A summer of spaces, stories and growth
As summer comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on a season filled with exciting projects, new partnerships, thoughtful details, and plenty of reasons to celebrate. From commercial spaces and workplace design to retail merchandising and our own TRD traditions, it’s been a busy and inspiring few months at The Retail Duo Inc.
CREATING SPACES THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER & KEEP THEM INSPIRED
This summer, we continued our work with Taylor Co Ltd. on the amenity space at 70 University Ave., creating a welcoming environment designed around how people gather, connect, and experience a space. Together with their incredible team and District Nine Construction, and Architects Dehaan Design, this was a team who kept in close contact for well over a year, to stay aligned with every detail. With Christina Slawycz at the helm as Project Manager, everyone knew we were in great hands. This amenity space truly has it all; an expansive island in the heart of the kitchen is a place to gather and enjoy a coffee to kick-start the day, a wellness space for classes and gathering, and a fully equipped boardroom. Perhaps our favourite aspect may just be the stunning patio that offers the tenants a chance to escape to the outdoors, and to enjoy the views of the city and CN Tower.
We also put the final touches on the Taylor Co Ltd. Team Office in the heart of Toronto—a project that brought workplace design and brand personality together in a meaningful way. Wallpaper accents are our standout feature and talking point of this office, and we continue to create well-styled and functional moments that inspire people each day.
NEW WORKPLACES - NEW BEGINNINGS
We were thrilled to work with Colonnade BridgePort on a new office suite in Richmond Hill, bringing our eye for styling, functionality, and detail into a fresh workplace setting. It’s always exciting to help shape spaces where teams will spend their days, build relationships, and do their best work. Work continues on refreshing their lobby and on some more beautiful offices that will be completed this fall.
RETAIL - DOING WHAT WE LOVE
Our retail work continued to grow this season, supporting the retail merchandising for The Practice, a new wellness studio in Toronto. This is a place that is sure to be a standout Toronto destination for all things wellness. We are still drooling over their stunning interiors, and owner Sara Jackson took the time to curate this space—and you can feel her heart and soul poured into it. Our favourite moment would have to be when we witnessed a giant Buddha sculpture being hoisted by a crane onto the rooftop event space—all the way from Thailand. These projects are a reminder that merchandising is about so much more than product placement—it’s about creating an experience, telling a story, and making every detail feel intentional.
A SUMMER OF STYLING
Seasonal showroom prepping gave us another opportunity to play with color, texture, scale, and those little finishing touches that make a space feel fresh and considered. For us, the magic is often found in the details—and in those small moments that bring a space to life. This is something that we feel more retailers should take advantage of—capitalizing on specific areas of seasonality to bring their spaces a refreshed look without a total revamp of every corner.
CELEBRATING OUR OWN TRD FAMILY
And, of course, summer wouldn’t be complete without the second annual Camp TRD. Bringing our families together for a day of fun, connection, and a little summer magic has quickly become one of our favorite traditions—complete with branded T-shirts! As much as we love creating spaces for our clients, we also believe in creating moments for the people who make The Retail Duo what it is. The winning team: Diane and Presley!
LOOKING AHEAD
As the sun sets on another summer, and we head into fall, we are carrying the momentum of a summer full of creativity, collaboration, and more learning and growth. As entrepreneurs, we are trying to get better at balancing deadlines and downtime. We are grateful for our incredible clients, partners, each other, and our families—and we are excited for all that’s still to come, because with this duo, there are always plans for more.
Cheers to a summer season well spent, and to everything on the horizon!
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