Innovative Saskatoon-based multi-brand lifestyle and accessories retailer Spareparts continues to open Canadian stores at a rapid pace. It opened a total of eight Canadian stores in 2016, with three more confirmed to be opening in the spring of 2017 -- which will bring its store count to 21.

It’s a remarkable story, considering that Spareparts only had seven stores when we first reported on it in October of 2014. Founder Danny Mysak described his concept store as being "highly service-oriented” while also being "keen on building relationships with its clients”. Spareparts began in 1992 as an accessories retailer in Saskatoon, with products curated by a team of buyers. Some of the world's leading designer brands are carried in Spareparts stores, as well as premium sunglass/watch brand Farmfresh, which was developed in-house.

*(Yorkdale Spareparts store. Design: Cutler. Interior Millwork: Peregrine)*

Spareparts' store interiors are cutting edge and beautifully designed. The company has worked with Vancouver-based design firm Cutler for its stores, which are bright and modern, yet clean and inviting. Vancouver-based Peregrine, which is now Western Canada’s largest retail fixture and millwork company, has worked on most of Spareparts' stores, including the Yorkdale Shopping Centre location featured in photos in this article.

Spareparts began its store expansion by opening in Western Canadian markets, including Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Grande Prairie and Ft. McMurray, Alberta. In 2016, Spareparts began expanding across Canada in some of its largest markets, including locations in some of Canada’s top-performing shopping centres. Of the eight Spareparts stores that opened in 2016, six were in Ontario, one was in Alberta, and one was in British Columbia. The British Columbia store is in CF Pacific Centre, downtown Vancouver’s leading shopping centre. The Alberta store was at Red Deer’s Bower Place. The new Ontario locations that opened in 2016 include stores at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo, Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, Oshawa Centre in Oshawa, Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, Mapleview Centre in Burlington, and Vaughan Mills, north of Toronto.

Looking ahead into 2017, Spareparts has confirmed three new stores set to open this spring. On March 18, it will open a store at CF Masonville Place in London, ON, which is the most productive shopping centre in the city and one of the top in Canada, according to a newly released Retail Council of Canada study. On March 31, Spareparts will open at Ottawa’s downtown CF Rideau Centre, also considered to be one of Canada’s top centres in terms of productivity. On April 8 of this year, Spareparts will open a location in North America’s largest mall in terms of square footage— West Edmonton Mall.

Editor's Notes: Yorkdale Shopping Centre Spareparts Store Design: Cutler. Interior Millwork: Peregrine. Facade design/fabrication: Eventscape Inc. General Contractors: Weekes General Contracting.

*Photos: Vincenzo Pistritto from Brandon Barre Photography.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: January 18, 2017