COOL RETAIL

Beyond the key contributions of its founding partners, UP Express has also paired with key retailers that speak to the Toronto experience. Each brings something unique to the table and helps transform the customer experience.

MILL STREET BREWERY

Mill Street Brewery was established in December 2002 in what is now known as the Historic Distillery District in Toronto. Since then, it has become one of the most popular craft breweries in Canada with a strong Toronto-centric brand. At Union Station, the CIBC UPstairs lounge will feature Mill Street Brewery’s distinct home-grown craft beers.

“UP Express is a landmark addition to our city’s infrastructure and will be a great benefit to residents and visitors alike,” says Kevin Weitzman, VP of Business Development at Mill Street. “A high-speed connection between a city’s airport and its downtown core is a key feature of many world-class cities, so everyone at Mill Street is excited to play a part in the birth of such an important development.We hope that we can add to the positive experience for everyone stopping in to the CIBC UPstairs lounge by providing a variety of delicious craft beers that will fit the tastes of any beer drinker. We hope to have a great selection available—both our best-known brands, like Original Organic Lager, 100th Meridian Organic Amber Lager and Tankhouse Ale, as well as an on-going rotation of exciting seasonal offerings.

“With the help of CIBC, UP Express has created a beautiful lounge with stateof-the-art amenities—we are excited to finish off the experience with some great tasting beer!”

BALZAC’S COFFEE ROASTERS

The recipe for the success of Balzac’s Coffee Roasters stems from its reliance on four critical elements: the artisanal, the sustainable, the local and the natural. It’s an authentic and conscientious approach that has resonated with consumers since the company opened its first location in Stratford in 1996.

The newest Balzac’s, the company’s 10th location, is coming to downtown Toronto this spring, right in the heart of UP’s new Union Station home.

Diana Olsen, Balzac’s Founder and President, says she was “immediately convinced that this was a good fit for the company.

“UP Express was genuinely committed to bringing in home-grown businesses whose identities are interwoven with the unique spirit of Toronto and Ontario. While it is a deviation from our traditional stand-alone cafés, the opportunity to be at the welcoming and departure point for so many travellers in the iconic Union Station is very exciting. Southern Ontario is our home, and Union Station and Toronto Pearson are epicentres of this incredible metropolitan area. We’re proud to be a part it!”

Besides its fresh roasted coffee, Balzac’s will offer pastries and light lunch options sourced from some of Toronto’s finest establishments, such as La Bamboche, Dufflet Pastries and Cinq Foods, to name a few. It also offers the finest local Ontario ingredients such as Harmony Organic Dairy and White Meadows Maple Syrup in several specialty drinks.

DRAKE AT UP

Make sure to visit Drake General Store at UP when you’re in Union Station—the newest Drake General store in the heart of TO. The store will feature an apparel line exclusively designed for UP, as well as a collection of gifts. Each piece in the line is designed and made in Toronto and reflects the classic Shared refined wardrobe staple aesthetic. The two brands have also carefully handpicked a collection of best-known Drake General Store items to offer guests.

Travellers will also be able to shop for quirky curiosities 24 hours a day from the brand-new retail website, which can be accessed through upexpress.com or drakegeneralstoreupexpress.ca.

Says Carlo Colacci, Co-Founder of the Drake General Store, “We are excited to be part of this monumental project that is new to North America, aimed at making travel better for Torontonians and visitors to our great city. There are a lot of similarities between our two companies; mainly, the desire to offer a really unique service and product to customers.

“For us, the opportunity to introduce our brand to travellers who may not have experienced our Queen West store was a really ripe one. We want to offer guests a unique selection of travel goods, souvenirs and apparel to enjoy during their travels and to take back to their families and loved ones. Everyone is always on the hunt for something different and quirky to bring home from a trip, and we feel that Drake General Store offers just that opportunity.

“We are proud of Toronto, and the opportunity to help infuse the customer experience with the city’s energy, passion and excitement - something that both Drake General Store and UP Express prioritize. We think that UP Express will be an amazing addition to city infrastructure, and its commitment to exceptional customer experience mirrors our commitment to the same.”