'I’m grateful we survived': Local retailer celebrates 20 years

BB Branded owner Ayad Saddy in Windsor, Ont., on Saturday, April 20, 2024. (Bob Bellacicco/CTV News Windsor)

In 2004, 19-year-old Ayad Saddy opened BB Branded in downtown Windsor with his brother because they wanted to be entrepreneurs.

“Didn’t know nothing about nothing, we decided to rent this space six feet wide and a hundred deep on Ouellette,” Saddy said. “It was on Ouellette, the old gold shop.”

Four years later they were hit with the financial crisis of 2008 but found a way to survive. Shortly after that things changed when the brothers landed the Nike account.

“We got a limited edition account from Nike. It’s one of the highest accounts in the country.”

They expanded into a sneaker boutique, expanded and took over the building. In 2014 they opened at Devonshire Mall near the former Sears. They are now located in the heart of the mall in a new 6,000 square foot tech infused sneaker boutique.

Saddy says he is thankful for the local support and is proud to be celebrating 20 years in business, including 10 years at Devonshire Mall. “It’s not easy to do local business at the end of the day. I’m grateful we survived.”

The company is also relaunching their WinCity brand hoping to help organizations through collaborative fundraising opportunities.