Shein to open two-storey pop-up store in downtown Vancouver

Shein pop-up store at 804 Granville Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Popular but controversial online discount fast-fashion retailer Shein will be opening a pop-up store in the Granville Entertainment District of downtown Vancouver.

The brand is expected to temporarily take over the two-storey vacant retail unit of 804 Granville Street, which is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Robson Street and Granville Street.

Apart from its temporary, seasonal use for the Spirit Halloween costume store, this 5,600 sq ft retail space — wedged between The Lennox Pub and the former Daiso Japan store — has been vacant since the closure of Payless Shoes almost exactly five years ago.

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Their downtown Vancouver pop-up store is expected to open very soon, later this spring. Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out to Shein Canada for more information.

Shein pop-up store at 804 Granville Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Based on online leasing availability listings, commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap is still seeking a longer-term permanent tenant for Shein’s pop-up store space.

Shein does not have a permanent brick-and-mortar store strategy, but it has significantly expanded its pop-up store strategy worldwide over the past two years to grow its brand presence offline. Each pop-up store typically lasts for a few days — less than a week.

In 2023, Shein opened pop-up stores at CF Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, and Quartier DIX30 Mall in Montreal.

The Chinese retailer has quickly grown to rival established fast fashion giants H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo, which are best known for their major permanent brick-and-mortar store strategies.

Shein particularly grew during the pandemic, and as of 2022, according to a survey, it had become the second favourite e-commerce platform amongst 7,000 teenagers in the United States.

Shein pop-up store at 804 Granville Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

However, Shein has been particularly controversial for its social media and app-based marketing strategies, environmental impact from ultra-low prices — far below its mainstream competitors — that encourage people to buy clothes they do not need, poor clothing materials and quality, materials sourcing, labour practices, and intellectual property infringements.

As for Daiso Japan’s store location next door at 810 Granville Street, it permanently closed this past Sunday — almost exactly three years after it opened. According to the staff of the Japanese retailer, the location’s lease has come to an end. But they will be opening a new replacement Vancouver store at City Square Shopping Centre, within a significantly larger 8,900 sq ft space. The new permanent store will open in Summer 2024.

Over the longer term, most of this city block, addressed as 800 Granville Street, will be redeveloped by property owner Bonnis Properties into a major mixed-use commercial development with office, retail, restaurant, and entertainment uses.

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