US women’s apparel chain Express will close all 17 stores in Canada and exit the market completely.

Express, which has 635 stores in the US, launched Express Fashion Apparel Canada in 2011, seeing the neighbouring market as an opportunity for growth. Closing-down sales will commence in about a week.

But, as other US retailers have discovered, including Target, the market is very different across the border.

“The challenging Canadian retail environment, coupled with unfavorable exchange rates prevented us from meeting the expectations we had when we entered the market,” president and CEO David Kornberg said in a statement.

“Our overriding focus remains to invest in and direct our resources towards those areas that can generate the greatest return, including growing our e-commerce business, relaunching our customer loyalty program, and continuing to build our omnichannel capabilities to allow our customers to engage with our brand and shop wherever, whenever, and however they want.”

In the year to January 28, Express Canada achieved sales of US$34 million, losing $6 million.