Toronto malls turn into complete chaos over luxury merch launch
Toronto malls turned into complete chaos over the weekend as hundreds of people lined up overnight for the highly anticipated AP x Swatch "Royal Pop" watch launch on May 16.
Massive crowds had already formed across the city long before stores even opened, including lineups at CF Sherway Gardens, Yorkdale, Fairview Mall and Eaton Centre; the latter reportedly had 60 units that had sold out within minutes.
Social media videos showed packed hallways and parking lots, overnight campers, and security scrambling to control crowds.
It's a well-known fact that Toronto residents will line up for pretty much anything. So, it's not surprising to see this many people lining up to secure one of the colourful new watches, which blend Swatch's signature playful style with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet's iconic Royal Oak design.
While some people were waiting in line to secure items for themselves, resale listings quickly confirmed that others were hoping to make a hefty profit. The watches, which retail for $525, soon began appearing online for more than double the price, including one on eBay currently sitting at $1,300.
Although chaos broke out at multiple locations, it escalated rather quickly at CF Sherway Gardens and Fairview Mall, where crowds reportedly grew so large that management decided to close the stores over safety concerns.
Hundreds of people had reportedly lined up outside the Sherway Gardens location by early Friday morning, with one Reddit user confirming the closure. "Waited since 3 a.m. They said the reason [to remain closed] was too many people at the doors," they wrote.
Another user expressed frustration after noticing people cutting in line, writing, "The police and hired security were inadequate and had no control. Shit was just a mess. They cancelled the drop and said they don't know when they'll have it as of now."
Meanwhile, one Reddit user confirmed the lack of inventory at the Fairview Mall location: "Fairway is cooked. They're telling less than 40 pieces in store with over 200 people waiting."
Swatch Canada later took to its social media account to affirm that stores at Sherway Gardens and Fairview Mall would remain closed due to "public safety considerations."
Representatives for Sherway Gardens were unavailable for comment at the time of publication. However, a representative for Fairview Mall confirmed with blogTO that its Swatch store remains open, though there was allegedly a lineup of 100 people waiting to get inside Tuesday afternoon.
Despite overwhelming demand, Swatch announced on social media that the new collection will remain available in stores for "several months."
If you're looking to expand your watch collection, it appears you still have plenty of time to shop these coveted items in Toronto.
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