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BRIEF: Chico’s/White House Black Market Exiting Canada, Polstar Announces First 3 Stores

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Retail Insider
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Volvo-Owned Polestar Announces First Three Canadian Showrooms

Automaker Volvo-owned electric performance brand Polestar will open three storefronts in Canada this fall. The first three showrooms will be in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver in high-profile downtown locations. The company will also open service centres in Victoria, BC and Waterloo, ON.

In Toronto, Polestar will open at Yorkville Village (formerly Hazelton Lanes) at 55 Avenue Road in the wealthy Yorkville area. In Montreal, Polestar’s showroom will be at 1255 boulevard René Levesque West in downtown Montreal, located at the base of a new mixed-use high-rise in a rapidly changing part of the city. In Vancouver, Polestar will open at 827 Seymour Street which is at the base of The Capitol Residences condominium building where Retail Insider was once based out of.

IMAGE OF POLESTAR VEHICLE. PHOTO: VOLVO

The three Polestar retail spaces will be similar in size to electric vehicle brands Tesla and Genesis Motors which operate several showrooms in Canada as well. “95% of Canadian Polestar owners and reservation holders live within the 240-kilometre home delivery range of these Polestar retail Spaces,” said Polestar Canada general manager Hugues Bissonnette in a press release. “With this coverage, plus the two additional service centres, we are confident that the Canadian market will be well-supported from day one.”

The Canadian Polestar stores will operate in partnerships with retail groups Grand Touring Automobiles and GAIN Group. Last year we reported that Polestar had partnered with Montreal-based Groupe Park Avenue and that plans were in place to open a first retail location in Montreal. That deal was subsequently terminated.

Prices for Polestar vehicles in Canada will start at about $70,000.

CHICO’S STOREFRONT AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE — THE STORE CLOSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. PHOTO: ADAM MCCOWN

All Chico’s and White House Black Market Stores to Close in Canada Amid Bankruptcy

Womenswear retailer Chico’s FAS Canada filed for bankruptcy last week and the company will shut all of its Canadian stores. Chico’s entered the Canadian market in 2013 and failed to expand beyond southern Ontario, despite plans to open stores across the country.

The company’s first store in Canada was a White House Black Market storefront which opened in October of 2013 at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The retail concept subsequently opened stores at Square One in Mississauga, Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Mapleview Centre in Burlington, and at the Outlet Collection at Niagara near Niagara Falls.

WHITE HOUSE BLACK MARKET STOREFRONT AT YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE. PHOTO: ADAM MCCOWN

All of the company’s Canadian stores closed in March due to COVID-19. The Canadian operations were losing money according to the company. Clearance sales will be held this month and the stores will close in the fall. Canadians will be able to continue to shop for the brands on e-commerce websites.

Canadian Bonnie Brooks, formerly head of the Hudson’s Bay Company, was President and CEO of Chico’s FAS until June of this year. Chico’s has more than 1,300 stores in North America and the company will close as many as 60 units following struggles. Last quarter, the company lost nearly US $180 million.

EXTERIOR OF MOORES CLOTHING STORE.

Moores Parent Company, Tailored Brands, Files for Bankruptcy

The parent company for mid-priced Canadian menswear retail chain Moores filed for bankruptcy on Sunday and according to filings, the 126-store retailer will remain operational for the time being. Moores operates 54 stores in Ontario, 25 stores in Quebec, 16 in BC, 15 in Alberta, five in Manitoba, four in Nova Scotia, three in New Brunswick, two in Saskatchewan, and one store in both Newfoundland and PEI.

US Parent company Tailored Brands is looking to restructure the company to remain operational according to a press release issued on Sunday.

In Canada, retailer Laura Shoppes, which operates under the Laura and Melanie Lynn banners, also filed for bankruptcy protection last week. All stores will remain open amid a restructuring. Various other retailers have filed and announced store closings — David's Tea will shut all but 18 stores in Canada, and Frank And Oak will keep only three of its 20 units open. Montreal-based retailer Reitmans is fighting for its future and will hopefully remain operational despite struggles. Sources are saying we can expect many more filings in the weeks and moths to come amid an acceleration due to COVID-19.

WOMEN’S READY-TO-WEAR BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE

Saint Laurent Opens Three Boutique Concessions in Montreal

Kering-owned French luxury brand Saint Laurent unveiled three boutique spaces last week in Montreal at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. They join a men's Saint Laurent boutique concession that opened in the spring of 2019.

The new Saint Laurent boutique spaces include a leather goods boutique on the ground floor luxury hall of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, a women's footwear boutique on the second level in the women's shoe department, and a women's ready-to-wear salon on the third floor of the store which features other major luxury brands. We've included photos of all four Saint Laurent concessions.

Prior to opening these, Saint Laurent had a presence at the former Holt Renfrew store on Sherbrooke Street which closed last month to coincide with the opening of all six retail levels of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. In 1981, an Yves Saint Laurent boutique opened at 1330 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal. Owner York-Hannover also opened a Saint Laurent storefront at Hazelton Lanes in Toronto.

Saint Laurent currently operates standalone stores in Vancouver at 746 Thurlow Street, at Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre, as well as a large concession at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street in Toronto. All three carry women's and men's ready-to-wear as well as bags, accessories and footwear.

Thank you Maxime Frechette for taking photos used in this Brief.

VIEW OF ENTRANCE TO TORONTO PREMIUM OUTLETS. PHOTO: SIMON PROPERTY GROUP

Toronto Premium Outlets Adds Moncler and Balenciaga to the Retail Mix

The Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills is becoming one of North America's most luxury-focused outlet centres. Last week luxury brand Balenciaga opened its first Canadian outlet store at the centre and now Italian luxury fashion and outerwear brand Moncler will be joining it, making Toronto Premium Outlets by far the leading centre of its kind in Canada in terms of luxury brand offerings.

Last year, a Brunello Cucinelli outlet store opened at Toronto Premium Outlets as well, joining an already impressive roster of outlets for brands such as Saint Laurent, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Versace, Montblanc, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Ports 1961, and Movado. We toured the outlet mall's new luxury wing when the expansion opened in the fall of 2018.

It's a considerably more robust lineup of brands when compared to the McArthur Glen outlets at Vancouver International Airport, which was positioned as a luxury centre when it opened in the summer of 2015. The Montreal Premium Outlets, operated by the same landlord as Toronto Premium Outlets, features luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo — the centre formerly housed Gucci and Max Mara outlets which have closed.

Thank you again Maxime Frechette for information for this section of the Brief.

DRIVEIN TO INITIAITVE HAPPENING AT CF SHERWAY GARDENS. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW

Cadillac Fairview Expands Mall Parking Lot Drive in Theatres

Cadillac Fairview has introduced its outdoor movie experience at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. Created in partnership with the City of Toronto's DriveIn TO initiative, CF Sherway Gardens is transforming its parking lot into an outdoor movie theatre for three consecutive weekends.

The initiative, which began on Thursday, July 30, will run for three weekends from Thursday to Saturday and feature two separate screenings per night — one at 6:00pm and one at 9:00pm. Each weekend will feature two different movies, including comedy blockbusters and animated films so all can enjoy. On the third weekend, CF is proudly partnering with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) to host two special nights with a rotation showcasing fantastic Canadian documentary content including, True North: Inside the Rise of Toronto Basketball and nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up.

The cost to attend is $10 per car, per movie, and all proceeds will be donated to St. Joseph's Hospital. Tickets will be available for online purchase starting Wednesday July 29 at 12pm noon. Spots are limited to 100 cars per movie screening.

It's the second Cadillac Fairview-owned mall to feature a drive-in theatre, and more malls are expected to follow. We reported on the first one last month at CF Markville in Markham, just north of Toronto.

The Neighbourhood Joint

The Neighbourhood Joint Launches in Toronto with Pneumatic Tube System

The Neighbourhood Joint (THJ) has announced the opening of its first cannabis retail location in Toronto’s Beaches at 1987 Queen St. E. in Toronto. The store features a pneumatic tube system allowing for quick and efficient retrieval of stock — something of a relic of the past. The Neighbourhood Joint will focus on cannabis education and offer a wide selection of products with an emphasis on organic and sustainable cannabis.

CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE MAP

As an ode to the mode of communication used in the 1930s between Toronto’s City Hall reporters and newspapers like The Toronto Star and The Toronto Telegram, the family-owned retailer installed the pneumatic tube system as a key design element in their store. The fast retrieval of stock due to The pneumatic tubes will allow for fast-retrieval of stock and increased efficiency, requiring less handling of product by staff. Additionally, TNJ’s focus on organic and sustainable cannabis is a key brand pillar that will play a strong role within the store.

A recycling program is set to be put in place by the company for products that are not reusable, such as pre-filled vape pens, to ensure TNJ maintains their ethos of an environmentally conscious brand. TNJ will also implement a loyalty program, free for customers to join that will allow them to receive 20% off their next purchase.

Independently and family owned the store had their soft opening on July 28, with their grand opening on August 1.

INTERIOR OF NEW SUPERETTE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: SUPERETTE INC.

Superette Expands Retail Presence into Toronto and Announces First Branded Cannabis Product

Canadian cannabis retailer Superette Inc has announced its expansion into Toronto, with a store located at 1073 Yonge Street. Expanding on its first store and overwhelming success in Ottawa, Superette is bringing its award-winning approach to cannabis retail and decades of traditional retail experience to this flagship store in the Summerhill neighbourhood.

“Opening in Toronto is an incredible milestone, and we are so excited to bring Superette to Canada’s largest market,” said Mimi Lam, CEO of Superette. “Retail is our first step in building an immersive brand experience and we are establishing the foundation for prudent expansion of Superette across Canada and beyond.”

INTERIOR OF NEW SUPERETTE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: SUPERETTE INC.

Superette is also introducing its first Superette-branded cannabis products. The Company has previously entered into definitive agreements with Fume Labs and the Blinc Group as its extraction and hardware partners, respectively, for the production and sale of cannabis vape products under the Superette brand.

The first product to be produced and sold is a 0.5 gram single-strain 510 cartridge with a unique cannabis formulation and custom hardware. Named Jumping Jack, this 510 cartridge uses CO2-extracted distillate with re-introduced natural terpenes and is a true representation of a Jack Herer, Super Silver Haze cross.

INTERIOR OF NEW SUPERETTE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: SUPERETTE INC.

“At Superette, we can’t wait to roll out our portfolio of cannabis products across Canada,” said Mimi. “Fume Labs and the Blinc Group are incredible partners and we’re very fortunate to be working with them on our first product.”

Superette’s has aggressive expansion plans for the near future, with additional locations including:

  • 49 Spadina Ave, Toronto

  • 994 Dundas Street West, Toronto

  • 852 Bank Street, Ottawa

Superette’s newest store will be open for in-store shopping as well as click and collect. For more information, visit Superette’s website. at www.superetteshop.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Survey: Majority of Retailers in Canada Plan to Hire this Year Amid COVID Challenges

By
Craig Patterson
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Retail Insider, in partnership with Toronto-based Best Retail Careers International Inc., recently conducted a survey of retailers and the findings were surprising. A poll allowed retailers to anonymously answer a series of questions about plans for staffing between now and into the fall and then into the December holiday shopping season.

The study indicated that the vast majority of retailers surveyed are looking to hire into the fall and winter of this year. “Headlines abound touting that retailers in demise are shedding large numbers of employees. The headlines are daily. Be prepared to reset that vision,” said Suzanne Sears, founder and CEO of Best Retail Careers International Inc. in an interview with Retail Insider on the study’s findings.

“The study found that 89% of retailers taking the survey reported that they do intend to hire. The hiring process will be spread out over the balance of 2020, with 29% of respondents saying that they’re hiring immediately, 27% plan to hire within the next three months, and the remainder of hires planned will be for seasonal holiday selling.”

Those results indicate some confidence in the retail industry at a time when some media has often focused on the negative. Some retailers are reporting stronger than anticipated sales. Some luxury brands in particular are seeing higher sales now when compared to this time last year, prompting Suzanne Sears to launch a new luxury retail industry recruiting platform which will include a job board on the Retail Insider website. During a recent visit to Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area, Ms. Sears said that some luxury brands had told her that sales in some instances had been record-breaking recently, with one recent addition to the neighbourhood saying that sales are now triple what they were last year when the brand opened its concession within Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street.

In terms of government subsidies leading to increased hiring now and into the fall, Ms. Sears said, “These staffing intentions seem quite firm. One would expect that the 75% wage subsidy program from CEWS is the factor underlying this confidence. Retailers know they will have the funds to pay staff.”

Ms. Sears noted that there is some uncertainty in the industry, however. “We can speculate that the respondents want to see real sales continue but also have in mind a potential second wave of COVID-19 that might shut them down again. They do not want to be in a high head count position if this happens again,” she said.

“So who are these people retailers intend to hire? Surprisingly, only 60% intend to recall their furloughed staff to fill the anticipated hiring sprees. Yet at the same time 70% of retailers anticipate some of their staff will not be willing to return to work. What can we interpret from this seeming conflict of retailers expecting staff to not return when called yet retailers only intend to extend offers to 60% of who they furloughed?”

Ms. Sears explained how the answer might be that many retailers surveyed must have ‘packaged out’ some of their more senior staff at higher salaries while at the same time using this transition period to evaluate the best performers. This has led to a trimming of head counts to reflect bringing back just their most valued staff, she said.

“At the same time then we must look at what categories of staff retailers intend to hire. In the study, 66% of respondents said that they were looking to hire only part time staff. About 35% said that they would hire full time staff. This is a fairly startling statistic. There are a few potential problems with this strategy.”

“First off, the CEWS funding was meant to keep staff employed at the levels they were before. Retail represents roughly 25% of the entire economy and many are not intending to use these funds this way. Rather, they intend to rehire on thinner hours, and this may conflict with the goals of the Federal Government,” Ms. Sears said.

She went on to explain some other concerns regarding government funds used to rehire staff amid store closures due to COVID-19. “The goal for CEWS was also to retain the headcount prior to COVID-19. Clearly it seems that no retailers actually intend to do that but are in fact shrinking head count by an estimated 10%. Now while not all retailers are using the federal funding, the averages suggest that many are.”

“Thus we can see the Federal government and retailers butting heads this Fall: intent versus actual use of CEWS funds.”

“Now the second matter is the actual availability of part time staff. Are they willing to trade full time jobs with benefits for insecure, seasonal part time work? Here we run into the CERB funding issue. While many think that CERB is preventing staff from taking on work, a little digging reveals that in most cases, the offers the employers have made to them are insufficient to entice them back. They are facing massive childcare decisions and problems with feeling safe.”

“If indeed people are in a position where CERB is over, it is false to believe they will thus be pushed by lack of options into accepting underemployment as their new reality. Statistics Canada already shows over half a million people have simply stopped looking for work at this time but do want to go to work at some point.”

Ms. Sears explained that retailers relying upon hiring 66% all part time workers may find themselves caught off guard for holiday sales as retail staff begin to reject the offers even without CERB funds.

“Additionally, retailers in the survey indicated a pushback on minimum wage offers and are quite concerned they will not be able to afford the demands of hiring new staff.”

Ms. Sears provided a caution to retailers noting that there may be a reluctance amongst some employees to take public transit in order to get to their jobs. “This was a hiring problem before COVID-19 but seems to be gaining more prominence in staffing obstacles now due to safety fears.”

“In the survey, our last question centred on hiring staff for luxury retailers. While luxury represents a small and unique employment sector that was difficult to staff, 55% of retailers now say it is very hard to recruit luxury staff. Luxury is a small segment of Canadian retail; no more than 15% in total sales, and results in the study appear to show that more than half of them are struggling to find the calibre of staff they need.”

Luxury retailers are different in their staffing needs according to Ms. Sears, seeking out the best talent possible who can provide high-quality service to a discerning customer. “Luxury retailers have more unique hiring criteria to meet than mainstream retail does. These brands are highly sensitive as to who they wish to represent their brands,” she said. “There are often demands to travel or relocate attached to these roles and for in-home selling visits. Overall the talent pool is small for luxury retailers and the filters to hire are set very, very high.”

“The overall conclusion of the survey is that retailers are eager to hire and intend to hire even if the hiring does not look like any hiring initiative that they have ever executed before. These are unprecedented times and retailers may need some help on boarding staff required to maintain operations.”

In early August, Best Retail Careers International Inc. will be launching a luxury staffing platform in partnership with Retail Insider, including a high-end job board that will expand across Canada. The initial focus will be on Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area and the program will subsequently expand across the country. A virtual employment fair will also be held.

For more information on the new job board and career fair, email Craig Patterson at: craig@retail-insider.com

Unique Virtual Reality Arcade Opens at Calgary’s Southcentre Post COVID-19 Shutdown

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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EXTERIOR OF SOUTHCENTRE MALL IN CALGARY

A unique virtual reality experience has been launched at Calgary’s Southcentre Mall.

VRKADE is the newest tenant at the mall and it specializes in both educational programs and experiential entertainment for individuals and groups.

“At VRKADE, we are dedicated to curating quality virtual reality experiences for all ages in a safe and enjoyable environment,” said Jason Van Hierden, CEO of VRKADE Inc. “We believe in harnessing the power of community to connect with each of our guests on a personal level and we truly value Southcentre Mall’s shared commitment to creating community spaces where people can engage in meaningful experiences.”

SOUTHCENTRE MALL’S NEWEST TENANT, VRKADE, HOPES TO BE A SAFE SPACE TO RECONNECT IN PERSON POST-COVID SHUTDOWNS

VRKADE provides a variety of virtual experiences using cutting-edge technology. A number of unique virtual escape rooms are available as well as a big library of single and multi-player arcade games. Educational camps and field trips are also offered for children from ages 8 to 16.

“As a hub for the local community, Southcentre is excited to introduce Calgarians to VRKADE and the immersive experiences it has to offer,” said Alexandra Velosa, Marketing Manager, Southcentre Mall. “We know that families and friends are looking for safe ways to reconnect in person and we hope that as they begin to explore what their new normal looks like, they will have the opportunity to discover VRKADE’s extensive repertoire of fun and educational virtual activities.

A LOOK INSIDE VRKADE SHOWING ITS INDIVIDUAL BOOTHS
  • MAN USING VRKADE VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLES
  • MAN USING VRKADE VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLES
INTERIOR OF VRKADE

“Malls are more than just a place to go shopping. They have become a community hub and that is what we are trying to reflect with Southcentre and our unique retailers in the mall. It’s about bringing our community together and giving them opportunities to enjoy, have fun, relax and now these days in a safe way.

“For us, it was about bringing something different and unique that will not only bring people to the mall but it gives them an opportunity to experience something different and unique. Virtual reality is not something you find in every single mall in Calgary.”

Officials said people can expect to have access to their own curtained-off area to provide privacy as well as spatial guidance while using virtual reality headsets.

VRKADE is based in Calgary and has six locations — three in Calgary, one in Lethbridge (the original location), one in Nanaimo, and one in Abbotsford.

CALGARY-BASED VRKADE HAS PLANS FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Jessica Smith, part-owner of the Southcentre Mall location and Director of Operations for VRKADE’s corporate office, said the company has plans for expansion.

“We do sell franchises and we do have current plans to continue to expand corporately. We do continue to get lots of interest and continue to grow. We do definitely have our eyes set on that,” she said.

“We’re a virtual reality company that offers entertainment and education. As a core part of our company we offer entertainment to anybody that is interested in doing a fun activity. You come into our stores. We have individually set up curtained off areas. You get your individual booth with your headset and controllers. We walk you through the set up where we explain everything to you and support you into getting into games. We can connect you with friends and family and single and multi-player games. You can actually in a multi-player game see one another and interact with each other. It’s like you’re right there next to each other but you could be at different locations. So it’s very cool.”

LOCATION OF VRKADE IN SOUTHCENTRE MALL

The Southcentre location has 17 full stations and a party room. It is in 2,730 square feet of space. The education component includes summer and spring camps and personal development days during school. There are a wide variety of programs that include things like kids building their own atoms to flying to and landing on the moon.

Southcentre Mall, which is part of Oxford Properties Group, has over 160 stores and services, including Calgary exclusives like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and western Canada’s first Sporting Life.

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213: Brands Opening Stores & Ann Taylor, Mendocino and Swimco Filings/Closures

By
Retail Insider
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This week Craig & Lee talk about brands opening stores including Dyson and Canada Goose, why experiential retail is needed for physical stores to survive, as well as filings and store closures for Ann Taylor, Mendocino and Swimco.  

The Weekly podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Article Details: 

  1. Dyson to Open 3rd Canadian Retail Space in Calgary

  2. All Ann Taylor, LOFT and Justice Stores Closing in Canada  as US Parent Ascena Files
  3. Canadian Fashion Retailer ‘Mendocino’ to Permanently Shut Stores Amid Insolvency

  4. National Swimwear Retailer ‘Swimco’ Files for Creditor Protection: CEO Interview

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Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

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Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Canadian Footwear Brand Maguire Opens First Toronto Store

By
Megan Harman
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EXTERIOR VIEW OF NEW MAGUIRE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: NIAMH BARRY PHOTOGRAPHY

At a time when many brands and retailers are downsizing and closing stores as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montreal-based footwear brand Maguire is expanding with a new Toronto store and growing online sales. The brand has benefitted from being nimble, adaptable, and from having a direct-to-consumer distribution model during this challenging period, according to designer and Co-Founder Myriam Maguire.

MAGUIRE SPECIALIZIES IN HIGH-QUALITY SHOES AT A FAIR AND TRANSPARENT PRICE

Maguire specializes in high-quality women’s shoes at fair and transparent prices. Sisters Myriam and Romy Maguire launched the brand in 2017.

After having spent years learning about the footwear business as a designer with major international brands such as Benetton and ALDO, Myriam found that there were many hidden costs in the price of shoes, and the average customer was unaware of the true costs associated with manufacturing shoes.

“Everywhere I went, quality shoes were expensive, and it was hard to find something with good quality but at a fair price,” she says. “We wanted to offer more transparency to our customers.” The brand offers footwear, handbags, and accessories starting at $115, with a focus on quality, durable materials, such as genuine leather and suede. A detailed breakdown of prices is available on Maguire’s website.

CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP OF MAGUIRE STORE IN TORONTO

THE DIGITALLY-NATIVE BRAND NOW HAS TWO PERMANENT STORES

Maguire launched with an online distribution model, in addition to hosting pop-up shops. Last year, the brand opened its first permanent store on Montreal’s St. Laurent Boulevard, and after several years of assessing potential Toronto locations, Maguire opened its second permanent store in late June. The new store is located at 1514 Dundas Street West in Little Portugal. Myriam says the neighbourhood was a nice fit for Maguire, since there are numerous other independent boutiques in the area, and many of the brand’s customers live nearby.

The public health restrictions associated with the pandemic forced Maguire to open the new store later than originally planned, as well as putting bigger growth plans on hold.

“COVID forced us to really rethink the speed of our growth, for at least a few months,” Myriam says. Now, however, she anticipates there will be attractive opportunities to expand. “Every time there’s a crisis like this, a lot of stores close, so that means the rent will go down a bit. We’re going to try to take advantage of the opportunities that emerge.”

In particular, she hopes to open a store in New York City and one in Paris. Rather than operating a large network of stores, Maguire intends to focus primarily on online distribution supported by a handful of stores in major cities, providing an opportunity for customers to try on styles.

Instead of targeting central, high-traffic areas, Maguire prefers to operate stores in neighbourhoods outside of the downtown core where rent is more affordable, which ultimately helps to keep costs down for customers.

Maguire aims to provide an in-store shopping experience that is more customer-friendly than a traditional shoe store. For example, shoes are accessible in all sizes so that customers can try on styles without having to wait for an associate to bring out their size.

“We designed it so that it’s more like self-service,” Myriam says. “Of course someone is there to help, but we want to remove the pressure…we felt that [traditional model] was not really serving the customer well.”

The stores are also organized differently than traditional shoe stores, with a smaller, more curated selection of styles. Rather than having dozens of different options for each style of shoe, Maguire focuses on carrying the core essential styles for each season. Myriam describes Maguire’s style as “classic with a twist.”

“We try to just make the best of the best,” she says. “Our styles are classic with a little something different. There are so many basic styles on the market. We always try to add something special.”

With less merchandise to display, the stores are spacious and inviting. “It doesn’t look like your traditional footwear store,” Myriam says. “It’s a bit more like a museum feel.”

The design of the store is part of an effort by Maguire to create a high-end boutique feel. “We’re keeping the price closer to a fast fashion brand,” Myriam says, “but the experience is closer to high-end brands.”

  • INTERIOR OF TORONTO MAGUIRE STORE DISPLAYING PRODUCTS. PHOTO: NIAMH BARRY PHOTOGRAPHY
  • INTERIOR OF TORONTO MAGUIRE STORE DISPLAYING PRODUCTS. PHOTO: NIAMH BARRY PHOTOGRAPHY

The new store is approximately 1,000 square feet in size, and features design elements that reflect the essence of the surrounding area. “We tried to design the store according to the architecture of city,” Myriam says. For example, the floors are more rustic and portions of the wall feature exposed brick. “There’s a bit more of a vintage element to it, compared to Montreal.”

Although many customers still prefer to try on footwear before making a purchase, Myriam says Maguire has seen a significant shift towards online sales recently. “Right now online sales are increasing a lot,” she says. “I think people have realized it’s pretty convenient to order something online.”

MAGUIRE HAS ADAPTED ITS BUSINESS MODEL TO ACCOMMODATE CHANGING CONSUMER HABITS DUE TO COVID-19

A key factor that has helped Maguire thrive in the past few months is being lean enough to have the flexibility to adapt its styles to rapidly changing customer demands as the pandemic has continued. Rather than having to design styles and order footwear many months in advance, Maguire is able to adjust its collections on short notice.

“It’s a different lifestyle now,” Myriam says, noting that sales of flats have surged and shoes with heels have declined in popularity as most social events have been cancelled. “We’re really lucky to be able to adapt our designs really quickly to the market.”

Being lean has also helped Maguire adapt to the public health guidelines in place in response to COVID-19, including reducing capacity in the stores to allow for physical distancing, making hand sanitizer available to customers and quarantining shoes for three days after a customer has tried them on.

“We’re a small team, so it was pretty easy to implement [these measures],” Myriam says.

The Montreal company anticipates lower rents and as a result, and plans to selectively open more locations as well as growing its e-commerce presence.

Fuzz Wax Bar Plans Major Cross-Canada Expansion Over 5 Years

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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EXTERIOR OF FUZZ WAX BAR IN TORONTO

A $7 vintage sweater at a thrift shop brought Florence Gaven-Rossavik and Jessie Frampton together several years ago and today the entrepreneurs have a growing multi-million dollar membership-based, wax bar.

The concept of Fuzz Wax Bar has taken off with more expansion in the works from its roots in Toronto to across the country and possibly internationally.

From that chance meeting, the two quickly became friends and soon discovered that they were both committed to waxing for their hair removal. They were both seeking a wax place to love in the Toronto area, but couldn’t seem to find one.

FUZZ WAX BAR FOCUSES ON AFFORDABILITY, CLEANLINESS, AND EFFICIENCY

They just wanted reasonably-priced services in a clean environment and in a setting that was welcoming and comfortable as well.

“No such place existed at the time. So we did what any enterprising women would do–we built it! We created the experience we wanted to have. And now, Fuzz is a multi-million-dollar company, founded on the principles of body positivity, personal and financial growth, innovation, and community,” say the entrepreneurs.

“We are a membership-based waxing only salon for men and women,” said Frampton.

INTERIOR OF FUZZ WAX BAR FRONT DESK AND PRODUCT SHELVES. PHOTO: FUZZ WAX BAR

The friendship and business partnership between the two began when Frampton asked Gaven-Rossavik her opinion about the vintage sweater she had discovered at Value Village.

“I had never done that before and I haven’t done it since,” said Frampton.

“We had both been waxing for over 10 years. I was going somewhere pretty routinely but I wasn’t happy with the service. And other places in Toronto were typically very expensive or the alternative was sanitation was an issue and it was a little bit shady.”

Gaven-Rossavik mentioned to Frampton a popular concept in Europe that was a waxing only salon. They both realized this was a concept that didn’t exist in their market. And at the time different niche business models were exploding in popularity for things like lash extension bars. They were becoming trendy. But there was no wax bar in Toronto.

FUZZ WAX BAR WAXING TABLE. PHOTO: FUZZ WAX BAR

When researching the concept, they realized the trend was gaining popularity as well in the U.S. and on the West Coast of Canada. After eight months of conversations, the two opened Fuzz Wax Bar in Toronto in February 2012.

“Not only were we selling the concept of a wax bar but we were also selling the concept of a membership. Never in the past had there been memberships tied to beauty. But the minute we opened our doors clients came in. We saw immediate success and we’re very thrilled, we’re lucky and we’re very grateful but we also saw immediate success with our membership,” said Frampton.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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SUPER EXCITING NEWS!! Fuzz Plateau is reopening this Friday! 👏 -- We'll be announcing the reopening of Fuzz Ajax, Whitby, and Oakville soon - stay tuned! 😉

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RED DEER! We are SO excited to announce we’re opening on FRIDAY, JULY 10! 👏 It’s our first Alberta location, and we are thrilled to open. Pre-book your wax today - link in bio!

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“When we developed the model, we developed it from a very client-centred perspective. We created something that was very fast because typically in this city when you get a wax it’s very dragged out and very long. We wanted something that’s affordable. We wanted to be very competitively priced and convenient. Typically people have to schedule their wax around their aesthetician but we wanted a space that people could come in and just come out any time of day without booking an appointment.

“But we also wanted something that was going to motivate our clients to come back. The membership works well because hair grows on a four-week cycle and our membership is taken out every four weeks. They’re pre-paying for their waxing services prior to coming in.”

There was immediate success and the brand started growing corporately right away. There are seven corporate locations currently and three franchise locations with five more expected to open in the next six months.

FUZZ WAX BAR IS EXPANDING ACROSS THE COUNTRY DESPITE COVID-19 DELAYS

Frampton said that the company recently opened a location in Montreal's Griffintown area as well as Red Deer Alberta and in Toronto's Leaside area. A location near the corner of Church Street and Carlton Street in Toronto will be opening soon. “By the end of the year, we’ll be at 13 locations including five franchise-owned and nine locations that are corporately owned.”

Frampton said that Canada could support about 95-100 franchise locations within the next five years.

Prior to COVID-19, Fuzz Wax Bar planned to open its first U.S. location in Chicago as part of an expansion that could see as many as 1000 locations there. That expansion has been halted given the current situation south of the border.

Locations have reopened after shutdowns due to the pandemic. Frampton said that the company already had enhanced sanitization protocols and was well prepared. "Because of COVID, we have tightened up structures and procedures, and everyone now wears masks. Not much has changed although there is now more time between appointments to make sure that we are doing a major clean.”

Fuzz offers waxing in 20 minutes when the industry average is 45. The company said its quick waxing method was created to ensure less pain as only the best wax with high-quality ingredients is used. Wax is never reused.

Lightspeed Launches New Features to Drive Digital Transformation of Retail SMBs

By
Retail Insider
-

Global commerce company Lightspeed has announced new digital features to help SMBs navigate a new retail landscape permanently altered by COVID-19.

The Montreal-based company is supporting its customers with the continued digital transformation of their businesses with new tools that offer increased mobility when processing transactions, more options for viewing business insights, and will better support SMBs as they continue to adjust to consumer behaviour.

In the coming weeks, Lightspeed will introduce business-empowering features for in-store POS and eCommerce, including Mobile Tap supporting curbside pick-up and contactless payment, Digital Wallet, and Analytics Core.

“Our priority as we look to the future of retail is to enable our customers to adapt quickly to the dramatic and rapid changes in consumer behaviour over the past few months,” said Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO of Lightspeed. “The SMBs that Lightspeed powers are innovating quickly because they are equipped with tools that help them remain agile, stay connected with their customers, and future-proof their businesses.”

The digital overhaul forced by COVID-19 has become the new normal, with consumer trends showing that eCommerce will remain crucial as SMBs adopt tactics to elevate the digital experience for their customers. Lightspeed’s new solutions enhance the omnichannel shopping experience, enable greater multi-location efficiencies, and offer opportunities for improved productivity for Lightspeed retailers.

Mobile Tap for Curbside Pick-Up and Contactless Payment

Lightspeed merchants in the U.S. using Lightspeed Payments will now be able to process transactions with just a tap, anywhere in-store or curbside, offering greater flexibility in situations of social distancing. The Mobile Tap hardware connects through Bluetooth, essentially turning an iPad into a contactless mobile payments terminal. Payments are processed securely with the integration of end-to-end encryption technology.

Digital Wallet for eCommerce

Optimized for mobile, the introduction of Digital Wallet in North America supports faster eCommerce conversion and supports a plethora of payment methods globally, including Google Pay and Apple Pay. With 21% of U.S. eCommerce shoppers abandoning their cart at checkout due to a lengthy or complicated process, this secure and seamless one-click eCommerce checkout experience is part of the answer to improved conversion online.

Analytics Core for Retail Insights

Through this new module, users will have access to a variety of business dashboards and insights on sales, inventory and employee performance, enabling retailers to make data-driven decisions about the future. Analytics Core will be released globally and is the perfect entry point to Lightspeed’s existing retail analytics suite.

While it was integral for retailers to have an online presence during pandemic shutdowns, it has become clear that their digital presence and strategies will remain crucial. Retailers who utilize these tactics, combined with a deep understanding of their customers will come out ahead.

Lightspeed continues to share industry knowledge through an online resource guide that serves to protect SMBs during the pandemic.

For more information, please visit: www.lightspeedhq.com

On social media: Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter

*Partner content. To work with Retail Insider, email: craig@retail-insider.com

Oxford Properties Announces Southcentre Mall Sears Box Redevelopment in Calgary

By
Mario Toneguzzi
-
EXTERIOR OF SOUTHCENTRE MALL ENTRANCE

Calgary’s Southcentre Mall is moving forward with the redevelopment of the massive vacant retail space formerly occupied by Sears and adding at least five new tenants and potentially more to the shopping centre’s mix.

Total redevelopment will be 235,000 square feet and be completed by 2022, but the project will be kickstarted by the first phase which includes close to 100,000 square feet to house new retailers PetSmart, Winners, and Dollarama on the first floor of the shopping centre space. The overall project covers three levels and the upper floors will likely be home in the future to bigger format retailers.

“We are the first shopping centre in Calgary to redevelop retail space of this scale in recent years,” said Jason Bos, General Manager at Southcentre Mall. “We strive to introduce retailers that serve our community’s needs and wants. These three new retailers deliver on this goal and reinforce Southcentre’s reputation as an important, local shopping centre with strong community connections.”

Sears closed its stores in Canada in January 2018. Since then, there had been some specialty leasing activity in the Sears space at Southcentre with a furniture retailer, Showhome Furniture, for about a year while the shopping centre was working through the preliminary phases of the redevelopment process.

MAP OF SOUTHCENTRE MALL

“Once the redevelopment process got to a point where we needed to hand it over to the construction team to start swinging hammers we had to vacate (the space) again so that they could get the space ready. That was done last May, and it’s basically been under construction since then,” said Bos.

The first phase of the redevelopment includes Dollarama, which is set to open this fall and PetSmart and Winners which are scheduled to open in Spring 2021. Future phases will include additional retailers and businesses on the upper two floors.

Bos said in today’s world it is almost impossible for a shopping centre to lease that amount of space to one large anchor.

“That type of format — department store format — doesn’t really exist in terms of new construction, new build, in the industry anymore. It’s prudent to take the course we’re taking in terms of breaking that up into some smaller units,” he said.

“Generally speaking, we found at other Oxford Properties where Target’s have been redeveloped and similar things have been done, it’s a net positive. People in general aren’t shopping at the department store type retail as much as they used to be. While Hudson’s Bay is certainly still a draw and certainly still brings in a significant amount of traffic something like a Sears the traffic had been decreasing for some time. Going in this direction we expect to see significantly higher footfall once things have stabilized and we’ve got the entire project open.”

IMAGE OF SOUTHCENTRE ADVERTISEMENT REVEALING NEW RETAILERS
INTERIOR OF SOUTHCENTRE MALL AND ITS ADVERTISEMENTS REVEALING NEW RETAILERS

At one point over the last few years, there was talk that La Maison Simons could have been a tenant for that empty Sears space.

“We had had conversations with Simons at a certain point in time but nothing had ever been finalized,” said Bos.

Including the Sears box, Southcentre Mall is just over one million square feet and home to over 160 stores, including Aritzia, Sephora, H&M, lululemon, CRAFT Beer Market, and Calgary exclusives like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and Western Canada’s first Sporting Life.

“The redevelopment of this real estate was designed to complement and diversify Southcentre’s existing retail mix,” said Bradley Jones, Head of Retail at Oxford Properties, which owns and manages Southcentre. “We aim to connect people to exceptional places; Southcentre is a best-in-class shopping centre that will continue to serve the community’s needs at large.”

Southcentre said that the opening of the first three new retailers is expected to create more than 150 permanent jobs as well as more than 200 jobs during the construction phase.

“I think this is a great thing for the shopping centre,” said Bos. “It will really reinforce our position as a community destination where we can connect people and build exceptional places and experiences for them.”

Coworking and Flexible Work Spaces Expanding in Suburban Malls in Canada

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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EXTERIOR OF LAUFT COWORKING SPACE. PHOTO: LAUFT

Flexible work and coworking spaces have become an increasingly popular trend in today’s world, with accelerated growth expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FLEXIBLE COWORKING SPACES TO SEE GROWTH DUE TO COVID-19

And companies that have unique and innovative workspaces are taking advantage of that scenario.

“We’re definitely in growth mode and actively looking at locations in other shopping malls to extend our network of flexible workspace,” said Graham Wong, Founder/CEO of LAUFT.

“For individuals and organizations with the freedom to work remote, we provide the tools and services for them to do their best work in the most convenient, consistent, and professional way possible. We locate LAUFT wherever people need to work so our global vision has us setting up in shopping malls, store-in-store (ex. coffee shops, bookstores, etc.), hotels, conference centres, hospitals (when safe), and locations that allow people to work closer to where life happens.

“Pre and Post COVID the demand has been increasing rapidly as remote work has become the norm for many companies. We’re excited to roll out to serve and support remote work everywhere.”

LAUFT opened December 2018 in Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket. Other current GTA locations include: Barrie (Georgian Mall), Vaughan (Vaughan Mills), Toronto (Metro Centre), and Burlington (Burlington Centre). There are also locations in Ottawa and Kingston.

INTERIOR OF LAUFT COWORKING SPACE. PHOTO: LAUFT

The expansion plan includes more locations in Toronto (401/Dufferin + Yonde/Wellesley), Mississauga, Oakville, Oshawa, Scarborough, and other locations around the GTA.

Wong said the platform is mobile and technology driven. People can rent a desk, an office, a meeting room or even a boardroom by the hour.

“It’s very much like Uber. You open the app, you find the closest LAUFT and you can book. You don’t have to call ahead, you don’t have to have a membership or contract,” said Wong, adding that coworking in general in places like Regus, We Work, and Staples is still a very traditional office model for companies.

“We want to solidify the GTA model and then build out across Canada and into the U.S. It’s a global vision to really have LAUFT on almost every street corner so that if you need to work you open that app and find the closest one, you get to work.

“We’ve created the utilitarian aspect of flexible work, put it into a convenient package, a network of touchpoints and we’ve made it totally customizable so that you book by the hour, the day, the week and it’s up to you.

“We’re aggressively looking at shopping malls. We’re looking across the board to really build up the model in southern Ontario right now. Once we’ve proved that model we also are going to be locating LAUFTs in airports, hotels, conference centres and hospitals when they are able to. We’ll roll this out across the country, into the U.S. and eventually go global. We want to take flexible work and put it on every corner. That’s our goal.”

Robert Martellacci, Founder & CEO of MindShare Workspace Inc., Canada’s first mall located coworking innovation space in Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga, said the concept is for shared office space for small businesses and startups.

“We are looking to expand our format into other suburban area malls,” he said.

“I had this vision four years ago when we started evolving the concept and that was kind of ahead of my time but now all of a sudden now the expansion opportunities, in combination with COVID and store spaces opening up, it’s a great opportunity to expand.”

The Erin Mills Town Centre space is about 4,000 square feet, a former Urban Planet store. There are nine offices, dedicated desks, and drop in space. It accommodates 40 to 50 businesses.

“I want to make it really super simple and easy to access our space,” said Martellacci. “People really value the amenities of the mall. The food court. The free parking. We’re solving the problem for the malls. I see a shift happening to more services in the future with the recent closures. It presents opportunities.

“We’re looking at other locations. We’re definitely looking at U.S. expansion and we’re looking at expansion into other suburban malls that are a key region like the GTA. We’re interested in Calgary. We’re looking at major metropolitan areas in suburban regions because people are re-evaluating priorities in life. People are looking to stay closer to home. People are starting their own businesses because of COVID. Growth is definitely on the horizon.”

“We’re in discussions with Milton. The Town of Milton is the fastest growing town in Canada and over 3,000 people travel downtown daily on the GO. That’s likely going to be our next location. There’s no coworking space there and there’s a mall that’s being renovated.”

A mall conglomerate in Upper State New York to Boston with 16 locations has also expressed interest in the concept.

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