They've been a staple in on-trend, affordable Canadian clothing for several decades, but the Montreal-based retail chain Le Chateau is set to shut down about 30 per cent of their brick and mortar stores by 2019, reports CTVNews.ca.
This reduction will amount to around 40 locations across the country adding to the 11 stores that were shut down last year. Sixteen store closures are expected by the end of 2016.
For many Canadians, myself included, Le Chateau was among the first stores we shopped in for clothing independently from our parents. It targeted teens and young adults with inexpensive, trendy styles and club-wear, accessories and shoes. Last year they began to shift their focus toward a slightly more mature shopper—looking to appeal to young professionals in their 20s and 30s.
It should be no surprise that the shopping habits, particularly for busy professionals and tech-savvy youth are changing rapidly and online shopping is quickly growing to dominate over in-store retail in several areas across the country. Le Chateau has seen growth in their online business, around a 35 per cent increase last year, but this still only represents a very small portion of overall sales, around 10 per cent.
Le Chateau is certainly not alone in experiencing troubles times as a retail business in Canada. Danier Leather, Smart Set, Mexx Canada and Jacob are just a few of the chain retail stores that have closed their doors since 2014.
The decision to cut underperforming retail stores and focus on improving the online experience could work in the favour of those that prefer to do their shopping from home. We certainly hope so! Watch this space as we continue to bring you deals from Le Chateau and we'll be sure to keep you updated as we learn more.
Was Le Chateau one of your first shopping destinations too? Do you still shop there today?
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