Canada’s First Indigenous-Owned Department Store Has Closed

It was a scrappy climb to the top for Aaniin, Canada’s first Indigenous-owned department store. Under the stewardship of founder, Chelsee Pettit, the store evolved from a streetwear vendor to become a 6,000 square-foot retail pop-up for Indigenous creators within Toronto’s Eaton Centre.

That impressive trajectory, which brought with it wider exposure for numerous native jewellery, clothing, beauty and leather brands, has reportedly ended after two years.

According to Pettit, an Anishinaabe member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Southwestern Ontario, an absence of needed funding forced the doors to shutter.

She told the Toronto Star that an application for grant funding she was counting on to help with the costs of the lease on her store was denied by the city. That funding, which supports Indigenous-led art and culture initiatives, fell through earlier this year.

Pettit also expressed frustration for a grant system that assumes for-profit Indigenous endeavours don’t need support—an assumption, she suggests, impacts a business's ability not only to stay afloat in an industry with small margins, but also to grow.

“It’s like people want to see us having to overcome every single barrier,” she told the Star.

While the physical location has closed, Aanin’s online presence will remain live for the next couple of weeks, reportedly. Items within the Aanin line—Aanin means “I see your light” in Anishinaabemowin—are marked at 60 percent off.