Universal Lighting
Universal Lighting Canada is a family-owned lighting retailer founded in 1961 in Toronto, operating a North York showroom and Shopify e-commerce platform. It sells fixtures from 40+ brands and serves residential consumers and design trade professionals across Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersNorth York, Canada
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Universal Lighting does
Universal Lighting Canada is a privately held, family-owned specialty lighting retailer founded in 1961 by Charles Feldman in Toronto. The company operates a single flagship showroom at 121 Cartwright Avenue in North York, Ontario, displaying thousands of lighting fixtures, alongside a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at universallighting.ca that ships across Canada. Now in its third generation of family ownership and structured as a women-owned and led small business, Universal Lighting carries products from over 40 lighting brands including Kuzco, Alora, Hudson Valley, Hinkley, Eurofase, and Maxim, organized into categories spanning ceiling lighting, wall lighting, portables and lamps, ceiling fans, exterior lighting, mirrors, bulbs, and home decor accessories.
The business differentiates from pure-play online lighting retailers through a layered services model: in-house fixture repairs, customization services (painting to any color, replating across 15 metal finishes, and lengthening), custom manufacturing in collaboration with brand suppliers for one-off designs, and both in-person and online virtual consultations with lighting specialists. It also operates a content-marketing asset called Lighting 101 covering fixture sizing, condo lighting solutions, light layering, and metal mixing, which functions as a top-of-funnel education channel. Products are individually priced with a range from approximately $77 entry-level fixtures to over $10,000 for high-end chandeliers, with no subscription or recurring revenue component identified.
Universal Lighting serves two primary customer segments: residential consumers (homeowners and condo dwellers seeking lighting for personal projects) and commercial/trade professionals (interior designers, architects, and commercial clients including restaurants and malls), with the latter requiring building lighting packages for larger-scale developments. Revenue mechanics are one-time unit sales transacted through both the physical showroom and the e-commerce platform. The company has no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, no patents, and no headcount figure in the source data; it operates as an independent Canadian small business serving the GTA and broader Canadian market.
Universal Lighting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Universal Lighting
- Legal name
- Universal Lighting Canada
- Website
- https://universallighting.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Universal Lighting Canada is a family-owned lighting retailer founded in 1961 in Toronto, operating a North York showroom and Shopify e-commerce platform. It sells fixtures from 40+ brands and serves residential consumers and design trade professionals across Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Universal Lighting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lighting Fixtures Retail
- SIC
- Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indoor Lighting Fixtures Retail (Ceiling, Wall, Pendant, Chandeliers) (CRAIAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Outdoor & Landscape Lighting Retail (Path, Flood, Security, Deck) (CRAIAHAC), Architectural/Recessed & Track Lighting Retail (CRAIAHAH), Commercial & Industrial Lighting Retail (High Bay, Troffers, Warehouse) (CRAIAHAG)
Keywords
Where Universal Lighting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North York
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Universal Lighting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Retail Lighting Sales: Direct sales of lighting fixtures and home decor products to consumers and trade professionals through both e-commerce platform and physical showroom. Products range from budget-friendly options to high-end designer fixtures.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer retail pricing for lighting fixtures |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Universal Lighting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Universal Lighting is a family-owned specialty retailer that sells lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, mirrors, light bulbs, and home décor accessories sourced from over 40 brands through a large physical showroom in North York, Toronto and a Shopify-based e-commerce platform. The company complements its product assortment with lighting consultation services (in-person and virtual), customization, repair, and manufacturing services. It serves both residential consumers and design trade professionals, with project-based lighting package assembly as a specialty for commercial clients.
Product overview
Universal Lighting is a traditional lighting retail showroom offering a comprehensive selection of lighting products for residential and commercial applications. The product portfolio centers on lighting fixtures organized by category: Ceiling Lighting (chandeliers, pendants, flush mounts, track lighting), Wall Lighting (vanity, sconces, mirrors, picture lights), Portable Lamps (floor, table, outdoor, cordless lamps), Ceiling Fans (indoor/outdoor, smart LED options), Exterior Lighting (landscape, bollards, post mounts, wall lanterns), Light Bulbs, Mirrors, and Home Decor Accessories. The company differentiates through value-added services including fixture customization (painting, replating, lengthening), in-house repairs, manufacturing collaboration for custom pieces, and expert lighting consultations (both online virtual and in-person showroom). They represent over 40 lighting brands and serve both the design trade and residential customers across the GTA and Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ceiling Lighting Ceiling-mounted lighting fixtures including chandeliers, flush/semi-mount, multi-pendant, pendant, and track fixtures sold to residential consumers and trade professionals from the North York showroom and online store.
- Wall Lighting Wall-mounted lighting fixtures including bath/vanity lights and wall sconces sold to residential consumers and trade professionals.
- Track Lighting Track lighting systems sold as a distinct category alongside other ceiling lighting for residential and trade buyers.
- Lamps (Portables) Portable table and floor lamps sold as a standalone category to residential consumers and trade professionals.
- Ceiling Fans Ceiling fans sold alongside lighting fixtures to residential and trade customers.
- Exterior/Outdoor Lighting Outdoor and exterior lighting fixtures sold to residential consumers and trade professionals for exterior applications.
- Light Bulbs Replacement and specialty light bulbs sold as a standalone product category.
- Mirrors Decorative mirrors sold as part of the home décor assortment.
- Home Decor Accessories Home décor accessories complementary to the lighting assortment, sold alongside lighting fixtures.
- Lighting Consultation Services In-person showroom consultations and online virtual consultations provided to remote customers and trade professionals for selecting lighting fixtures and planning projects.
- Customization Services Customization services for lighting fixtures to meet specific customer or project requirements.
- Repair Services Repair services for lighting fixtures provided to customers.
- Manufacturing Services Manufacturing services supporting the lighting product offering, including for custom or trade project needs.
Companies that use Universal Lighting
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Universal Lighting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Universal Lighting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Kuzco LightingcoreKuzco is a featured supplier brand showcased through catalogs and digital resources on the Universal Lighting website, including their full line catalogue and supplements.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Universal Lighting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lights.com: Online-first specialty lighting retailer offering residential fixtures from multiple brands. Comparable as a multi-brand lighting retailer competing for the same mid- to premium-range residential customer.
- Lumens: Premium online lighting and home furnishings retailer carrying designer and architectural lighting brands. Comparable as a multi-brand lighting specialist with strong trade and consumer positioning similar to Universal Lighting's premium SKUs.
- Lamps Plus: Large North American specialty lighting retailer operating showrooms plus a major e-commerce site, selling residential lighting across price points. Most directly comparable as a multi-channel, multi-brand lighting retailer with value-added services.
- Y Lighting: Online specialty lighting retailer focused on residential and commercial fixtures from premium brands. Comparable as a multi-brand, project-oriented lighting retailer serving both consumers and trade professionals.
Regional players
- Rona: Canadian home improvement retailer with a lighting assortment. Comparable as a Canadian competitor for residential lighting and ceiling fans, though Rona competes more on DIY breadth than destination showroom experience.
Broad incumbents
- Lowe's: Big-box home improvement retailer competing in the same indoor, outdoor, and ceiling fan lighting categories. Comparable on assortment overlap and DIY consumer competition for entry- to mid-range fixtures.
- West Elm: Design-forward home furnishings retailer with a meaningful lighting assortment. Comparable as a design-trade-aware multi-channel retailer competing for the same style-conscious residential customer.
- Home Depot: Big-box home improvement retailer with a substantial lighting department across indoor, outdoor, and ceiling fan categories. Comparable on category overlap and competitive pressure, but not a specialty lighting destination.
- Restoration Hardware (RH): Premium home furnishings brand with galleries and a strong lighting assortment. Comparable at the premium end of Universal Lighting's catalog where high-ticket designer fixtures and project-based specification overlap.
- Wayfair: Mass-market online home goods retailer with a large lighting assortment. Comparable as a broad e-commerce competitor in residential lighting, but operating at much greater scale and category breadth.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Universal Lighting social profiles
Digital presenceUniversal Lighting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Universal Lighting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Universal Lighting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Universal Lighting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Universal Lighting
What does Universal Lighting do?
Universal Lighting is a family-owned specialty retailer that sells lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, mirrors, light bulbs, and home décor accessories sourced from over 40 brands through a large physical showroom in North York, Toronto and a Shopify-based e-commerce platform. The company complements its product assortment with lighting consultation services (in-person and virtual), customization, repair, and manufacturing services. It serves both residential consumers and design trade professionals, with project-based lighting package assembly as a specialty for commercial clients.
Is Universal Lighting a public or private company?
Universal Lighting is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Universal Lighting founded?
Universal Lighting was founded in 1961.
Where is Universal Lighting based?
Universal Lighting is headquartered in North York, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Universal Lighting make money?
One revenue line is on record: retail Lighting Sales.
Who are Universal Lighting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lights.com, Lumens, Lamps Plus and Y Lighting. Rona is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Lowe's, West Elm, Home Depot, Restoration Hardware (RH) and Wayfair.
Does Universal Lighting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Universal Lighting.
What industry is Universal Lighting in?
Universal Lighting's product category is Lighting Fixtures Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIAHAA, Indoor Lighting Fixtures Retail (Ceiling, Wall, Pendant, Chandeliers), with a secondary code of CRAIAHAC, Outdoor & Landscape Lighting Retail (Path, Flood, Security, Deck). Its SIC code is 5700.