Retail Store Openings, Expansions & Relaunches 2026 - A Running Market Watch
Last Updated: 3 June, 2026
At RetailOasis, we believe the full picture of retail requires tracking not just who's exiting - but who's betting on physical. This live tracker documents significant new store openings, market entries, network expansions and flagship relaunches across Australia, New Zealand and globally.
Our goal is to identify the brands investing in bricks-and-mortar, the formats gaining momentum, and the signals shaping where retail is headed next.
We include openings that represent: a first market entry; significant network expansion with strategic intent; a new retail format or concept; major flagship or precinct investment; or a brand name that signals broader category or market confidence.
2026 Snapshot (Year to Date)
Total Notable Openings & Expansions Tracked: 24+
Key Categories Expanding: Activewear & Wellness, Beauty & K-Beauty, Luxury & Jewellery, Books & Specialty, Furniture & Homewares, F&B, IP & Lifestyle Retail, Department Store, Outlet Retail, Technology
Geography Most Active: Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast), New Zealand (Auckland), United States (New York, Los Angeles, Miami), United Kingdom, Europe (Germany, Netherlands), Japan (Tokyo)
Emerging Pattern: E-commerce brands accelerating into physical retail; international activewear and wellness brands choosing Australia as their Asia-Pacific beachhead; luxury continuing to invest in flagship formats despite global market pressure; experiential and IP-led retail emerging as a dominant growth format; and Australian brands staking a claim on the world stage.
June 2026
Kmart - K Home
Country: Australia
Category: Discount Homewares & Furniture Retail
Event: New Format Trial / Concept Store Opening
Footprint Impact: First K Home standalone concept store opening mid-June 2026 in Box Hill South, Victoria — a 3,800 sqm space dedicated entirely to furniture, storage, home styling and everyday essentials under the Anko brand.
Notes: Kmart is creating its own version of a 'mini-IKEA,' dropping its familiar red and blue branding in favour of an orange colour scheme and a showroom-style layout. The concept stocks furniture and storage pieces previously only available online, with styled room sets throughout. Wesfarmers has given no detail on further rollout plans, but has signalled the insights will inform how it 'continues to evolve its store experience' — widely read as a pilot for a national format. Positioned to compete for a slice of Australia's $27.5 billion furniture and interiors market, with Anko central to Wesfarmers' ambition to double Kmart's turnover. One of the most strategically interesting new retail concepts to emerge in Australia in 2026.
Mocka
Country: New Zealand / Australia (First Australian Store)
Category: Furniture & Homewares Retail
Event: First Australian Store Opening (E-commerce to Physical)
Footprint Impact: First Australian store opening mid-June 2026 in Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast. A second Victorian store confirmed for H2 2026, alongside a Christchurch, New Zealand store opening in July 2026.
Notes: One of the most compelling e-commerce-to-physical stories in Australian retail. Founded in 2007 and acquired by Adairs Group in 2020, Mocka has built a loyal family furniture audience online for nearly two decades. The Maroochydore store features styled room displays, digital pricing screens and a children's play area. CEO Catherine Williamson described the opening as 'a significant milestone as we continue to evolve our retail footprint and bring the brand to life as an extension of our ecommerce experience.'
May 2026
ALO Yoga
Country: United States (Australian Market Entry)
Category: Activewear & Wellness Retail
Event: First Australian Store Opening / Market Entry
Footprint Impact: First Australian store opened 22 May 2026 at Chatswood Chase, Sydney - a 315 sqm space described as a "sanctuary" bringing together fashion, movement, mindfulness and community. Three additional Australian locations planned for 2026, including Bondi Junction.
Notes: ALO's international CEO Benedetta Petruzzo described Sydney as a "natural fit," with the Australian launch forming part of a broader global expansion strategy. ALO has built a significant following in Australia through social media before opening a single local store - a textbook demand-first, then physical model.
New Balance
Country: United States (Australian Network Expansion)
Category: Footwear & Apparel Retail
Event: First Brisbane Store / Ongoing DTC Network Expansion
Footprint Impact: First standalone DTC store in Brisbane opened at Westfield Chermside, May 2026, a 300 sqm space and the brand's 10th Australian standalone store.
Notes: While New Balance has long had Brisbane presence through third-party retailers and an outlet store, the Chermside opening signals a deliberate shift towards direct-to-consumer in Queensland. The brand reported worldwide sales of $9.2 billion in 2025 and continues to scale its owned-retail network in key Australian cities. The opening activation, partnering with K-beauty brand Laneige and local florist The Flower Bar, is a strong example of physical retail launches being used as community brand-building moments.
Olive Young
Country: South Korea (United States Market Entry)
Category: Beauty & Wellness Retail
Event: First US Store Opening / Market Entry
Footprint Impact: First US flagship opened 29 May 2026 in Pasadena, Los Angeles, an 8,647 sqft space stocking 400 brands and 5,000 SKUs. A second location at Westfield Century City, LA confirmed to follow within weeks.
Notes: A landmark moment for K-beauty going from digital phenomenon to physical retail presence in the world's largest beauty market. The store is broken into category-specific zones with water-basin testing stations, skin-scanning technology and in-store skincare lessons, positioning it as a 'beauty playground' rather than a traditional retailer. The US market was a strategic inevitability: more than half of Olive Young's global online sales in H1 2025 were generated by US customers. One of the most strategically interesting beauty retail entries of 2026, and a format that will be closely watched by Mecca, Sephora and Adore Beauty alike.
El Jannah
Country: Australia
Category: F&B / Quick Service Restaurant
Event: Rapid Network Expansion
Footprint Impact: 16 new stores opening across 16 weeks, including a first Sydney CBD location, as the Lebanese-Australian charcoal chicken brand expands well beyond its Western Sydney heartland.
Notes: A compelling case study in scaling a cult regional brand nationally. Accompanied by a new national menu range, the expansion signals El Jannah's ambition to compete directly with mainstream QSR chains on their own turf.
Victoria Beckham
Country: United Kingdom (United States Market Entry)
Category: Luxury Fashion Retail
Event: First Store Outside UK / US Market Entry
Footprint Impact: First store outside the UK opening in Miami, 2026. Stores in Paris and New York also confirmed as part of a broader global retail expansion.
Notes: A major milestone for a brand that has operated with a single standalone store, Dover Street, London, since 2014, for over a decade. Miami was chosen for its personal resonance (Victoria and David Beckham have had homes there since 2020) and its alignment with the brand's North American growth strategy. The expansion follows the success of David Beckham's Netflix documentary and Victoria's own upcoming docuseries, and forms part of a broader ambition to reach $1 billion in revenue. The brand has just achieved profitability for the first time and is now accelerating into physical retail.
April 2026
Adore Beauty
Country: Australia
Category: Beauty & Cosmetics Retail
Event: National Store Rollout (E-commerce to Physical)
Footprint Impact: Opened its first Gold Coast store at Robina Town Centre on 30 April 2026, part of an accelerating national rollout. The ASX-listed retailer is on track to have 20 stores nationally by end of 2026 after securing deals with several of Australia's largest landlords.
Notes: One of Australia's most watched e-commerce-to-physical plays. Adore launched its first-ever bricks-and-mortar store in February 2025 and has since expanded rapidly into NSW, VIC, WA and QLD. The stores feature digital skin analysis technology, in-store treatments and endless aisle kiosks, a clear attempt to out-experience Mecca and Sephora rather than simply match them on range.
Books Kinokuniya
Country: Japan (Australian Network Expansion)
Category: Specialty Book Retail
Event: First New Australian Store in 24 Years
Footprint Impact: Second Australian store opened at Westfield Chatswood, NSW on 9 April 2026, first new location since the original Neutral Bay store in 1996. A Melbourne store is also understood to be in planning.
Notes: One of the more quietly significant retail openings of 2026. The Chatswood store carves out a distinct identity in a Westfield that already has a Dymocks and QBD, leaning into East Asian literature, manga, manhwa and Japanese-language titles - a format-within-a-format that speaks directly to a deeply engaged community. At a time when physical bookselling is under pressure globally, Kinokuniya's expansion is a vote of confidence in experiential, curation-led specialty retail.
March 2026
WeWearAustralian
Country: Australia (United States Market Entry)
Category: Multi-Brand Fashion Retail / Australian Designer Showcase
Event: First US Store Opening / Market Entry
Footprint Impact: 5,000 sqft flagship at 69 Mercer Street, SoHo, Manhattan, split across ground floor and lower level. Launched April 2026.
Notes: A genuinely exciting moment for Australian fashion on the world stage. WeWearAustralian is a curated multi-brand concept stocking Australian designers on a consignment model, with brands at launch including Akubra, Bondi Born, Bared Footwear, Lee Mathews, Silk Laundry and Viktoria & Woods. Two successful New York pop-ups in 2025 generated nearly $1 million AUD in combined revenue across six days, with US website traffic rising 149% year-on-year, compelling proof-of-concept before committing to a permanent lease.
ECQ Outlet (Eastern Creek Quarter)
Country: Australia (Western Sydney)
Category: Outlet Retail / Mixed-Use Precinct
Event: New Precinct Opening
Footprint Impact: Opened 25 March 2026, Greater Western Sydney's first dedicated outlet retail destination, featuring around 100 stores across 20,000 sqm, 18 new dining destinations and 1,100 car spaces.
Notes: A $150 million development by Frasers Property Australia addressing a significant undersupply of outlet retail in NSW — just one of four outlet centres serving a population of 5.5 million in Greater Sydney. The precinct integrates outlet shopping with dining, entertainment and large-format retail, designed as a multi-experience destination rather than a traditional mall. Anchor retailers at opening include ASICS (Australia's largest ASICS outlet store), Adidas, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Puma, Fila and Rockwear, a mix of global sportswear giants and accessible fashion brands offering a minimum of 70% off ordinary retail prices.
By Charlotte
Country: Australia
Category: Jewellery & Accessories Retail
Event: First Western Australian Market Entry
Footprint Impact: Three Perth boutiques opened simultaneously in late March 2026, Claremont Quarter, Karrinyup Shopping Centre and Westfield Booragoon, bringing the brand to 14 locations nationally.
Notes: Perth is the home city of founder Charlotte Blakeney, making the Western Australian entry a particularly personal milestone. The simultaneous three-store launch mirrors By Charlotte's Victorian entry strategy and signals confidence in the Perth market. A strong example of an Australian-born jewellery brand executing a disciplined, state-by-state national rollout.
Whole Foods Market
Country: United States (UK Expansion)
Category: Grocery & Specialty Food Retail
Event: Major UK Network Expansion
Footprint Impact: Six new UK stores announced March 2026, opening across Angel, Liverpool Street, Notting Hill Gate, Wood Wharf, Monument and St James's - doubling the UK store count to 12.
Notes: Whole Foods opened its first new UK location in over a decade in March 2025 and is now accelerating rapidly. Backed by Amazon's distribution infrastructure and riding renewed consumer appetite for premium grocery, this is one of the most significant UK grocery expansions in years. Notably, Whole Foods' UK expansion runs parallel to parent company Amazon's full exit from its own Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go convenience formats in the US - a telling signal about which physical grocery proposition Amazon believes has long-term legs. Experiential, premium and brand-led wins; tech-novelty convenience loses.
January / February 2026
LSKD
Country: Australia
Category: Activewear & Streetwear Retail
Event: Major Domestic Network Expansion
Footprint Impact: 30 stores at the start of 2026 spanning Australia, New Zealand and the US, with 12 additional stores confirmed to open across 2026. Stores 30 (Hobart, TAS), 31 (Werribee, VIC) and 32 (Penrith, NSW) confirmed in H1 2026.
Notes: One of the great Australian retail growth stories of the decade. Founded by Jason Daniel from his BMX and motocross roots, LSKD has evolved from a local t-shirt label into a global activewear brand generating over $200 million in annual sales, entering physical retail only in 2022 and scaling to 32 stores in under four years. Each opening features community activations, product swaps and exclusive merchandise, turning store launches into brand-building events. CEO Jason Daniel has publicly stated his ambition to reach $1 billion in annual revenue by 2032.
Superdry & Co.
Country: United Kingdom / Europe
Category: Apparel Retail
Event: Brand Relaunch & Major Network Expansion
Footprint Impact: 21 new stores planned across the UK and Europe in 2026 - 15 in the UK and 6 in mainland Europe including Berlin and Utrecht.
Notes: A genuine comeback story. Following years of financial distress and store closures, Superdry has rebranded as Superdry & Co., adopted a more premium store format and is now aggressively expanding. A case study in brand and physical retail reinvention worth watching.
Garage
Country: Canada (UK & European Market Entry)
Category: Women's Apparel Retail
Event: First UK & European Store Openings
Footprint Impact: First UK store on London's Oxford Street debuted spring 2026, with two additional Manchester locations and wider European expansion planned throughout the year.
Notes: Another North American brand choosing the UK as its European beachhead, a consistent pattern in 2026 as international apparel brands capitalise on available high street real estate and strong consumer appetite for new entrants.
Late 2025 - Notable Entries (Backdated)
Burnside Village Stage 6 Expansion
Country: Australia (Adelaide, South Australia)
Category: Luxury & Premium Retail Precinct
Event: Major Centre Expansion / Multiple Market Entries
Footprint Impact: The largest private sector retail property expansion in South Australian history — doubling the centre's footprint to 38,500 sqm and introducing over 80 new retailers in the first phase, with a third wave of elevated and premium retailers confirmed from June 2026.
Notes: Stage 6 introduced a new luxury experience to South Australia, with many brands making their first entry into the state. Headline names include Tiffany & Co, Louis Vuitton (pop-up), Gucci, Paspaley, Watches of Switzerland, Ralph Lauren, Zimmermann, Georg Jensen, Camilla and Marc, Oroton, Elka Collective, Kivari, Aje (second SA standalone boutique), Nude Lucy, MECCA (largest SA location, two-storey flagship at 950 sqm), Coco Republic (first and only SA store at 1,500 sqm), UNIQLO, Arc'teryx and Salomon. Director Andrew Cohen noted: 'Adelaide is not a huge market for these brands, so we've had to evidence to them that Adelaide is ready.' One of the most compelling physical retail investment stories in Australia right now, and a powerful counter-narrative to the closures dominating headlines.
Princess Polly
Country: Australia (US-first, now domestic physical retail)
Category: Women's Fashion Retail
Event: First Australian Store Opening & Ongoing Domestic Rollout
Footprint Impact: First Australian store opened at Westfield Bondi Junction, Sydney, late 2025. More Australian store openings confirmed for 2026 at undisclosed locations, alongside continued US expansion.
Notes: A fascinating inversion of the usual brand journey, Princess Polly built its physical retail presence across around a dozen US locations before opening a single store in its home country. The Bondi Junction store features first-to-market transparent window LED technology and 90s-inspired TVs. The brand makes up half of parent company A.K.A. Brands' total revenue, underscoring the commercial weight behind this domestic expansion.
Pop Mart
Country: China (Australian Flagship Expansion)
Category: IP / Collectible Toy Retail
Event: Sydney Flagship Store Opening
Footprint Impact: Sydney flagship at Westfield Sydney, Pitt Street Mall, opened December 2025, 600 sqm across two levels, with a reported investment of up to $45 million. Brand now operates 13 stores and 33 Robo Shop kiosks across Australia.
Notes: One of the most significant Chinese retail expansions in Australia to date. Pop Mart's blind-box model has built a passionate and demographically young consumer base, and the Sydney flagship signals long-term commitment to the Australian market. The brand has 550+ outlets across 30 countries globally and continues to accelerate its Australian presence.
Chloé
Country: France (Australian Market Entry)
Category: Luxury Fashion Retail
Event: First Australian Store Opening
Footprint Impact: First Australian boutique opened in Sydney's CBD luxury precinct, Westfield Sydney, January 2026, just over 100 sqm, featuring ready-to-wear womenswear, leather goods, footwear and accessories.
Notes: The first time the French fashion house has established a standalone presence in Australia. The pared-back, earthy fit-out embodies Chloé's signature bohemian aesthetic. A notable luxury market entry that underscores continued international brand confidence in the Australian premium retail market.
Balenciaga
Country: Spain / Kering Group (Australian Flagship Expansion)
Category: Luxury Fashion Retail
Event: Largest Australian Store Opening
Footprint Impact: Biggest Australian store yet opened at Westfield Sydney, a two-storey brutalist concrete fit-out housing ready-to-wear, footwear, eyewear, jewellery and the brand's newly launched fragrance range.
Notes: A significant footprint upgrade for Balenciaga in Australia, reflecting continued investment in the premium end of the Australian market. The raw minimalist design, exposed concrete across two levels, is a strong statement of brand identity in one of Sydney's most competitive retail precincts.
Lindberg
Country: Denmark (Australian & Southern Hemisphere Market Entry)
Category: Luxury Eyewear Retail
Event: First Australian Store / First Southern Hemisphere Store
Footprint Impact: First Australian store opened on George Street, Sydney CBD, in partnership with local independent optician The Eye Piece - first location in the entire southern hemisphere.
Notes: A significant luxury market entry. Lindberg is known globally for its use of titanium, gold, horn, wood and diamonds in eyewear design. The George Street location features floor-to-ceiling windows and interiors designed by Lindberg's own team, bringing Danish design DNA to every element of the space.
MAAP
Country: Australia (Sydney Market Entry)
Category: Premium Cycling Apparel Retail
Event: First Sydney Store Opening
Footprint Impact: First Sydney store opened in Darlinghurst, January 2026, designed by Clare Cousins Architects with a terracotta palette, stainless steel and decorative ceiling moulding. The brand also has a presence in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Seoul, Berlin and Taipei.
Notes: Melbourne-born MAAP has become a cult premium cycling brand globally since launching in 2014. The Sydney store follows its flagship in Collingwood and marks the brand's continued commitment to physical retail as a community-building tool. A strong example of an Australian brand with genuine international credibility returning to plant a flag on home soil.
RM Williams
Country: Australia (NSW Network Expansion)
Category: Heritage Footwear & Apparel Retail
Event: Three New NSW Stores in One Week
Footprint Impact: Three new New South Wales stores opened within one week - Chatswood Chase, Castle Towers and Hornsby (Westfield) - as part of ongoing national network expansion.
Notes: A 93-year-old heritage brand aggressively expanding its physical footprint is a notable signal in 2026's retail environment. The stores offer master boot fittings and feature original artwork by Australian artists. RM Williams continues to balance its deep Australian heritage with a growing international presence.
Google
Country: United States (Japan Market Entry)
Category: Technology Retail
Event: First International Flagship Store Outside the US
Footprint Impact: First flagship store outside the United States opening in Tokyo, Japan, summer 2026.
Notes: Google has operated retail stores in New York and Los Angeles, but this Tokyo opening marks the first time the brand has taken its physical retail concept international. A significant signal about big tech brands investing in experiential physical retail beyond their home markets, and a reminder that retail remains a powerful brand-building tool even for the world's largest technology companies.
Coming Soon - TBC 2026
The following openings have been confirmed or strongly signalled but are yet to receive official opening dates. We'll update this section as timelines are announced.
Muscle Republic — HEARTBEAT Concept Store
Country: Australia (Brookvale, NSW)
Category: Activewear & Gym Apparel
Event: First Physical Store Opening
Footprint Impact: First bricks-and-mortar HEARTBEAT concept store, Brookvale, NSW. Date TBC.
Notes: Muscle Republic, founded by Vic Gigliotti, has built a strong direct-to-consumer activewear brand with a highly engaged fitness community. The HEARTBEAT concept store represents the brand's first move into physical retail, a significant milestone for an Australian-born brand with growing international reach.
Faradays
Country: New Zealand (Auckland)
Category: Department Store (New Concept)
Event: New Store Opening - Reinvented Department Store Format
Footprint Impact: A $30 million, three-level, 3,000 sqm department store on Auckland's Queen St, inside the heritage-listed Milne & Choyce building, targeting a mid-2026 opening.
Notes: One of the most ambitious retail concepts to launch in Australasia in years. Faradays aims to reinvent the traditional department store model, combining fashion, food, events and experiences under one roof. The New Zealand-owned project will bring SKIMS to New Zealand for the first time. Designed by Fearon Hay Architects, the store is arriving at a moment when the global department store format is under significant structural pressure - a bold counter-bet.
Books Kinokuniya - Melbourne
Country: Japan (Australian Network Expansion)
Category: Specialty Book Retail
Event: First Melbourne Store Opening
Footprint Impact: Melbourne store understood to be in planning for 2026, location TBC. Reported to be in the Melbourne Central precinct.
Notes: Following the April 2026 Chatswood opening, Kinokuniya is understood to be targeting Melbourne as its next Australian location, which would mark the brand's first presence outside of NSW and its first expansion beyond Sydney in its 30-year Australian history.
ALO Yoga - Additional Australian Locations
Country: United States (Australian Expansion)
Category: Activewear & Wellness Retail
Event: Additional Store Openings
Footprint Impact: Three further Australian 'sanctuaries' confirmed for 2026, including Bondi Junction. Additional locations TBC.
Notes: Following the May 2026 Chatswood Chase launch, ALO has committed to a national Australian rollout. Bondi Junction is confirmed; further locations expected in Melbourne and potentially the Gold Coast.
Mocka - VIC Store
Country: New Zealand / Australia
Category: Furniture & Homewares Retail
Event: Second Australian Store Opening
Footprint Impact: Victorian store confirmed for H2 2026. Location TBC.
Notes: Following the June 2026 Maroochydore opening, Mocka has confirmed Victorian expansion as part of its broader physical retail strategy across Australia and New Zealand.
Burnside Village Stage 6 - Phase 3
Country: Australia (Adelaide, South Australia)
Category: Luxury & Premium Retail Precinct
Event: Further Precinct Expansion
Footprint Impact: Third wave of elevated and premium stores approved for opening from June 2026, including expansion along the eastern side into the Portrush Road-facing carpark.
Notes: The Cohen Group has received approval to further extend Burnside Village to accommodate additional retailers as the precinct continues to evolve into South Australia's most significant luxury retail destination.