Joe Fresh hears call of the mall

Joe Fresh is in expansion mode and it's hitting the malls.

Loblaw Companies' Joe Fresh Style brand just announced it will open four new stores this spring as part of its goal to launch 20 standalone Joe Fresh stores in Canada.

They will all be freestanding stores in popular shopping destinations to target the brand's urban customers. Three of the stores will be in Ontario and one will be in Alberta, with sizes ranging from 6,000 to 18,000 square feet. "We are happy to be in high-traffic mall locations to answer the demands of our customers," said Lucy Van Der Wal, SVP of Joe Fresh stores, in a company release.

The stores will carry everything from women, mens and baby clothing to cosmetics, jewellery and sunglasses. All will be designed by Toronto-based commercial interior design firm Burdifilek. It's the same company that designed Joe Fresh's flagship store that opened on Granville Avenue in Vancouver last October. The design for the upcoming stores includes white and natural oak decor, along with a grey matte floor.

Launched in 2006, the Joe Fresh Style collection was started as a way for Loblaw to differentiate itself from its grocery retailer competitors.