Umbra, the Canadian home accessories design firm, has opened a store in the Jinqiao Mall in Shanghai. Umbra’s picture frames and some other items could be seen recently in large amounts in the Urban Barn store in the SmartCentre at Laird Drive and Wicksteed Ave. Umbra’s history is interesting because it started as a supplier to retail firms some 33 years ago and many of its designs were very smart. Its vertical transition has been on-going for a number of years and has led to less interest among independent shops which do not want to compete with a supplier at the retail level. Nonetheless, there is no denying the extraordinary success of Umbra.
