017 two more Toronto stores will follow: at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and at Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Moving into 2018, Caroline Neron is looking to open at least one location in Calgary and one or two Vancouver stores, with the ultimate goal of operating between 20 and 24 Canadian stores coast-to-coast, Mr. Bouchard said.

The company is also looking at expanding internationally, beginning with store locations in the United States as well as an international wholesale and e-commerce business. The brand’s product mix is being modified slightly, according to Mr. Bouchard, ideally seeing 60% of its products being jewellery and 40% accessories. Men’s categories are expanding and sales to men have doubled in the past two years, he said. Caroline Neron has also added a line of candles as well as men’s and women’s fragrances, and soon it will launch skincare and cosmetics lines as Caroline Neron grows to become a lifestyle brand.

*All photos are of the CF Carrefour Laval location, via Shop! Design Awards.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: October 25, 2016