Watchmaker Rolex and Canada’s first TimeVallée store are among the latest retail additions to the Royalmount mixed-use development in Montreal, joining other luxury brands in the $7-billion project.
Other brands that have been confirmed in the latest announcement by Royalmount’s developers include watchmakers Tudor, IWC and Omega (launching their first stores in Quebec); and jewellers Montblanc, Swarovski and Pandora.
Rolex will be opening its largest Canadian boutique location with operations handled by Raffi Jewellers. TimeVallee is a Swiss company that carries watchmaking and jewellery brands across its stores such as Chanel and Gucci.
Quebec company Maison Monaco will have a location in Royalmount, retailing watches and jewellery from brands such as Omega and Longines.
The latest entrants will be joining Tiffany & Co., David Yurman and TAG Heuer, which have already announced their plans in the development. Tiffany will be opening its flagship store in Montreal, while the David Yurman location will be its first in Quebec.
“Securing top-tier watch makers and jewellery retailers for Royalmount solidifies our commitment to offering visitors a diverse and high-quality shopping experience,” Andrew Lutfy, CEO of Royalmount developer Carbonleo, said in this latest announcement.
About Royalmount
Royalmount is conceived as an 85-acre retail and lifestyle district at the junctions of Highways 40 and 15 in the Town of Mount Royal in Greater Montreal. Its first phase is under development, and will include 824,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor space.
Announced in 2018, the multi-phased Royalmount property is planned to have thousands of housing units, offices, a hotel, entertainment options and a three-kilometre linear park once it is fully built out.
The mall is expected to contain over 170 stores, including 60 restaurants.
Carbonleo also emphasizes its carbon neutrality, which is to be achieved via reductions in energy use through a geothermal system, capturing 86 per cent of the rainwater on the property, and use of green spaces and green roofs.
Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Tiffany, among other upscale brands, unveiled plans for their Royalmount stores in 2022. Louis Vuitton is creating a 9,150-square-foot flagship location; while Gucci is planning an 8,700-square-foot store.
In April, Royalmount announced an updated list of retailers such as Nike, H&M, Canada Goose, Sephora and Moncler which are to open outlets in the project.
Royalmount’s footbridge
A distinct feature of Royalmount is an enclosed, curved footbridge opened this summer that connects the mall to the De la Savane Métro station. It is designed by Montreal-based Sid Lee Architecture.
Spanning over 200 metres, it includes a green roof and is climate controlled. Carbonleo said it was to invest over $25 million to build the bridge, which is projected to be a pathway for up to 10 million pedestrians per year.
“The footbridge is a core component of the Royalmount project. It is essential to its success, given our goal to maximize active mobility and minimize car use,” Claude Marcotte, Carbonleo’s executive vice-president and partner, said in a previous announcement.
About Royalmount’s developer and co-owner
Carbonleo Real Estate Inc. is a private Quebec-based property development and management company that developed Quartier DIX30 and Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Montreal.
L Catterton Real Estate is a co-owner of Royalmount. The international private equity investor was founded as a partnership between Catterton, LVMH and Groupe Arnault. It prioritizes luxury retail, mixed-use developments.