Decathlon Announces First Canadian Store Near Montreal

Decathlon’s Canadian store will open in the spring of 2018 at Mail Champlain in Brossard.

Value-priced large format French sporting goods retail chain Decathlon has announced that it will expand into North America in the spring of 2018 with a location in suburban Montreal. Decathlon could disrupt the Canadian retail industry if it expands nationally, potentially threatening home-grown retail chains including FGL Sports, SAIL, Sportium, and even retailers such as Canadian Tire. 

Decathlon’s first Canadian store will open in the spring of 2018 at Mail Champlain in Brossard, just outside of Montreal. The company announced in French on its newly launched Canadian website, which notes that the company’s Canadian headquarters are at 1 Place Ville Marie, in downtown Montreal. 

According to Retail-insider.com, Mail Champlain could be the first of various locations for Decathlon, though the chain will be cautious with its expansion, according to a November 2016 report in La Presse. Oberfeld Snowcap represents Decathlon as a brokerage in Canada, and according to Oberfeld Snowcap’s website, Decathlon is looking for retail spaces in the 35,000 square foot to 45,000 square foot range in commercial centers that may also include power centers as well as freestanding spots. According to a brokers' website, Decathlon’s Canadian expansion plans are focused in the province of Quebec though given its penetration in other areas. 



Decathlon will face with a wide variety of retailers in Canada, given that it carries well-priced sporting goods as well as some related apparel categories. FGL Sports (operating under multiple banners including Sport Chek, Atmosphere, and Sports Experts), Sportium and SAIL could be most affected, and retailers such as Canadian Tire and Walmart, which also carry the value-priced sport-related product, could also take a hit if Decathlon takes off in this country. 

Related shopping malls and stores:

Decathlon

Decathlon

Mail Champlain

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