 West 49 was established in 1995 by CEO Sam Baio, who opened three stores in Ontario, Canada.As of 2005, the company operated 65 locations in seven provinces, employed nearly 1,000 employees, and reported US$86 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending January 29, 2005.Starting in 2001, West 49 sponsored and hosted an annual international skate event, the West 49 Canadian Open.