Unique Chinese Comb Brand ‘Tan Mujiang’ Enters Canada with 1st Storefront

By Craig Patterson

Another international retailer has opened its doors in Canada. Chinese brand Tan Mujiang, known for its traditional Chinese wooden combs, has opened a storefront at Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto. 

The 612-square-foot store opened this month and according to the company, Tan Mujiang “attracted many customers into the store with its eye-catching Chinese logo and a lute performance.” The traditional Chinese wooden combs feature an “oriental charm and exquisite craftsmanship.” The store is located between Peoples Jewellers and Mobile Snap on the mall’s second-level, directly across from a Pandora store. 

Scarborough Town Centre is managed by Oxford Properties and Iris Sinilong, Manager, Lead Generation and Activation, negotiated the deal on behalf of the landlord.

Tan Mujiang says that it is the only listed company in the wooden comb industry worldwide, with products made from the natural materials of traditional Chinese handicrafts featuring “beautiful shapes, smooth lines, exquisite texture, rich colours and fine hand feel.” 

The company acquired more than 80 patents since December of 2013 and the brand supplies its products to more than 1,200 stores in Mainland China, as well as four in Hong Kong, one in Singapore, and online retailers on Amazon and eBay.

Tan Mujiang said in a press release that it plans to open 12 more overseas stores this year, though it didn’t specify where. The Scarborough Town Centre store is only the second ‘overseas’ store for Tan Mujiang after it opened recently at the Telford Plaza in Hong Kong. 

The brand’s expansion is made possible via a national general franchising model, and Tan Mujiang says that it is seeking franchisees for further expansion. The brand’s franchising model included “significant self-developing space and comprehensive support, including market research, location selection, opening preparation guidance, personnel training, store decoration, marketing demonstration and post-sales service,” in an effort to create success for the brand. 

Tan Mujiang will launch a focused marketing effort in the coming months as it continues to expand its operations outside of China.

Scarborough Town Centre is one of Canada’s most productive malls according to Retail Council of Canada’s latest Canadian Shopping Centre Study. The 230-store mall will see a partial redevelopment that will include a new entertainment component. 

Tan Mujiang is the latest international brand to enter the Canadian market. We’ve tracked several international brands that have already opened their first storefronts in Canada this year, which could see 2019 surpass the roughly 30 international brands that entered Canada in 2018 by opening stores. In 2017, more than 50 international brands entered Canada by opening stores, which was a record. 

Now located in Toronto, Craig is a retail analyst and consultant at the Retail Council of Canada. He’s also the Director of Applied Research at the University of Alberta School of Retailing in Edmonton. He has studied the Canadian retail landscape for the past 25 years and he holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws Degrees. He is also President & CEO of Vancouver-based Retail Insider Media Ltd. Email Craig: craig@retail-insider.com