On the west side of Dufferin Street, Founded by Garcia is an unlikely Toronto landmark. Housed in a single-storey building that was formerly home to an auto body shop, the boutique design agency immediately catches the eye with its distinctive signage – the words “Client from Hell” spelled out in upside-down lettering across the nondescript frontage. What’s inside? A hub of design, with the studio’s deftly curated portfolio of international brands now boasting another major global name: Andreu World.
The acclaimed Spanish brand is set to open its inaugural Canadian outpost in October with a showroom integrated within the larger Founded by Garcia studio, which occupies a space shared with branding design firm Biography – who were responsible for both the “client from hell” signage and the elegant showroom interior.
Andreu World’s dedicated space – complete with its own entrance and address – will give Toronto-based designers an opportunity to more fully experience the furniture maker’s collections. It’s a marquee addition to Founded by Garcia’s design-driven roster of brands, which already includes the likes of Punt, Gebruder Thonet Vienna, Adotta and Nikari, to name a few.
According to Founded by Garcia principal – and indeed, the eponymous founder – Nathaniel Garcia, the opening of a dedicated Andreu World showroom represents the evolution of an established relationship with both the Toronto studio and the city’s design community. “Andreu World has an international presence, so having a brick and mortar location in Toronto is a very important step towards growing the brand in Canada,” says Garcia.
“When it comes to samples and product collateral, we’ve usually had a good amount of product to present to the A&D community for testing and approval – and even if we didn’t have the precise model or style, we would easily access them from the Chicago, New York and Boston showrooms,” Garcia notes. But he also stresses that “furniture needs to be seen, felt and sat on – especially sofas and lounge chairs – to be fully experienced. Now that we have a mono brand space in the works, it’s a huge plus, and we can begin to develop a retail presence.”
And while photographs and catalogues can speak to the sophistication of Andreu World‘s portfolio, the Spanish brand’s devotion to bespoke, detail-oriented craft – and quality wood design – is best experienced in person. For Toronto-area designers, that will soon mean a trip to 1390 Dufferin Street.
This content was published by Azure on behalf of Founded by Garcia.
Founded by Garcia Brings a Taste of Andreu World to Toronto
The renowned Spanish brand’s first dedicated showroom in Canada is set to open in Toronto.