Aritzia's store network has shifted south as U.S. Expansion accelerates. September 25, 2026 ADVERTISING Aritzia now operates more boutiques in the United States than in Canada. At the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2027, the Vancouver-founded retailer had 76 U.S. boutiques and 67 in Canada, excluding four Reigning Champ stores. Of the 12 to 13 new boutiques planned for fiscal 2027, 11 to 12 are expected to open in the U.S. Revenue has moved even further south. U.S. sales increased 54.5% year over year to $638.1 million in the latest quarter and accounted for 67.1% of company revenue. Canadian revenue increased 25% to $313 million. The Canadian business is still growing quickly, but most of that growth is coming from established boutiques and e-commerce. Aritzia is spending on Canadian real estate, though increasingly on larger or repositioned stores instead of adding large numbers of locations. In the U.S., management has identified 180 to 200 locations that meet its site criteria, compared with 76 boutiques at the end of fiscal 2026. It is a measure of potential sites, not an opening commitment, but the difference between the two countries is becoming clear in Aritzia's capital allocation. Article contents. Canada: fewer new doors, larger stores. Some of Aritzia's most important Canadian stores are getting substantially larger. At Oakridge Park in Vancouver, the company returned this year to the shopping centre where its first standalone boutique opened in 1984. That store was about 1,500 square feet. The new Oakridge location is roughly 10,000 square feet. Aritzia has also expanded at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and is developing a four-level flagship at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver, taking part of the former Nordstrom space at Robson and Howe. At approximately 41,800 to 42,000 square feet, it will be more than four times the size of a standard Aritzia boutique. Management said two Canadian boutique repositions completed over the past year were performing well, with another Canadian reposition planned for the second quarter. Recent reporting and earnings commentary do not indicate a broad Canadian closure program. The economics of the Canadian business give Aritzia room to be selective. Canadian revenue rose 25% in the first quarter without a large new-store program, supported by comparable sales and digital growth. More capital can therefore go into proven locations where additional square footage has a better chance of producing additional sales. Most new square footage is going to the U.S. At Aritzia's July annual meeting, CEO Jennifer Wong said total company square footage was expected to grow in the low teens during fiscal 2027, with the vast majority of that increase in the United States. The U.S. Expansion is moving beyond first stores. Part of Aritzia's U.S. pipeline is still about entering new cities. Birmingham, New Orleans and St. Louis were among the new markets identified for fiscal 2027. Another part involves adding stores within markets where Aritzia is already established. The company opened at Perimeter Mall in Atlanta on September 19, adding to its existing boutique at Lenox Square. Dallas is also receiving another location, while the wider pipeline has included Fort Worth, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Carlsbad and The Woodlands in Texas. Management's 180-to-200-store estimate is therefore less dependent on finding an equivalent number of new cities. Large metropolitan markets can support multiple boutiques where trade areas are distinct and existing demand is strong. Atlanta is a relatively small example of that approach. Aritzia can continue entering new cities while adding second and subsequent stores in larger markets. Its ability to do both rests heavily on the economics of recent openings. Aritzia's standard boutique model is roughly 10,000 square feet, around $1,000 in annual sales per square foot, about $10 million in annual revenue and approximately $4 million of net investment. Management targets payback within 12 to 18 months. Recent boutiques have been paying back in less than a year on average. U.S. stores are also reaching productive sales levels sooner. Historically, Canadian boutiques tended to open closer to mature productivity, while U.S. stores took several years to ramp. CFO Todd Ingledew told analysts in July that newer U.S. stores are now opening much closer to maturity, with the fiscal 2026 cohort particularly strong. Faster maturation reduces the drag created by each new class of stores. Aritzia can add square footage without carrying the same volume of underproductive locations for several years after opening. Bigger stores have not hurt productivity so far. Aritzia has increased the size of its stores at the same time it has accelerated U.S. expansion. The average boutique was about 6,000 square feet a decade ago, later moved toward 8,000 square feet and is now generally above 10,000 square feet. New boutiques planned for fiscal 2027 were expected to average around 11,000 square feet. Management says stores above 10,000 square feet are producing sales per square foot comparable with Aritzia's smaller boutiques. If that performance holds, larger stores allow the company to generate more revenue from each opening without giving up the productivity that has supported its recent payback periods. There is a practical limit to how far that can be extrapolated. A 76-store U.S. network still gives Aritzia considerable freedom to choose strong malls, streets and trade areas. Moving substantially closer to 180 or 200 stores means working through a much larger range of locations, including more midsized metropolitan markets. At that point, the quality of the remaining real estate becomes as important as the number of sites management has identified. Canadian infrastructure is still part of the expansion. Aritzia's U.S. store count is growing faster, but Canada continues to support much of the infrastructure behind the business. A new 380,000-square-foot distribution centre in British Columbia went live in May using goods-to-person automation. Management said the facility ramped within weeks and was designed to improve picking speed and order accuracy. The company has indicated that its next major distribution expansion will be in the U.S. The store program is also becoming more capital-intensive. Aritzia expects roughly $250 million in capital cash expenditures in fiscal 2027, including about $210 million tied to new and repositioned boutiques expected to open during fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028. Its first-quarter filings disclosed a 50/50 joint venture with an unnamed third party involving a property intended for a future boutique. Aritzia contributed US$1 million in equity and provided a US$27 million loan carrying a 10% annual return, due in April 2029. The company has not identified the property, partner or country, so there is no basis to connect the transaction with a known store project. Aritzia spent decades building a dense Canadian network before its U.S. expansion reached its current scale. The Canadian business is now showing how much revenue growth can come from established stores, e-commerce and selective investment in larger locations. The U.S. still has substantially more room for new stores. Recent openings are paying back quickly, larger boutiques are maintaining reported productivity, and U.S. stores are reaching mature sales levels sooner than they once did. Those economics will determine how much of the 180-to-200-store site pool Aritzia ultimately pursues. The relevant number is not how many potential locations management can identify, but how many can produce returns comparable with the stores being opened today. Lee Rivett, based in Vancouver, supports the digital distribution and technical backend operations of Retail Insider. In addition, Lee is also an active contributor to Retail Insider's editorial content. His work includes technical reporting, international shopping centre tours, and feature articles on Canadian retail news. September 24, 2026 September 23, 2026 September 22, 2026 September 21, 2026 September 17, 2026 September 16, 2026 Subscribe. * indicates required

Aritzia's Super Ruff Puff is back - and your dog can be the coolest (and warmest) pup on the block. Keep your four-legged friend from fur-eezing this winter Is there anything cuter than a dog in a jacket? I think not. In all seriousness, if you're walking your dog every day in the cold weather, he or she may need a little extra coverage. Canadian winters are no joke, but Aritzia is all over it. Originally launched in 2024, the Super Ruff Puff is the brand's dog version of the beloved winter coat, the Super Puff. Well, the Super Ruff Puff is back for the 2026 cold-weather season, and there's a fit for every four-legged friend, big or small. What to know about the 2026 Aritzia Super Ruff Puff. The 2026 Super Ruff Puff comes in five colourways: two essential colours and three limited-edition colours. For the essentials, there are rich mocha brown and black and for limited edition: villa pink, dew blue and sumac burgundy. Story continues below The coat is filled with PrimaLoft Black Insulation Rise, "the world's best down alternative." The Super Ruff Puff also has a zippered back opening for leash attachments and is made with Hi-Gloss water-repellent taffeta to keep your pup dry. No matter which size or colourway you choose for your dog, the coat retails for $$98 CAD. How to find the right size for your dog. The size range is pretty impressive too, starting at a 3XS and going up to an XL. Modelling an XL on the website is a Golden Retriever, and modelling a 3XS is a Yorkie, so you can scroll through and best determine where your dog's size lands. Each size provides a chart that shows the chest girth range in both inches and cm, so you can measure your dog for a more accurate size comparison. Super Puffs for the whole family. Your furry friends aren't the only ones who can match you in your Super Puff - babies and toddlers in the household can, too. The Super Baby Puff is also available this year, a pint-sized version of the coat Canoe know and love. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Available in baby size and toddler size, the Super Baby Puff has two finishes: CliMATTE and Hi-Gloss. The CliMATTE is available in six colourways, while Hi-Gloss comes in three. Both the baby and the toddler sizes retail for $168 CAD and are outfitted with a removable hood, storm cuffs and 800+ fill-power premium down. I know I'll be picking up a Super Ruff Puff for my parent's dog, and if you're hoping to grab a dog or baby Super Puff, too, I'd get on it sooner rather than later, as they have been known to sell out quickly in previous years. Speaking of popular this season, check out my other faves from Aritzia now that fall has arrived: [email protected]