French football (soccer to us Americans) club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has opened its first flagship store in Canada as part of its long-term partnership with Lids and Fanatics.
The new official Club store is located on Queen Street in Toronto and follows the successful opening of the Fanatics- and Lids-operated PSG standalone store in Los Angeles in 2021, flagship store openings in New York and Europe in 2022, and Miami and Las Vegas locations that opened earlier this year. The Toronto store is PSG’s 4th in North America and 14th worldwide, including locations in France, London, Seoul, Tokyo and Doha.
As part of the football club’s long-term partnership with Fanatics, Lids oversees the operations for all PSG stores. The 1,952-square-foot Toronto location features an assortment of team jerseys, headwear, accessories, a full range of Nike and Jordan teamwear, one-of-a-kind collaborations and exclusive Paris Saint-Germain designs. The store also includes Lids’ signature Customization Station to allow fans to personalize their PSG gear on-site.
“We are excited to expand our successful partnership with PSG and connect with Canadian consumers in the beautiful city of Toronto,” said Lawrence Berger, Co-founder and Partner at Ames Watson, owner of Lids, in a statement. “Our latest store will include staples that fans and fashion enthusiasts enjoy, including licensed local team apparel, along with other exciting features that we know will be loved by all who visit.”
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To celebrate the opening, the store is featuring an exclusive capsule collection created in collaboration with the Canadian concept store Better Gift Shop. The drop includes an exclusive line of clothing and a limited-edition jersey.
“Creating a connection between the City of Light and the Queen City by opening this 14th official PSG boutique in the heart of Toronto is another contribution to the construction of our global brand and also a way to thank our fans in Canadian territory,” said Fabien Allègre, Chief Brand Officer at Paris Saint-Germain in a statement. “We hope to capture the heart of Toronto, spread the magic of football to every corner of Ontario, and that this store will be a symbol of a shared adventure where Parisian dreams meet Toronto’s energy.”
Toward that goal, PSG also will engage with the local community through a partnership with the Play Forever Association, which organizes sports programs for Toronto youth. The Paris Saint-Germain and Play Forever partnership will kick off with a holiday event: local kids will be invited to visit the store to receive a free gift. Next year, PSG will fly in expert coaches from PSG Academy to train local coaches and offer Toronto youngsters dedicated football camps. The partners also are planning a program that will allow girls participating in the “Allez Les Filles (Go Girls)” initiative in the Parisian suburbs to meet with their counterparts in Toronto.
