Chloé Opens 1st Standalone Canadian Store [Photos]

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June 25, 2018

Chloé at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Chloé)

Paris-based women’s luxury brand Chloé has opened its first Canadian standalone store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The impressive looking boutique is the first in North America to feature the brand’s newest concept.

Stone, glass and polished brass characterize the bright space, which features a series of salons housing the brand’s selection of leather goods, jewellery and accessories, footwear, as well as ready-to-wear. Each room is framed in warm oak and includes hand-plastered walls in the front salon, as well as hand-tooled wall finishing in the ready-to-wear salon at the rear of the store. Chloé’s iconic powdery rose beige colour scheme can be found throughout, along with shades of white and mustard, offset with brushed or polished natural brass. Vergo Construction built the new Yorkdale store, as well as the Ladurée salon located directly across from Chloé.

Suspended mannequins on the window-pane storefront showcase Chloé’s latest collections, and the store was remarkably busy when we visited last week. The store is said to already be doing exceptional business, which makes sense given its location amongst other luxury brands — Chloé is bookended by standalone locations for luxury brands Saint Laurent and Mr. and Mrs. Italy, and is also across from the prestigious multi-brand David’s Shoes which will commence its national store expansion this fall.

Over the past several years, Chloé has been growing its presence in Canada through its wholesale accounts including upscale retailers such as Holt Renfrew, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Over the past three years, Chloé has opened several shop-in-stores in Canadian locations for Nordstrom and Saks, beginning with separate ready-to-wear and accessory boutiques at Nordstrom in Vancouver in September of 2015.

As well, in February of 2016, Chloé boutiques opened at both of Saks Fifth Avenue’s Toronto stores — CF Toronto Eaton Centre and CF Sherway Gardens — and in October of 2016, Chloé shop-in-stores opened along with Nordstrom’s 200,000 square foot location at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

Yorkdale is Chloé’s eighth standalone store in North America. In the United States, Chloé operates boutiques in New York City (850 Madison Avenue and at 93 Green Street), Las Vegas (Forum Shops at Caesar’s and Wynn), Los Angeles (Melrose Place), Costa Mesa CA (South Coast Plaza) and in Miami at the Bal Harbour Shops.

Yorkdale is Canada’s top mall in terms of annual sales per square foot, and the clustering of luxury brands at Yorkdale is becoming world-class. More first-to-market luxury brands will be announced for Yorkdale this month — the centre continues to attract wealthy shoppers and because of this, Holt Renfrew is also in the process of expanding its highly productive store at the mall, with construction commencing this fall.

Chloé is part of the Richemont Group conglomerate, which includes some of the world’s top luxury brands. Designer Natacha Ramsay-Levi joined the company as Creative Director in the spring of 2017. Several of Richemont’s brands already operate at Yorkdale near the new Chloé boutique, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Vacheron Constantine and Piaget. Chloé, which was founded in Paris in 1952, has stores globally as well as a network of concessions and wholesale partnerships that include a presence in some of the world’s top multi-brand stores.

BRIEF: Kimberlite Diamonds Opening 1st Store, Danier Opens Flagship, Hermès Ready for Vancouver Construction

By

Helen Siwak

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June 24, 2018

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By Helen Siwak, Retail Insider Brief Editor

Danier Leather Continues Canadian Store Expansion with 2nd Downtown Toronto Store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre: After seeking credit protection in February 2016 and closing 76+ stores that were in operation, Canadian fashion brand Danier Leather was purchased and quickly relaunched in the fall of that year. With the first location, under the new owners that opened in Oshawa Centre, the company proceeded to launch eight more Ontario locations in quick succession in Ontario and Manitoba. Store number nine has opened at CF Toronto Eaton Centre with on Level 2 between Thomas Sabo and Uno de 50, and across from Free People and M Boutique, in a retail space that formerly housed multi-brand pop-up concept ‘HiO’.

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre Danier spans about 2,400-square-ffeet, making it the largest store in the company to date. It’s also the second downtown Toronto location for Danier, after it opened a unit last year in the city’s Financial District. Retail Insider will be featuring a more in-depth story on Danier’s progression as the revived brand continues to expand with a mix of leather goods and fashions. Opening at CF Toronto Eaton Centre is a smart move in terms of exposure — the shopping centre is the busiest in North America with more than 50-million annual visitors, and it’s also one of Canada’s most productive centres in terms of sales per square foot.

Danier continues to work with David George of brokerage NorthWest Atlantic to secure new locations, ideally in the 1,500-square-foot to 2,000-square-foot range, located in major shopping centres and outlet centres.

Kimberlite Diamonds Launching with ‘Go Big or Go Home’ Philosophy of Bling: Launched in 1996, China’s Kimberlite Diamonds is opening its’ first North American flagship at 2828 Granville Street on Friday, July 6th. The 2,012-square-foot space on South Granville was formerly occupied by Rogers Cellular and is next door to M.J. Jewellers, who have been creating custom jewelry for over 30 years at their location.

CEO Kellan Dong will be on hand to welcome VIP invitation-only guests to view ‘The Moon Goddess’ haute masterpiece necklace with a 25.05-carat main moon-shape diamond with a total weight of 108 carats.

Chief Designer Zhu Wenjun will attend and present live art of her signature masterpieces. Kimberlite’s pieces are structurally different from traditional diamond pieces in that they are organic in shape and tend to be larger, contouring the neck, shoulder, and décolleté.

At a jewelry show in May at Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower, Kimberlite presented 100 pieces of high-end jewelry on 100 models, in 100 luxurious evening gowns, with 100 singers and 100 dancers. This company defines ‘go big or go home!’ philosophy of bling.

Kimberlite Diamonds is one of China’s top five jewelry brands and is known for their curated classic and contemporary brand jewelry collections. According to their website, the company has 700 locations in China.

Vancouver-based Cutler designed the new store, and Peregrine is creating many of the fixtures. We look forward to seeing the finished product.

Art Deco Flagship Property Opportunity in Montreal, QC: Sometimes a building comes along with so much character and presence that you cannot help but get excited about. I am speaking of 1181 Sainte-Catherine Street West in Montreal, QC. This magnificent property was built in the 1920s but was recently upgraded to the highest standards, offering both old-school charm and modern amenities.

This 14,076-square-foot leasing opportunity is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful spaces on Sainte-Catherine Street and is ideally situated in the heart of Montreal’s most vibrant destination. The street is home to all the major retailers, as well as the finest restaurants.

The property was purchased by Maurice Fefer in 1978 and recently completed a major $1.5-million renovation of the premises, with upgrades both inside and out. From the street, 1181 Sainte-Catherine stands out as a stylish art deco building with architectural details and abundant windows. Inside, the space is infused with natural light and double-high ceilings. The premises is column-free for the first 100-feet and offers 19-foot clearance at the mezzanine. It’s the perfect backdrop for a marquee brand or company looking to make a statement.

The 15,700-square-footage breakdown:

Ground Floor: 4,488-square-feet,
Mezzanine: -850-square-feet,
2nd Floor: 4,468-square-feet,
3rd Floor: $1,573-square-feet, and
Basement: 4,320-square-feet.

This flagship opportunity stands out and is sure to be of interest to brokers and prospective tenants seeking a high profile and a very high-traffic location with fabulous co-tenants, including Victoria’s Secret, Browns Shoes, Claires, BMO and more.

Sainte-Catherine Street West is a shopping destination known around the world, and this stunning property will put the right brand on the map. For leasing information, contact Tony Flanz at the Think Retail Team.

Hermès Prepares to Commence Construction of Vancouver Flagship: French luxury brand Hermès is expanding its Canadian operations. Last November, it opened a spectacular two-level flagship at 100 Bloor Street West in Toronto, with more than 6,000-square-feet of retail space in a leased space spanning nearly 13,000-square-feet.

Vancouver certainly will not be left out, as Hermès prepares to start construction on a two-level flagship that will anchor the southwest corner of West Georgia Street and Burrard Street in the city’s ‘Luxury Zone’. Hermès will replace several retail spaces, including a Bell Mobility retailer, Montblanc, the Chevalier men’s store and the Suki’s hair salon upstairs which ended up securing a new space in the same building.

Hermès’ Canadian President, Jennifer Carter, was said to have been recently staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver (which will be closing in January of 2020) to finalize some details on the new space, which is expected to feature a magnificent facade and interior. And next to the new store on West Georgia Street, as well, will be a ‘real estate trade’ of sorts — Starbucks and Birks-owned jewellery retailer Brinkhaus are said to be trading places with new stores, giving Brinkhaus the closer space to the massive new Hermès, which will feature about 100-feet of street frontage along West Georgia Street, as well as an additional 35-feet along Burrard Street just north of Tiffany & Co.’s recently expanded flagship.

Muskoka Inspires Mindham Fine Jewelry to Build a Jewel Cabin: Myles Mindham, designer and founder of Toronto jewelry studio Mindham Fine Jewellery, and long-time summer resident of Muskoka, ON, is launching the Jewel Cabin in the heart of Port Carling. Known for his Toronto atelier with more than 25 years in business, the designer has a high recognition level for his exquisite work in multiple themes, including Hardwear, Genesis, Love Links, and Magical Woodlands.

The Jewel Cabin will feature collections created exclusively with Muskoka in mind, ranging in price from $200 to $5,000. In addition, outside brands such as Verdura, the legendary New York City jewelry house, luxury timepieces from Franck Mueller, and Gold and diamond designs by Heather Hogarth, of HH Designs, will be stocked. Clients will also have access to repair services.

The Jewel Cabin will be located at 99 Maple Street and will cater to summer vacationers who flock to Canada’s most admired lakeside destination.

Judith & Charles Hitting-Up Halifax in Their Canada-wide Expansion: With an anticipated launch in September 2018, the new store at 5421 Spring Garden Road in Halifax will see Judith & Charles continue their brand expansion into Atlantic Canada.

The 1,176-square-foot upscale store will adhere to the brand’s “less is more” aesthetic and showcase clean lines, matt marble floors, curated lighting, and a neutral palette. Art and ideas are engrained in the philosophy of Judith & Charles, with each store exhibiting works by Canadian artists. The store’s first official exhibition will feature the work of Montreal-based artist, David Umemoto.

Having recently opened on Granville Street in Vancouver as well as a flagship in downtown Montreal, Judith & Charles are known for providing a retail experience that embodies their time-honoured vow to offer women style and comfort they can count on season after season. There is no kowtowing to trends at Judith & Charles. The designs are sophisticated yet comfortable and suitable for business and easily transitioned to dress casual with a bit of accessory styling.

Street-front retail is a new focus for Judith & Charles, which until 2014 operated stores exclusively within malls. In the spring of that year, Judith & Charles opened a store at 2207 West 4th Avenue in Vancouver’s Kitsilano area, and the retailer has been steadily moving ahead ever since.

Blubird Flies Down Alberni and Lands in Strellson’s Former Nest: Blubird, a curated luxury contemporary fashion boutique specializing in women’s wear launched a new 2,200-square-foot flagship boutique one block west of their flagship location at 1108 Alberni Street in downtown Vancouver. The official grand-opening last week was wall-to-wall with customers, bloggers, and fashionista galore.

Blubird joins the expanding hub of upscale shopping in downtown Vancouver at the western end of Vancouver’s ‘Luxury Zone’ across the street from the Shangri-La Hotel and around the corner from Versace and Saint Laurent.

Blubird’s owner, Vestis Fashion Group, is led by Founder and President, Catherine Guadagnuolo, who felt that it was time to rebrand and relocate after 10 years. Blubirds’ clientele had matured in the past decade from Juicy Couture to Red Valentino, and were demanding higher quality garments and in-store experiences.

The family-owned boutique, stocks designers and labels from fashion capitals around the world including Milan, Paris, New York and LA, many of which are unique and exclusive to the Vancouver stores. Each season, Blubird buyers travel the world sourcing the hautest new looks.

Formerly occupied by Strellson men’s wear, the new Blubird location has floor to ceiling glass windows, high ceilings, modern decor, and design.

Vestis Fashion Group Inc. is a Vancouver-based, family-owned, luxury brand retail company founded in 1985. Brands under the Vestis umbrella are Granville Street’s Max Mara, Weekend Max Mara in Oakridge Centre, Pomellato in CF Pacific Centre, and Blubird.

The 745 Thurlow Street building where Blubird is now located is owned by bcIMC and is managed by QuadReal — Larissa Jacobson negotiated on behalf of the landlord. CBRE’s Martin Moriarty and Mario Negris coordinated on behalf of the tenant.

Many of the fixtures in the new store were manufactured by Vancouver-based Peregrine, which has worked with some of the country’s leading retailers and restaurants. [See Peregrine’s ‘Cool Project’ page for Blubird]

Remenyi House of Music in Toronto to Close? According to a report in Costar, Remenyi House of Music recently sold its iconic 18,873-square-foot building at 210 Bloor Street West, located a few steps away from the prestigious retail strip on the other side of Avenue Road. Costar reports that the purchase price was about $25-million, which positions the site for potential redevelopment. The retailer has occupied the well-located space since 1979, which faces the University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum.

Toronto’s land prices have been escalating for some time, and at $250/buildable square foot, buyer Tribute Communities might expect to construct a tower spanning about 100,000-square-feet. Given the size of the site, that could result in a building as tall as 25-30 floors, though this is more speculation at this time. A tower here would be less than 40-feet in width, though the location warrants some impressive density to take advantage of the views.

Noah Schwartz of Lennard Commercial Realty is said to have listed the space.

Helen Siwak is the publisher of EcoLuxLuv.com Magazine, a freelance content creator specializing in retail and luxury lifestyle. She is a regular content contributor to Boulevard Vancouver (English & Chinese), Retail-Insider, BLUSH Vancouver, and has lifestyle blogged for StyleDemocracy and Daily Hive. When not writing, she is attending fashion events, traveling, and advocating for animal/human rights. helensiwak@yahoo.com.

Furla Plans to Enter Canada with Standalone Stores

By

Craig Patterson

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June 24, 2018

FURLA BONDI JUNCTION, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA. PHOTO: FURLA

Italian luxury brand Furla is seeking retail space in Canada for new stores, as the company expands its direct-to-consumer operations into new markets. Furla has partnered with Halcyon Brands for a joint venture in Canada and brokerage Aurora Realty Consultants for its brick-and-mortar expansion into the Canadian market.

Furla was founded by the Furlanetto family in 1927, and it remains family-owned. The company produces various product categories that include leather goods such as handbags and shoes, as well as an expanding category of accessories that include eyewear, jewellery and watches. The company’s goal is to become something of a lifestyle brand. Furla’s headquarters are in Bologna, Italy, in an historic 18th-century villa and in 2015, the company opened a five-storey tall ‘Palazzo’ in central Milan.

The brand’s pricing is a bit lower than that of some of its competitors, which Furla says gives it a competitive advantage. “It is the only brand in the fast-growing premium segment that gives customers an authentic Italian experience with an attractive value for money proposition, positioning itself as one of the major global players in the leather goods market,” according to the company’s website. Furla also has regional headquarters in New York City, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Furla employs more than 1,600 people and interestingly, about 90% of these are women who represent more than 100 nationalities, with an average age of 36.

Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants is representing Furla in its Canadian expansion.

In Canada, Furla operates a licensed shop-in-store at the Peace Arch Duty Free store on Highway 99 in Surrey, south of Vancouver, which might fall under the company’s ‘travel retail’ classification.

Furla’s Canadian expansion is timely — the company continues to expand its network of stores in the United States, which tend to be located at prestigious addresses. For example, a Boston store is located at Copley Place, while a New York City flagship has an address in the heart of Fifth Avenue. Furla also operates outlet stores in selected markets.

It’s also not the first time that Canada has seen standalone Furla stores, though previous locations were franchised. A Furla boutique was located at 41 Avenue Road south of the former Hazleton Lanes years ago, and a location in Vancouver operated across from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver at the southwest corner of Burrard Street and West Georgia Street (1008 W. Georgia Street).

Cirque du Soleil Announces Location of 1st Mall-Based Entertainment Centre

By

Craig Patterson

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June 22, 2018

Vaughan Mills (Image: Ivanhoé Cambridge)

Montreal-based entertainment and theatrical company Cirque du Soleil plans to launch shopping centre-based family entertainment centres next year, with the first in the world set to open in September of 2019 at the Ivanhoé Cambridge– owned Vaughan Mills, north of Toronto. More locations are expanded in other Ivanhoé Cambridge properties, as well as potentially with other landlords.

The announcement was formally made during the City of Vaughan’s 2018 Mayor’s Gala on the evening of Thursday, June 21, with Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua saying, “After much media speculation, I am proud to announce that Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and real estate developer, Ivanhoé Cambridge, owner of Vaughan Mills, have chosen Vaughan to be home to the world’s first-ever indoor CREACTIVE family entertainment centre, which is scheduled to open in September 2019 at Vaughan Mills.”

Mr. Bevilacqua went on to say, “CREACTIVE will be a first of its kind, an innovative concept of indoor family entertainment experiences specially designed by Cirque du Soleil for retail locations, like Vaughan Mills. It will add to Vaughan’s already thriving tourism, creative arts, entertainment and recreation industries. Our city is known for its commitment, appreciation and celebration of arts and culture. We are blessed and enriched by diversity – our people speak 105 different languages. It will be here in Vaughan, where families can stretch their imagination and embrace the grandeur of being a Cirque du Soleil performer.

The city of Vaughan is one of Canada’s fastest growing communities. Incorporated in 1991, the city now boasts a population of 335,000 — that’s larger than cities such as Saskatoon and Regina, not to mention most cities in Canada’s Maritime Provinces. The Greater Toronto Area is home to more than six-million residents, and is said to be growing by more than 100,000 people annually. Vaughan recently became connected to Toronto via the TTC subway network, which extended past Toronto’s borders for the first time with the opening of two stations north of York University.

The intention of such entertainment centres is to further drive foot traffic to malls, as landlords seek to create ‘community hubs’ that include various non-retail uses. In some respects, West Edmonton Mall got it right the first time — create an engaging destination that includes multiple uses that include retail, and give consumers a series of experiences that will also have them coming back for more.

Vaughan Mills, as well, already has a Legoland Discovery Centre — Cirque will be another family-friendly attraction for the busy centre.

CREACTIVE is described as being an “immersive, creative and participative family experience”, where visitors “can stretch their imagination, flex their muscles, explore newfound circus skills, and take a bow on the virtual Cirque du Soleil stage”. The Vaughan Mills location is expected to span nearly 25,000 square feet when finished, and will offer a range of acrobatic, artistic and other Cirque du Soleil-inspired recreational activities such as bungee jumping, aerial parkour, wire and trampolines, mask design, juggling, circus track activities, and dance.

“Our fans regularly express their wish to experience Cirque du Soleil from an insider’s perspective, to peek behind the curtain and imagine themselves stepping into our artists’ shoes. With CREACTIVE, we make that possible by inviting families to jump on stage, offering them another way to explore our creativity beyond our live shows”, said Marie-Josée Lamy, Cirque du Soleil’s Producer of CREACTIVE.

Cirque du Soleil already operates two highly successful outdoor theme parks along the same lines — Club Med CREACTIVE by CIRQUE DU SOLEIL has locations at Club Med locations in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and in Opio, France.

Ivanhoé Cambridge is reimagining its retail properties as experiential destinations. In an earlier interview, the company’s president, Claude Sirois, explained how malls are becoming a “collection of experiences” and how “brick and mortar is here to stay”, provided that it includes what consumers are actually looking for. CREACTIVE is the second major announcement for the landlord in less than a month, after announcing in late May that it had struck a partnership to open a Time Out Food Market at its Montreal Eaton Centre project — one of only a handful worldwide (currently there’s just one, in Lisbon Portugal).

Cirque du Soleil confirms that it’s negotiating for other locations with other partners, and that it’s also in discussions with Ivanhoé Cambridge for additional locations in Canada as well.

2018 Global Retail Trends and Innovation: Trend Four: ‘Responsibility’ [Video]

By

Craig Patterson

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June 21, 2018

2018 Global Retail Trends and Innovation: Trend Four: 'Responsibility' [Video]

This is the last of four videos describing some of the world’s top retail trends, as presented by John Williams and Maureen Atkinson, Senior Partners at J.C. Williams Group. The topic of the video ‘Responsibility’ — consumers want to feel that they are part of something greater when buying a brand, which means that brands should provide them with an opportunity to support a good cause. It’s all about caring, and purpose, and the best brands are addressing this.

We’re at a time in Canada’s history when an unprecedented number of international retailers are entering the country while at the same time, the best homegrown companies are innovating. It’s therefore a time to look internationally for best practices in the video above, where some European examples are showcased.

J.C. Williams Group is part of the bigger Ebeltoft Group, which has now released its 2018 Global Retail Trends & Innovations Report. This book highlights some key insights into what innovative retailers are doing around the world. The release includes these video discussions as well as a free downloadable version of the book, available here.

Feel free to comment below the video. As well, directly below are four videos — an introductory video which announced the ‘Retail Innovation of the Year’ winner of the 2018 Global Retail Trends & Innovations Report. As well, the other videos discuss: Trend One: ‘Smart Shopping’ and Trend Two: ‘Interaction’, and Trend Three: ‘Emotional Retail’.

[Download the full PDF report]

Canadian Retailers Must Embrace Experiential Retail To Survive: Study

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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June 21, 2018

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Wowing customers and creating unforgettable experiences is becoming more critical for retailers these days in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The recent sixth annual Canadian Retail Insights Report, by American Express Canada, found that 87 per cent of retailers agree their customers are getting more selective about where they shop.

Kerri-Ann Santaguida, Vice President and General Manager, Merchant Services, American Express Canada, said retailers are focusing on improving their in-store experience while investing in new technologies to provide seamless shopping experiences as a way to maintain their competitive edge these days.

She said the survey tracks key metrics year-over-year, giving retailers an understanding of the areas of opportunity.

VIRTUAL REALITY SEATING AREA at Samsung store in CF Toronto Eaton Centre. CUSTOMERS WERE ENJOYING THE EXPERIENCE WHEN WE VISITED THE STORE.

“It’s not good enough to be good anymore. Retailers need to be unforgettable,” she said. “With emerging technologies poised to disrupt the industry, the stakes have never been so high. Businesses can’t afford to ignore these trends as they have the potential to completely transform the customer experience and grow market share if executed well.

“Amidst rising competition, Canadian retailers understand that winning customer loyalty is about offering more than just products and services. It’s really about distributing unforgettable experiences. The data overwhelmingly showed that key message come out.”

Some of the survey’s key highlights include:

97 per cent of retailers agree that improving the in-store experience is important and 69 per cent agree investing in new technology is integral to driving business success;
58 per cent say they plan to make more updates to the in-store experience this year;
29 per cent are interested in investing in new technologies like automation or data personalization and 14 per cent are looking to artificial intelligence or augmented reality to provide a better in-store experience; and
82 per cent of retailers surveyed that adopted new payments practices in the past 12 months said they did so to meet customer expectations.

“Retailers are investing in new technologies and they’re focusing on the in-store experience to deliver this seamless shopping experience across all customer touchpoints,” said Santaguida.

“Retailers are adopting this payment everywhere strategy that prioritizes the role of the automatic payment and emerging technologies.”

She said the “unforgettable experience” part of the survey was coming through “loud and clear.”

“It’s about meeting the customer wherever they are and giving them choice in a way that they interact with their businesses,” said Santaguida. “Some of the data showed that 97 per cent of retailers believe that the in-store experience is important but they also understand it’s critical to meet the customer where they want to transact. So whether that’s online, offline or both.

“They’re leveraging these new solutions to deliver a fully integrated customer experience but they’re also making investment in ways to make that experience resonate for the customer whether it’s online fulfillment, buying online and pickup in store, email/text marketing, payments technology, mobile apps. They’re really making sure that those experiences are meeting the customers’ expectations but not only meeting but they’re looking for ways to exceed the customer’s expectation.”

Santaguida said customers will definitely shift their loyalty and their brand recognition from those retailers that do not follow the trends.

Ladurée at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre offering the colonial style of the 18th century to bring a bit of Paris to bustling Toronto.

She said the Millennial generation is mobile in nature and its purchasing behaviour is driving trends in the retail industry.

“If you’re not making an immediate impression from a customer experience point of view on Millennials you’ll lose the touchpoint with them and they won’t be a customer in the future. So I think it’s really important to get it right up front for all customer segmentations but it’s really critical for the Millennial point of view because they’re quick to make a judgement and move on to the next experience or retailer,” added Santaguida.

The survey also found:

Nine in 10 retailers have a positive business outlook for the year ahead;
52 per cent say their sales have increased over the last year and of those, 72 per cent attribute the growth to a focus on delivering better customer experiences – beating out new products and improved product quality;
53 per cent, excluding the gas industry, currently offering online shopping, reservations or ordering say it has increased sales and revenue;
45 per cent say they’re making investments in online fulfilment solutions like “buy online, pick up in store,” email and text marketing (42 per cent), payments technology (38 per cent) and mobile apps (38 per cent);
69 per cent say that investing in new technologies this year is important to the success of their business;
29 per cent of retailers will consider using automation or data personalization to improve the experience in-store, and 14 per cent are interested in implementing artificial intelligence or augmented reality;
48 per cent of retailers in the quick service industry introduced new payments technology in the last year, compared to only 28 per cent in 2017; and
Key types of payments technologies adopted by retailers this year includes mobile wallet (66 per cent), in-app payments (49 per cent), tablet POS (45 per cent) and web portal payments (28 per cent).

Canadian Mattress-in-a-Box Brand ‘Endy’ Announces Expansion Amid Explosive Success

By

Craig Patterson

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June 20, 2018

Toronto-based mattress-in-a-box brand Endy is seeing explosive sales growth in Canada as the company continues to grow its operations. Despite increasing competition, the company is seeing rapid year-over-year growth of 300%, resulting both from expansive marketing efforts as well as consistently high ratings among purchasers. Growth has been so rapid that the company is announcing that it is opening a distribution centre in Western Canada to keep up with the demand.

“We are excited to announce the opening of our Western Canada distribution centre, which will enable us to deliver even faster on our promise of a better sleep for all Canadians,” said Mike Gettis, CEO, Endy. “This investment will ensure our customer experience is exceptional across the country, from first click to delivery, and marks a major milestone in our evolution from a startup to a truly national brand.”

The new distribution centre will be in Langley B.C., near Vancouver, and it is being built to keep up with demand. Western Canada is Endy’s biggest growth region, according to Mr. Gettis, with Calgary in particular being its second-fastest growing market as well as second for overall sales, trailing the much larger city of Toronto. The new distribution centre will serve customers living in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, and the Yukon to most addresses, allowing for delivery time that will be cut in half, to just three days or less. Endy’s other distribution centre is in Mississauga, Ontario.

Another benefit to the new distribution centre is that service hours will be extended for western timezones — customer service is key to the company, according to Mr. Gettis.

Endy was founded in 2015 as an online ‘sleep brand’ and the company is in line to do $50-million in sales this year. Mr. Gettis noted that Canada is Endy’s target market and remarkably, the company’s revenue is now about 10% of that of Sleep Country Canada, which is the largest bedding retailer in the country with more than 250 brick-and-mortar stores as well as e-commerce.

Its mattresses are said to be engineered to offer the “perfect balance of comfort and support,” featuring an open air cell foam that relieves pressure points, eliminates motion transfer, and releases body heat faster than conventional foam.

Shipping is free in a box that is about the size of a hockey bag. Endy says that it’s the top-selling online mattress brand in Canada, with the highest customer reviews as well as the lowest rate of returns (customers can try the mattress for 100 nights and return it if not satisfied). It’s one of Canada’s fastest growing e-commerce companies and in 2016, it won Techweek’s Top 100 Innovation Award.

Endy mattresses are made in Canada, which is a point of pride for the company. The company continues to see explosive gains despite the introduction of new mattress-in-a-box brands in this country. It also has expanded its product offerings to include sheets and pillows, with more categories in the works.

In November of 2017, Endy appeared on television program Dragons’ Den, securing one of the largest investments in the show’s history.

ENDY ON DRAGON'S DEN. PHOTO: ENDY FACEBOOK

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Endy has partnered with dozens of independent retailers across the country to display its bedding offerings so that consumers can touch and feel. Mr. Gettis says that the company will eventually look to open its own standalone stores, though it’s continuing to focus in the meantime on its explosive online growth as well as its brick-and-mortar partnerships.

Advertising had been initially focused on urban areas with the young urban professional being an important target market. Expansive campaigns with entities such at Toronto’s TTC has seen Endy advertising occupy entire subway cars, no doubt helping the company gain brand awareness to the hundreds of thousands who ride transit in Canada’s biggest city, daily. Endy is now expanding its advertising to suburban and other parts of Canada, according to Mr. Gettis, as the company “doubles down” on the Canadian market in an effort to continue to dominate the market.

Endy also has a charitable component that also helps the company sleep easier. Each year, the company donates thousands of mattress to Canadians in need through local charity partnerships.

Yorkdale’s CONCEPT Launches ‘Female Founders’ Market, Curated by Flawless by Friday [Photos]

By

Craig Patterson

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June 20, 2018

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By Craig Patterson

The CONCEPT pop-up space at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre now houses a unique retail initiative unlike anything seen in Canada to date. The “Yorkdale Concept 0.6 x Flawless by Friday” female founder’s market includes more than 50 innovative Canadian businesses that will cycle on a rotation, curated by Canadian skin care brand Flawless by Friday, which is launching its very first makeup line and will remain on-site throughout the activation that operates until July 31.

As part of the almost two-month installation, four, two-week themes will highlight a mix of female founded brands with product demos, talks, consultations, food, music, and art. The four themes include:

• Babes Who Beach: June 7th -19th (now finished),

• Sun’s Out , Mom’s Out: June 20th – July 3rd

• Summer Self Lovin: July 4th – 17th, and

• Werk It : July 18th – 31st , 2018.

Themes were created in order to organize the more than 50 businesses that will be contained in the space, says Brittny Robins, founder and CEO of Flawless by Friday. Her beauty brand, which launched in 2015 and is backed by retail veteran Bonnie Brooks, is showcasing the new makeup line with digital try-on technology at their ‘Flawless by 15 Beauty Bar’, exclusively at CONCEPT.

“It is important to me that we constantly innovate and evolve,” said Ms. Robins. “We truly believe in the brands that are a part of this concept. We wanted to give these incredible female entrepreneurs a platform in order to show their products and get noticed.”

The atmosphere is upbeat and the newest inception has some tremendous vendors ranging from fashion to food to even cactus plants. One notable new vendor is KyKy Kookies by health guru Kyla Ford. Ms. Ford started her business in April of this year and already, business is booming and she says some are even coming into CONCEPT based on Instagram posts mentioning her new temporary shop.

Entrepreneur Kyla Ford started her 'KyKy Kookies' business in April. Her proud mother Karla helped set up for the first day on June 20. Photo: Craig Patterson — Entrepreneur Kyla Ford started her ‘KyKy Kookies’ business in April. Her proud mother Karla helped set up for the first day on June 20. Photo: Craig Patterson

The Flawless in 15 Fast Beauty Bar features a range of new makeup products, marking Flawless by Friday’s first foray into this field of the beauty industry. Ms. Robins, who is a certified makeup artist and beautician by trade, explained how the bar’s goal is all about the experience, which includes efficiency —a process that could take up to an hour has been reduced to just 15 minutes at the new Fast Beauty Bar.

Ms. Robins demonstrates the technology. Photo: Craig Patterson — Ms. Robins demonstrates the technology. Photo: Craig Patterson

Visitors are first greeted with a digital experience, which allows them to see exactly what the makeup will look like on their face prior to getting it done. That’s followed by an in-person makeup application. The beauty bar is said to be inspired by a library and focused on the educational process in cosmetics, and features a bookshelf called the “Flawless Library.”

Four beauty chairs are available at the Beauty Bar, with makeup artists available to create one of four looks that takes just 15 minutes or less, for $30. There’s also a “5 minute freshen up” for $15 for customers that are in even more of a hurry. As well, there’s the option of getting a classic Flawless by Friday skincare treatment (hydrogel face or eye mask) prior to the makeup application appointment.

“Our skincare simplifies what can be a complex process, and we wanted our cosmetics line to do the same,” said Ms. Robins, “We want people to feel their best in just a few minutes, offering them a gorgeous look in a very short amount of time and at an affordable price,” she said.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre  Concept x Flawless by Friday — *Yorkdale Shopping Centre Concept x Flawless by Friday*

The four makeup ‘looks’ are called: “Natural Knockout, Glow Getter, Smoke Show and Modern Marilyn”, and these are said to be suitable for all skin types and tones. Each look includes foundation, concealer, primer, matte and glossy lipstick duo, upper and lower lash mascara, double-ended brushes (numbered for clarity), as well as brow gel and false lashes.

In all, 22 new Flawless by Friday makeup products launched both in CONCEPT as well as online – including eye and face palettes, lipsticks, lashes, and brushes. More products from the new line will continue to roll out over the course of the next six months. Flawless by Friday explains it as being “centred around bringing a customized paint by numbers experience to the makeup application process”.

“Not only are we thrilled about our new launches,” said Ms. Robins, “but we are particularly excited to be able to give back to female entrepreneurs who are in need of important exposure in order to grow their businesses. My ultimate goal is to create a community where us entrepreneurs can share knowledge and help each other.” To that end, Flawless by Friday will also be donating a portion of the proceeds to fund female-founded businesses in developing countries through Opportunity International.

CONCEPT launched in the spring of 2017 and was a first for Canada — the purpose-built 3,600 square foot permanent space was created by landlord Oxford Properties, in partnership with design firm figure3, to house activations that can include one or multiple businesses. A range of pop-up concepts have been housed at CONCEPT since then, ranging from food, fashion, tattoos, and even an installation for Sunwing Vacations. The “Yorkdale Concept 0.6 x Flawless by Friday” runs until July 31, and more details can be found at: https://yorkdale.com/stores/concept-x-flawless-friday.

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Craig Patterson, now based in Toronto, is the founder and Editor-in-Chief Retail Insider. He’s also a retail and real estate consultant, retail tour guide and public speaker.

Follow him on Twitter @RetailInsider_, LinkedIn at Craig Patterson, or email him at: craig@retail-insider.com.

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Ardene Signs Exclusive Partnership with Kendall & Kylie Brand

By

Craig Patterson

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June 20, 2018

Fast-fashion retailer Ardene has announced that it has signed a Canadian-exclusive design partnership with KENDALL & KYLIE, the clothing and lifestyle brand belonging to celebrity sister act Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

The Montreal-based chain confirmed that the partnership would officially launch on Saturday, June 23 with a 77-piece, summer-themed capsule collection available at 250 Ardene locations across Canada and online at ardene.com. Eight flagship Ardene stores – including the locations at West Edmonton Mall, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Square One in Mississauga and CF Carrefour Laval near Montreal – will host VIP preview shopping events for Ardene loyalty program members on Friday, June 22. Additional capsule collections are slated to launch in August and November 2018.

“Our goal is to elevate the customer experience in everything we do,” said Mark Dervishian, Ardene COO. “Kendall and Kylie are without a doubt two of the biggest and most relevant influencers worldwide. With this collaboration, we hope to continue exceeding customer expectations.”

“Social influencers have become a driving force behind an increasing number of our campaigns. These partnerships are relevant and relatable, and give customers the 360-degree experience they expect,” added Elisabeth Couture, Brand Manager at Ardene. “Our track record with celebrity partnerships demonstrates that these product lines tend to sell out quickly, and given the profile of Kendall and Kylie – who have over 200 million Instagram followers combined – we have every expectation that this collaboration will set a new standard for the Canadian fashion retail industry.”

“We are thrilled with what Ardene is doing in the retail sector. We feel that Ardene is one of the most on-point retail partners. Their relationship with the KENDALL & KYLIE demographic fits in our wheelhouse perfectly,” said Brian Cytrynbaum of Majestic Mills, who holds the global license for KENDALL & KYLIE. “They are really on-trend and appear to be the best Canadian retailer in the category.”

The KENDALL & KYLIE collaboration marks the latest step in Ardene’s strategy to cater to ‘Generation Z’ – the post-millennial generation of consumers that range from teenagers to early twentysomethings. The chain continues to open a series of modern new large-format, open-concept stores designed as a premier, one-stop shopping destination for apparel trends, fashion basics, shoes and accessories. Ardene’s latest bricks-and-mortar strategy puts the digital experience front and centre with giant LED screens; phone charging stations; social hangout zones; and Instagram-friendly photo booths.

Additional new store openings are anticipated throughout 2018.

POTLOC Opens Toronto Office As it Secures Major Investment

By

Craig Patterson

-

June 20, 2018

Montreal-based crowdsourced market research company POTLOC is growing so rapidly that it is in the process of opening new offices. The expansion is being fuelled partly through newly secured venture capital, as well as the company’s considerable success as retailers and landlords see the benefits of the company’s innovative neighbourhood insights.

The new Toronto office is located at 180 John Street, in a renovated heritage building that has been converted to a multi-level co-working office centre. Called ‘Spaces Queen West, the eight-level building is just steps away from trendy Queen Street West and the Entertainment District, and is immediately south of the Art Gallery of Ontario. The Osgoode TTC subway station is a short walk away.

Spaces Queen West features private offices and meeting rooms and boasts an impressive rooftop patio that is already proving to be popular in the warmer weather. Allied Properties REIT acquired the building in 2015 and led by the design team of architects Gensler with heritage specialists ERA and landscape design by DTAH, two floors were added above a formerly five-storey 1916-built red brick-and-beam former warehouse.

POTLOC hired retail veteran Mike Garard to head up the new Toronto office, and more team members are being added. Mr. Garard says that POTLOC’s Toronto office is expected to hire between four and six people this year, adding to an already growing POTLOC team internationally. The Montreal office, which had only a handful of people last year, already has about 30 employees with a new person being added almost weekly. In France, POTLOC has offices in Lille and it also recently opened in Paris. In North America, New York City is on POTLOC’s radar, according to co-founder Rodolphe Barrere.

The rapid expansion is expected to continue for POTLOC, which most recently has secured $2.5-million in funding from the Ecofuel Fund, which is a seed investment fund for clean technologies. POTLOC has attracted notable investors such as Desjardins Capital and CapHorn Invest, a French venture capital firm making its first investment in Canada. The initial investors, BDC Capital and renowned angel investors like Robert Dutton, the former RONA (acquired by Lowe’s) CEO, are reinforcing their trust in the Montreal startup.

Recent financing allows POTLOC to expand its team, as well as to invest heavily into research and development to further enhance its technology platform. Its objective is to establish itself as leader in consumer market research for the retail industry and commercial real estate. The company says that it foresees launching an even more ambitious new funding round in 2019.

Customers are ‘given a voice’ as part of POTLOC’s process, which through social media, reaches out to people within specifically targeted locations to gage preferences for such things as their consuming habits, preferences for retailers and their experiences with certain retailers. Insights can then be used by retailers, real estate companies and cities to optimize the local retail offering.

“We’re disrupting the market research industry,” says Mr. Garard, going on to describe how the company uses social networks to source thousands of consumer insights.

Companies such as ALDO, Loblaws, Ivanhoé Cambridge and Cadillac Fairview use POTLOC’s data to make real estate choices, and a company that recently utilized POTLOC’s services is France-based fitness concept ‘Keep Cool’, which opened its first Canadian location several months ago in downtown Toronto.

Mike Garard of POTLOC’s Toronto office can be reached at: mike@potloc.com or +1 (416) 303- 8187.

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