Construction update at Coquitlam Centre. Photo: Boys'Co

By Craig Patterson

Upscale and trendy Vancouver-based multi-brand men’s retailer Boys’Co will be relocating its downtown store to the suburban Coquitlam Centre in August, exiting a Vancouver Robson Street location. The new store will become the largest in the company’s history.

The new Coquitlam Centre Boys’Co will span about 3,000 square feet with an impressive 50-foot frontage that will provide exceptional visibility. According to the company’s President, David Goldman, the Coquitlam Centre Boys’Co is “at centre ice” in the centre, across from the mall’s Apple store (one of the largest in BC) and adjacent to a busy Aritiza location on the mall’s upper level.

The Morguard-owned Coquitlam Centre is one of the largest malls in the Lower Mainland, spanning about 1.18-million square feet with more than 200 stores, 11+ million visitors annually and 4,500 parking spaces. Anchors include Hudson’s Bay and Walmart as well as smaller anchors such as Best Buy, Golf Town, London Drugs and a T&T Supermarket. Coquitlam Centre is one of the most productive shopping centres in the Lower Mainland in terms of sales per square foot, and the centre is seeing some exciting new retailers, including a Uniqlo store which will be opening in the centre this fall.

Robson Street Store in 2014. Photo: Colin Arber

David Goldman in front of Guildford Store

Boys’Co showcases well-established, and medium to upper end designers, catering to young and 'fashion-inspired' men, according to Mr. Goldman. In 1984, the store concept was conceived by Mr. Goldman, whose family has been in the men’s retail clothing business for three generations. Boys’Co’s first store was at Oakridge Centre.

The existing 2,000 square foot Robson Street flagship at 1044 Robson Street opened in 1997, which replaced an earlier location at 1080 Robson Street that opened in 1987 (that building was demolished for redevelopment). The 1044 Robson Street flagship was renovated in 2014 and we attended the ‘grand re-opening’ that October.

Boys’Co continues to operate a store at Vancouver’s Oakridge Centre, as well as a newly renovated unit at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, and at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey. The suburban retail model appears to be working for Boys’Co, as both the Metropolis and Guildford locations are said to be the top-producing units for the chain.

Metropolis at Metrotown Store. Photo: Boys'Co

Inside the Robson Street location. Photo: Adrian Mandy

The Boys’Co nameplate is part of the Murray Goldman Men’s Wear group, which was founded by David Goldman’s father in Vancouver in 1946. The original West Hastings Street multi-brand retailer became an important menswear destination for the city. In 1957, Murray Goldman opened the city’s first young men’s store, called 'The Ivy Room’, which catered to the Ivy League look of the 1950's, (think Oxford button down shirts, cardigan sweaters and skinny Levi’s), and was located next to his Hastings Street store.

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David Goldman started his fashion career as a teenager in the 1960’s. While in high school, he worked part-time at his father’s store, Murray Goldman Men’s Wear. After college, David Goldman moved to London, England, where he worked full time at a young men’s boutique on fashionable King’s Road. He then returned to Vancouver in 1971 to work alongside his father. David's initial responsibilities included operating and buying for their then jean shops, called Bus Stop Stores -- a predecessor to Boys'Co.

Today, Boys'Co has its third generation family member, Sam Goldman, as lead fashion buyer and directing operations. Rounding out the management team is Executive General Manager - and almost 33 year company veteran, Michael Roley.

Craig Patterson, now based in Toronto, is the founder and Editor-in-Chief Retail Insider. He's also a retail and real estate consultant, retail tour guide and public speaker.

Follow him on Twitter @RetailInsider_, LinkedIn at Craig Patterson, or email him at: craig@retail-insider.com.

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