MINISO Land branded hoarding is now up at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, marking the arrival of the brand’s large format concept store to Level 1 of the downtown Toronto mall.
The hoarding sits in the unit most recently shared by Bluenotes and Journeys, but neither retailer is leaving the mall. Bluenotes has closed that location and is opening in the former West 49 unit on the street front level of Atrium on Bay, with a full entrance onto Yonge Street next to the new Canada Computers. Journeys has also closed its old storefront and will be moving into a temporary space in the former Skechers unit, after Skechers relocated to a permanent home on Level 2 in the former Free People space.
Combined, the former Bluenotes and Journeys footprint runs roughly 8,100 square feet, based on Cadillac Fairview’s leasing records. No opening date has been set, and neither MINISO nor Cadillac Fairview has commented on the project or explained the timing. What is notable is the scope of the work ahead. Both the Bluenotes and Journeys units were fully built out, permanent storefronts rather than temporary pop-ups, meaning the space will need significant work behind the scenes. Pop Mart’s forthcoming move into the former Foot Locker Kids unit elsewhere in the mall involves the same kind of teardown, since that too was a permanent store.
The scale of that rebuild lines up with how MINISO has approached the format elsewhere. MINISO Land made its Canadian debut at West Edmonton Mall in November 2025, and that store offers a preview of what Toronto shoppers can expect: a design led, IP heavy format built around themed zones rather than a conventional aisle layout, with beauty, toys, souvenirs and snacks each getting their own dedicated area, plus oversized character features and photo moments built into the layout itself. The format leans heavily on licensed characters, with the Edmonton flagship stocking around 5,000 SKUs spanning collaborations with Sanrio, Disney and Harry Potter alongside MINISO’s own blind box lines, and design elements meant to be swapped out every few months so the store never feels static.
A Level 1 Miniso Land would be MINISO’s third store at the Eaton Centre, not its first expansion into new territory. Two MINISO locations already sit beside each other elsewhere in the mall: one dedicated to toys, and the IP Collection Store that opened in October 2024 with an exclusive Canadian debut of MINISO’s Harry Potter line. Having three storefronts under one brand in a single mall is unusual, but it fits a broader shift underway at the Eaton Centre toward entertainment and toy retail. Treehouse Toys is moving from its Queen Street, Level 1 TTC entrance location to the former luggage store next to Winners, Lego is coming soon to Level 3, and Sad Nuggie is currently operating on what is effectively a one year pop-up lease rather than a permanent term.
That toy and entertainment push overlaps with a separate but related trend: blind box and collectibles retail taking larger, more permanent space at the mall. Pop Mart’s relocation into the former Foot Locker Kids unit is the clearest example, and it is not the only one in the pipeline, with the blind box retailer Kiokii and… lined up to relocate to the former Disney Store space. MINISO’s momentum in downtown Toronto extends beyond the Eaton Centre as well. The retailer’s Union Station location has expanded earlier this year after opening last year into one of the busiest pedestrian zones in the city. MINISO also operates an IP Collection store in the PATH at Sheridan Centre.
MINISO has operated in Canada since 2013 under what the company calls its Super IP plus Super Store strategy, pairing licensed characters with large format retail experiences designed to function as destinations rather than quick stops. The company says it now operates more than 70 stores across Canada and has been evaluating further locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
Taken together, the MINISO Land buildout, Pop Mart’s expansion, Lego’s arrival and Sad Nuggies pop-up point to a deliberate shift in how Cadillac Fairview is filling space at the Eaton Centre, favouring brands built around dwell time and in-store experience. It is the kind of tenant mix decision that trades short term leasing simplicity for bigger, slower builds that are harder to place and harder to replace.
Neither MINISO nor Cadillac Fairview has issued a formal announcement on the Bluenotes and Journeys space, and no opening date has been confirmed. Given the extent of demolition required before a Miniso Land build can begin, this is likely to be a multi month project rather than a quick turnover.
6ixRetail will update this story as details on an opening date and final format are confirmed.
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 roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, The Canadian Opera Company, Starbucks Canada and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024, 2025 and 2026, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.