OPM Sales, a well established warehouse sale facilitator in Newmarket continues to work with vendors and major brands by hosting warehouse liquidation sales at its massive facility north of Toronto. The company hosts several large events each year, including its next 5-day back to school sale, taking place August 21-25, 2019.
OPM Sales has been in business for nearly 10 years, and it has been the choice of a wide range of businesses to liquidate their product.
OPM Sales facilitates these sale events by being able to provide a turnkey solution. Businesses are drawn to OPM Sales events, as they have a full-time management team and fully trained, reputable staff at each sale. This includes full-time cashiers, sales associates and floor supervisors.
They also employ a full-time merchandiser, who has over 20 years of experience in retail to help you effectively display your product through merchandising and signage. The merchandising team does an outstanding job formatting the store for the season, resulting in great sell-throughs and higher revenues.
Another important factor of a successful warehouse sale is the ability to plan for the seasons upcoming. OPM Sales August Sale will feature tons of Back-To-School merchandise. In fact, they’ve planned to have over 130+ styles of backpacks and over 150+ styles of shoes!
Back-to-school shopping is big business in Canada. Parents will spend an average of $158 per child this year before school starts in September, while university-aged students will see an average spend of nearly $200. Those funds won’t go as far as they once did, so OPM Sales is encouraging shoppers to attend their 5-day back-to-school warehouse sale!
Marketing is key to getting the word out about these sales. Their marketing team works diligently to spread the word, getting the maximum amount of exposure. From being active on social media, to digital and traditional print advertising, to holding contests, and in-store email sign ups, they do it all! OPM Sales’ email database includes more than 50,000 and the company has close to 12,000 Facebook subscribers. The marketing is working — their parking lot is often full at OPM Sales’ events, as the company boasts a loyal following of returning customers.
OPM Sales has grown to become one of Canada’s largest and most highly respected inventory clearance businesses.
For those seeking to experience one of OPM Sales’ premium warehouse events themselves, the Back-to-School August Sale event takes place from Wednesday, August 21, 2019 to Friday August 23, 2019 from 10:00am to 8:00pm, and Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25 from 10:00am to 6:00pm. For directions and a map, click here
OPM Sales’ General Manager Matthew is a point of contact and can be emailed at: matthew@opmsales.com. For more information, please visit: opmsales.com.
Ashley Furniture HomeStore Quebec Shuttering All Stores
PHOTO: ASHLEY MEUBLES
All three of the remaining franchised Ashley Furniture HomeStore locations in the province of Quebec are in the process of being liquidated as the company is advertising a $20 million store closing sale. It follows the company’s filing for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in June of this year. Franchised Ashley HomeStores in other parts of Canada are unaffected by the announcement, and will remain operational as far as we’re aware.
All of the Quebec Ashley Furniture HomeStores are all located in suburban Montreal. One location closed at the end of June at 6875 Rue Jean-Talon Est in St-Leonard. The other three locations are in the process of being liquidated, including units at 3615 Autoroute 440 Ouest in Laval, 1959 FX Sabourin in St-Hubert, 400 Rue Lamontage in St-Jerome. Staff at the Laval location confirmed to Retail Insider that the Laval and St-Hubert Ashley Furniture HomeStores will close towards the end of September, while the St-Jerome location will shutter in October. The Quebec franchise employed about 70 people, according to the company.
The franchised Quebec locations are operated by Laval-based Groupe Opex, which is owned by Groupe Marchand. The company also shuttered a franchised store in Sherbrooke, Quebec, in 2014. The franchisee brought the Ashley Furniture HomeStore concept to the province of Quebec in 2007.
In a now-deleted French language post to social media, Ashley Furniture HomeStore Quebec said that the reason for the closure was a result of a difficult retail climate, with “many” businesses in Quebec facing daunting challenges, according to the post. At the time of the post in June, the three other Ashley Furniture HomeStores were expected to remain open as the franchisee looked to restructure its operations, though the company now confirms that all units will be shuttered in the fall.
Ashley Furniture HomeStore locations can be found across Canada, and all are operated by different franchisees. In July of 2015, Retail Insider reported that Winnipeg-based Dufresne Group was planning to open as many as 16 Ashley HomeStore locations in Ontario and Alberta. Ashley HomeStore operates more than 700 showrooms globally with billons of dollars in annual sales.
Earlier this month, we reported that Quebec-based Maison Ethier was liquidating its two stores in suburban Montreal after also filing for CCAA protection. Last year, as well, we reported that home furnishings retailer Pier 1 Imports was exiting its Quebec operations entirely. While it’s bad news for some brands, others are expanding. Last month Retail Insider reported that Montreal-based furniture retailer Bois & Cuir is planning to expand from five locations to as many as 15 across Canada by the end of 2020, and it recently opened an impressive 7,500 square foot flagship in Montreal. As a comparison, Ashley Furniture HomeStores often span more than triple that size.
Ted Baker to Open Large Yorkdale Flagship
Ted Baker Yorkdale (Image: Craig Patterson)
Popular mid-priced UK fashion brand Ted Baker is building a large new store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, which could become its second-largest storefront in North America when open. Ted Baker will replace the North Face, which exited its Yorkdale space several months ago.
TED BAKER CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE BOUTIQUE PHOTO: ALI MOSLEH VIA GOOGLE MAPS
According to construction plans, the new Ted Baker will span about 4,320 square feet in Yorkdale’s 2012 expansion wing that includes an expanded Holt Renfrew anchor store as well as Apple and Microsoft. Landlord, Oxford Properties, is positioning the wing for new luxury retailers — Valentino and Bottega Veneta opened nearby several months ago, and Hugo Boss has opened its Canadian flagship across from the new Ted Baker. Two more luxury brands will soon be announced for spaces nearby.
Yorkdale became home to Ted Baker’s first store in Canada in October of 2012, when it opened in a 3,230 square foot space. Ted Baker currently operates nine standalone stores in Canada in markets including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, suburban Montreal and Ottawa. Two are considered to be outlet stores. Ted Baker also operates shop-in-store leased concessions at Hudson’s Bay stores in downtown Vancouver and Toronto. The CF Toronto Eaton Centre location, which re-opened twice after flooding, is one of the company’s top-selling units anywhere.
Brokerage JLL represents Ted Baker in Canada under the direction of Dianne Lemm, who also negotiated the Yorkdale lease deal.
The Ted Baker brand, which is headquartered in London UK, was founded in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1987. Originally a men’s brand, Ted Baker’s women’s line launched in 1995. The brand operates nearly 500 stores globally and has expanded extensively in the United States over the past several years, both with standalone units as well as shop-in-store concessions in many Bloomingdale’s stores. Ted Baker’s largest standalone storefront in North America is on 5th Avenue in New York City, and spans about 7,000 square feet.
Uniqlo Announces Edmonton Opening Date
Uniqlo West Edmonton Mall (PHOTO: JOHN KERBY)
Popular Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo will enter the Alberta market this fall when it opens a storefront on September 27 at the popular West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton.
Uniqlo will locate in a second-level retail space at West Edmonton Mall spanning just over 17,000 square feet with about 15,000 square feet of retail space that will overlook the mall’s indoor skating rink called the ‘Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace’. Uniqlo will occupy three retail spaces formerly occupied by Murale, Laura and Browns Shoes — Laura relocated in the mall, Browns Shoes will replace a vacated Williams Sonoma space, and the Murale concept, owned by Shoppers Drug Mart, is being phased-out.
The Edmonton Uniqlo store will carry product tailored to the chilly northern Alberta climate, including plenty of thermal products and jackets. And while the store won’t include a full UT t-shirt shop like the one which recently was unveiled at Uniqlo’s CF Toronto Eaton Centre location, the Edmonton unit will include various limited-edition t-shirt offerings.
The store is the first in Canada for Uniqlo outside of the Toronto and Vancouver markets, kicking off the brand’s national expansion that could eventually see as many as 100 stores in the coming years. Uniqlo has been posting jobs for a new Montreal storefront, and the Alberta expansion is expected to include an announcement for Calgary, though the company wouldn’t confirm any new locations to Retail Insider in a telephone conversation last week.
New York City-based Casper is in the process of opening showrooms across Canada after opening its first retail space last year. Earlier this month, Casper unveiled a 2,200 square foot showroom space at Calgary’s CF Chinook Centre, which is the company’s fourth location with more to come.
The Calgary Casper showroom is located on the main level of CF Chinook Centre near the entrance to the mall’s Nordstrom anchor store. A large Microsoft store is located next door and retailers Birks and Tumi are located across the way. Alberta’s only Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom stores are also in the mall, and Louis Vuitton opened a standalone store in the centre last year as CF Chinook Centre continues to go more upscale.
Casper opened its first Canadian location in the spring of 2018 at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens. That was followed by its Canadian flagship at 342 Queen Street West in Toronto, which also houses the brand’s Canadian headquarters. Casper recently announced that a Canadian manufacturing facility is now producing mattresses for the local market. In the spring, Casper opened a 2,900 square foot showroom in Vancouver’s Kitsilano area. Construction hoarding is now up at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre for a new Casper showroom, and the brand is also said to be targeting the Quebec Market for at least one storefront.
Casper’s showrooms feature several ‘nap houses’ displaying the brand’s range of products that include mattresses-in-a box as well as pillows, bed sheets, bed frames, bedside tables and pet items. Casper was founded in New York City in 2014 as a direct-to-consumer online retailer and has celebrity backers including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Adam Levine and Ashton Kutcher. The company boasts sales in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Montreal-Based Fashion Brand Frank And Oak Launches Sustainable Denim Line
GRAPHIC: FRANK AND OAK VIA FACEBOOK
Last week Frank And Oak launched a new sustainable denim line called Circular denim™, which involves using a new waste-reducing production method in the brand’s denim assortment that incorporates recycled denim fabrics. Frank And Oak launched eight styles for men and women, and the line’s goal is to create a “circular product lifecycle” utilizing a sustainable production process that brings old jeans back to life by utilizing post-consumer waste. The goal is to reduce waste that ends up in landfills.
Scraps of denim are used to create new durable denim fabrics, using a four step process: ‘Collect, Cut, Combine, and Create’. Landfill-bound worn-out denim jeans are collected and redirected to a fabric recycler, where the post-consumer waste denim is disintegrated into fibres while impurities are removed. Recycled fibres are then mixed alongside new fibres to ensure structural integrity and durability, creating a new denim fabric.
Circular denim™ joins Frank And Oak’s sustainable denim assortment, and is now available in three of the brand’s existing fits. For men, that includes the slim/straight fit ‘Dylan’ lines as well as the skinny/narrow fit ‘Tyler’ line, both available in a variety of washes. For women, the wide-legged/high-rise fit ‘Nina’ line is now made with Circular denim™ and is available in five washes.
The Circular denim™ line was developed as part of the ‘Frank And Oak Responsible Denim Lab’, which also introduced Frank And Oak Hydroless denim and other lines. Frank And Oak co-founder and CEO Ethan Song, who was at a launch event last week at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, explained that the company would be launching more eco-friendly innovations as the brand looks to reduce waste and be better for the environment. The recently-opened dual-gender CF Toronto Eaton Centre Frank And Oak Store, which spans about 3,000 square feet on one level, replaces a former M0851 storefront. In keeping with the eco-ethos, the store’s interior saw minimal renovations from the previous space, save for new dressing rooms and fixtures for Frank And Oak’s product. Given that almost 54 million people pass through CF Toronto Eaton Centre annually, the space is as much a brand awareness initiative as it is a retail space.
Frank And Oak was founded in 2012 in Montreal as an online men’s brand and began opening stores in 2014. The brand became known initially for its subscription service where for a cost, shipments of clothing would arrive in the mail for customers. The company now has 22 stores across Canada as well as hundreds of thousands of online members.
Square One shopping centre in Mississauga hosted another first at a shopping centre
the Eid ul Adha Market presented by Muslim Market Co. which was held from August 8 to 11. This was the the 2nd market organized by Sudduf Wyne at Square One, who also did the Ramadan Market in April.
The Eid ul Adha Market showcased top Islamic lifestyle brands, complimentary henna, complimentary cotton candy, and a hajj passport activity for kids to learn more about the holy pilgrimage. Another unique feature was a community gift exchange where people can drop off a gift and take a gift to promote sharing and community. The black and gold theme is inspired by the Kaaba, and highlighted in the vendor tables, floral décor and displays.
‘Baby Gourmet’ Donates $150,000 Worth of Consumable Goods to School-Age Children in Calgary and Toronto
PHOTO: BABY GOURMET
Last week, organic baby food brand Baby Gourmet donated a whopping 161,000 organic fruit and vegetable pouches, called ‘Slammers Snacks’, to school-aged children through the Calgary Food Bank, Toronto’s Salvation Army, and Daily Bread Food Bank.
It’s part of Baby Gourmet’s “Heart of Baby Gourmet” social good program, in an effort to fight food insecurity. According to Food Banks Canada, 13% of Canadians live in a state of food insecurity and do not have reliable access to adequate amounts of safe, nutritious food. Last week’s donation marks one of the largest donations to date for the company’s “Heart of Baby Gourmet” initiative.
Baby Gourmet, which was founded in 2005, has given away more than 500,000 meals to organizations in need across Canada. The social good initiative launched earlier this year. The goal, according to Baby Gourmet’s co-founder Jen Carlson, is to make the brand’s organic food accessible to everyone. The company plans to donate in excess of one million meals by 2025.
Baby Gourmet is distributed across Canada in a variety of retailers, including hundreds of Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall locations. It is also carried in speciality retailers. The company was founded in Calgary 2005 by entrepreneurs Jennifer Carlson and Jill Vos. The company was first in Canada to launch baby food pouches in 2010 and in 2013, the company launched baby cereals. The company became the largest organic baby food retailer in Canada in 2012.
Student-Founded Cannabis Accessory Business Surpasses $1 Million on crowdsourced campaign
PHOTO: BRNT DESIGNS
Following the legalization of cannabis in Canada, last year, four University of Alberta grads saw the need for aesthetically pleasing and functional cannabis accessories. They launched a company called BRNT Designs and its recent crowdsourced campaign surpassed $1 million in revenue.
BRNT’s products are said to be functional and also eye-catching — the company says that the attractive design means that its products can also be used as home decor. The ceramic design is freezer-safe and the cooling effect is said to be softer on the lungs when used for smoking.
Prices range from $30 for a glassware set to $180 for a handmade ceramic water pipe called ‘Hexagon’. The product’s positioning is decidedly upscale with both its prices and design. Other designs include a concrete storage jar called ‘Malua’, a concrete ashtray named ‘Briq’, a walnut rolling tray called ‘Yaketa’, among others.
The campaign was hosted independently on BRNT’s site due to Kickstarter’s restrictions on cannabis paraphernalia. The campaign launched in November 2017 and ran until the end of the year. Over $24,000 was raised in Hexagon pre-orders across both Canada and the world. Fun fact: a number of pre-orders were made from places like Luxembourg, Australia, South Africa, and the USA. As of October 2018 when cannabis was officially legalized in Canada, BRNT products were sold in 30 stores across Canada.
Co-founders Simon Grigenas, Paige Hodgins, and Andrew Feltham began their studies at the University of Alberta in 2015. Grigenas and Hodgins attended the Alberta School of Business while Andrew majored in Engineering. After BRNT’s rapid success in the cannabis industry, they began working full-time on expanding the business in the Fall of 2018.
The University of Alberta, located in Edmonton, has seen the launch of numerous businesses both by students and staff. It’s also home to the University of Alberta School of Retailing, which encourages students to see the retail industry as a viable career choice though various student-led initiatives as well as business-related curriculum.
After more than a decade of e-commerce success, Toronto-based customized die-cut sticker company StickerYou has just launched the world’s largest sticker store in trendy retail area of ‘West Queen West’.
Located at 677-679 Queen Street West near Bathurst Street, the new store features a stickerbombed interior, with a custom experience center where shoppers can touch and feel the stickers and be inspired by the unique creativity and customization of the featured designs. Kiosks are available where customers can place personalized orders on the spot, as well as a sticker art museum that showcases the history of stickers through the ages.
PHOTO: STICKERYOU
“We are proud to open the world’s largest sticker store in Toronto,” said StickerYou founder and CEO Andrew Witkin. “We are excited to give customers the chance to interact with our products and experience the creative potential of stickers for business or personal expression. At StickerYou, we make what matters stick.”
The physical building itself is also worth viewing, with a unique, 3-storey high stickerbombed design on the storefront, installed in collaboration with applied sciences giant 3M.
Although its origin is Canadian, StickerYou has become a global e-commerce leader in custom-printed, die-cut products that empower businesses and consumers to create professional-grade materials for marketing, packaging, décor and personal expression.
Throughout the last 10 years, the company has grown from using one machine and coded software to using proprietary die-cut technology; creating high-quality, customized stickers, badges, decals, magnets and much more.
With the opening of its first retail location, and fuelled by a creative and passionate team, StickerYou says that it is dedicated to “growing the most engaged and talented people in Toronto”. They proudly use advanced digital manufacturing to produce locally – in orders of one to hundreds of thousands.
PHOTO: STICKERYOU
Retail Insider first brought its readers this story last October when StickerYou announced that it would be opening its first permanent retail space. The West Queen West area of Toronto is home to various unique retailers and restaurants. Several years ago, Vogue Magazine ranked the West Queen West area as one of the world’s ‘coolest neighbourhoods’, and the area continues to see a buzz fuelled by its many visitors as well as a high-density residential population that includes a substantial percentage of Millennials.
Canadian fashion retailer Ardene continues to expand its base of large format stores with the recent unveiling of its new concept at Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Ontario.
It’s the 20th new concept store in the chain and the first for Ontario.
Ardene’s new store concept was first introduced in early 2017. As of 2019, Ardene has 20 brand new stores like these, as well as a handful of updated large-footprint stores. The Upper Canada Mall store is 14,982 square feet, while the retailer’s biggest store, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, is 35,830 square feet. “These stores are exciting because they are very large format. This allows customers to create full head-to-toe outfits in one shopping trip, and allows stores to carry our fullest assortment of basics and trends in apparel, footwear, accessories, and more.” said Mr. Dervishian, the company’s Chief Operating Officer.
The retailer has more stores planned for 2019 and well into 2020. Today, it has new concept stores across Canada, the USA, and the Middle East as it continues to open new stores on a monthly basis.
PHOTO: ARDENE
The majority of stores are being constructed in malls, mostly in suburban areas. According to Ardene, there has been early success driving traffic to these locations.
Ardene has about 350 stores worldwide with plans for more international expansions, which will be announced in early 2020.
Elisabeth Couture, the company’s Brand Manager, said many of the new concept stores are close to 20,000 square feet and offer an elevated shopping experience for customers.
Each store comes equipped with digital-inspired elements such as LED screens and social media inspired visuals to encourage customers to take photos, as well as easy-to-shop product zones and overall greater square footage.
She said the large footprint stores are an ideal location for events and customer engagement, and that it is the perfect formula “to create buzz and excitement for Ardene shoppers”.
“Our new store concept is really based on our updated brand that we refreshed a few years ago and it’s really about keeping the customer in mind,” said Couture. “That means finding out what our customer expects from us and making sure that we’re offering the store experience that is living up to her expectations and allowing her to engage with our brand.”
PHOTO: ARDENE
The retailer has also introduced celebrity and influencer collaborations which include KENDALL & KYLIE, laurDIY, Lottie Moss, and others – all collaborating to design their own limited-edition capsule collections.
There’s also Canadian YouTube sensation, Adelaine Morin, who engages a community of over 3.8 million people. Morin hosted an event at the newly-opened Ardene in Upper Canada Mall on August 10.
“Following the success of our KENDALL & KYLIE launch, we have expanded our partnerships to include an even bigger selection of celebrities and local and global influencers,” said Dervishian.
This past spring, Ardene partnered with Kate Moss’ little sister, Lottie Moss, for a limited-time capsule collection. The retailer’s most recent campaign, dubbed We Are the Future is also all about self-love and acceptance. For that, it partnered with Canadian micro-influencers, each who tells her own inspirational story. Ardene’s next partnership, with Adelaine Morin, fits right in with the brand’s position on supporting local female entrepreneurs. “Adelaine’s Girls Supporting Girls mantra is something we truly stand behind.” said Couture.
She said concepts in retail are always shifting and that’s what makes the Ardene brand so dynamic and one that’s been successful for all these years because “we’re able to adapt to the market and adapt to change.”
“We’ve been around the Canadian market for a really long time. We’re a household name for a lot of customers young and old. I think we’ve really managed to capture the essence of what that younger customer – the 14 to 24 year old – wants, which is offering her a lot of choice, amazing value and allowing her to access her favourite trends for a price that’s affordable to her,” she said. “The next in-store innovations will be centred around experience; no matter how we innovate, we always keep our customers at the heart of it.”
A Canada-wide rollout of a newly designed kiosk design for Virgin Mobile is in the works, which will see more than 100 locations in shopping centres over the coming months. Toronto-based figure3 is leading the design of the new kiosk concept that has various unique and innovative features.
The design is intended to give Virgin Mobile the upper hand in the ultra-competitive mall kiosk landscape, according to figure3. Given the relatively small size of the Virgin Mobile kiosks, space-saving was key to the design. Getting the brand messaging right, while reflecting Virgin’s brand ethos was also critical — design firm figure3 is known to create concept spaces based on brands’ overall brand messaging.
Thus, Virgin’s brand identity had to be taken into consideration, according to Mardi Najafi, who is the Director of Retail design at figure3. That included creating kiosks that represent Virgin Mobile’s “fun and irreverent brand personality” with a more cohesive connection between Virgin’s digital and physical presence, which included highlighting Virgin’s member benefits.
Virgin Mobile at Fairview Mall (Image: figure3)
To make the kiosk concept design come to life, figure3 worked with existing mall restrictions to introduce a feature window that creatively maximizes the given space, while at the same time acting as an intercept to engage with customers. The Virgin Mobile “VIP” membership benefits was thus exemplified through curated “window displays” and integrated digital messaging.
The feature window provides an “inspirational lifestyle vignette”, according to figure3, in an effort to “excite not only existing members with new and upcoming promotions and cross-promotions, but to act as a conduit to conversion for potential future customers”. The window is part of a new approach to kiosks that aims to create a memorable and dynamic feature distinguishing Virgin Mobile from the many other telecom brands that also operate kiosks in shopping centres across the country.
The overall layout of the kiosks was designed around “easing the customer journey” by providing a frictionless experience when browsing and selecting services, devices and accessories from the Virgin Mobile brand. According to figure3, that journey allows for both a full-service and self-service experience where customers are given the freedom to explore independently or with the help of a sales associate, depending on preference.
In the new kiosks, devices are grouped together in a ‘product bar’ where customers can easily compare price and specifications with different Virgin Mobile products. Customers can further examine product offerings through a self-serve tablet, or have one-on-one consultations at the ‘Virgin Bar’ with an associate at the kiosk.
Virgin Mobile at Fairview Mall (Image: figure3)
To further enhance the customer experience at the new kiosks, a comfortable seating area was introduced with a charging station — this allows for the customer to feel like “a true VIP”, according to figure3, and is a key differentiator for the Virgin Mobile brand moving forward.
The barrier-free service counter allows universal interaction for any customer and emphasizes the importance Virgin Mobile places on their members, according to figure3. Sleek cases with indirect lighting maximize Virgin Mobile associates’ ability to cross-sell and up-sell branded accessories. At the same time, display cases are kept open so that visitors can touch and interact with the product before they buy.
On the tech-side, flexible interchangeable display screens were implemented for services or device promotions that can be highlighted by Virgin’s visual merchandising team. Flexibility was an overall goal, where any product or pricing can be easily interchanged by associates based on updated planograms for the spaces.
Fixed POS systems in the new kiosks are identified by bright backlit interchangeable graphic applications that are located on the surface of the kiosk. Wireless transactions are enabled through the new POS technology as well, which figure3 says allows for a collaborative engagement and screen sharing with customers.
Virgin Mobile at Fairview Mall (Image: figure3)
Materials used in the new Virgin Mobile kiosks include shop-finished metals with automotive standard paint. The goal was increased durability, given the high traffic seen at such kiosks in major shopping centres. Iridescent and ombre finishes were selected with a focus of resonating with Virgin’s ‘younger’ target demographic that is attracted to Virgin Mobile’s “playful, irreverent brand tone”.
Kiosks are often some of the most productive spaces in shopping centres, with annual sales per square foot being well into the thousands of dollars. At the same time, competition from other mobile providers means that kiosk design needs to stand out, not to mention provide a good customer experience that will keep consumers loyal to the brand. Many landlords continue to embrace having kiosks in their malls, which is evident nationwide.
West Edmonton Mall, for example, includes an expansive kiosk program for brands ranging from telecoms to beauty/fragrances to jewellery, with brands such as Hillberg & Berk operating ‘sparkle bar’ kiosk-spaces that are often busy. Not all landlords want kiosks in their shopping centres, however. Over the past several years, landlord Oxford Properties relocated most of its kiosk vendors at the highly productive Yorkdale Shopping Centre into more traditional inline retail spaces in the mall. What has resulted is a more spacious experience in its mall corridors, with retail kiosks replaced by seating areas.
When Fortune Magazine quotes the World Health Organization with regards to the developed world’s sleep deficiency and calls it a public health epidemic, you should slow down and take pause. Sleep has become an elusive luxury, and it is a problem that is completely of our own making. Our on-the-go society ignores sleep and glorifies busy-ness and it is increasingly harder to achieve a wonderfully deep and refreshing sleep.
What is Great Sleep?
Science defines sleep as eight unbroken hours of multiple sleep cycles, although at this point in our society, it seems that sleeping, itself has become the luxury. With the Monday to Friday career path augmented with a side hustle or two, being able to get eight hours seems unattainable.
Two months ago, our west coast editor, Helen Siwak met with Jamie at Sleep Country on West Broadway in Vancouver, BC, to find out more about how to achieve an elevated sleep experience.
Within a 30-minute consult, Jamie had put together a package that would work within a set budget and took into account a lifestyle of excessive computer work, chronic neck and shoulder problems, and being prone to light sleeping. The Bloom Cloud Mattress offers advanced gel memory and latex foam that conform to the body, a washable organic cover, and has air cut channels that help regular body temperature to ensure a cool sleep.
With the mattress chosen, Jamie explained that creating the ideal sleep conditions, requires more than just a great mattress; everything above the mattress is also important.
According to Sleep Country, the five points to consider when choosing a mattress are:
Comfort: Relax and try several mattresses in your normal sleep position. Wear comfortable clothing and if possible, bring your partner.
Size: Ensure your mattress gives you plenty of room to move. Can you stretch, roll-over, and move your arms and legs?
Support: Your new mattress should gently conform to your body while keeping your spine in a relaxed, neutral position.
Durability: The foundation for a good night’s rest is consistent support and enhancement of the sleeping experience.
Price: Getting a good night’s rest is vital to your health. What price are you comfortable with?
Add-On’s to Create A Luxury Sleep Experience
Choosing the elements to finish your bed refines the sleeping experience. Jamie explained the importance of a mattress topper and recommended the Tempur-pedic Protex-It with a 12-year replacement warranty. It is treated with Aegis, which is anti-everything – bacteria, dust, and mould, that lasts wash after wash. The triple layer coating of polyurethane makes the mattress waterproof, and 100% cotton at the surface absorbs moisture and provides breathability.
Choosing sustainably-produced bamboo sheets was important. The Bamboo Nights sheets have a 300-thread count and suitable no matter the level of skin sensitivity. Made from 100% rayon derived from bamboo, the set is stylish with piped hem finish on the top sheet and pillowcases. It is a bonus that they are completely machine washable and quite quick to dry.
For someone with chronic neck problems due to continuous mousing, Siwak chose the set of Tempur-pedic Adapt Pillows. The Tempur technology precisely adapts to the head, neck, and shoulders for all-night comfort. The pillow cover is made with a cooling premium knit fabric that is cool-to-touch. As a back-sleeper, having the neck support of this pillow made all the difference between waking up still achy and waking up moving smoothly to the coffee maker.
The Big Box with Wheels
When the delivery day arrived, the big blue Bloom Cloud box rolled in and was easily positioned for unpacking. Sleep Country offers the removal of your old mattress and the delivery persons will also set-up your new mattress – all these extras are included the cost, as is the shipping.
After 45-days on the Bloom Cloud, Siwak shared the whole experience; from decision making to delivery to experiencing a deeper sleep, was easier than expected and completely worthwhile. While it did take about a week to get comfortable on the Bloom Cloud, she noted that each night, sleep came a little quicker and was deeper than the previous night. The Tempur-pedic Adapt pillow also helped with the transition from stomach sleeper to the much preferred side-sleep position.
Helping Canadians get a great night’s sleep for over 20 years, Sleep Country’s sleep obsessed experts dialed into their years of experience to create the original Bloom Cloud in 2017. The Bloom Cloud has quickly become one of Sleep Country’s top performing mattresses. Bloom Cloud is available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, and King sizes with an exclusive 100 Night Comfort Guarantee and a 10-year warranty.
A survey on trusted brands by leading market research firm BrandSpark International finds that retail giant Amazon leads the way in many e-commerce categories.
The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards program was based on a survey of 6,900 Canadians and the company determined the most trusted brands in 61 diverse e-commerce and service categories.
“In an increasingly online world, trust has never been more important,” said Robert Levy, President of BrandSpark International. “Shoppers are seeking new and different signifiers of trust, such as online reviews and consumer-based awards on brand websites. Being a winning brand in the 2019 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards is a major accomplishment. The program tells shoppers which companies are trusted by other Canadians. This allows consumers to make better purchasing decisions, as trust is the greatest indicator of delivering value and a good customer experience.
PHOTO: AMAZON
“Amazon now has emerged and kind of changed the way people shop both online and offline. And it’s also changed their expectations in terms of customer support, in terms of convenience, delivery, transparency and also the whole voice of the consumer. The whole idea of these authentic reviews and ratings that are both positive and negative. All of these factors have changed the way consumers are. They check their prices. It’s transparent. We have examples of these brands that have managed to hold their own within the new e-commerce world and also within Amazon.”
Here are some of the survey’s key findings:
71 per cent of Canadian shoppers feel that trust is established through unfiltered customer reviews on brand websites. A majority of shoppers now rely on product and service reviews to support their purchase decisions, and without these reviews, many refuse to transact;
75 per cent of Canadian shoppers say that companies that listen to online reviews and feedback show more accountability and care for their customers; and
66 per cent of Canadian shoppers appreciate receiving discounts or special offers that are tailored to their interests based on the websites they visit.
PHOTO: HOME DEPOT
SPORT CHEK SELKIRK PHOTO: WINNPRO CONSTRUCTION
BrandSpark’s survey is in its sixth year for the market research, consumer insights company that’s been around since 2001.
“We’ve been doing annual surveys to basically gauge what are the best new products awards and we just thought with the incredible change in the retail landscape and the way consumers were buying we started doing some custom research on trust. We thought we’d open it up and launch truly the first national syndicated study using BrandSpark’s research methodologies and at its core we’ve always been about the voice of the consumer,” said Levy.
He said brands that are doing well in the area of trust such as Home Depot (home improvements and renovations), Sephora (beauty and cosmetics), or Best Buy and SportChek are holding their own because they’re offering an omnichannel experience.
“We’ve seen from our BrandSpark research that you really do improve trust if you can offer both online and brick and mortar,” said Levy. “And the other thing is that these brands are also following through on the expectations that the customers have now probably led by these brands but also by Amazon.”
SEPHORA CF CHINOOK CENTRE PHOTO: AMACHRIS COPORATION
Levy said that brands that are not keeping up are going to just disappear.
BrandSpark’s Canadian Shopper Study also found that two in three Canadian shoppers say that Amazon has changed the way they shop, whether in-store or online: they research products more, buy a greater variety of products, compare prices across channels, and make fewer trips to stores.
The study said only 16 per cent of shoppers have lost trust in an online retailer they formerly relied on, but key issues that have eroded trust for e-commerce shoppers include receiving lower quality products than advertised, not receiving purchases, and difficulties getting a refund.
“It’s important for e-commerce retailers to make shoppers confident that they won’t face these issues when ordering from their site,” said Adam Bellisario, Director of the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards program. “Since shoppers can easily move to another retailer online, it’s crucial for e-commerce retailers to build trust and loyalty with their shoppers. The BMTA claim and logo is a proven way to communicate that the site has already earned the trust of the Canadian shopper.”
PHOTO: AMAZON.CA VIA FACEBOOK
The report said Amazon’s win in a majority of the e-commerce categories reflects its success as a fulfillment site, since consumers say they choose to purchase products on Amazon because they trust the site’s reliability and consistency. More shoppers are convinced they can trust Amazon for major purchases as well as lower priced items. Still, retailers like The Home Depot and Hudson’s Bay have won or kept up with Amazon as being most trusted in their specific categories in the 2019 study.
Levy said one of the questions asked in the survey was if Amazon has changed the way they shop.
“What’s really happened is the basics now that we just take for granted. One. Comparison shopping. That was not so easy to do before Amazon. Now you just kind of go on Amazon to quickly check someone out and they for example try to offer the lowest prices. They even have multiple vendors within their marketplace. So you really feel that you’re in control,” he said.
HUDSON’S BAY SQUARE ONE SHOPPING CENTRE PHOTO: SQUARE ONE SHOPPING CENTRE
“Reviews are really important. Authentic transparent reviews. Negative reviews can also be there. That’s a game changer. Think of the old days. Now every site has negative reviews and positive reviews. If they don’t, you just ignore it. The idea of a diverse selection . . . Having this incredible diverse selection that can all be delivered. And then obviously the whole convenience of delivery and the speed of delivery. (Amazon) they’re a logistics company right.
“And then the surprise though that comes up with why people love Amazon so much – and you know they love Amazon because they’re willing to pay an annual fee just to get free delivery from this service provider. It’s now one-third of the Canadian population and that’s growing. It was 25 per cent a year ago. And in the U.S. it’s up to 60 per cent.”
The other factor with Amazon, added Levy, is that the company also delivers incredible customer service. Amazon has raised the bar for customer service where some brick and mortar retailers have followed suit and ultimately the consumer is the winner.
PHOTO: SKIPTHEDISHES VIA FACEBOOK
The BrandSpark study also found that one in two Canadian shoppers have lost trust in a service provider they previously trusted, due mainly to hidden fees and rising prices, as well as difficulty finding resolution for their complaints. Canadians expect fair prices and transparency from service providers. Consumer recommendation, company values, and innovations can help providers increase trust in their service and 62 per cent of consumers say that reliable customer support improves their trust in a service greatly; 59 per cent value consistency of high quality goods or services.
The report said Loblaw’s successful expansion of the Optimum program has grown it into Canada’s most trusted loyalty program. SkipTheDishes beat UberEats with 26 per cent more citations as Canadians’ most trusted Food Delivery Site, and companies like GoodFood have also had major success, surpassing HelloFresh in the Meal Kit Delivery category. Kijiji is the most trusted Online Buy and Sell Classifieds site and Sun Life Financial now ties with Manulife as the most trusted life insurance provider nationally, while Industrielle Alliance is the leader in Quebec.
“With the similarity of many service offerings, companies must race to acquire a strong consumer base, and then continually meet those consumers’ needs to prevent them from switching to a competitor,” said Levy. “Trust is an important deciding factor for consumers, and the strength of the BrandSpark Most Trusted logo reinforces that trust.”
By Vala Afshar, Chief Digital Evangelist, Salesforce
Over the course of travelling to multiple countries across North America and Europe this year, I’ve had conversations with many retail organizations, and the most successful ones tend to share one thing in common with their counterparts in Canada.
The business leaders who consistently achieve new levels of growth are continually developing what I’ll call their “anticipatory muscle” — an ability to think ahead to what their customers want and need, even before they’re asked. It’s the clothing store where savvy associates can suggest the perfect items to complete an outfit, or the hardware store that not only provides building supplies, but ideas on how to make the most of the tools a customer purchases.
The difference today is that so much of the way consumers research, price-compare and ultimately develop a relationship with retailers has shifted to digital channels. It’s simply no longer possible to always apply a “personal touch” in person.
Retailers no doubt realize they will need to invest more in digital technologies to develop their anticipatory muscle, but the long-term payoff for such investments — especially when you’re a small business — may not always be clear.
Fortunately, some recent research Salesforce published leaves little doubt about the business case for automation.
Based on a survey of more than 400 firms of varying sizes across the country, our report, ‘Future Ready: Advancing Canadian Business In The Digital Economy’ proves there is a strong correlation between companies that increase their use of digital technology and the impact on revenue and other critical metrics.
Those that move quickly to take advantage of mobile apps, artificial intelligence and other innovative tools were nearly twice as likely (25 per cent versus 13 per cent) as others to say their businesses have grown strongly over the last three years. Thirty-one per cent forecast strong growth over the next year, meanwhile, versus 15 per cent for those who somewhat increased their use of tech or stayed the same.
On the other hand, almost half (49 per cent) of Canadian businesses told us that it’s difficult to get good advice about how to apply technologies to their business. In other words, developing an anticipatory muscle will require retailers to exercise it with the right equipment, but it’s kind of like when walking into the gym for the first time. You may recognize some of the machines and weights scattered around the room, but it’s not necessarily obvious where to start, or how many sets you need to do to reach your goals.
Getting Customer Experience In Tip-Top Shape
A personal trainer would probably tell you that the size of the weights you lift or the number of sets isn’t as important as your form — the way in which you lift and lower the weights, your breathing and so on. It’s the same with your anticipatory muscle as a retail leader. Your “form,” in this case, is the kind of customer experience you deliver. This includes everything from how customers first hear about you through your marketing efforts, to the way you sell and how you support them afterwards.
This was borne out in our research as well, where enhancing customer service or relationships was the most-cited organizational or operational change that is facilitating growth at 47 per cent. When faced with opportunities to try digital technologies, in other words, start by asking how they can make the customer experience better — how they can help you get ahead of their expectations and needs.
If you’re still stumped, maybe stop focusing on your own firm for a minute and take a second look at the high-growth success stories we seem to be hearing about every day.
PHOTO: INDOCHINO
Vancouver-based Indochino, for example, has disrupted the traditional menswear industry by creating a seamless shopping experience that lets customers order completely custom suits and other garments online. While its customers might admire its website, however, Indochino’s success has come through strategically using digital customer service applications, including chatbots, to manage complex orders and marketing automation to stay in close contact after a suit has been shipped. Analytics tools, meanwhile, help guide everything Indochino does, boosting productivity by 300 per cent. This has allowed Indochino to become truly omni-channel and open physical showrooms in major cities.
Even more traditional retailers that didn’t start out “digital-first” have seen similar results. Take Saje Natural Wellness, which managed to launch a revamped website in a matter of months that included powerful e-commerce capabilities. By offering predictive product recommendations and personalized email messages with new product updates and promotions, Saje is able to replicate the intimacy of its in-store experiences online.
These are all simple customer experiences that have removed the friction in long-established industries.
PHOTO: SAJE
The Next Step For Healthy, Growing Companies
Next, think about what tends to happen once you’ve been working out for a while and have started to see some results. Someone newer walks into the gym and looks as uncertain as you once did. The right thing to do is show them around, or even spot them as they challenge themselves with a heavier weight. The development of your anticipatory muscle should make you alert to your responsibilities to the wider community too.
While 81 per cent of Canadian business leaders who answered our survey said they believe Canada is an innovative country, 52 per cent also believe the country is lagging in technology adoption. That’s a call to action to work better together, where growing retailers look for opportunities to pay it forward and help share best practices with their suppliers, distributors and other partners.
That isn’t the only way to give back, of course. You could encourage employees to make a difference with a local charity or non-profit through volunteer hours, or funnel some of your profit into things that benefit society as a whole.
Canadian companies are clearly working hard to make their anticipatory muscles stronger than ever. Now it’s time to think about the best way to flex them.
OUTSIDE THE NEW STACKT MARKET STOREFRONT. PHOTO CREDIT: NICK LEE @BESTOFTORONTO
Japanese sustainable lifestyle brand Puebco has entered the Canadian market with its first physical storefront as well as with a new Canadian e-commerce website. The brand’s strategy involves opening pop-up spaces as well as examining wholesale opportunities with a goal of engaging with consumers and building brand awareness, while at the same time driving traffic online. Puebco could also eventually open permanent physical spaces in Canada if the market embraces the concept.
Puebco was founded by Tokyo-based designer Hirotaka Tanaka in 2007 with a goal of creating a range of products made from recycled materials, as well as unique objects that have been found and in some instances repurposed. What has resulted is a range of Puebco lifestyle products that are inspired by a retro industrial style integrated with a Japanese minimalist aesthetic.
The brand’s product offerings include home goods, travel accessories, bags, apparel, pet goods and other lifestyle categories that cater to a consumer seeking-out sustainable products with a uniquely rugged design. Mr. Tanaka spends much of the year traveling across Asia and beyond in search of materials that can be repurposed for goods sold by Puebco. A line of pet beds, for example, are made from repurposed camping tents, with each being unique given the limited availability of materials used. Prices are reasonable considering the look and materials used — most items cost less than $60, with some items costing up to $260 for items such as a ‘nomadic bed’, and 5-litre beverage dispenser. Some of Puebco’s products are already popular with restaurants seeking unique vintage-looking fixtures and serving items, with prices being reasonable compared to other retailers carrying similar looking products.
INSIDE THE STACKT STOREFRONT IN TORONTO. PHOTO CREDIT: NICK LEE @BESTOFTORONTO
INSIDE THE STACKT STOREFRONT IN TORONTO. PHOTO CREDIT: NICK LEE @BESTOFTORONTO
Puebco’s first Canadian retail space opened this week at the Stackt Market in Toronto. In April of this year, Retail Insider featured the unique multi-tenant shipping container market located at Front Street West and Bathurst Street, which is the largest of its kind in Canada. The Puebco pop-up space, which occupies two shipping containers in about 600 square feet, will be open to the public until October.
The goal of the Toronto pop-up is to drive awareness to the Puebco brand as it makes its Canadian debut. Consumers can interact with the brand and touch and feel the product in a dedicated environment. Being able to purchase goods and bring them home satisfies the desire for immediacy, and the experience of the physical store is an experience that cannot be replicated online, even with technological innovations such as virtual reality.
At the same time, the pop-up space’s goal is to also drive traffic to Puebco’s newly launched Canadian e-commerce site. The website offers a range of goods from Puebco and given the nature of the product being recycled and found, some products are expected to sell-out quickly. Opening a physical retail space to drive traffic to Puebco’s e-commerce site is an intelligent move supported by research. For example, the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) put out a study late last year discussing the “halo effect” where having a physical space in a market can result in an increase in online traffic as much as 37% in the same market.
PHOTO: MARU8-FUK.JP
Puebco’s pop-up strategy is expected to be expanded into other markets in Canada in an effort to further create brand awareness of the Puebco brand. The Montreal market could be a target for a temporary storefront, and the Vancouver/Lower Mainland market might make sense given its eco-conscious demographic as well as its large Asian population. Finding the ‘right’ location for a pop-up will be critical — a brand such as Puebco is less likely to resonate with a store in a traditional shopping centre, for example. Stackt market, which includes a mix of purpose-built and recycled shipping containers, makes sense for Puebco with its unique layout and overall aesthetic.
A Canadian wholesale strategy is also being strategized, where Puebco may provide a range of goods within a host retailer to further offer consumers the opportunity to interact with the brand, while also creating brand awareness while driving traffic to Puebco’s e-commerce website. Non-traditional retail locations could be utilized for small shop-in-shops — for example if an antique store had space, it could showcase a range of Puebco goods. Lifestyle retailers could be another target if partnerships can be negotiated, and Puebco even noted that a ‘food environment’ could lend itself to a brand activation.
Puebco’s entry strategy into the United States market, which is being led by a different team than in Canada, involves wholesale partnerships to allow for physical interaction with the brand’s products while also creating brand awareness in an effort to drive traffic to Puebco’s dedicated US e-commerce site. As of yet, Puebco has not announced a standalone retail space in the US as it has done in Toronto.
PHOTO: PARK-MAG.JP
At some point, there is a possibility that Puebco could look to open permanent retail spaces in Canada as brand awareness grows. At the same time, the Puebco business model using salvaged materials and found items means that growth will be methodical and in line with product availability. Mr. Tanaka clearly has a passion for what he does (often traveling by motorcycle) and does much of Puebco’s sourcing himself, and in the future may be able to scale the business model further as demand grows globally.
Large Canadian cities containing unique/cool areas could be in line for Puebco stores, if it comes to that. In Toronto, a place like Kensington Market or Chinatown might make sense, or even hip West Queen West which several years ago Vogue Magazine ranked as the world’s ‘second-coolest neighbourhood’. Montreal and Vancouver also have unique and up-and-coming areas that could be targets for Puebco if it decides to expand with its own direct-to-consumer standalone retail strategy.
Puebco operates a store near its headquarters in Tokyo, with a second one to come in the city’s Shibuya area. According to Puebco’s corporate website, the brand has partnered with several unique multi-brand retailers to open rugged-looking Puebco shop-in-stores, which are characterized by antique-looking wooden fixtures displaying a range of Puebco products. Canvas bags made from recycled materials stand out in the spaces, as do various home goods in materials such as metal. “Authentic” might be a word used to describe the look of the shop-in-stores and products, which is a deviation from the modern look of many retail spaces seen in Canada and globally today.
PHOTO: PUEBCO VIA FACEBOOK
PHOTO: PUEBCO VIA FACEBOOK
Puebco is the latest Japanese brand to enter the Canadian market. Uniqlo and Muji are two well-known examples, with both retailers planning on opening units in markets across the country. Puebco’s value proposition, which includes repurposed/recycled and found items, is considerably different from Uniqlo and Muji which, for the most part, are selling goods manufactured specifically for the brands. Puebco’s growth in the Canadian market will also be less aggressive than that of Uniqlo and Muji in Canada — Uniqlo said at one time that it was looking at opening approximately 100 stores across Canada in the coming years, while Muji could open as many as 25 units with a strategy that could expand beyond traditional retail.
As consumers become increasingly aware of how fashion brands’ manufacturing and dying processes can be a significant cause of pollution, eco-friendly brands such as Puebco are increasingly grabbing the attention of Canadians looking to minimize their impact on the environment. Zero-waste grocery and other retailers are expanding further into the market. When Retail Insider reported on Toronto-based bare market’s plans to open its first permanent retail space, it became one of the most-read articles on the website for 2019. Other retailers are jumping on the bandwagon and even landlords such as Oxford Properties are doing things such as eliminating plastic straws from shopping centres in an endeavour to be more environmentally friendly.
Clothing rentals is also a trend that is growing quickly in Canada, with established players as well as upstarts offering clothing and accessories via subscription models or item-by-item rental. Clothing rental is predicted to become big business in Canada in an age where ‘influencers’ and social media results in some not wanting to be photographed twice in the same outfit. Rented formalwear, including evening gowns, are also becoming increasingly popular as shoppers seek out savings by renting an outfit for an evening rather than making a permanent and larger investment.
International brands continue to enter Canada at a rapid pace in an effort to gain market share. At the same time, homegrown brands are having to innovate to survive, or risk losing out. While Canada is seen as an attractive market with a population willing to spend, the country is also smaller than California both in population as well as in GDP. What that means is there is only so much of the retail ‘pie’ to go around, and competition will continue to intensify as more brands enter Canada in the coming years.
ENTRANCE FROM HOLT RENFREW INTO THE MEN’S SECTION OF THE ‘WORLD OF’ GUCCI BOUTIQUE, YORKDALE. PHOTO: GUCCI
Italian luxury brand Gucci has unveiled a stunning concession boutique at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The 6,000 square foot shop, built by retail construction specialist Amachris Corporation, carries Gucci’s line of fashions for men and women as well as footwear, bags, jewellery and accessories. The Yorkdale store is part of Gucci’s investment in the Canadian market as the luxury brand expands its concession network and renovates and expands its shops to reflect the brand’s updated aesthetic.
The new Yorkdale Gucci boutique is technically a leased concession as part of Holt Renfrew’s Yorkdale store, though it has the look and feel of an up-to-date Gucci flagship. Calling it a flagship might be accurate — it’s now the second-largest single Gucci space in all of Canada, being only slightly smaller than Gucci’s under-renovation 6,500 square foot Toronto flagship at 130 Bloor Street West. Gucci’s only other standalone Canadian store is at 900 W. Georgia Street in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, and that store spans about 4,000 square feet on one level.
Yorkdale’s Gucci is divided into several spectacular rooms carrying different product categories. Each room is unique and features distinct design elements. The back-end of the store, which features an entrance directly into Holt Renfrew’s men’s department, also carries a range of Gucci menswear in a plush environment characterized by deep blue velvet walls and multi-coloured marble floors. Impressive dressing rooms are accessed from velvet curtains — blue and red velvet is used heavily throughout the Gucci space, on both ceilings and walls.
MEN’S SECTION, PHOTO TAKEN FROM ENTRYWAY INTO HOLT RENFREW. PHOTO: GUCCIMEN’S SECTION, PHOTO TAKEN FROM ENTRYWAY INTO HOLT RENFREW. PHOTO: GUCCI
A men’s footwear salon features display shelves that are rounded on each corner, with walls covered in plush blue velvet. Comfortable leather chairs and several other fixtures in the Gucci store were brought in directly from Italy. Oriental carpets are featured in many of the rooms, and wood chevron flooring can be found in the women’s fashion and accessory areas.
MEN’S SHOE SALON. PHOTO: GUCCI
A central cash desk area features a red velvet ceiling and walls, and connects the men’s space to a large area dedicated to accessories including an expansive assortment of belts, jewellery and handbags. A mix of women’s fashions and accessories are found in two other rooms as well as in a large front area of the store— the Gucci boutique can be accessed both from within Holt Renfrew as well as from a separate entrance facing the mall. The new Gucci store is now located across from the Bottega Veneta and Valentino flagships that opened a few months ago.
WOMEN’S APPAREL SECTION. PHOTO: GUCCI
Amachris Corporation brought Gucci’s vision to life by constructing the luxurious space, which required precision and perfection to ensure that it all came together. Gucci, along with Fendi and a soon-to-open ‘world of Dior’ concession, is located in a space formerly occupied by Anthropologie. During the course of construction, the concrete floor in the Gucci space had to be carefully levelled by Amachris’ subcontractors in order to bring it in line with the rest of the Holt Renfrew store, and in preparation for laying out marble floor tiles. Laying marble tiles in the Gucci space required tedious and high-quality craftsmanship by Amachris to ensure that each tile fit perfectly. The beautiful old-world geometric marble pattern (found in the men’s footwear salon) had to align accurately with several display and millwork fixtures that were installed.
The millwork detail in the new Gucci space, is extensive and found on most walls. Backlit shelving in one of the women’s rooms features an impressive display of Gucci bags.
A jewellery area, carrying a range of fashion jewellery from the Gucci line, features trunk-like fixtures and a backdrop of white marble. A selection of Gucci jewellery is also carried in the adjacent Holt Renfrew store.
JEWELLERY AREA. PHOTO: GUCCI
The challenging project has resulted in what is one of the most attractive and dramatic retail spaces in Canada. High ceilings, attractive lighting and extremely high-quality craftsmanship has created a retail space unlike any other in this country. The design is based on Gucci’s latest look by Creative Director Alessandro Michele, featuring a mix of old-world opulence and modern bling.
Gucci operates leased concessions at Holt Renfrew’s other stores in Canada as well, though not nearly as large as the new Yorkdale storefront. Holt Renfrew partnered with Gucci to operate concessions in most of its stores. In Vancouver, Gucci operates updated concessions for accessories as well as women’s and men’s ready-to-wear at Holt Renfrew in CF Pacific Centre, with the large ground-floor accessory shop having opened several months ago. Holts’ Calgary store features an older-look Gucci shop-in-shop including boutiques for accessories on the ground floor, women’s fashions on the second floor and a third-floor men’s shop-in-shop. Updates are expected. In Mississauga, Gucci has a concession at Holt Renfrew’s Square One flagship, which featured the brand’s updated aesthetic when it opened in 2017.
Soon, Holt Renfrew’s 50 Bloor Street West flagship in Toronto will see a new Gucci accessories shop open on its main-level, and a women’s ready-to-wear boutique will be relocated on the second floor with the brand’s updated look as well. Holt Renfrew’s 16,500 square foot men’s store at 100 Bloor Street West, which will remain open indefinitely despite an announcement that it was moving back into the 50 Bloor Street West flagship, carries an offering of Gucci men’s fashions on its upper level as well.
WOMEN’S HANDBAG SECTION. PHOTO: GUCCI
Holt Renfrew Ogilvy in Montreal, which will be completed next year, will include a large ground-level Gucci accessory boutique as well as a women’s fashion concession on the store’s third floor. In the spring, a Gucci men’s concession was unveiled on Holt Renfrew Ogilvy’s fourth floor — the men’s floor spans 40,000 square feet with 25 vendor shops for some of the world’s biggest brands.
Gucci also operates a 2,000 square foot accessories concession at Nordstrom at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. There’s also a Gucci boutique at Vancouver International Airport as well as a shop at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. In November of 2018, Gucci unveiled a large outlet store at Toronto Premium Outlets, which saw two-hour long lineups on opening day (Retail construction specialist Amachris Corporation also built that store).
WOMEN’S FOOTWEAR AREA. PHOTO: GUCCI
Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921 and is now part of global luxury conglomerate Kering Group. Last year, Lyst ranked Gucci as the hottest brand globally, with Kering-owned Balenciaga being ranked third.
We’ll follow up this article with photos in a separate piece detailing the new Fendi and Dior boutiques at Holt Renfrew Yorkdale. Dior will open in early September and will also be a ‘world of’ shop carrying accessories as well as fashions for both men and women. Holt Renfrew’s highly productive Yorkdale store features several large concession spaces for some of the world’s most important luxury brands. Chanel expanded its concession last year to more than 4,000 square feet, and other ground floor concessions include Prada, Miu Miu, Loro Piana, Christian Louboutin and Louis Vuitton. A ‘world of Burberry’ concession will be unveiled in the fall and is currently under construction.
WOMEN’S FOOTWEAR WALL AT GUCCI YORKDALE. PHOTO: GUCCI
Yorkdale’s Holt Renfrew has seen continuous updates over the past year as part of a major investment by Holt Renfrew in its fleet of stores. Included at Yorkdale is a recently expanded beauty hall as well as a women’s footwear area with new shop-in-shops for Dior and Roger Vivier. Renovations will continue as the store’s accessories area is updated with the move of Gucci and Dior into larger spaces, and a Brunello Cucinelli shop on the women’s second floor will also see updates, according to a building application.
