By Craig Patterson

Danish lingerie and fashion brand Change (formerly ‘Change of Scandinavia') is planning a substantial Canadian store expansion in 2019 that will include opening an anticipated 10 stores in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. The company is working with Tony Flanz of brokerage Think Retail on the expansion.

The lingerie retailer has been in expansion mode for the past several years. Most recently, Change relocated its store at Metropolis at Metrotown, in suburban Vancouver into a 1045 square foot space on the mall’s busy second level on a run leading towards its food court and Hudson’s Bay anchor. As well, earlier this year, the company opened an 875 square foot unit on the second level in the Hudson’s Bay wing at the CF Lime Ridge shopping centre in Hamilton.

*Photo: Change Lingerie Google Maps Profile*

Change’s expansion over the past several years has brought its Canadian store count up to 20 units. Those include six in British Columbia (Vancouver x 2, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond and West Vancouver), one in Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), eight in Ontario (Toronto x 3, Thornhill, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Hamilton), and five in Quebec (Montreal x 4 and in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu). Change opened its first Canadian store in 2006.

Change has seen tremendous demand which is due, in part, to its expansive range of bra sizes when compared to similar retailers. Change boasts a vast selection of more than 110 different sizes, with approximately 75% of its bras being in the DD to M cup size range (most lingerie retailers operating in Canada sell bras in the B-D size range). Change stores offers free bra fitting to ensure that its products meet the needs of its diverse customers, and prices are kept reasonable to attract a broad clientele. Approximately 75% of Change’s revenue comes from underwear and bras, with the remainder from loungewear, swimmer, nightwear and stockings.

The company’s mission is “To provide the perfect bra to as many women around the world as possible,” and as such, it continues to open stores globally.

Change is working with Tony Flanz of brokerage Think Retail on its Canadian store expansion, which will remain focused on large urban markets in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. It remains to be seen which markets will be next to see the brand, which is noticeably absent from large cities such as Ottawa and Quebec City. Change stores are ideally in the 600 square foot to 1,000 square foot range, and a review of its Canadian store locations indicates that Change would ideally locate either in a busy shopping mall or on a high street with heavy footfall.

Change launched in Denmark as a private label brand in 1995, and its first retail store opened in Copenhagen in 2001. The company now operates more than 250 corporate and franchised stores in 15 countries across three continents (Europe, Asia and North America), as well as an international e-commece website.

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.