TORRID, AN AMERICAN-BASED PLUS-SIZE WOMEN'S CLOTHING RETAILER, WILL BE OPENING ITS DOORS AT DIEPPE'S CF CHAMPLAIN THIS COMING AUGUST. IMAGE: TORRID
A major American plus-size women’s clothing chain is opening in Greater Moncton this August.
Torrid Spokesperson Samantha Granet confirmed that the plus-size women’s clothing chain will be setting up shop in Dieppe’s CF Champlain Mall, in mid-August, “barring any delays.”
“We’re excited to open in this mall and community,” said Granet, referring to plans to open at Dieppe’s CF Champlain Mall.
To staff its location at the Champlain mall, Granet said the chain will need to hire about 20 people.
Torrid will be taking up the former 2,500-square-foot space occupied by clothing retailer Pseudio before it moved to another part of the mall.
Torrid specializes in direct-to-consumer clothing, focusing on the size-10-30 range for nearly four million active customers.
“We are maniacally focused on fit, which is our customer’s highest priority,” said Granet.
Granet said Torrid’s brand is built around selling tops, bottoms, dresses, intimates, activewear footwear and accessories to curvy women, to empower them to “love the way they look and feel.”
The retailer sells items at mid-range prices, with jeans running from $59.50 to $89.50, tops ranging from $39.50 to $59.50 and dresses costing between $69.50 and $79.50.
Granet told Huddle Torrid is a vertical retailer — meaning it designs, produces and sells its own products.
Although Granet was unable to disclose the cost of opening a Torrid location, or if there were any plans to open more Torrid locations in New Brunswick, she said, “We are looking forward to growing in the Canadian market in the future,” not offering further specifics.
In addition to its footprint in Halifax, Torrid has stores in numerous locations across Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia
Torrid was formerly owned by Hot Topic, and now is a subsidiary of New York-based private equity firm Sycamore Partners. The chain operates more than 600 stores in total, with more than 25 of those based in Canada.
Sycamore Partners also owns numerous brands that include Hot Topic, Talbots, EMP Merchandising and Staples – and has ownership stakes in a wide swath of brands that include Aeropostale.
CF Champlain is owned by Toronto-based landlord Cadillac Fairview — a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan — which specializes in owning, operating and developing retail, office, residential, industrial and mixed-use properties in Canada and beyond.
Sam Macdonald is a Reporter for Huddle Today, a content-sharing partner of Acadia Broadcasting.
