Some businesses begin with an opportunity. Others begin because someone sees something missing and decides to create it themselves.
That is what makes Sandra and MALA MTL’s story so special.
Sandra started MALA in 2018 with a simple but meaningful purpose: to make second-hand and vintage fashion accessible to a plus-size community that had been largely overlooked by traditional retail.
What started online grew into pop-ups, private appointments and, over the years, a real community. MALA became more than a place to find clothes — it became a place where people could walk in, find something they genuinely loved in their size, express themselves through fashion, and most importantly, feel represented.
When I had the opportunity to work with Sandra, what stood out to me wasn’t simply her business concept. It was how deeply she believed in why MALA needed to exist.
Helping her find a permanent home on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, where she could bring that vision to life, made this transaction particularly meaningful to me.
Today, MALA is a colourful, welcoming space filled with carefully curated second-hand and vintage pieces — but what Sandra has built goes far beyond the racks.
She has created a space for her community.
And that’s one of the things I love most about commercial real estate. Sometimes you’re not simply helping someone find a storefront. You’re helping an entrepreneur give a physical home to an idea they’ve been building for years.
Because when the right business finds the right space, it can create an impact far beyond its four walls.
Discover MALA MTL
IG: @malamtl
