Ann Sacks' New Vancouver Location

The luxury Portland décor brand makes its first move North of the border.

Portland and Vancouver aren’t just bearded-hipster brethren in craft beer and religious devotion to the outdoors. Turns out, with the opening of the new ANN SACKS store, they now share a passion for high-end tile and stone. “Vancouver was the logical choice for us,” says Ann Sacks president Ted Chappell at Wednesday night’s grand opening. The city “has a huge international market, plenty of nice design firms, and is close enough to Portland that we can get here if anything goes wrong.”But the cult-fave company made sure nothing would go wrong right out of the gate. Its Oregon-based headquarters considered Yaletown, Railtown, and Gastown before local designers pointed to the Armoury District as a logical fit for luxury homeware (Livingspace, East India Carpets, and the like).Founded in 1981, the company has since opened 18 stores across the US and one in London, but waited until this year to enter the Canadian market. “We see Vancouver as a natural fit with virtually every top luxury brand being represented in the marketplace offering retailers a discerning, sophisticated audience that embodies style and substance.” The new 2000-square-foot location on West 2nd Avenue will showcase renowned designers such as Bjarke Ingels, Michael Smith, and Barbara Barry (who also happens to be one of Western Living magazine’s judges at this year’s Designers of the Year).Even if home renovation isn’t on the brain, the showroom’s kaleidoscope of stunning geometrical tiles and interactive five-screen wall (to test drive favourite designs) will soon make sure it is.