Trendy U.S. yoga wear brand to open its first T.O. location in huge corner space across from Eataly

What used to be a large GAP retail space at the corner of Bloor and Bay Street is set to be the new home of Los Angeles-based Alo Yoga, a company offering technical yoga clothing that can be seen on the likes of Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift. This move will mark the companyโ€™s first expansion into Canada with plans of further expanding across the country and further, internationally.

Launched in 2007, the brand has grown to be a favourite for celebrity and non-celebrity yoga fans alike, offering the kind of studio-to-street wear that lends itself well to pandemic fashion. The rise of athleisure and COVID-19 changing the way we work, live and dress, Alo could be moving to Canada at the perfect time. But they wonโ€™t make the move without a little friendly competition waiting.


In Canada, Lululemon is the main player in the world of fitness-focused fashion and yoga clothing and accessories. Alo will need to remain competitive in order to stack up against this Vancouver-based brand known for its reasonable price points, high quality and seemingly endless warranties. Lululemon was even named Team Canadaโ€™s official outfitter back in 2021, stealing the job from iconic retail brand Hudsonโ€™s Bay Company after 16 years.

At a slightly higher price point, Alo Yoga’s move to the cityโ€™s Yorkville neighbourhood is a smart one, appealing to Torontoโ€™s more affluent consumer. And, in the 60 Bloor St. W. store, spanning three storeys and 17,000 square feet, thereโ€™s talks of the space even including an in-house studio for workshops, fitness and yoga classes and other experiential pop-ups to grow consumer base and brand awareness. This would mean Alo House, the branch of the company responsible for experiential marketing campaigns and pop-up events, would have a place to engage and educate shoppers.

Beyond retail and experiential marketing efforts, Alo Yoga operates an at-home fitness concept where, for $30 monthly, members can take part in unlimited meditation, yoga and fitness classes, a novel concept as the ongoing pandemic continues to force fitness centre and gyms to close.

A Retail Insider article reported that the Cumberland Street Lululemon might be moving for a flagship store on Bloor, so the two brands may be going head-to-head on the same block in the months to come.

The Bloor-Yorkville BIA couldn’t confirm an opening date for the new location, and Alo Yoga didn’t respond to a request for comment in time for publication, but construction on the new Alo retail space is said to be underway.

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