Leone and L2 were boutiques situated inside the historic Sinclair Centre building, at 757 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC.[1] Founded in 1987 by Maria and Alberto Leone following consolidation of their original boutiques, the store was a popular stop for visiting celebrities.[2][3]
In 1996 Leone expanded into the lower level of the Sinclair Centre with "L2" which was designed to appeal to younger shoppers and at its peak, the store occupied 25,000 sq. ft. and covered three floors of the building.[4][5] Leone and L2 were staples in the Vancouver fashion scene and Leone maintained exclusivity in Vancouver as the only licensed carrier of Roberto Cavalli and Versace[citation needed] and are credited with having introduced some high-end brands to the Vancouver market.[6]
Alberto and Maria Leone sold the store in 2015 to Nicole Yang, who focused on the Chinese market.[6] The store announced its closing in early 2020 after downsizing and closing L2 earlier in the year.[5][6]
References
edit- ^ Murrills, Angela (13 June 2007). "Classic, urban Leone evolves alongside city". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ Korstrom, Glen (6 March 2020). "Vancouver's Leone to close by mid-2020". Business Intelligence for BC. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ New York Times - Where to Shop in Vancouver Archived 2012-09-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Crawford, Tiffany (6 March 2020). "Luxury Vancouver retailer Leone at Sinclair Centre closing". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ a b Patterson, Craig (14 February 2020). "Iconic Vancouver Retailer 'Leone' Downsizes Store Amid Unprecedented Luxury Retail Competition in the City". Retail Insider. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ a b c Patterson, Craig (9 March 2020). "Iconic Vancouver Luxury Retailer 'Leone' to Shutter Store After 33 Years". Retail Insider. Retrieved 18 December 2020.