Saks Fifth Avenue plans to have a more upscale look as well as distinct domestic touches and luxury “food halls” in Canadian stores upon its arrival in 2016, according to Hudson’s Bay Co. CEO Richard Baker. The seven mainstream stores in Canada will be more high-end than the American stores, according to Baker, in hopes to convince Canadian shoppers to spend their dollars in Canada rather than looking elsewhere.
“We are relooking at every aspect of a U.S. Saks and modifying it in order to make it exciting, fun and interesting for Canadian luxury shoppers,” Mr. Baker told reporters after HBC’s annual meeting. Baker said he’s looking to make the Saks stores “uber luxurious stores with world class product and designers,” with the Canadian stores carrying “a different mix of vendors and have a different flavour to it – something uniquely Canadian.” CJ