How do you feel about another American store setting foot on Canadian soil? Many can't contain their excitement as the luxurious Saks Fifth Avenue recently opened its doors in Toronto's Eaton Centre.
It's curious that the likes of Target can't make a go of it, yet its high-end cousin moves in at a time when the country's economy remains stagnant. But then, the target (sorry) clientele is decidedly different.
Saks officials are confident that the Canadian locations - the second, also in Toronto, is due to open this week in Sherway Gardens - will do a decedent trade.
"If we deliver the right level of service and fashion and the right edit, people are going to come and they're going to want to shop,'' said president Marc Metrick.
By fall 2017, Saks is hoping to boast three further locations - all in Toronto. From all accounts, the first location is a splendid thing to behold: with 1,000 different pairs of ladies shoes and 15,000 in its stockroom.
But it's not all about pandering to the ladies. Metrick claims "men are the new women.'' So you can see where the company's marketing efforts lie.
And Metrick insists that Saks won't make the same mistake that other cross-border flagships have made in the past.
"It would be a terrible miss if we started to make Saks different for Canada,'' said Metrick. It would, indeed.
It remains to be seen whether Saks can stake its claim above the border and win over Canadians in the long run.
Image Source: Twitter
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