The Bank of Canada is raising awareness for retailers of a new $10 bill that is vertical in shape so the industry is prepared to accept the money from consumers when it enters into circulation later this year.
MANUEL PARREIRA, REGIONAL DIRECTOR WITH THE BANK OF CANADA
The new bank note featuring Viola Desmond, which was introduced recently, features the first time that an iconic Canadian woman is portrayed on a regularly circulating Bank of Canada note.
“This new $10 note is the first vertically oriented bank note issued in Canada. This will allow for a more prominent image of Viola Desmond and differentiates this new $10 note from the current polymer notes,” said the Bank of Canada when it announced the new currency.
Manuel Parreira, Regional Director with the Bank of Canada, said the new $10 bill is like any other bank note in circulation.
“It depends on the specific retailers but it should have no impact at all as to whether it’s a cash handler, whether it’s a retailer, whether it’s a consumer, or even a machine,” said Parreira.
THE BOLD SECURITY FEATURES ON THE VERTICAL $10 NOTE ARE EASY TO CHECK AND DIFFICULT TO COUNTERFEIT.
“Somebody who owns a bank note machine or a note acceptor there will probably be some changes required in that and our commitment . . . is that people are confident in using (it) and also that the machines accept (it). But we work with those organizations in advance, the bank note equipment manufacturers, and we make sure that they have the specs that they need in order to prepare for the issue of the note in circulation.”
Parreira said the Bank of Canada works with various stakeholders in all the different sectors to make sure that they are informed, aware and prepared for the note to come out.
“And as we get closer to the day of the issue, the day it physically comes out, we follow up on those stakeholders again,” he said. “We’ll create or ensure that there’s lots of media, lots of communication with our stakeholders . . . So it’s really an awareness campaign that we spread throughout Canada.”
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW NOTE. LEFT IS VIOLA DESMOND’S SISTER, WANDA ROBSON, WITH FINANCE MINISTER BILL MORNEAU ON THE RIGHT. PHOTO: BILL MORNEAU TWITTER.
He said the new $10 bill will be circulating alongside the current $10 bill. The current $10 bills will slowly be pulled out of the system as they wear out.
The Bank of Canada said Viola Desmond was selected for the new $10 bank note by Finance Minister Bill Morneau following an open call to Canadians to nominate an iconic Canadian woman for the next redesigned bank note. A successful Black Nova Scotian businesswoman, Viola Desmond defiantly refused to leave a whites-only area of a movie theatre in 1946 and was subsequently jailed, convicted and fined. Her court case is one of the first known legal challenges against racial segregation brought forth by a Black woman in Canada, explained the Bank of Canada.
The Bank said the new $10 will be printed on polymer, which was introduced to Canadian bank notes in 2011. The vertical bank note is the same size, has the same functionality as existing Canadian bank notes and should not change how people handle cash, added the Bank.
“Our bank notes are designed not only to be a secure and durable means of payment, but also to be works of art that tell the stories of Canada. This new $10 fits that bill,” said Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz, in a statement. “I’m immensely proud of all the innovation that went into this note—from the public consultation process that encouraged a national conversation on the important contributions of women in Canadian history, to the note’s beautiful vertical design, to its cutting-edge security features. Canadians can use this note with both confidence and pride.”
It’s part of a larger multi-year redevelopment of the popular Quebec City shopping centre, which will see almost $230 million invested into the centre when all is said and done. Common areas are being overhauled, as is the mall’s amusement park ‘Mega Parc’, which is being redesigned with a ‘steampunk’ theme and will reopen towards the end of this year. Last week, Quebec City-based La Maison Simons opened an 80,000 square foot ‘new generation’ eco store in part of the mall’s former Target space, freeing up Simons’ former 46,000 square foot space for the redevelopment.
The new food marketplace, which is described as being a modern space inspired by European marketplaces, will be unveiled in the fall of 2019 and will showcase local food vendors and their products. A variety of artisans and merchants will offer specialties including meats, fish, seafood, cheese, spices, oils, olives, bread, pastries, juices, coffee, and various other fine products. The goal will be to offer quality and freshness at one location.
As part of the food hall redevelopment in the former Simons space, the region’s first RICARDO Boutique + Café will open in the centre in a 9,000 square foot location. The food marketplace will be home to a boutique (featuring cookware, the art de la table collections and gourmet favourites) and a café that will seat up to 90 people. An adjacent 745 square foot patio will accommodate more than 50 people. It will be Ricardo’s third location (its second opened in Laval in November of 2017) representing an investment of nearly $2 million that will lead to the creation of 60 jobs. Owned and operated by TV host and businessperson Ricardo Larrivee, the new RICARDO Boutique + Café will be the first in the chain to offer an express counter with a variety of meals and desserts to-go.
“We’ve been looking to open in Quebec City for a long time. We loved the idea of this new food marketplace that combines our mission with our concept. We can’t wait to welcome our first guests!”, said Ricardo Larrivee, who also leads the highly successful RICARDO Magazine that boasts a circulation of over 1,000,000 readers every issue.
[See below for a video showcasing the new project]
“We are proud to welcome RICARDO Boutique + Café to Galeries de la Capitale! It’s always a pleasure to partner with an industry leader who, like us, is constantly striving to innovate and do better,” said Stéphan Landry, General Director of Galeries de la Capitale.
Along with RICARDO, the new food marketplace will feature two restaurants as well as a kitchen space reserved for fine-dining demonstrations, workshops and conferences. It’s the third such food marketplace in an Oxford Properties mall, and its first for the landlord in Quebec.
Canadian mall landlords are investing in their properties like never before, with billions of dollars being poured into centres to continue to attract shoppers. Landlords are looking beyond traditional retail models and are seeking to add new food and beverage concepts, as well as entertainment concepts, in order to attract a broader range of shoppers and keep them on-site. Given the demise of Target and Sears in Canada, landlords have more options to repurpose space in their malls beyond that of traditional fashion and anchor retailers.
Galeries de la Capitale scores high with ‘retailtainment’ with its in-mall amusement park as well as housing the only IMAX movie theatre in the area. The centre is the largest in Quebec with almost 1.5 million square feet of GLA, with about 280 stores and 10 million annual visitors.
[BLOOR STREET ENTRANCE/FACADE ON SUNDAY, MARCH 18]
Paris-based luxury brand Saint Laurent (formerly ‘Yves Saint Laurent’) has opened a street-level boutique on Toronto’s Bloor Street West ’Mink Mile’. The shop is technically a concession within the Holt Renfrew complex at 50 Bloor Street West, though it functions as a standalone boutique and carries the company’s entire collections for men and women.
The boutique features both a street-facing entrance onto Bloor Street, as well as access and a marble facade from within Holt Renfrew’s cosmetics department. Marble and metal are the themes throughout Saint Laurent’s new store — flooring and walls are primarily marble clad, and mirrors make the space appear even larger than it is.
Unlike the Toronto Yorkdale Shopping Centre Saint Laurent that opened in November of 2016, the Bloor Street Saint Laurent is divided into separate areas that include menswear, women’s ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories. Handbags proliferate at the front of the store facing Bloor Street along with a selection of pricey women’s fashion from the Spring/Summer 2018 collection, and men’s is further to the back.
[CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP]
[ACCESSORY AREA IN THE FRONT OF THE STORE]
Saint Laurent is the latest renovated area of the 50 Bloor Street West Holt Renfrew store, which is seeing piecemeal renovations to selected departments. Sources in the company say that a bigger renovation is planned with details to follow. What’s interesting, as well, is that the Saint Laurent boutique at 50 Bloor carries menswear, and that it wasn’t included in the current standalone 16,500 square foot men’s store at 100 Bloor Street West.
The new Saint Laurent boutique actually takes part of the former men’s floor at the 50 Bloor Holt Renfrew store. All of the 50 Bloor menswear was moved to the 100 Bloor Street West men’s store last year. Holt Renfrew has been making changes to its 50 Bloor Street premises and last summer, it reduced the store’s size by about 3,800 square feet when it gave up ground level space that is technically part of the adjacent 60 Bloor Street West office tower. That space remains vacant.
[WOMEN’S READY-TO-WEAR AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE]
[SAINT LAURENT OCCUPIES THE WEST SIDE OF HOLT’S GROUND FLOOR, BEING ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THIS PHOTO]
[THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN FROM WITHIN HOLT RENFREW’S GROUND FLOOR COSMETICS HALL, SHOWING THE ENTRANCE TO THE NEW SAINT LAURENT. MEN’S SHOES CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTO]
In some respects, Holt Renfrew is taking a page from its past by offering Saint Laurent street-level space with its own entrance. In the 1990’s, Giorgio Armani had street-facing boutiques at Holt’s in Toronto and Montreal and more recently, Chanel opened a 5,000 square foot street-level concession at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver that faces onto Dunsmuir Street — though it is only accessed from within Holt’s.
[WOMEN’S SHOES. PHOTO: DAVID IAN GRAY]
[LOOKING INTO THE STORE FROM HOLT’S COSMETICS DEPARTMENT. MEN’S READY-TO-WEAR IS AT THE BACK OF THE PHOTO]
The new Saint Laurent gives Bloor Street a luxury boost — the stretch near Holt’s is for the most part more mid-market, featuring locations for retailers such as The Gap, Aritzia and H&M. That will change towards the end of this year when an overhauled Birks jewellery store flagship will be unveiled, housing street-front entrances for pricey shop-in-stores including Van Cleef & Arpels and Breitling.
Chefs Plate, a national meal kit delivery company based in Toronto, has launched a 15-minute food solution for time-starved Canadians.
The company says the new kit is a first in Canada offering fresh, par-cooked and pre-cut ingredients while being guaranteed to get dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less. The convenient 15-minute meal kit targets the home meal replacement segment valued at $4 billion.
Jamie Shea, co-founder and CEO of Chefs Plate which started operations in the fall of 2014, says the company today delivers more than 450,000 meals per month across the country with more than 76,000 active customers.
The company has been seeing consistent double-digit, week-over-week growth since it has launched the business. When the business started, it was just three people basically sitting in an office and now it has more than 400 people working for the company.
Jamie Shea, co-founder and CEO of Chefs Plate. Photo: LinkedIn
“We deliver consumers all the fresh, pre-portioned ingredients they need to cook a chef-inspired meal at home,” says Shea. “All the ingredients are pre-portioned. They come with easy-to-follow, step-by-step recipe cards. It’s all fresh ingredients.
“If you look at some of the macro retail trends over the last several years, you’re obviously seeing a big emergence in the online space where a lot of the traditional retail categories . . . have undergone a transition where part of that business is done online now. What we haven’t seen here in Canada is of the $90 billion grocery market less than one per cent of sales are done online. So we see a big opportunity as food really being that final traditional retail category that’s making the transition to online.”
All meal purchases are done online and insulated boxes are shipped directly to consumer doors. Each week Chefs Plate introduces 14 new recipes for customers. All the ingredients to cook a meal are included in the meal kit. There is a two-person plan and a family plan for up to four people. Meals are delivered directly to people’s doors on the day that works best for them. The average cost per serving is about $10 including shipping.
Shea says all the food is fresh for up to seven days from when a customer orders online. Customers are asked to place their orders online four days in advance.
Meal kits are shipped across the country from centres in Toronto and Abbotsford, B.C.
“A big part of our business is we focus on providing local Canadian products and because we’re a national company we’re able to really tap into all the different provinces for what they do best,” says Shea. “So for example we pull a lot of dairy and cheese out of Quebec. The Prairies are naturally where we pull a lot of our beef products as well as root vegetables. B.C. and Ontario we tap into the greenhouse infrastructure that they have there and Atlantic Canada is where a lot of our seafood comes from. It’s really exciting that we can truly bring this farm-to-table experience to consumers.”
Shea says that typically Chefs Plate recipes have taken about 20 to 30 minutes to cook.
“With this product line that we’ve introduced we’re really going after those customers that are shopping in the home meal replacement category so that’s really getting from basically kit to table in 15 minutes. We spent 15 months developing this line and we’re really happy to introduce it. We started testing earlier this year and seeing a tremendous response from our customers. We’ve been able to find an offering that’s even more convenient,” he says.
Cutler, a Vancouver-based commercial interior design firm, has launched a new architectural division as its business continues to grow.
Jeff Cutler, president of the company which was established in 2010, said Cutler Architecture Ltd. will operate under the company brand and provide existing and new clients with integrated interior design, architectural and project management services.
The new division extends the in-house capabilities at the company, provides a perspective that extends beyond interiors, and will elevate customer experiences.
“We provide interior design and project management services to commercial clients across Canada. Retail is a big part of that,” said Cutler. “We started out with retail projects and our portfolio has since grown to also include offices, fitness facilities, restaurants, showrooms and wellness facilities.”
“We now work with national and international companies to develop and expand their brands across Canada. Our business has grown organically. Over the past year, we decided it was the right time to add Architecture to our team’s expertise.”
The company has 12 employees. Team members’ areas of study include Interior Design, Architecture, Project Management, Industrial Design, Graphic Design and Branding.
“These skillsets work together to bring innovation and a balanced perspective to each project.”
Cutler Architecture will be led by AIBC-registered architect Kathy Chang. As the Principal Architect, she will be responsible for developing and managing projects at the new architecture company.
Originally from Mississauga, she studied architecture at the University of Waterloo and obtained a Master of Architecture degree at the University of British Columbia.
With more than 10 years of architectural experience, Chang has worked on many high-profile projects at design studios in Vancouver, Toronto, and London.
Jeff Cutler said as the interior design company’s projects grow in scale, scope and budget, architectural components often need to be integrated.
“We often get inquiries from international retailers about coming into Canada. They want to have someone local on the ground that understands the procedures. In their experience, and their terminology and language, they’re looking for a local architect. We now have those services internally, so we can manage these specific client requirements, and generally larger projects, ourselves.”
Cutler said he believes the overall company is going to grow as a whole due to this new initiative and there will likely be, in the future, more people on the architecture side of the business as it grows.
According to a report in WWD, the Dutch fashion brand will be re-launching in Canada after the company closed all of its Canadian stores in early 2015. Mexx operated more than 100 stores in Canada at one time, which included a mix of mall and street-front stores — and interestingly, there were only 11 locations in the United States.
Mexx Storefront
The Canadian stores, as well as many new international locations, are expected to operate as franchises as was the case with past operations. According to WWD, the new Mexx will include a new brand image, new website and smaller store prototype. Five company-owned Mexx flagships are planned for Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Berlin and Munich, according to WWD. These will be created by Boffi Design with a contemporary minimalist look, and will be substantially downsized for the ‘digital age’ from the typical 8,611 to 12,916 square feet of former Mexx stores, to a much smaller 2,152 to 3,229 square feet under the brand’s relaunch.
The Mexx nameplate is being revived by three former senior executives who had agreed to a management buy-in to Mexx International. These include CEO Leo Cantagalli, brand director Nur Basaran, and CFO and COO Jacques Mitterand.
Stay tuned for a Mexx’s Canadian relaunch!
Uniqlo Questions Whether Size Matters with CF Richmond Centre Launch
Uniqlo
Japanese retailer UNIQLO has announced that it will open atCF Richmond Centre on April 6th. The store will become the smallest UNIQLO in Canada when it opens in the spring — UNIQLO says that the store will measure 8,010 square feet and it will be located on the first floor of the busy enclosed Richmond mall, which is one of the country’s most productive in terms of annual sales per square foot.
This is the popular Japanese fashion retailer’s third Vancouver-area store at CF Richmond Centre with the previous two now operating at Guildford Town Centre and Metropolis at Metrotown, both owned and operated by Ivanhoé Cambridge. The anticipation for this third location was no different from other openings which have been greeted by Lower Mainland shoppers with much fanfare which sees passionate devotees of the brand’s casual wear queuing up for hours for the opportunity to be first one through the doors.
Interestingly, in September of 2016, UNIQLO Founder and CEO Tadashi Yanai told Marina Strauss of the Globe & Mail that UNIQLO could eventually operate as many as 100 stores in Canada. While Yanai did not give a timeline for these expansion plans, the Prairies are waiting patiently!
Keep Cool Fans the Fitness Flames with 1st Canadian location
With a plan to open three Keep Cool gyms in Toronto within two years, Director of Operations Tanguy Saillant has launched the first of a few in Toronto at 530 Yonge Street. The 6,500 square foot location is his first foray into the North American market with the uniquely French POV of fitness.
Saillant brought the Keep Cool concept from France where it was established in 2002 and where there are currently 190 gyms in operation.
The Toronto location is its first foray into the North American market and includes a bike studio, an elliptical studio, a studio gym, and several learning classrooms. The location has all the amenities of a modern fitness location – WiFi, TVs, Internet, private change rooms and showers, modern equipment, a team of trainers, and very importantly, complimentary towels.
The company used Montreal-based POTLOC‘s crowdsourcing platform to determine where the demand is for new locations. This platform provides market research for the retail industry to build smarter neighbourhoods by giving consumers a voice. POTLOC facilitates this by giving every citizen in a defined trade area the opportunity to choose the next stores they would like to see open in their neighbourhood. These hyper-local consumers’ insights are then used by retailers, real estate companies and cities to optimize the local retail offering.
Aritzia brand Babaton opens at Square One in Mississauga
Babaton
Vancouver-based Aritzia has opened its third Babaton at Square One in Mississauga. The 4,870 square foot location is ideally situated on the upper level near the Gap, Armani Exchange, Holt Renfrew and across the hall from the Rolex boutique.
The Babaton brand differentiates itself from parent Aritzia by selling ‘timeless minimalism for the modern woman’ which are suitable for every day and the workplace.
Originally an in-house label, Aritzia first spun Babaton into a freestanding store in late 2016. Babaton is the third Aritzia brand to launch in its own stores following TNA and Wilfred.
Babaton’s first Vancouver location opened in 2017 at CF Pacific Centre conveniently located on the first floor of the mall just down from Wilfred. In addition to Babaton favourites, the location carries pieces from The Group by Babaton and the 1—01 Babaton capsule collection
Deciem opens 2nd Vancouver store at Metropolis at Metrotown
Beauty and skincare brand Deciem has opened its second Lower Mainland store at Metropolis at Metrotown as part of their worldwide expansion. Located on the ground level next to Naturalizer and across from luxury brand Lugaro Jewellers with its easily recognizable chic distressed whitewashed interiors, metal pipe fixtures, and bold statement graphics.
DECIEM
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With a philosophy that touts Deciem as the “Abnormal Beauty Company,” this Canadian rebel brand, founded by east coast entrepreneur Brandon Truaxe, is opening stores worldwide in an effort to enhance awareness for their effective yet affordable products. The company has plans for a third Vancouver store but no indication has been made about where or when.
At the end of January 2018, Deciem opened its first west coast location at 800 square foot store in the Vancouver’s downtown Central Business District. The storefront is located at 408 Howe Street at West Hastings Street. This corner location has great curb appeal with its window-heavy facade which draws in walk-by traffic.
Le Creuset is poised to give British Columbians a fresh taste of its colourful cookware and accessories, with plans to open a boutique at CF Richmond Centre.
Think Retail announced that the premium French cookware manufacturer and retailer has just finalized an agreement to open a 965 square foot boutique, right across from Uniqlo and Hugo Boss. It is an ideal location for Le Creuset, which has built a lasting legacy for quality wares that manage to be at once timeless and cutting edge.
This will be the company’s second store in British Columbia and it recently celebrated two new market debuts, with a 750 square foot store at Halifax Shopping Centre and a 950 square foot store at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg.
The new CF Richmond Centre location will bring Le Creuset’s store count to 12 in Canada. The company continues to target select markets, including downtown Toronto and Vancouver and there is speculation that they are considering opening another boutique in Montreal.
Yorkdale CONCEPT Space Launches Fifth Iteration with Prom and Party Focus
Now until March 31, the permanent pop-up space CONCEPT at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre is showcasing vendors, stylists and experiences to style party-goers for the spring.
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CONCEPT launched at Yorkdale in the spring of 2017 as a permanent space for pop-up concepts — in less than a year it’s proven to be wildly popular, hosting a range of vendors including food, fashion, tattoos, and even Sunwing Vacations.
It’s March break and almost prom time, and Yorkdale says it’s there to assist — Yorkdale Style Experts will pull the latest trends in fashion and accessories and guide shoppers to the stores that best suit what they are looking for in their look. A ‘Prom & Special Occasion Directory’ is available to shoppers at CONCEPT or at any guest services desk. As well, gift card purchases can also be made at the CONCEPT Style Concierge.
New vendors at CONCEPT include:
Dyson Supersonic Styling – Dyson’s expertly trained stylists are providing complimentary styling consultations, including a customized Dyson Supersonic™ blowout “and leave feeling like the next Instagram sensation.” Dyson also recently opened its first store in Canada in the mall.
LIPCANDY – Handcrafted lipstick using ingredients you can actually pronounce: products are all handcrafted using no preservative (like parabens, petroleum-based oils, or artificial fragrances). LIPCANDY‘s colours are rich, luxurious and look terrific on every skin tone — no doubt a good thing in multicultural Toronto.
Shari Gold – Offering a variety of lash services including full-set classic lash extensions, half set lash extensions, lash lifts, tinting, and complimentary skin consultations.
Novon Collections – Michael da Costa will be showcasing the Novon Jewellery Collection, which features customizable and interchangeable pieces that create a variety of looks in sterling silver, natural stones’ and Swarovski pearls.
As well, Yorkdale is offering ‘The Yorkdale Prom Experience’ where one can sign up for a private or semi-private one-hour shopping session with a Yorkdale Style Expert. The Yorkdale Prom Experience is $25/person for up to three students per session. This offer will be valid until March 31 and can be booked at the Style Concierge booth inside CONCEPT or at the Yorkdale Style Concierge space (located between Pandora and Swarovski) Upon booking, students will fill out a questionnaire that will help Stylists tailor the experience to each student. Valid student IDs will be required upon booking.
Win Back your Prom Purchase: Customers who visit the Style Concierge booth at CONCEPT with their prom purchase receipts can receive a ballot for a chance to win back their prom look in the form of a Yorkdale gift card (up to a maximum of $1,000) Shoppers can increase their chances of winning and receiving an extra ballot, by taking a selfie in CONCEPT and showing Style Concierge reps their social media post using the hashtag #GRWYKD. Valid student IDs will be required to enter.
New Circles Donations to the Prom Boutique: Yorkdale has partnered with New Circles Community Services’ Prom Boutique, a program that enables graduating high school students across Toronto, who may face economic barriers, to be fully outfitted for Prom at no cost. Style Concierge representatives will be accepting gently worn formal wear that will go to low income families seeking formal wear for special events such as prom and weddings. New Circles operates the largest clothing bank in Toronto under the name of GLOW (Gently Loved Outfits to Wear) designed to offer a retail shopping experience that preserves dignity for clients. Donations will help those in need with a similar shopping experience that can be such an important part of the prom-going or wedding-going experience.
La Maison Simons at Galeries de la Capitale (Image: Simons)
Quebec City-based large-format fashion retailer La Maison Simons has opened a first-of-its kind store in Quebec City, which uses industry leading technologies to eliminate its carbon footprint. The impressive space includes some unique features not found in other Simons stores, as the company continues to refine its retail strategy.
The new 80,000 square foot one-level Galeries de la Capitale store replaces a smaller 45,000 square foot location that has operated in the mall since 1981. The replacement Simons is located in part of the retail space once occupied by Target, which vacated its Canadian operations about three years ago.
Located on the second level of Galeries de la Capitale, the new Simons store is designed to generate as much energy on-site as it consumes annually, with an aim to reduce overall greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.
Galeries de la Capitale
“Building a net zero energy store is the culmination of a six-year voyage of learning, understanding and discussing what our company’s roles and responsibilities are regarding environmental impact,” said Peter Simons, Co-owner and President of Simons. “It takes extremely committed partners to achieve a goal like this and Oxford Properties stepped up, allowing us to make significant structural changes like drilling geothermal boreholes outside the shopping centre.”
In an effort to reduce the store’s energy consumption, a total of 27 geothermal boreholes were drilled into the ground under the parking lot — a pump pulls heat from the ground to heat the store or for cooling, extracts heat from the store and sends it back into the ground.
Energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and state of the art LED lighting control program were also installed for the new store, which are expected to reduce energy consumption by 60% when compared to the original 45,000 square foot Galeries de la Capitale store.
LA MAISON SIMONS – ATHLETIC ‘IVIVE’ DEPARTMENTLA MAISON SIMONS – WOMEN’S TRENDY ‘TWIK’ DEPARTMENT
The new store’s parking lot includes 133 spots that have canopies covered in 1,020 bifacial modules which have glass on both surfaces to capture both direct and reflected sunlight. When combined with an impressive 2,308 bifacial modules on the roof, the entire solar electric system will generate over 1,300,000 kWh/year — the equivalent to about 50 typical Canadian homes.
“Now we must wait and see if Canadians choose to support companies like ours that are taking leadership roles on these big issues,” adds Simons. “Do Canadians believe that companies have a responsibility to the communities where they do business? Will Canadians make a conscious effort to shop at retailers that are making an effort? I hope so.”
SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF OF THE NEW STORELA MAISON SIMONS – MEN’S TRENDY/STREETWEAR ‘DJAB’ DEPARTMENT
The hope is also that sales in the new location will justify the added expense — the store cost tens of millions to build, and the environmental components and art work made it even more costly. Mr. Simons explained that the company is able to make such investments because it’s privately held though recently, it’s been reported that Simons is seeking outside investment to help fund its expansion, which will include an e-commerce fulfillment centre that is expected to be located in or near Quebec City.
Mr. Simons explained that each Simons store is unique, and that a considerable amount of thought went into perfecting the new store’s design. Included are dedicated shoe departments for men and women — a relatively new addition to the retailer that, until recently, only carried a handful of footwear styles. Simons worked with Quebec-based architecture firm Lemay Michaud on the store, with Toronto-based Designstead having worked on the interior design.
WOMEN’S FOOTWEAR DEPARTMENT — IT’S ONLY RECENTLY THAT SIMONS HAS EXPANDED ITS PRODUCT OFFERING TO INCLUDE MORE SHOES
The store’s facade features a ‘fabric-inspired weave’ in shades of green and yellow that is meant to enhance the store’s brick façade — it’s a nod to Simons’ corporate colours as well as the ecological elements of the store. Adding to the environmental theme is an island of rocks and grasses that replace one row of parking in front of the store, creating a clear view of the main entrance.
The store’s interior layout is designed to be easier to navigate than most other Simons stores, which can seem vast. On one side of the store, women’s fashions dominate while on the other side are departments for men’s fashions and home goods. The two sides are separated by the store’s accessory and shoe departments.
LA MAISON SIMONS – ‘MAISON’ HOME DEPARTMENT
As with all of Simons stores, there’s a unique quirkiness to the new Galeries de la Capital store that is worthy of note. Included is a “WeWatt” station in the athletic-themed iFive department that features three stationary bicycles where customers can charge their phones by cycling to create electricity. In the young women’s ‘Twik’ department, felt panels in shades of grey and white are suspended from the ceiling. On the walls of the men’s ‘Le 31‘ department, clothing blueprints showcase different cuff and solar styles. Throughout the store, bold wallpaper patterns adorn fitting rooms to reflect the personality and style of each department.
‘LA CIME’ ART INSTALLATION, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF BRANCHES HANGING AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS IN THE SKYLIGHT LOCATED AT THE CENTRE OF THE STORE. IT REPRESENTS AN INVERTED LANDSCAPE COMPOSED OF WOODEN BRANCHES THAT ARE COVERED IN PAPIER-MÂCHÉ AND FABRIC RECYCLED BY SIMONS CUSTOMERS AND THE DESIGN TEAM.
Eco is a theme throughout the store, including a large-scale eco-themed art installation from a local artist Giorgia Volpe. She’s known for reusing and repurposing items to create art, and was commissioned to create a custom art installation called La Cime, meaning “the top”. The 11 by 20-foot-long sculpture is made from branches that are covered in papier mâché, then dressed in recovered fabrics from Simons design team as well as recycled clothing from current Galeries de la Capitale customers. The wrapped branches are suspended at different heights and unfold in the skylight located in the center of the store.
MEN’S ‘LE 31’ DEPARTMENT FEATURES CLOTHING ‘BLUEPRINTS’ ON ITS WALLSCASH DESK NEAR THE WOMEN’S ‘CONTEMPORANE’ FASHION DEPARTMENT
As well, several other art and artisanal pieces are displayed throughout the store, including original framed pieces from Quebec artists Tania Girard Savoie and Elysanne Tremblay located in the store’s customer service area.
Overall the store has a more ‘residential’ feel, according to Mr. Simons, and ceilings are a bit lower than in some locations so as to reduce energy usage. While the store is a bit smaller than the typical 100,000 + square foot locations found in Edmonton, West Vancouver, Ottawa and Mississauga, Mr. Simons explained that the new Galeries de la Capital location is “right-sized” for the future, as Simons contemplates what’s to come.
DRESSING ROOM
Mr. Simons said that after a recent rapid expansion that saw the company more than double in store count, La Maison Simons is slowing down its store expansion and will next focus on building a robotic distribution centre that will be “one of the most efficient facilities in North America”. The company is seeking to fund this initiative, and is also looking at growing its presence at CF Promenades St. Bruno in suburban Montreal, as well as renovating its downtown Montreal flagship. There’s no exact timeline for any of these projects and we might not see as many Simons stores opening in Canada as we have in the recent past.
La Maison Simons, which was founded in Quebec City by the Simons family in 1840, opened its first store outside of Quebec in October of 2012 when it unveiled an impressive 125,000 square foot store at West Edmonton Mall. The company subsequently expanded nationally and now includes 15 stores in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. Of its 15 stores, eight of them have opened since 2012 as part of an unprecedented expansion for the retailer which features a mix of reasonably-priced in-house fashion labels and brands that include some of the world’s top names such as Balmain, Marni, Vivienne Westwood, Nina Ricci, and others.
The relocated La Maison Simons is the latest improvement to Galeries de la Capitale — the centre saw a 7.75% increase in foot traffic in 2017 as it added new stores and others were renovated. This year will be an important one, as well — renovations to the mall’s common areas will be completed, and its Méga Parc amusement park will reopen after an overhaul and ‘steam-punk’ rebranding.
F45 Training, a fitness concept born a few years ago in Australia, is taking Canada by storm with an incredibly ambitious goal to eventually hit 800 locations in the country.
Founder Rob Deutsch told Retail Insider that about 95 studios have been sold in Canada to date but only about 25 are actually open.
“We’re doing great things in Canada,” he says. “So about 70 studios will be open (in the near future) as well all the new ones that we sell.”
The first studio in Canada opened in 2015 in Liberty Village in Toronto.
“We think we’re going to have around 800 franchises in Canada in total. That’s the goal. Just to give you a bit of an idea. Australia is a very small country. Just under 20 million people. We now have 585 franchises sold in Australia. There is the propensity there for some serious growth in Canada,” says Deutsch.
“Another thing that’s worth noting is that these are smaller boutique studios so they’re not like huge commercial gyms where you need 5,000 members or 6,000 members to break even. These studios only need 75 members to break even. So a much smaller footprint.”
A typical space would be about 2,000 square feet.
The company’s first studio was founded in Sydney, Australia in 2011. In 2014, it decided to franchise and today it has just over 1,200 franchises in 37 different countries and “it’s just moving along at rocket speed,” says Deutsch.
The ‘F’ in the company name stands for Functional Training and the ‘45’ stands for the total-time of the workout – 45 minutes. Every class draws from a library of 3,500 different exercises – which helps prevent clients from ever doing the same workout twice. F45 fills the gap between a traditional gym and a personal training session, says the company.
“As much as you’re hearing all these booming stories about the fitness industry, there’s just as many disaster stories with gyms shutting down,” says Deutsch. “I think what’s happening is there’s definitely been a huge shift from commercial gyms to boutique fitness. So you’re seeing stuff really booming in the boutique space where we are and I think people want more . . . They want an experience. They want that energy and they want something different in a class.
“And they’re also looking for potentially a community. That’s what studios like F45 bring. You turn up. There’s different workouts every time. There’s incredible music. You make friends and you have fun and you feel like you’re part of a community. I think that’s really powerful and that’s why we’re seeing an explosion in this space. But there are winners and there are losers and the losers are your big box commercial gyms. They’re the ones that are flagging right now and the low cost gym providers and boutique fitness such as F45 is really booming right now.”
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Designed by Sport Scientists and Elite Athletes, F45’s unique team-based high intensity interval training (HIIT) 45-minute workouts include an array of interval stations and feature 27 distinct workout systems that incorporate more than 3,500 exercises, ensuring the highest level of variation for clients; they’ll never do the same workout twice. Members also have the technology to track their progress through F45’s latest device, the LionHeart Heart Rate Monitor.
The company says F45 fills the gap between a traditional gym where people pay a small membership fee to go and do their own thing, and a personal training session, which can be expensive.
Retail Insider has partnered with leasing newsletter Locations! and we’ll provide periodic updates on retailers’ expansions and available retail space. See the latest listings in Locations! here.
By Peter Morris, founder of Locations!
Rockwood Mall, at 4141 Dixie Road, Mississauga, ON, is an enclosed 300,000 square foot community mall and strip centre located on the northeast corner of Burnhamthorpe and Dixie Roads in east Mississauga. Food Basics and Rona anchor the property along with Shoppers Drug Mart, The Beer Store, HomeSense, Winners, CIBC, TD Bank, Dollarama, and several other national and independent retailers.
Presently there are 45,000 vehicles per day passing the site on Dixie Rd. A renovation to the interior of the mall was recently completed. There are no vacancies at this time, however there are opportunities for anchor retailers in the 17,000 to 34,000 square foot range. Pylon signage would be available for anchor tenants.
For more information, contact:
Megan McGowan, Salesperson at S&H Realty Corporation, Brokerage
Toronto-based skin care brand Flawless by Friday is stepping into the retail business this month by participating in 14 pop-ups located in well-known retail properties across Canada. The company was founded by beauty expert Brittny Robins in 2015 who has partnered up with her mentor retail industry icon Bonnie Brooks.
It’s the first time that the brand has expanded into retail at such a scale, according to Ms. Robins, who is also seeking-out ‘brand ambassadors’ for Flawless by Friday pop-ups in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Winnipeg. The brand is also carried in about 100 retailers across North America, including several Hudson’s Bay Company nameplates.
The Flawless by Friday brand combines state-of-the-art products with proven natural ingredients and Korean-inspired gel technology. The Korean ‘K-beauty’ trend is taking the world by storm, and Ms. Robins’ company is looking to simplify the idea with its ‘three pillars’: Speed, Simplicity and Self-Confidence.
Ms. Robins, who is 29, developed the company after recognizing a need for high-quality products that also take the guesswork out of when to use products, as well as how to combine ingredients. She says that she’s had a passion for beauty and skincare for years and after gaining experience at L’Oreal, she decided to take a big risk and branch off on her own with the new line. After meeting with Bonnie Brooks to discuss the line, Ms. Robins launched a more aggressive expansion that included ecommerce as well as wholesale. Ms. Brooks, who’s vision has transformed the Hudson’s Bay Company, is a partner at Flawless by Friday.
The company’s products are geared towards making one feel flawless, according to Ms. Robins — the company has more than 30 new products launching in 2018 – as well as featuring its’ fabulous line-up of skincare solutions.
The company launched with skincare, starting with its’ five-day facial system that consists of five different masks, each with a different blend of ingredients. The system is designed to progressively maximize hydration, skin tone and radiance, making the user ‘flawless by Friday’ as per the company’s name.
These include ‘Moisture Monday’ which utilizes hyaluronic acid; ‘Toning Tuesday’ includes ample Vitamin C to make the skin energized, ‘Wrinkle Wednesday’ which uses a base consisting of green tea, ‘Tightening Thursday’ which includes caffeine, and ‘Flawless Friday’ which uses honey as a base to make skin glow while also helping get rid of any acne with its antibacterial properties.
Other product lines include MesmerEYES, an eye system that uses a cooling gel technology augmented with hyaluronic acid, collagen, caffeine and honey. The Forever Flawless Booster Serum is said to alleviate fine lines, breakouts, blackheads, dullness, oiliness and uneven skin texture — the company also has a morning and evening serum kit.
The Flawless by Friday ‘Flawless in 15’ facial masks feature a combination of active ingredients honey and gold — it’s said to decrease puffiness and redness, and is left on for 15 minutes. The Flawless in 15 rescue eye mask system reduces puffiness, tired eyes, under-eye bags and crow’s feet, also utilizing honey and gold. The company also features a ‘Flawless 5 Second Lip Serum’ that hydrates and plumps lips.
Along with online and wholesale channel expansions, Flawless by Friday is exploring brick and mortar by participating in a pop-up concept in 14 retail properties across Canada. “It’s a way to further test the market, build engagement and get direct customer feedback,” says Ms. Robins, who is enthusiastic about the initiative. The Flawless by Friday headquarters are on Hazelton Avenue in Toronto’s upscale Yorkville area, and the office is buzzing in preparation for the new retail spaces, while also filling orders for its other distribution channels.
Flawless by Friday is seeking to hire ‘brand ambassadors’ in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. For more information, contact Molly@flawlessbyfriday.com.
