Canadian Tire Invests $200M in Mark's Store Revamp
The retailer will open and refresh Mark's locations in a larger, updated format aimed at women and younger shoppers.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Retail
Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. announced on Wednesday a $200 million investment to open and refresh Mark's stores. By the end of 2028, at least 40 of Mark's expected 387 locations are to be new or converted to the updated model.
Why it matters
Mark's president PJ Czank said the company wants to be more inspiring and relevant, particularly for women and younger customers who don't traditionally shop at Mark's. The move follows Canadian Tire's finding that its largest stores were its most productive.
The new format uses spaces of roughly 25,000 square feet, and the largest store, in Thunder Bay, Ont., spans 36,000 gross square feet. Stores using the concept have produced double-digit sales-per-square-foot increases, though the company has not released the underlying figures.
The players
Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd.
A Canadian retail company best known for its automotive, home and sporting goods stores across the country, which acquired Mark's in the early 2000s.
PJ Czank
The president of Mark's, who has led the company's push to make its stores more relevant to women and younger shoppers.
Mark's
A Canadian workwear and casual clothing retailer, long associated with trades workers, which has been repositioned under Canadian Tire ownership.
The details
Canadian Tire launched the updated Mark's format in 2023 and has adopted it at 21 stores across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. The stores feature bigger spaces, brighter layouts, expanded women's and children's sections, and brand-specific shops within Mark's locations. The new model does not fit downtown Toronto or Vancouver, where space is at a premium.
Timeline
Early 2000s: Canadian Tire acquired Mark's.
2023: Canadian Tire launched the new Mark's format.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The $200 million investment was announced.
End of 2028: At least 40 Mark's stores are to be new or converted.
Market Landscape
Canadian Tire is repurposing large-format retail space vacated by the Bed Bath & Beyond closures to test its expanded Mark's concept. The approach contrasts with downtown Toronto and Vancouver, where the company's own data shows the larger format does not fit.
Shoppers in the 21 stores already using the new format in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec will see expanded women's and children's sections and brand-specific shops. Customers in downtown Toronto and Vancouver are unlikely to see the larger format, since it does not fit those markets.
The takeaway
Retailers are finding that their biggest stores are their most productive, and reshaping formats around that finding can reach new shoppers without abandoning core customers. Canadian Tire's Mark's test shows that expansion depends heavily on local real estate, with larger formats working in some Canadian markets and not others.
What happens next
By the end of 2028, at least 40 of Mark's expected 387 locations are to be new or converted to the updated model.
Further reading
For more on the sector, see the Retail coverage on Wisevoter.
