Rolex opens boutique in Vancouver
Luxury icon joins the Alberni scene in the Shangri-La, Aleesha Harris writes.
As the founder of the Global Watch Company, Sassan Pourfar knows a lot about watches. But he knows luxury timepieces best. That’s why Pourfar is bringing the first stand-alone boutique for renowned timepiece brand Rolex to Vancouver.
The watch aficionado chatted with Postmedia ahead of the opening.
Q What made this the right time to open a Rolex-branded boutique in Vancouver?
A I felt this was the right time given the luxury market in Vancouver, especially on Alberni Street with all the brands having a presence there. And also, the Crown was missing from the area. We had the opportunity to make a deal with the Shangri-La Hotel because there used to be a chi-chi bar there, and the bar was not performing the way they were expecting. The Shangri-La was looking to put a luxury brand in its place. And, of course, Rolex wanted to expand in the market with all the luxury growth in the city.
Q You’re the founder of the Global Watch Company. Was your background in watches?
A My background is in architecture, but I always had a love affair with watches. I’m originally from Iran and I moved here 17 years ago, but I had worked with some of the watch stores back home and learned how to do some small repairs. … My dream was always to start my own company, so I established the Global Watch Company back in 2008. And in 2014, I opened my first store in Cathedral Place by the Hotel Vancouver, where I carry a few brands like Longines and Gucci Fine Jewelry.
Q Is it a licensed store operating on behalf of the brand?
A Basically. Every Rolex store you see in the world all have private owners. Rolex doesn’t compete with retailers, which is one of the beauties of the brand. There are two different concepts: a boutique or a corner, which is an area of your store dedicated to the brand. So, it is licensed by the brand, but you operate it as an individual owner. Of course, everything has to be comply with the rules and regulations of Rolex, everything including the design and how we operate to the staff and even the flowers in the boutique.
Q Who is your target customer?
A We try to cater to almost everybody. Of course, we have some of our own clients who are coming back. But we are definitely going to attract many new clients, especially because we are situated in a hotel, and in an area with many other hotels. We are basically going to be accessible to all tourists.
Q But it’s still a luxury consumer, correct?
A One thing I want to express about Rolex is that some people have a concept that Rolex is a very expensive watch that is unattainable. But I would like to give the message that they have watches available that are quite affordable.
Q How affordable?
A They start from basically $5,000 and go up from there based on the material. I would say the average range is $10,000 to $15,000.
Q What are your ambitions for the boutique? Are you planning to open more locations?
A The goal of expansion is always in the back of my mind. At the moment, this was a huge project, so my goal is to focus on this boutique and take it to the next level. Eventually, we are going to expand, for sure.