Canadians Find In-Store Displays ‘Boring’: Study

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March 13, 2018

Canadian shoppers find in-store displays boring and retailers need to start paying more attention to what they are doing to become more attractive in grabbing consumer attention.

Those are the striking results of a recent Field Agent survey of 250 Canadian shoppers after they were shown images of 15 store displays and then asked to respond to five questions about each display.

“By all accounts, Canadian consumer packaged goods suppliers are spending tens of millions of dollars each year creating temporary promotional displays to support new innovation, consumer promotions and feature pricing activity,” said Jeff Doucette, General Manager of Field Agent Canada.

But the results of it survey were not very good.

The company introduced its Shopper Impact Score which looked at four different areas:

Stopping Power – how likely is the shopper to stop and look at the display;
Strength of Offer – how appealing is the offer on the display;
Uniqueness – how unique is the display versus other displays in-store; and
Conversion Power – how likely is the shopper to purchase something from the display.

Ratings were based on a scale up to 10 and the four factors were combined to determine the overall Shopper Impact Score for each display tested, allowing shopper marketers to make better choices about display concepts.

Here’s how the 15 displays scored: Stopping Power, 5.8; Strength of Offer, 5.6; Uniqueness, 5.3; and Conversion Power, 5.4. The overall Shopper Impact Score was an unimpressive 5.5.

Doucette said the scores were kind of shocking even for some of the top retailers like Lays.

“When we put this survey together we were expecting that we’d have a higher ranking top of the chart. We thought that the scores would be higher in general than they were . . . I think it really speaks to even the good displays just aren’t breaking through with the shopper today. It isn’t something that they’re paying as much attention to as they might have in the past,” said Doucette.

“I don’t know if getting to a nine or a 10 is even realistic because at the end of the day it’s really a benchmarking tool. But when you look at the top three displays that were there, the things that stood out for me and what we’ve gleaned from other research that we’ve done is that successful displays like the Lays one integrated the package and the faces. That tends to resonate more. There’s a Kit Kat display when you look at the display . . . it’s not flush to the traffic . . . they turned the display so that the pointed edge of the rectangle or cube just faces the traffic and I think that just grabs people’s attention a bit more because it’s a different shape than they’re used to seeing.”

“And then in the cover on the McDonald’s display what was really interesting there is you have this dark sort of McCafe colour the sort of brownish blackish colour but then it contrasts really with the yellow and orange which really makes you think of Ronald McDonald almost immediately when you see that colour. But the contrast really catches people’s eyes.”

He said displays are common now in stores and they are important.

“We know that displays work. We know that having the display in people’s traffic zones work. But I think what’s really important, with the amount of money that’s being spent on these displays, how do we make them better performing than they are today? It’s one thing to have the display and have that space dedicated. The other thing is to get the product moving off that display,” said Doucette.

“By working on shopper impact scores and trying to find out what drives higher scores and doing more of that you’ll drive more off take and have more successful displays.”

Based on the findings of the survey, Field Agent recommends the following actions for shopper marketing teams:

Promotional agencies conduct pre-testing of display concepts before choosing designs and planning production;
In-situ testing of displays in a variety of retail environments with category shoppers to determine Shopper Impact Score and in-store execution;
Benchmarking with competitive displays to determine the optimal display design and best practices by category; and
Cataloging and integration of best practices into future projects to ensure continuous improvement in Shopper Impact Scores over time.
Field Agent is the first mobile app that pays Canadians to collect data and complete surveys while they shop. Retailers and vendors can use Field Agent to conduct shopper research right in the store or gather information on promotional compliance, pricing, on-shelf availability and much more. Its unique crowd sourced platform allows this data to be collected very quickly, and for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.

Kit and Ace Significantly Reduces Store Count

By

Craig Patterson

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March 13, 2018

Vancouver-based ‘technical cashmere’ brand Kit and Ace has reduced its store count to just six locations and one coffee shop, after closing all of its international locations in the spring of 2017.

Kit and Ace launched in July of 2014 by the family of Lululemon Athletica Inc. founder Chip Wilson, with wife Shannon Wilson and son J.J. Wilson heading up the company, with Chip Wilson initially quietly being involved in the background. The Kit and Ace concept revolves around men’s and women’s fashions that include a percentage of material being cashmere, in a technical material that is also machine washable. It’s owned by parent company Hold It All Inc., a holding company owned by the Wilsons.

Kit and Ace had big plans for Canada — in April of 2015, J.J. Wilson told Retail Insider that the company planned to open 15 Canadian flagships in 10 months. A building was even purchased on Yonge Street in Toronto with the intention of opening a store.

A global expansion was also in the works. The company expanded its base of stores quickly after its summer of 2014 launch, which began with pop-up stores in various Canadian and, soon, international centres. Longer-term leases were eventually signed as Kit and Ace grew to more than 60 stores globally and 700 employees in early 2016.

By March of 2017, Kit and Ace’s store count was reduced to 41 stores, prior to an April 2017 announcement that all but nine Canadian stores would remain open.

Since then, more Canadian locations have closed as well — a West Edmonton Mall unit shuttered last month, and a pop-up at Calgary’s CF Chinook Centre closed the same week. Kit and Ace has various temporary locations that have closed in Canada including at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre and at Winnipeg’s CF Polo Park — the strategy was to gain awareness and gage the market with physical storefronts, which became numerous.

Kit and Ace currently operates six locations — two of those are in Vancouver, Two are in Toronto, and there’s one store each in Calgary and Oakville, Ontario. The Vancouver Gastown flagship recently relocated to 151 Water Street from 165 Water Street due to a redevelopment.

The other Vancouver store is in Vancouver’s popular Kitsilano area at 2235 W. 4th avenue. The Toronto stores are both street-front spaces on popular streets — a ‘Mink Mile’ store is located at 102 Bloor Street West, which also houses a coffee concept called ‘Sorry Coffee’. The other Toronto store is at 779 Queen Street West on trendy ‘West Queen West’. The Oakville location is at 171 Lakeshore Road East and the Calgary location is at Mount Royal Village, a First Capital Realty-owned property just south of the downtown core that is about to announce some new retail tenants.

A request for comment from Kit and Ace was unanswered, but staff in its Toronto Bloor Street store noted that the company’s spring lines have arrived and that it’s ‘business as usual’ as far as they are aware. While the Bloor Street store is often relatively quiet, its ‘Sorry Coffee’ section at the back is often packed with patrons.

Farm Boy Grocery Chain Launches Ambitious Expansion

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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March 12, 2018

Ottawa-based fresh market food store Farm Boy has ambitious plans to expand its footprint in southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area in the next few years and then start looking at expanding its presence to other parts of Canada.

Jeff York, co-CEO of the company which was founded in 1981 with its first store in Cornwall, said Farm Boy is opening its 26th store in Hamilton in the coming weeks and it plans to open another 12 to 15 stores in southwestern Ontario and the GTA in the next three years.

“That’s where everybody lives. It’s a large population with nobody really giving the offering that we give to those customers,” said York.

“I’ve been out to Alberta. I know we’d do really well out there . . . That’s one province we’ve really looked at closely. We’re going to attack the GTA now for the next three to five years and I’ve got a game plan for the West once we start to exhaust all the good locations.”

York joined Farm Boy in 2009 after running retailer Giant Tiger.

“I was there for 20 years and took it across Canada from a regional to a national player. I joined Farm Boy with that same goal in mind,” said York.

“When I joined Farm Boy we travelled around the world looking for the best food ideas and then we ranked our stores against the best in the world and then we decided where we needed to get better. We decided we wanted to be more like Wegman’s. We wanted to be more like Trader Joe’s. We wanted to be more like Whole Foods. We wanted to be more like great stores Marks & Spencer Food. Great stores. We got on a mission to change ourselves. It was an evolution because you don’t change overnight. We evolved into a store that has three distinct shops now.”

York said Farm Boy doesn’t want to be defined as a grocery store. Instead, it’s a fresh food experience.

One part of the story has the traditional farmer’s market area with produce and meat. That hasn’t changed.

Another part of the store has a specialty, premium and private label product line similar to what Trader Joe’s does.

“It’s cool items, complementary grocery items in the middle of the store,” said York.

“And the third part of the store we changed into like a food hall. We have three distinct customer touch points.”

The food hall has salad bars, AAA beef, chicken and salmon and a whole menu of good quality fresh food that’s more appealing compared with fast food, added York.

All Farm Boy’s newer stores have been built with the three component structure in mind.

The last 10 stores are essentially the same with the three components. In some of the older stores the concept has been added wherever possible.

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The company’s most recent store opened in Etobicoke at the beginning of March. It was the chain’s 25th location.

“Offering fresh, wholesome foods and friendly service has been the heart and soul of our business since 1981,” says York.

The next store opening in Hamilton, the chain’s 26th, will be in Harvard Square Plaza at 801 Mohawk Road West, in 22,500 square feet of space. Farm Boy store will create 150 new jobs for the community.

“We are excited to be opening our newest Farm Boy in Hamilton,” said York. “We have developed a store we think Hamilton shoppers will enjoy featuring the best Farm Boy wholesome fresh options in a convenient, easy-to-shop, welcoming location.”

When Farm Boy first started in Cornwall, it was a small produce only store.

Today, it carries hundreds of products made in Ontario including fresh produce, butcher-quality meats, artisan cheese, fresh dairy and baked goods, sustainable seafood and fresh prepared foods.

All Farm Boy stores feature Farm Boy Kitchens with fresh salad bars and hot bars serving hot and cold breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

Farm Boy carries its own line of private label products with 60 new products launched in 2017. The company says local suppliers have been a key feature of Farm Boy stores since 1981 and there are hundreds of local supplier products in store.

After launching its first store, the company’s second store opened in 1996 in the Nepean area of Ottawa.

Editor’s Note: Don Gregor of Aurora Realty Consultants negotiated the Toronto store deal.

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Upscale Tattoo Parlour ‘Black Line Studio’ Launches Expansion with Unique Shopping Centre Location

By

Megan Harman

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March 12, 2018

High-end tattoo parlour and jewellery retailer Black Line Studio has opened its second location in Toronto’s CF Shops at Don Mills, as it strives to make its products and services more easily accessible to customers on the outskirts of the city.

The company, which opened its first location on King Street West in 2005, unveiled the new boutique in early February. In addition to providing custom design tattoos, the new Black Line Studio location offers services such as piercings, tattoo removal, vitamin drips and carbon facial peels, and sells a range of artwork and jewellery products.

“The concept behind Black Line was to incorporate all of the essentials of the art world under the same roof,” says Ion Nicolae, owner of the company. “We are part art gallery, part high end tattoo studio, as well as an exclusive jewellery store.”

Nicolae came up with the idea for Black Line Studio upon noticing a lack of tattoo parlours catering to customers who were seeking a high-end experience.

“I realized that there was a niche in the market that was not filled,” he says, “which was for anyone who really wants to get a tattoo done, but they want to get it done in a very upscale, clean, open-space environment.”

After the King Street location opened, it quickly became a popular destination for tattoos – even attracting celebrity clients such as Justin Bieber, Johnny Depp and George Stroumboulopoulos.

Black Line Studio King Street (Image: Black Line Studio)

The company sets itself apart from the competition by providing a premiere customer service experience. For example, Black Line Studio provides clients with detailed information on how to properly care for their skin before and after getting a tattoo, and contacts clients in the days after they’ve had a procedure to see how they’re doing.

Black Line Studio’s average customer is between the ages of 25 and 40, however Nicolae says the boutiques also attract older clientele. Since the company provides a higher level of products and services compared to most other tattoo parlours, it charges higher rates, and therefore does not attract a lot of customers younger than 25.

“We’re definitely not the cheapest in town. Everything that we use, and the entire experience that we provide, it requires us to have a certain price point to deliver that,” Nicolae says. “Our target market is someone who appreciates everything that we offer.”

Black Line Studio decided to open its second store at CF Shops at Don Mills since the high-end shopping centre appeals to its target audience. In addition, Nicolae says many customers visiting the King Street store were travelling from north of the city, and as a result, traffic and parking presented challenges. The new location presents a more accessible alternative.

“Don Mills is a good stopover for anyone coming from north of the city,” Nicolae says. “It’s an upscale mall, it has a very cool vibe.”

The new store is 1,800 square feet in size, and was designed with the help of designer Jane Son, principal at Toronto-based &SON Studio. The space was designed to be modern and open-concept, with jewellery presented in unique display cases.

“As we looked for the merchandise mix of the future shopping centre, we knew a new generation of health fitness beauty and services would have to be sourced and incubated. I worked with Ion and the Black Line Design team for almost a year to bring this concept to CF Shops at Don Mills,” said Nick Iozzo, Director of Leasing at Cadillac Fairview/CF Shops at Don Mills.

Nicolae carefully selects the lines of jewellery that are carried in the store, with a focus on lines that are unique and not widely available at other retailers. The items available in the store are original and high quality.

“You feel that you’re buying a piece of art,” Nicolae says.

One example includes Pyrrha – a jewellery line that is designed in Vancouver. It specializes in silver talismans featuring various different symbols, each with a different meaning.

Other collections include Italian jewellery line Monserat De Lucca, and high-end body jewellery from New York-based designer Maria Tash.

The location also features artwork on display by local artist Joey Dammit, who specializes in mixed media pop art.

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CF Shops at Don Mills’ owner, Cadillac Fairview, has expressed interest in opening Black Line Studio locations at its other properties, Nicolae says – depending on how well the new location is received.

Once the company has established a strong base in the Toronto region, Nicolae is also interested in eventually exploring the possibility of expanding to other cities, such as Montreal, New York and L.A.

“We want to make sure that Toronto has a good infrastructure, and once that has been proven, then we can look at other cities with the same sort of concept,” he says.

eBay Canada Offering Millions of Items at New “Under $10” Destination

By

Helen Siwak

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March 12, 2018

Guilt-free shopping just got so much easier thanks to a brand new eBay destination called “Under $10”. Not only are there millions of items but shipping is free and there is no bidding required. The streamlined process takes the guess-work out of calculating shipping fees and removes the ‘when is my auction-ending?’ anxiety.

From $5 sunglasses to $8 iPhone cases, the “Under $10” destination offers shoppers millions of all-new items that will not break the bank, all in a single destination. Beyond category, shoppers can browse trending items by price – such as “Tech under $3” and “Beauty under $10” – across men’s and women’s apparel, fitness, kitchen gadgets, home décor, entertainment, and more.

“With ‘Under $10’, we’re making it fun and simple for shoppers to discover amazing new items at incredible prices on eBay.ca,” said Andrea Stairs, General Manager of eBay Canada & Latin America. “This launch is part of eBay’s focus on creating a tailored experience for shoppers, helping them browse eBay’s marketplace of items from across the country and around the world to find exactly what’s right for them.”

For over 20 years, eBay has been at the forefront of developing Connected Commerce for the world where everything and anything is available for a price. So much so that every month eBay connects 8-million Canadians with buyers/sellers from around the world. eBay is the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplace for discovering great value, unique selection and with the addition of the “Under $10” section that makes it so convenient to bargain shop from home.

Israel-Based Bath and Body Retailer to Enter Canada with First Store

By

Craig Patterson

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March 12, 2018

International Bath/Body/Lifestyle retailer Laline will enter the Canadian market in June of this year with its first location at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. It will be the first of potentially dozens of locations in Canada, according to the company.

Laline was founded in 1999 by Revital Levi and Merav Cohen in Tel Aviv, and now boasts more than 100 stores in Israel, as well as international locations. Branded products include items for the body, bath products, skin peeling, perfumes, makeup, nail polish, body and facial products, aromatic ambiance products for the home as well as various lifestyle products and accessories.

According to the company, Laline offers several ‘series’ of leading products based on its favourite and “most exciting” fragrances. Each series offers a variety of products ranging from bath products to perfumes. Targets include women, men, babies and teens — there’s also a range of gift packages. Laline says that its Canadian stores will have some collections tailored to the local market.

In a statement, Laline said: “Our new stores in Canada will be in Laline’s unique design concept that offers a complete pampering experience. From our white and dreamy store design to our unique products with a variety of fragrances, textures and ingredients, the Canadian consumers are in for a new and exciting experience”.

Canada’s first Laline store will open this spring at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens in June of this year. The 750 square foot boutique will be located in the mall’s new ’Nordstrom Wing’ which houses several smaller retailers such as Loding and L’Intervalle shoes, as well as larger locations for Zara and Nordstrom.

In a written Statement, Laline said: “As the Canadian market is one of our main strategic markets we expect to open dozens of branches in the next few years,” and when asked about its growth plans, Laline confirmed that its “main focus for 2018-2019 is the Ontario region”.

According to Laline’s website, the company has 21 locations internationally, all of which are in Japan and the United States. Just five of those are in the United States, being in San Francisco and Honolulu.

Japanese Retailers Uniqlo and Muji Continue Canadian Expansion with Store Openings

By

Craig Patterson

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March 12, 2018

Japanese retailers continue to open stores in Canada. Over the weekend, Uniqlo and Muji each opened stores — Uniqlo opened its second location in suburban Vancouver, while Muji opened its fifth store in the Greater Toronto Area. Both companies have ambitious plans to continue opening stores in Canada.

Uniqlo opened its second Vancouver-area store in a 12,800 square foot space between The Gap and Old Navy at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey on Friday. There were lineups to get into the store despite the fact that Uniqlo also opened a 20,630 square foot store at Metropolis at Metrotown in nearby Burnaby in October of 2017. Uniqlo also recently announced that it would open an 8,010 square foot store at CF Richmond Centre this spring, making it a third for the Vancouver area.

Muji opened a 6,860 square foot store on Saturday at Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto, making it the largest in the city, at least for now. The store is located on the mall’s second-level next to Lululemon. Muji’s downtown Toronto location, which recently temporarily relocated, will see an expansion that some are saying could make it similar in size to the company’s impressive Vancouver Robson Street flagship that opened in December.

(UNIQLO STORE AT SURREY’S GUILDFORD TOWN CENTRE. PHOTO: UNIQLO VIA TWITTER)

(LINEUP AT THE OPENING OF MUJI AT SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE. PHOTO: MUJI VIA TWITTER)

Both Japanese retailers are expanding aggressively across Canada, with plans for many more stores. 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.

The company currently operates two stores in Toronto — a 33,400 square foot flagship at CF Toronto Eaton Centre opened in September of 2016 and a month later, a 30,000+ square foot unit opened at at the upscale Yorkdale Shopping Centre. A Uniqlo location on the west side of the GTA is expected to be announced shortly, and other locations are in discussion.

In an interview last year, MUJI’s Canadian President, Toru Akita, said that he expected MUJI to operate between 15 and 20 stores in Canada by the year 2020. The retailer will have eight stores in Canada by the spring, and the company is expected to soon branch out beyond the Toronto and Vancouver markets with new store locations — “Muji has a game plan and knows where it wants to be in Canada,” said a source at the company. Montreal is said to be a target and the company could see more flagships.

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Japanese retailers continue to enter Canada — we’ll soon discuss a well-known variety retailer that will be opening more stores this spring. Last week, popular Japanese footwear brand ASICS opened its Canadian flagship on Queen Street West in Toronto, and more locations are expected to follow. One of the more aggressive retail expansions in the country is in the works at the moment for variety retailer Miniso, which plans to eventually operate about 500 stores in Canada — though in reality the retailer is Chinese and it positions itself as being a Japanese brand because of its styling and co-founder.

International brands continue to look to Canada and more retailers will be entering the market this year, including another Japanese footwear brand that we’ll discuss at a later date. Some homegrown retailers are seeing reduced sales as competition increases, and those that fail to innovate could meet their demise. Although some are saying that times are tough when it comes to leasing space to retailers in this country, it’s clear that some brands have plans to continue opening stores.

Editor’s note: Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants represents UNIQLO as broker in Canada. Arlin Markowitz of CBRE in Toronto is overseeing MUJI’s Canadian expansion with team members in Toronto and Vancouver.

ASICS Opens 1st Canadian Flagship

By

Craig Patterson

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March 10, 2018

ASICS Canada-ASICS Canada Announces First-Ever Canadian Flagship — An exterior view of the ASICS Queen Street West Flagship Store in Toronto. (CNW Group/ASICS Canada)

Japanese athletic fashion and footwear brand ASICS has opened its Canadian flagship on Toronto’s popular Queen Street West. This follows the opening of a large Manhattan location in December of 2017, as ASICS rolls out flagships globally.

The Toronto store is located at 364 Queen Street West between locations for MAC Cosmetics and nobis, in a retail space most recently occupied by fashion retailer GUESS, which has been closing some of its Canadian stores. The store spans 4,400 square feet over two levels, according to ASICS.

ASICS joins a clustering of athletic-focused brands along Toronto’s Queen Street West retail strip. Nearby retailers include the likes of Adidas, RYU Apparel, Icebreaker Merino Wool, Lululemon and Reigning Champ, with MEC opening a large location on the street later this year.

The company was founded by Kihachiro Onitsuka in 1949 in Kobe. ASICS rose to international prominence over the decades for its unique and innovative designs. A vintage range of ASICS shoes are produced and sold under the Onitsuka Tiger label.

ASICS unveiled its U.S. flagship in December of 2017 at 579 Fifth Avenue (just south of the Rockefeller Center and Saks Fifth Avenue), in a large two-level retail space that houses two brands in the ASICS family – ASICS and ASICSTIGER. The store was described in a press release as being “designed to represent its storied heritage and its mantra and trademark, SOUND MIND, SOUND BODY as well as unveil a new platform for the brand to reach a wider variety of consumers”. The Toronto flagship also features ASICSTIGER.

“Our first Canadian flagship store represents a larger brand shift. After launching our I MOVE METM brand campaign last fall, growing our Canadian presence was inevitable, “says Richard Sullivan, President of ASICS Canada. “The flagship store represents the new direction of the brand, offering consumers a brand experience aimed at celebrating movement, while offering them the best of our products across both performance and lifestyle, better catering to their needs.”

RKF acted as broker on behalf of ASICS, and CBRE listed the Queen Street premises.

The Detox Market expands its Retail Footprint

By

Megan Harman

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March 9, 2018

Natural beauty retailer The Detox Market has opened its third Canadian location inside Canada’s busiest transportation hub – Toronto’s Union Station.

Founded in 2010 in California, The Detox Market specializes in beauty, wellness, health and home products that are eco-friendly, non-toxic and cruelty-free.

After establishing a presence in California, the retailer expanded into the Canadian market in 2012, with the opening of a flagship store on King Street West. A Yorkville location followed in 2015, and in early February, the company unveiled its newest store, located in Union Station’s Front Street Promenade.

Although the new store is only approximately 300 square feet in size, the busy location provides valuable exposure for the rapidly growing retailer.

“For us, it’s about sharing our message and making these incredible products available,” says Laura Townsend, marketing director at The Detox Market. “Union Station has a quarter million people passing through each day, so we saw this as an opportunity to share this green beauty world with mass amounts of people. Hopefully we can entice some of them to drop in and get the conversation going.”

In addition to catering to commuters and downtown dwellers, the new location also lets the company gain exposure among travellers passing through the busy transportation hub. Since The Detox Market does not yet have stores in any other Canadian cities, Townsend says the company’s stores are destinations for many visitors to Toronto, who are interested in trying out natural beauty brands.

“The stores are very much destination stores,” she says.

The company’s core target market includes women between the ages of 25 and 35, who are health-conscious and wellness-minded, according to Townsend. However, she says the products have appeal among a wide range of consumers. In fact, natural products represent the fastest growing segment of the beauty industry worldwide.

“We’re finding that we get different customers from all walks of life – all age ranges,” Townsend says.

In selecting brands to carry within its stores, The Detox Market applies a strict set of standards. Each product must have pure ingredients, must be effective, must be a pleasure to use, and must have beautiful packaging. The company has a hefty list of ingredients that won’t be found in any of the products it sells, including lead, parabens, propanol and synthetic fragrances, among others.

The company strives to create educational experiences within its stores, enabling customers to learn about the products it offers and the benefits of embracing a natural beauty regime.

The opening of the new store comes as Union Station undergoes a massive revitalization project. As part of that initiative, the transit hub’s retail offerings are being overhauled and enhanced.

“As part of the revitalization project, the team at Union are building a culinary, cultural and retail destination that represents the best of our city,” says Vanessa McDonald, VP of brand strategy and partnerships at Union Station.

Located in the Front Street Promenade near The Detox Market are stores including artisanal chocolate shop CXBO, clothing brand The Peace Collective, specialty coffee shop Pilot Coffee, and Naked Beauty Bar.

The Detox Market’s new boutique boasts a look and feel that’s different from the other stores, since the retailer’s founder, Romain Gaillard, strives to make each store unique. The company worked with Suulin Architects to design the space, which aims to reflect The Detox Market’s natural-focused philosophy. Design elements include naturally finished ash wood from Quebec, and a feature wall interspersed with greenery.

The retailer’s other Toronto locations range in size from 1,200-1,400 square feet.

The Detox Market also offers online sales, which represents a growing proportion of its overall sales, according to Townsend.

With three locations in Toronto now, The Detox Market hopes to eventually expand to other major Canadian cities, such as Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal. In the meantime, the company is pursuing further expansion in the U.S. market, with plans to open another store in L.A. and a store in Manhattan.

Judith & Charles Embraces Street-Front Retail with 2 Spring 2018 Openings

By

Craig Patterson

-

March 9, 2018

JUDITH & CHARLES MONTREAL FLAGSHIP UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE

Montreal-based women’s fashion brand Judith & Charles is embracing street-front retail as it plans to open two Canadian stores this spring — one in Vancouver, and one in Montreal. It’s a change in strategy for the retailer, which until 2014 only operated stores in major shopping centres.

The Montreal store will become the company’s flagship and furthermore, will be the first time that the company has had a standalone presence in the city where it was founded. Opening on April 1 of this year, the new store will be located at 2090 ue de la Montagne will span 2,309 square feet. The store will be contained in a restored heritage building in the heart of the city’s ‘Golden Square Mile’.

Judith & Charles is opening the Montreal flagship as it prepares to exit Ogilvy, where it has operated a concession for the past 25 years. Ogilvy is merging with nearby Holt Renfrew to create an expanded ‘Holt Renfrew Ogilvy’ that will be about 250,000 square feet. Part of the repositioning has resulted in many of Ogilvy’s former vendors having to relocate.

Judith & Charles Future Granville Location in Vancouver (Image: Twitter)

The Vancouver store, located at 640 Granville Street, will replace a location about half its size within CF Pacific Centre. The new Granville street store will be 2,293 square feet on one level. The downtown Vancouver replacement store is scheduled to open on May 1 of this year and replaces Ella Shoes that most recently occupied the space.

Street-front retail is a new focus for Judith & Charles, which until 2014 operated stores exclusively within malls (and at Ogilvy). In the spring of 2014, Judith & Charles opened a store at 2207 West 4th Avenue in Vancouver’s Kitsilano area and it got press for moving away from the company’s mall-based retail strategy.

Judith & Charles currently operates 11 Canadian store locations. Of those, three are in Vancouver, four are in Toronto, two are in Montreal, and Ottawa and Calgary each have one store location. Stores are mixed in downtown cores and in suburban malls.

Founded in 1975 in Paris, the Judith & Charles brand was originally named Teenflo. In 1990, Judith Richardson and Charles Le Pierrès bought the brand, moving its headquarters to Montreal. In 2008, Teenflo was renamed ‘Judith & Charles’. Priced as a ‘contemporary’ brand, it is best known for its Italian yarns, exceptional fit and minimalistic styling, and locally-based craftsmanship.

Retail InsiderCanada's Most-Read Online Retail Industry Publication.

Canadians Find In-Store Displays ‘Boring’: Study

Kit and Ace Significantly Reduces Store Count

Farm Boy Grocery Chain Launches Ambitious Expansion

Upscale Tattoo Parlour ‘Black Line Studio’ Launches Expansion with Unique Shopping Centre Location

eBay Canada Offering Millions of Items at New “Under $10” Destination

Israel-Based Bath and Body Retailer to Enter Canada with First Store

Japanese Retailers Uniqlo and Muji Continue Canadian Expansion with Store Openings

ASICS Opens 1st Canadian Flagship

The Detox Market expands its Retail Footprint

Judith & Charles Embraces Street-Front Retail with 2 Spring 2018 Openings

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