Jeff Alpaugh Custom Opening Second Store In Waterloo
FREDERICTON – The maker of the ‘world’s most dangerous dress shirts’ is opening a second store, this time in Ontario.
Jeff Alpaugh Custom, which has a store in downtown Fredericton, will be opening a location in Waterloo in February, located on King Street West in the city centre. It’s the current home of Andie’s Boutique, which will be closing after 17 years because the owner is retiring.
Jeff Alpaugh Custom is known for making custom-made, outlandish dress shirts since its beginnings in 2016.
Founder Jeff Alapugh said they chose to open a second store in Waterloo because of the traction the brand has been getting in the tech/startup communities in both Silicon Valley and Waterloo.
“The expansion will be critical for the business,” said Alpaugh, in an e-mail to Huddle. “We are killing it with folks in tech so we want to continue to infuse our brand with tech – so we need to be present in the epicentre. Our brand speaks to the rebel/rogue creator and we know there are many of those in Waterloo.”
The announcement of the second store follows several other notable announcements for the company, such as a deal with CANEX stores and the Canvas Hotel in Moncton. Alpaugh said the Waterloo store will determine whether or not their retail model can work outside of New Brunswick.
“This will determine if we have built a retail concept that only works in Fredericton/NB or if it has a broader appeal,” he said. “I believe it will have even more appeal in this new market.”
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