This past Thursday Target made it’s first foray into the Canadian market by launching a pop-up store in Toronto for one day only. The store was located on King Street West at Blue Jays Way in the Entertainment District. Target selected Vancouver-raised designer Jason Wu’s line of clothing and accessories to be the first products sold in Canada for the retailer.

Just before 9 am there were six people in line waiting for the noon opening. A street team was on hand to direct people where to line up and one gentleman was wearing a backpack canister and dispensing coffee to keep the customers in line warm while they waited. When the store opened at noon there were hundreds of people lined up and the line stretched down Blue Jays Way to Wellington street.

Things remained very calm and under control. There were a limited number of people allowed in the store at one time which gave everyone time to shop and not just madly dash for anything they could grab. Wu was present at the store to chat with media and customers. Unlike Target’s normal policy of unlimited items, which caused a stir when Wu’s line launched in the US in early February, consumers at the pop-up store were limited to three items each. All of the proceeds from the sale were donated to The United Way of Toronto.