East Coast Lifestyle expands clothing operation in Halifax
David Burke | CBC News | Posted: November 17, 2015 3:11 PM | Last Updated: November 17, 2015
Company moves a dozen workers to Halifax from Toronto
The clothing company East Coast Lifestyle is centring more of its business in Halifax by moving its warehouse, office and photo studio from Toronto to Nova Scotia.
That move will create 12 new jobs in Halifax.
"We had all of our operations, all of our warehouse all of our shipping and photography done in Toronto while I was in school at Acadia [University]," said Alex MacLean, founder and CEO of East Coast Lifestyle.
"I just finished my degree and then brought it all back home to Halifax to create new jobs and open up new opportunities in Nova Scotia."
MacLean started the company as a temporary business — a requirement of an entrepreneurship course he was taking at Acadia in 2013.
But his clothes were massively popular and East Coast Lifestyle has stuck around.
MacLean says by moving all of his operations to Halifax he'll be able to keep a closer eye on where his products are made.
"We're able to be more local now through this new chain because now we actually have people in house that are able to source things in Canada such as our hoodies, tuques, socks, that are all made in Canada."
"We are always trying to stay local in Canada as much as we can, always."
East Coast Lifestyle has an online store and its clothing is carried in 73 malls across the country, but MacLean has bigger plans for his business.
Big ambition
MacLean's ambition doesn't begin and end on the East Coast. He wants his clothes to be a hot item on Canada's West Coast as well.
He's already started work on another clothing line called West Coast Lifestyle in hopes of expanding his company's reach.
"That's also all to do with West Coast life which is mountains, trees, snowboarding, skiing, all the good stuff out there. The brother brand to East Coast but all different styles."
"It will be a different look as opposed to the East Coast Lifestyle nautical theme," said MacLean.
MacLean hopes to launch the West Coast Lifestyle clothing line before Christmas.