How MEC Triggered A Wave Of Athletic Retailers On Queen West
Lululemon has launched its new location at 318 Queen St W, a 5k SF store that Cushman & Wakefield’s Michael Betel and Philip Traikos (the deal broker) tell us is part of a wave of athletic-apparel retailers showing love for that stretch of TO’s funkiest street. Lululemon left a 3,600 SF space at 342 Queen St W for the new digs, a concept store with a health-food café and juice bar that’s steps from Mountain Equipment Co-op's planned 40k SF shop at Queen and Soho streets. Arc'teryx is right across the road (below) and Icebreaker Merino just opened at 278 Queen St W.
Cushman was the listing agent for Lululemon's new space, and Philip says his team contacted a host of potential tenants, many of them athletic apparel brands that'd be complementary to MEC. Philip also brokered a deal for Reigning Champ at 383 Queen St W. (The Vancouver-based sports-apparel retailer has another store at Queen and Ossington.) “MEC has helped create this momentum.” So has the population boom that's come via area condo development, which Michael says has redefined Queen West, with thousands of residents who “aren’t necessarily going to the mall to shop.”
