Our First Year: Building Toronto’s Retail News Source
2025 was 6ixRetail’s first full year of operation, and what a year it was.
Starting from zero in January, we published 179 stories, reached over 500,000 readers, and established ourselves as a respected source for retail, hospitality, and entertainment news. We broke exclusive announcements, built trust with the city’s biggest developers and brands, and created a community of readers who connect with us daily to understand what’s happening in Toronto’s rapidly evolving retail landscape.
What started as a bet on hyperlocal retail storytelling turned into something bigger—a platform that matters to brokers, landlords, retailers, and anyone who cares about the future of our city.
Now, as we close out our first year, we’re looking back at the stories that drew the most readers to 6ixRetail.com in 2025.
The Year in Toronto Retail
In 2025, Toronto’s retail landscape continued to evolve with major openings, unexpected closures, and significant market shifts. The city saw international brands choose Toronto for Canadian debuts, established retailers transform their strategies, and experiential concepts reshape how Torontonians shop and dine.
These are the 15 articles that captured the most attention from our readers:
THE 15 MOST-READ STORIES OF 2025
These are the articles that drew the most readers to 6ixRetail.com:
1. Hundreds of Starbucks Workers Face Job Loss as Chain Closes Stores Across Toronto
Store closures affecting hundreds of workers became our most-read story by far. Readers wanted to understand the impact on neighbourhoods and the partners behind the counter.
2. Tim Hortons Opens First Standalone TimShop at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Tim Hortons selling merchandise without selling coffee? This first-of-its-kind concept had readers curious about whether branded retail could work on its own.
3. SHEIN Pop-Up Returns to CF Toronto Eaton Centre Amid Major Retail Transformation
SHEIN’s return to Canada’s busiest mall drew massive traffic as readers tracked the fast-fashion giant’s pop-up strategy.
4. Mandy’s Announces Multi-City Expansion, Adding Yonge & Eglinton and Canary District to Toronto Portfolio
The Montreal salad chain’s aggressive Toronto push showed healthy fast-casual continuing to gain ground in the city’s competitive restaurant market.
5. Black Friday’s Latest Date Creates 26-Day Shopping Crunch for Canadian Retailers
Retailers and shoppers alike wanted to understand how the calendar’s shortest possible holiday season would play out.
6. Research Validates Urban Golf’s Entertainment-Driven Transformation
Data showing how urban golf concepts are reshaping the entertainment retail sector drew interest from operators and landlords alike.
7. Photo Report: Yorkdale Shopping Centre Transformation (August 2025)
Readers love seeing what’s changing at Canada’s highest-sales-per-square-foot mall. This visual tour showed the latest tenant additions and renovations.
8. Toronto Shoppers Lead ‘Buy Canadian’ Movement as 84% Embrace Local Retail Over U.S. Brands
Data showing Toronto leading the national shift toward Canadian retailers resonated as readers tracked changing consumer sentiment.
9. Report: Discount Grocery Expansion Dominates Toronto Retail Market for 2025
Real estate professionals needed to understand why discount grocers were leading leasing activity. JLL’s data told the story.
10. Shake Shack Reveals Strategic Six-Site GTA Expansion
Six locations is a serious commitment. Readers wanted details on where the burger chain was betting on Toronto’s growth.
11. EXCLUSIVE: Crunch Fitness Secures Landmark Financial District Location for Downtown Toronto Debut
Breaking news on a major fitness brand entering downtown Toronto’s recovering office market drew immediate attention.
12. UNIQLO, Nord Lyon Among Major Retailers Joining Union Station’s Spring 2025 Expansion
Union Station becoming a legitimate retail destination rather than just a pass-through? The transformation continued to fascinate readers.
13. In Toronto’s Retail Evolution, Yorkdale Shopping Centre Defines Industry Trends
Understanding Yorkdale means understanding where Toronto retail is headed. This analysis explained the mall’s outsized influence.
14. Toronto’s Hospitality Gold Rush: Sonder’s Collapse Creates Downtown Opportunities
Sonder’s bankruptcy and exit from Toronto properties created a wave of opportunities in the short-term rental and hospitality market.
15. Decathlon’s GTA Exit Opens Door for Experience-First Retail Revolution
The French sporting goods retailer’s departure from the GTA raised questions about traditional big-box retail and what comes next.
Looking Ahead
These stories defined what we covered in 2025, but they also show what you care about: the transformations reshaping Toronto’s neighborhoods, the brands betting on our city’s future, and the workers and communities affected by retail’s constant evolution.
Early next week, we’ll share the stories that sparked the most conversation on LinkedIn—the ones industry professionals shared, debated, and discussed throughout the year.
Thank you for making 6ixRetail’s first year possible. Here’s to 2026.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.