MUJI Comes to Vancouver Island: New Retail Openings to Watch This Fall
By Magnus Reaper
Published: August 29, 2026
Last updated: August 29, 2026
Several new businesses, services, and visitor-economy projects are taking shape across Vancouver Island as summer gives way to fall.
The developments range from the arrival of an international retailer in Victoria to new creative space in Parksville, a downtown bookstore, health-care worker housing in Campbell River, and expanded accommodation at Hollyhock on Cortes Island.
Together, they offer a useful snapshot of Vancouver Island’s changing commercial landscape. Some projects are new openings, while others are expansions or community-focused facilities that could support local employment and economic development over the longer term.
Here are six Vancouver Island business openings and expansions to watch.
MUJI is coming to Mayfair Shopping Centre
Japanese retailer MUJI plans to open its first Vancouver Island location at Mayfair Shopping Centre in Victoria.
The retailer is known for clothing, home goods, stationery, health and beauty products, food, and other everyday items. Its retail approach emphasizes simple design, practical products, and a manufacturing process intended to reduce unnecessary cost and packaging.
According to Victoria Buzz, MUJI has begun hiring for sales and leadership positions at the Mayfair location. The company’s official careers page also identifies the Mayfair store as an upcoming location.
An opening date has not been announced. That means the store is one to watch this fall rather than a confirmed fall opening.
The Mayfair location will expand MUJI’s presence in British Columbia, which already includes stores in the Lower Mainland. It may also give Island shoppers easier access to the retailer without travelling to the mainland.
For Mayfair, the arrival adds another nationally and internationally recognized name to its retail mix. For Victoria, it is a sign that established brands continue to view the region as a viable market despite the challenges involved in operating on an island.
Heal Wellness opens its first Island location in Victoria
Heal Wellness is opening its first Vancouver Island location in Victoria on August 29, according to BC Business.
The opening adds another wellness-focused business to Victoria’s growing collection of health, fitness, and personal-care services. The company’s Island expansion is also part of a broader pattern: consumers are increasingly looking for services that combine health, recovery, movement, and everyday well-being in a local setting.
Because this is a same-day opening, customers should check Heal Wellness’ official channels for current hours, services, and booking information before visiting.
The Victoria location will be worth following beyond its opening day. New service businesses often contribute to the local economy not only through direct employment, but also through commercial leasing, professional partnerships, and repeat visits from residents and visitors.
Blackbird Creator Studio brings flexible creative space to Parksville
Blackbird Creator Studio has opened at 114 Middleton Avenue in downtown Parksville.
The studio was created by brand photographer Jess McLaren after she noticed a shortage of flexible, purpose-built space for photographers, content creators, and other creative professionals in the central Island area.
As reported by the Parksville Qualicum Beach News, Blackbird is designed as a rental space with a warm, minimalist interior and strong natural lighting. It can be used for photography, branding work, product shoots, meetings, workshops, and other creative projects.
The studio’s opening reflects the changing needs of Vancouver Island local businesses. Many small businesses now rely on regular photography, video, social media content, and brand updates. Having a local space available for that work may make it easier for businesses in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Nanaimo, and surrounding communities to produce professional materials without travelling farther south.
Blackbird also adds another use to downtown Parksville’s commercial mix. Rather than serving only as a traditional storefront, the studio is a flexible workspace that can bring different businesses and creative professionals into the area.
More information about rentals and the space is available through Blackbird Creator Studio.
Blackbird Creator Studio opened at 114 Middleton Avenue in Parksville. Photo: contributed photo via Parksville Qualicum Beach News.
Alphabet City Books prepares for a downtown Victoria storefront
Alphabet City Books began as a pop-up bookstore inside Habit Coffee’s Chinatown location. This fall, the used-book business is preparing to move into a dedicated downtown Victoria retail space.
The bookstore was co-founded by Talia Freimanis and Michael Pollard, who together have more than 30 years of experience in bookstores and libraries. Their collection includes carefully selected used books, with a smaller selection of new titles planned for the permanent shop.
In an interview with the Martlet, the founders said they had collected approximately 15,000 volumes, although they stopped counting after reaching 12,000. The new storefront is expected to be about 950 square feet.
The founders secured the downtown space for September 1, but told the Martlet they hoped to open the new shop in early November. Until then, the Habit Coffee pop-up will continue, including regular Sunday book selections from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Alphabet City also plans to buy used books from the public in exchange for cash or store credit. That model could help keep more books circulating locally while offering readers a lower-cost alternative to buying new.
The founders describe the future shop as a community hub rather than the beginning of a multi-location chain. Their stated goal is to create a small, focused bookstore and “do a little thing really well.”
Readers can follow the business through its official website.
Alphabet City Books began as a pop-up inside Habit Coffee’s Chinatown location. Photo: courtesy of Talia Freimanis and Michael Pollard via the Martlet.
Just Like Home Lodge and health-care housing begin operations in Campbell River
Campbell River is also seeing the opening of a project designed to support both patients and the region’s health-care workforce.
The Just Like Home Lodge and Health Professionals Housing facility is located at 541 2nd Avenue, next to Campbell River Hospital. It includes two related programs under one roof:
- 10 lodge units for patients and caregivers travelling to Campbell River for medical care
- 20 self-contained suites for health-care professionals who are working, training, or relocating to the region
Health Professionals Housing is scheduled to welcome its first residents on September 1. The lodge will begin accepting patients and caregivers on September 15.
The facility serves an area that extends beyond Campbell River. The hospital provides care to residents from 32 communities across mid and north Vancouver Island and nearby coastal areas, making accommodation an important part of access to care for some families.
The Campbell River Mirror reported that the Campbell River Hospital Foundation raised more than $2 million for the project. The Strathcona Regional District, the foundation, Island Health, Seymour Pacific Homes, donors, and other community partners were involved in bringing the facility forward.
The project is also connected to regional economic development. Health-care worker housing can make it easier for professionals to accept temporary assignments, complete training, or consider relocating to the North Island.
Eligibility and application details are available through Just Like Home Lodge and the Strathcona Regional District’s Health Professionals Housing page.
The new Campbell River facility includes accommodation for patients, caregivers, and health-care professionals. Photo: Strathcona Regional District via the Campbell River Mirror.
Hollyhock expands its cabin capacity on Cortes Island
Hollyhock is building eight new private cabins on Cortes Island as part of a larger effort to strengthen its accommodation capacity, employment base, and year-round operations.
Hollyhock is a registered charity and social enterprise that offers programming focused on leadership, arts, wellness, environmental stewardship, and social change. The organization says it employs approximately 80 people in seasonal and year-round roles, making it an important economic and tourism anchor for Cortes Island.
The Campbell River Mirror reports that demand for private accommodation has grown since the pandemic. The new cabins are intended to respond to that demand while helping Hollyhock strengthen its shoulder-season operations.
Construction is expected to be completed by December 2027. The project is expected to create two permanent full-time positions, three permanent part-time positions, and eight seasonal jobs. It will also support local builders and suppliers, including plans to source timber through Klahoose Forestry.
The project has an estimated cost of $400,000, including a $150,000 investment from the Island Coastal Economic Trust.
Hollyhock says the cabin expansion is the first step in a longer campus renewal strategy that may include solar energy, battery storage, greywater systems, a living septic system, and fire-suppression infrastructure.
Eight new private cabins are being built at Hollyhock on Cortes Island. Photo: Hollyhock Leadership Institute via the Campbell River Mirror.
What these projects say about Vancouver Island business activity
These developments are different in size, purpose, and location. MUJI is a major retail arrival. Blackbird Creator Studio and Alphabet City Books are independent ventures responding to local gaps. Just Like Home combines health-care access with workforce support. Hollyhock’s cabin project connects tourism infrastructure with employment and long-term sustainability.
That range matters when considering Vancouver Island business news. Economic development is not limited to large construction projects or national chains. It also includes independent shops, flexible workspaces, visitor accommodation, community facilities, and services that make it easier for people to live and work in different parts of the Island.
Opening dates will continue to change, particularly for projects still under construction or awaiting final announcements. Readers can follow the latest updates through the linked businesses, municipalities, regional organizations, and local news sources.
For more coverage of Vancouver Island businesses and regional developments, visit the Roaring Coast blog.