MUNROE SHOPPING CENTRE - 517 LONDON STREET WINNIPEG, MANITOBA. PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPS
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By Peter Morris, founder of Locations!
Munroe Shopping Centre is a redeveloped retail plaza anchored by the popular Giant Tiger and the property currently has several leasing opportunities ranging from 1,050 to 4,650 SF, as well as a prominent pad site on the property.
The shopping centre is nestled in the densely populated and well-established community of East Kildonan at the southeast corner of London Street and Munroe Avenue in Winnipeg.
MUNROE SHOPPING CENTRE – 517 LONDON STREET WINNIPEG, MANITOBA. PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPS
MUNROE SHOPPING CENTRE – 517 LONDON STREET WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
According to Sandy Shindleman, President and CEO of Shindico, Munroe Shopping Centre provides an exceptional location with great corner exposure and ample parking. Mr. Shindleman feels the property provides easy access to Regent Avenue and Henderson Highway with excellent transit service. The tenants who would be most interested in this property would be those who can take advantage of the location being in close proximity to Concordia Hospital, Rossmere Golf & Country Club and over 15 public schools.
Sleep Country recently celebrated a milestone with the grand opening of the company’s 250th location in Canada with more expansion to come, particularly in shopping centres across the country.
“The reality in this day and age when people say brick and mortar it always hasn’t been a happy story but in our case it continues to be a happy story,” said Stewart Schaefer, Chief Business Development Officer at Sleep Country. “We’ve been opening on average about 10 stores every year for the last 10 years. That hasn’t slowed down. Last year, we opened up 12 stores. This year we’ll probably end up opening closer to 12 to 15 stores because the opportunities have presented themselves.
“As we continue to expand and find opportunity within the Canadian landscape and as we continue to grow our business we have not yet seen any signs of a slowing down on the brick and mortar. In fact, we just celebrated our 18th consecutive quarter of same store sales growth. And in the retail world, nobody’s saying that anymore or very far and few between obviously.”
Photo: Sleep Country Canada
The company began operations in 1994 in Vancouver with its first four stores followed by expansion to the Toronto market and then the Calgary market.
Sleep Country is Canada’s leading mattress retailer and the only specialty mattress retailer with a national footprint in Canada. Sleep Country operates under two mattress retail banners: Dormez-vous, the largest retailer of mattresses in Quebec and Sleep Country Canada, the largest mattress retailer in the rest of Canada. As of April 2, Sleep Country had 250 stores and 16 distribution centres across Canada. All of the company’s stores are corporate-owned.
The 250th store is in North York.
Of the 250 stores, said Schaefer, 247 of them are stores in main strip malls and power centres.
“We always choose high, visible locations. Easy and convenient for our customers. They could be core of the downtown or they could be on your corner next to your Starbucks, your neighbourhood,” he said.
Photo: Sleep Country
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Photo: Sleep Country
Photo: Sleep Country
Photo: Sleep Country
But in recent years the brand has expanded into main shopping centres with the first in Calgary’s CF Chinook Centre in 2015.
“This was around the time when there was talk about Sears having trouble. I did an experiment because mall stores first of all were never part of our bailiwick for two reasons. One, our focus was to be in everyone’s neighbourhood and make it just convenient for you. And two it was cost prohibitive,” said Schaefer.
“Over the last few years, the landscape of retail is changing. Ecommerce definitely has an impact and the mix of tenants has dramatically changed over the years especially with the malls. In the past we weren’t cool enough to be in a mall to be honest. A lot of the mall operators would turn their nose to us because it wasn’t such a cool thing. But lo and behold over the last few years health and wellness has become a much greater focus. And we also revamped the look and feel of our stores as the consumers’ tastes have changed. We expanded our business in accessories which is a big part of our business now . . . We did an experiment in the Chinook mall. Not only was it the first mall store that we opened in Canada but it was the first store that we tested our new concept which was the same thing that everyone knows us for – Sleep Country and mattresses. But we expanded on a Pottery Barn kind of look in the front of the store.”
When Sears closed recently, Schaefer said many people didn’t realize that it was Sleep Country’s top competitor.
SLEEP COUNTRY – CF CHINOOK CENTRE. PHOTO: GH+A DESIGN STUDIOS
“With them exiting the market, it then said to me maybe there was more of an opportunity for this captive audience that were going to all these malls. We should be there and we should be there at a more aggressive level,” he said.
Three new stores in shopping centres will open this year and potentially eight, including one in the West Edmonton Mall.
“You’re witnessing early days for us in what we believe potentially could be an interesting expansion in the mall stores,” added Schaefer.
He said Sleep Country is contemplating launching a very high end luxury mattress product in its stores which is now in the testing phase.
“In our 250 store base, we are testing higher end as well as lower end. Right now the breadth of our mattresses in our stores go from approximately $150 starting for a good quality mattress all going up to $5,000,” said Schaefer. “We are now testing a couple above the $5,000 to see how the consumer feels about it and that could potentially lead to some higher end merchandising.”
The school, which last year received a $25-million donation from Aldo Bensadoun, who built a global shoe empire which is named after him, has a goal to be the world’s premier school dedicated to the future of retail and its mission is to educate and empower a global network of interdisciplinary thinkers and practitioners who research, envision and prototype a successful world of retail.
Charles de Brabant, executive director of the Bensadoun Retail Initiative, said the school, in Montreal, will be taking in its first students in September of 2018. The school will be co-run by Dr. Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun Retail Initiative.
“This was a gift that has been in discussion for probably about eight years,” he said. “Retail has been in a transformative moment and as a result our vision is sort of inline with that. We’re always going to be looking to the future in terms of what we want to do . . . We see ourselves as having a unique opportunity to do something on a global level that can differentiate us. The vision is quite ambitious which is to be the leading educational institution dedicated to the future of retail.”
The school was officially approved at the end of March by McGill University.
The first program for students will start in the fall with a retail management concentration within the undergrad Bachelor of Commerce degree.
The school is aiming to initially have at least 30 students per year taking the retail management concentration.
“I’m excited about the vision of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management to become a global centre of excellence,” said Aldo Bensadoun in a brochure about the school. “We will be able to provide the next generation of retailers with innovative solutions for the industry’s transformation.
“As the consumer’s behaviour evolves, success in retail will depend largely on the integration of connected disciplines such as big data, artificial intelligence and neuroscience, and that’s what we’ll provide for our students.”
The school will offer comprehensive education and training for retail at every level: BCom, Master’s, PhD and Executive.
It says it will offer multi-disciplinary, integrative research related to the present and future of retailing, including: Brain & Behaviour; Health and Wellness; Retail Operations; Retail Technology and Data Analytics; Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence; Fintech; Entrepreneurship; Circular Design and Sustainability.
There will be internship opportunities with Canadian and international retailers, integrated with the academic program.
A retail experience lab will offer a select number of the school’s partner retailers the opportunity to test new processes, products or technology in a digital-rich, omni-channel retail environment.
A digital observatory will track consumer trends and behaviour across multiple markets and sectors of the retail industry, providing opportunities for data collection, collation, analysis and research.
The conference will provide a forum for exchange —for both professionals and academics— about the latest research, industry practices and approaches, trends and challenges in retail, it says. The School will welcome professors from prestigious schools such as Cambridge University, Duke University, Harvard Business School, London Business School, MIT, New York University, and Wharton Business School, as well as practitioners from companies such as Accenture, Stylitics, and Stitch Fix.
Vancouver’s Robson Street is in a state of transition, as new retailers move into the area and foot traffic continues to increase. A 6,000 square foot retail space at 1144 Robson Street is currently available at a relatively low price that might never be available again, given its potential for customization at a price considerably less than other properties nearby.
The 1100 block of Robson Street between Thurlow Street and Bute Street is on the upswing, following the opening of a large Muji flagship in December of 2016 and before that, Canada’s first Ladurée salon. Aritzia operates a flagship at the Thurlow Street end of Robson Street, and new soon-to-be-announced retailers are going to have shoppers descending on the area that includes a mix of locals and tourists. The area will be getting busier as the summer approaches, and a new public plaza is completed at the corner of Bute Street and Robson Street.
The 1144 Robson retail space is located next to Vancouver-based Reigning Champ, which recently opened a flagship location at 1148 Robson. A busy Cactus Club Café is located on the other side of the 1144 Robson Street property, which spans about 6,000 square feet over two levels.
With a 33 foot frontage, the building at 1144 Robson Street can be customized for a brand that leases the space, according to listing broker Michael Mylett, VP at CBRE in Vancouver. He explained how 1144 Robson Street represents a unique opportunity for a brand seeking to showcase its flagship concept in a prominent location, which is also a relative bargain when compared to nearby properties.
The asking rent for 1144 Robson Street is significantly less than historical comparable and current asking rents in the area. Properties a block west of that are asking twice the amount or more, and L’Occitane en Provence is said to have paid more than $300 per square foot in 2014 when it leased its current space at 1000 Robson Street.
Mr. Mylett, who’s office at CBRE has negotiated the majority of street-front spaces in downtown Vancouver, says that it’s unlikely that such a good deal will be found on Robson Street in the future, given that the area continues to see improvements as well as interest from retailers from Canada as well as globally. To contact Mr. Mylett about 1144 Robson Street, call: 604 662 5162 or email: michael.mylett@cbre.com.
Toronto-based retailer FloorPlay Socks has found a successful niche in a basic everyday item. The company sells socks – and only socks – and that narrow focus has helped FloorPlay stand out from its competitors and become an authority in the market.
The retailer, which is preparing to open its fourth store this month, carries a large yet carefully curated selection of socks.
Founded by Janet Wright in 2013, FloorPlay has grown steadily since opening its first store on Queen Street West in Toronto. The retailer has since opened a store at Yonge and Eglinton in midtown Toronto as well as one in Hamilton, and now is preparing to open a location in Toronto’s Distillery District.
“We really have cornered the market,” says Wright.
With socks having evolved in recent years from a basic necessity most commonly found in black or white, to an integral part of an outfit available in every colour of the rainbow, FloorPlay has tapped into a market that grows every year.
Image: FloorPlay Socks Image: FloorPlay Socks
The retailer catered primarily to male shoppers when it first opened, with men’s merchandise comprising approximately 80% of sales, according to Wright. More recently, however, she says women have been embracing the funky sock movement, and now sales are divided between roughly 60% men’s and 40% women’s socks.
Wright is highly selective when choosing brands to carry in her stores. When she discovers a brand that she’s interested in selling, she orders samples so that she and her staff and family members can test them out.
“We carry only brands that I have tried, tested, washed and worn again,” Wright says. “We go through quite a process before I bring a brand into my store. We’ve rejected many brands because my staff will say ‘they don’t feel good on my feet’.”
Image: FloorPlay Socks
Shoppers won’t find a lot of basic black socks at FloorPlay. Instead, the stores are filled with many brightly coloured socks boasting bold patterns, unique designs and an array of superheroes and cartoon characters.
“Our customer is the person who wants the brightly coloured, well-made socks that look great,” Wright says.
FloorPlay also carries a range of specialty socks, including skateboarding socks by Stance, Inc. and compression socks by Top & Derby Ltd. The retailer has developed its own in-house line of socks, as well, and is in the process of launching a new higher end ‘black label’ line.
Wright focuses on carrying brands based in Canada and the U.S., and especially small businesses.
“We try to buy from smaller companies as much as we can,” she says. “I believe small businesses should all support each other.”
Wright also applies that approach when choosing décor for her stores. “I try to decorate the stores as much as possible with antiques from the neighbourhood,” she says. The new Distillery District store, for example, will be furnished with items from one of the neighbouring antique stores.
“We try very hard to become part of the community that we’re in,” Wright says.
Image: FloorPlay Socks
Providing a high level of customer service and a fun shopping experience are key components of FloorPlay’s business model. Wright says she has achieved that thanks to her staff.
“I think I have the best staff of any retailer out there,” she says. “They’re very dedicated and they educate themselves in our products.”
Wright provides her team with competitive compensation and an attractive benefits package. The more profitable that FloorPlay becomes, the more she rewards her staff with additional benefits.
“It’s an incentive for them to work really hard,” she says.
As sales continue to grow both in FloorPlay’s stores and through its e-commerce site, the company plans to expand beyond the Greater Toronto Area.
“I wouldn’t rule out another store in Toronto, but we’re more looking outside of Toronto at the moment,” Wright says. In particular, she says she’s looking at potential locations in Ottawa, London and Montreal.
Calgary-based online wine retailer Virtual Vino has expanded its network of free pick-up locations across Alberta.
Products, ordered online, can now be picked up in 19 locations across the province, including 18 Sobeys and Safeway Liquor stores in Edmonton, Calgary, Leduc, Sherwood Park, Red Deer, Chestermere and Airdrie, and at the Rocky Mountain Wine, Spirits & Beer store in Calgary.
Michael MacDougall, owner of Virtual Vino, said the expansion comes just five months after launching in November 2017 with nine pick-up locations.
“We’ll probably be adding more in the very near future too,” he said.
Image: Virtual Vino
“Presently it’s just wine but there may be expansion into other products in the near future.”
MacDougall said Sobeys has more than 70 liquor stores in the province. So there is potential for growth in other locations.
“We kind of feel that Sobeys has some of the best distribution points in the province closest to residential neighbourhoods,” he said. “We like our working relationship with Sobeys. We feel they’re a very strong partner in the industry and they’re good people. And we like working with good people.”
MacDougall said the company’s goal is to bring its favourite wines to the masses at an incredible value and delivering wines people might not often find at their neighbourhood liquor store.
Image: Virtual Vino
The business was up and running as of June 2017 with a store at Rocky Mountain Wine, Spirits & Beer.
“Having a retail store building was a requirement and we wanted to be in the online business. So we were fully aware that we had to get one to build the other,” said MacDougall.
“It’s worked extremely well in that four months that we’ve been operating . . . Part of the success we believe in the online business is that the consumer can order and pick up at their own convenience. There are times that delivering direct works but I think the most amount of success comes from when the consumer can just pick up at a destination location closest to their home or their work and do it at their own leisure.”
Image: Virtual Vino
Virtual Vino also offers shipping across Canada with Canada Post to customers’ doors.
Virtual Vino curates Mix Six packs of wine in a variety of themes that are always on sale. In addition to Mix Six packs, its Six of the Same (half cases of wine) are available for those who have fallen in love with a particular bottle. For people who like to invest in wine, Virtual Vino also carries a selection of Splurge Worthy Gems, rounding out its product offering to appeal to all wine-lovers.
“The thing we try to focus on is what the consumer is asking for. It seems to us that these Mix Sixes are very positive with our consumer feedback. They’re able to try a breadth of products that they might not ordinarily choose themselves in the store,” said MacDougall.
Image: Virtual Vino
Here is a full list of Virtual Vino pick-up locations:
Calgary
Safeway Wine & Spirits Thorncliffe, 5611 4th St. NW;
Luxury streetwear brand Off-White has opened a two-level Vancouver flagship which is the brand’s second location in Canada following the opening of a Toronto location about a year ago.
The Vancouver store is in a rather unique location, being technically in a laneway between the 1000 blocks of Alberni Street and Robson Street in the heart of the city’s downtown core. Vancouver has recently named some of its laneways and there are plans to upgrade this particular one following a successful pilot in the city. The Vancouver laneway in which Off-White is located has been named Eihu Lane, though the store’s address is technically 101 – 1076 Alberni Street.
The new Off-White store spans an impressive 4,300 square feet over two floors. It’s considerably larger than its first North American location which opened in Toronto about a year ago, measuring about 2,400 square feet on one level. A 2,500 square foot location in New York City followed over the summer at 51 Mercer Street in the city’s upscale Soho area. While not confirmed by press time, the Vancouver store could actually be the brand’s largest store globally.
(CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP)
PHOTO: CUTLER
PHOTO: CUTLER
RETAIL INSIDER’S CRAIG PATTERSON, LEFT, WITH VIRGIL ABLOH AT THE OPENING OF OFF-WHITE’S TORONTO STORE IN APRIL OF 2017.
Being near wealthy shoppers is key to selecting sites, according to Off-White’s founder and creative director, Virgil Abloh. We sat down with Mr. Abloh for a one-on-one interview at his Toronto store last year, where he described how his brand is inspired by and targets “youth culture”. That would be a wealthy group of cultured youth, however — Off-White’s prices can be astronomical for items that might look considerably less costly, with fashions and accessories that can cost well into the thousands.
Luxury pricing will follow Mr. Abloh to French luxury brand Louis Vuitton, where he was recently named artistic director of menswear — his casual designs could revolutionize the future of menswear, to the chagrin of suit-and-tie traditionalists. Mr. Abloh is also the creative director for volatile celebrity Kanye West, who has also been involved with pop-up retail initiatives in Canada such as the ‘Life of Pablo’ pop-up hosted in Toronto in the summer of 2016, which featured stencilled Gilden t-shirts with prices exceeding $100 each.
The Vancouver Off-White store is spacious and the design concept was created by Mr. Abloh, and executed by Vancouver-based design firm Cutler. Bare concrete characterizes much of the space from floor-to-ceiling, while trademark mint-green curtains and carpeting can be found in various areas. Golden display units add an air of luxury and other unique design elements include marble slabs from Italy that are held up with dishwasher racks, brushed brass fixtures from Hong Kong, as well as Off-White’s signature striped racks that appear to be inspired by road construction. Similar stripes can also be found on various Off-White designs for both men and women.
[LOOKING EAST DOWN ‘EIHU LANE’ FROM THURLOW STREET TOWARDS BURRARD STREET. IMAGE BY GOOGLE STREET VIEW. ‘THE CARLYLE’ RETAIL COMPLEX IS TO THE LEFT HOUSING MONCLER, SAINT LAURENT, PRADA AND OTHER LUXURY BRANDS AND TO THE RIGHT IS THE HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL ‘MANHATTAN BUILDING’]
[THE STORE’S FACADE IN MAY OF 2017 PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION, AS SEEN ON GOOGLE STREET VIEW. CLICK IMAGE FOR AN INTERACTIVE GOOGLE STREET VIEW EXPERIENCE]
PHOTO: CUTLER
Off-White’s Vancouver store will be an interactive space that changes, with art installations that will be changed monthly, if not more frequently. Designer Virgil Abloh definitely has an artistic side, also having a background in architecture.
Off-White is located in Vancouver’s burgeoning Alberni Street ‘Luxury Zone’ that has expanded to the area between the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver to the east, and the city’s Trump Tower to the west. Luxury brands including Moncler, Saint Laurent, Prada, De Beers and Hublot are located in the same marble-clad ‘The Carlyle’ complex as Off-White, and many of the world’s leading luxury brands have stores nearby.
[MARBLE SLABS ON MILK CRATES. [PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK]
[STAIRWAY. PHOTO: CONCORDIA GROUP]
Virgil Abloh launched Off-White online in 2013 and held its first Paris showroom presentation in January of 2014. In the summer of 2015, Off-White expanded from exclusively menswear into womenswear and remarkably, made it onto the shortlist of the 2015 edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers. The company is owned by Milan-based New Guards Group.
The new Vancouver store features Off-White’s Spring/Summer 2018 collections for men and women, including ready-to-wear, leather goods, accessories and footwear. The Vancouver store has released an exclusive collection titled “MARBLE”, featuring limited edition black and white marble-like graphic prints on short sleeved t-shirts, hoodies and industrial belts.
Part of Off-White’s branding includes using “quotations” around words. The word “LAND” is found on the doorway of the Toronto store, and some women’s boots feature the word “WALKING” in quotes — no doubt a nod to the 60’s song by Nancy Sinatra.
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Off-White’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection is entitled ‘Natural Woman’, and is described as being “a modernized view of the accepted description of Princess Diana as “the People’s Princess” which meant the world is globally processing her impact on the royal family and beyond”. Princess Diana died 20 years ago this year. Mr. Albloh said, “I realized there may be many kids and youth who had no clue of who she was or her impact. Taking from some of her signature, noteworthy looks we updated the closet”.
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Off-White is expanding its base of stores globally, which includes standalone stores as well as shop-in-store concessions. At press time. Off-White’s website shows that it has 26 locations globally, with many of its stores being in Asia. There are also Off-White stores in Australia, the UK, and Paris, where Mr. Abloh recently moved with his family for his new gig at Louis Vuitton. It remains to be seen if Off-White will open any more Canadian stores, and the collection is carried in Canada in prestigious retailers such as Holt Renfrew, which also carries products from a recent collaboration between Off-White and luxury footwear/accessory brand Jimmy Choo.
[CF RICHMOND CENTRE GRAND OPENING ON FRIDAY, APRIL 6. PHOTO: RITCHIE PO]
Popular Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo has opened its third Vancouver-area store at CF Richmond Centre as it expands its operations by opening stores across the country. In the span of just six months, Uniqlo has opened three stores in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, with the area now boasting more stores than Toronto.
Toronto can boast having more Uniqlo square footage, however — the city houses two flagships that both exceed 30,000 square feet of retail space, while the Vancouver units are a bit smaller. Uniqlo’s Metropolis at Metrotown store, which opened in October of 2017, is the largest in BC at 20,630 square feet. A 12,800 square foot Uniqlo opened on March 9 of this year at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey.
Uniqlo says that its CF Richmond Centre store measures 8,010 square feet, though a lease plan on Cadillac Fairview’s website shows the store as having just over 11,500 square feet of space on one level.
[CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE CF RICHMOND CENTRE MALL MAP]
[CF RICHMOND CENTRE GRAND OPENING ON FRIDAY, APRIL 6. PHOTO: RITCHIE PO]
Retail Insider Vancouver correspondent Ritchie Po was at the opening, and he said that there were lineups for the opening, despite being a third location in the region for Uniqlo. The company ran a promotion for the Richmond opening and the diverse local community was no doubt already very familiar with the brand.
Uniqlo has been seeing strong sales in Canada according to sources with access to sales numbers, which is a good thing — some retailers in Canada are seeing reduced numbers as competition increases and shoppers spend elsewhere. Canadian debt levels are at an all time high, as are rents and housing prices in many Canadian cities. Consumers are also more likely to seek out ‘experiences’ as well as spend more on eating out and traveling. Uniqlo’s value proposition that includes quality items at reasonable prices (with some technology thrown in) will hold it well in the face of competition.
Uniqlo is expected to eventually expand into secondary markets such as Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa, and the company has been working to gain brand awareness through its Toronto and Vancouver operations. The Montreal market is also expected to see stores, though there could be a slight delay due to efforts to address language laws. 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.
After closing his family’s iconic Toronto-based retail business in 1998, Michael Berg realized that shopping habits had quickly changed and that there was a better way for brands to liquidate excess inventory and for consumers to get in on the benefits.
So in 2000 he launched the country’s first outsourced warehouse sale business. And it was extremely successful from the very beginning with high-profile brands such as Holt Renfrew, Gap, Club Monaco, Guess and Levi’s using the unique and innovative retail business service.
Oliver Berg, vice-president of inventory solutions and events for the company, said StyleDemocracy started off as a one-man show with his father helping globally-renowned retailers and brands with their excess inventory by running warehouse sales events.
“According to my father, he was the original when it came to warehouse sales. They were not really a common thing and he sort of developed the model of being an outsourced manager,” said Berg. “We’ve executed over 250 events now across Canada and in the U.S. for dozens and dozens of huge brands.”
The company has a long history in the retail business in Toronto. Berg said his great grandfather opened a women’s boutique store in Toronto in 1929 called Ira Berg. It turned into one of the premier high-fashion boutiques in Toronto and in Canada for over 60 years. It was run subsequently by Russel, his grandfather and then his father. Ira Berg was the first retailer in Canada to carry many brands including Prada,Bottega, Celine, Armani, DKNY, and Kiehls, as well as the managing partner of Louis Vuitton Canada from 1986-1995.
“It was an iconic establishment serving Toronto’s elite,” said Berg. “That business closed in 1998 for a number of reasons. The rise of department stores and a couple of other factors. And I guess they just weren’t able to keep up with what was going on in retail. My father and grandfather had to liquidate the store in 1998. On opening day, of the liquidation sale, there was a lineup around the block to get in and sales were huge! There was sort of this ‘aha’ moment my dad had with regards to sales, discounts and strong brands – the perception of value.
“This company (StyleDemocracy) was born from that. It didn’t necessarily take off right away but it was a precursor to what we are today.”
The company was originally called Paradigm Retail Group, but his father realized that if it wanted to be a more attractive retail brand it had to change its name into something more catchy. That’s when StyleDemocracy was born.
Berg said the company provides a turnkey solution for recognized brands with excess inventory. Brands come to StyleDemocracy at various points in the year looking to sell that product.
StyleDemocracy doesn’t buy the inventory – it is a service provider. The StyleDemocracy team sources locations and does all the marketing, staffing, reporting, and everything in between, so the brand can focus on it’s strengths.
“We have a proven track record of huge events for really big brands,” added Berg. “Many come to us not just for our expertise in event management, but for our ability to market quietly through our email lists and website.” Over the years, StyleDemocracy has developed a massive community of shoppers and can reach hundreds of thousands of people without hitting the mainstream media – something their clients love.
The company takes on 12-15 events per year. The sales are held all over the place depending on the brand it is working with and the quantity of inventory.
StyleDemocracy events take place in most Canadian cities including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Halifax. The company’s big sale events take place at well known, easily accessible venues like the International Centre in Mississauga or the Markham Fairgrounds. They also run smaller events, like pop up shops, in vacant retail spaces in the heart city.
“Our model has proven to provide our customers with superior recovery rates on excess inventory and to also connect a brand to a whole new subset of customers,” said Berg.
“A brand can decide to quietly move inventory on their own to off price retailers or jobbers, if that’s what they want, but we provide a higher recovery rate because we’re selling to consumers at retail and we get that. We provide the funds quickly – within 72 hours of the sale. Our events are five to seven days. Depending on how much inventory we’re working with, our clients receive a pretty nice cheque for their excess.”
StyleDemocracy also has an ecommerce solution which it recently launched in December of 2017.
“One of the things we noticed over the years is that we would get inquiries from brands and retailers who had inventory issues of all sizes. The big, physical warehouse sales need a certain type of inventory level for it to work,” explained Berg. “A warehouse sale has a lot of costs involved, the quantity of inventory, the depth of inventory.”
The company’s ecommerce initiative now provides solutions for clients of all sizes of inventory excess.
If you’re interested in learning more about StyleDemocracy’s services please contact Oliver Berg – oliver@styledemocracy.com
Belgian Chocolate Café to open 1st Location in the World in Vancouver: The corner of Pacific and Smithe Streets is about to be world famous to those with a sophisticated sweet tooth. International chocolatiers, The Belgian Famous Chocolates, is crossing the Atlantic Ocean and opening their first chocolate-centric café at 38 Smithe Street, across from the newly launched JW Marriott Parq Hotel in the One Pacific building. This foray into Vancouver marks their first venture into operating a dedicated café and retail space, which will encompass just over 1,000 square feet and will seat 16 inside as well as feature a patio for 18 more (weather permitting).
The One Pacific condo high rise is one block to the waterfront and pet-lovers Coopers’ Park, and the world-famous Vancouver Seawall. Belgian Chocolate is the first retail occupant that has been made public but their website alludes to additional dining and retail.
Started in 1956, Belgium-based The Belgian has been beloved overseas for their premium chocolates. The café will feature chocolate-based patisserie-style treats, decadent chocolate drinks, and much more of all things chocolate.
The company has exclusive distributors in over 70 countries and in 2011 The Belgian Chocolate Group was the first Belgian chocolate company to obtain the A-Star Level of the BRC food standard, the highest honour in the International Food Standard system.
With signage suggesting a launch of ‘mid-2018,’ we will be watching for it with anticipation and keeping readers up-to-date on other retailers for One Pacific as they are announced. Could more locations open? Here’s its new website that will include updated info: thebelgianchocolate.cafe
Scavolini Opens New Showroom in Toronto’s Castlefield Design District: World-renown Italian design company Scavolini has opened an airy new 6,500 square foot showroom in uptown Toronto in the Castlefield Design District at 1330 Castlefield Avenue. Flaunting high-end Italian designed kitchens, bathrooms and living areas (including closets, shelving, furniture & accessories for every room in the house) with clean lines and refined simplicity.
At Scavolini’s new home, expect to view 7 meticulously engineered kitchens, including the new Diesel Open Workshop. This is the second kitchen and bathroom collaboration between the two iconic Made In Italy brands.
Multiple sleek, ultra-chic kitchen models and systems are all offered in customizable configurations. Modular closets, bookcases and bathroom vanities with porcelain tops and integrated sinks, are also on display.
The Scavolini Toronto showroom also features art installations from the Toronto gallery General Hardware Contemporary and a ‘Canadiana Corner’ featuring Beau Lake paddleboards and paddles by Paul Lavoie.
Saje Natural Wellness Introduces ‘Clean Cleaning’ into the Eco-Lexicon: Vancouver-based Saje Natural Wellness introduced the brand’s first-ever home cleaning products aptly named ‘Clean Cleaning.’ Like all Saje Natural Wellness products, the Clean Cleaning line is 100% natural having been formulated only from plant and mineral-based ingredients. All are free of harmful synthetic toxins and artificial fragrances and the fresh fragrances are natural aromas from pure essential oils.
Clean Cleaning is the latest addition to their line of over 500 natural products and is free from the harmful synthetic toxins found in many cleaning products – even the “green” ones, which translates into shoppers keeping their homes as clean as their consciences.
The Clean Cleaning products include Multi Clean (all-purpose cleaner), Glistening Glass (a bright citrus surface and glass cleaner), Bathroom Bright (tub and tile cleaner), Dish Wish (a zesty dish soap), and Tidy Trio biodegradable cleaning cloths.
Launched in 1992, founders Jean-Pierre & Kate Ross LeBlanc, have grown Saje Wellness to more than 70 locations across North America and have attracted loyal followers that are interested in health & wellness, the environment, and supporting cruelty-free products that are also free of parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic colours, and fragrances.
Longo’s Kitchen Introduces Prepare-at-Home Meals Kits to Hungry Market: Popular Toronto-based grocery chain Longo’s has officially thrown its’ hat into the prepare-at-home meal services that are flourishing across Canada. Longo’s branded meal kits offer the same fresh, high-quality produce and grocery innovation for which the family-owned grocery brand is known.
There are eight meal kits available which are designed to meet shopper demand for quick, convenient meals and feature recipes created by Longo’s Kitchen chefs. The meal kits are available at all 32 Longo’s and The Market by Longo’s locations and through Grocery Gateway, Canada’s most experienced online grocery service.
Recipe options include two vegetarian with each meal kit including local produce and pre-proportioned ingredients to create meals for two in under 35 minutes. The subscription-free meal kits start at $19.99 and include easy-to-follow recipe cards and instructions with chef tips to help customers develop their cooking skills and techniques.
H&M to Launch Store at Premium Outlets in Montreal: Premium Outlets Montréal has announced they will be adding an H&M store at their village-style shopping centre in Mirabel, Quebec. The store will officially open this summer with a wide selection of ready-to-wear from the Swedish clothing brand which appeals to the budget-conscious. The Mirabel H&M joins the 85 existing H&M’s in Canada with 21 of those located in Quebec.
Opened in October 2014 Premium Outlets Montreal features a wide selection of fashion items, including men’s and women’s wear, shoes, style and interior accessories, leather goods and speciality brands. The shopping centre attracts visitors from all over Quebec as well as Canada and the northern U.S., plus international tourists.
Premium Outlets Montreal is a single-level and is accessed via Exit 28 from Highway 15. The complex, which occupies 34,049 square metres (360,000 square feet), is located on a 51-acre property, including patios and covered walkways.
Escada Closes Downtown Edmonton Store: It’s the end of the road for luxury brand Escada’s operations in Edmonton, which marks a sad moment for the city’s downtown core. Escada was the only standalone international mono-brand luxury boutique left operating in downtown Edmonton — other downtown shops such as Louis Vuitton operate as concessions at Holt Renfrew.
Escada was located across from Holt Renfrew on the ground-floor of the retail podium of Manulife Place, which houses other upscale retailers such as Blu’s Womenswear and men’s retailer Henry Singer. A prestigious 36 storey office tower rises above.
Escada has had a presence in Edmonton for decades. In the early 1990’s, a large ‘Plaza Escada’ opened in the shopping complex called ‘Commerce Place’ which is located directly south of Manulife Place. At the time, the centre now known as Commerce Place was an upscale mall housing brands such as Alfred Sung, Henry Singer, Apriori, Ports International and others. When it opened, branding in the windows of the new marble-filled shopping centre said ‘City Centre Presents…” and Plaza Escada was a key tenant. Times have changed and Commerce Place has only a handful of retailers, as well as a food court and office space.
Downtown Edmonton is seeing some progress as adjacent Edmonton City Centre renovates, and the ICE District progresses. There’s still an air that things “aren’t quite there yet” and losing escada is a blow to Edmonton’s gentrifying downtown core.
Luxury brand Escada was founded in Germany in 1976 and it continues to operate three full-line stores in Canada in Toronto (131 Bloor St. W.), Montreal (1214 Sherbrooke St. W.) and in Vancouver (710 Thurlow Street). At one time, Escada operated large ‘Plaza Escada’ locations in Toronto (13,000 sq ft) and Vancouver (16,000 sq ft, 2nd largest globally) and both relocated to smaller spaces over the past decade.
Holt Renfrew Shutters ‘Holt’s Gourmet’ Ahead of Flagship Store Renovation: Another little bit of history was lost this week when Holt Renfrew closed its ‘Holt’s Gourmet’ café space on the concourse level of its 50 Bloor Street West flagship in Toronto. By mid-April, the entire concourse level will be closed temporarily and will re-open with an area housing women’s shoes, according to staff in the store. The new shoe hall will be only temporary, however — Holt’s is in the process of renovating its Bloor Street flagship and departments will be moved around, as the store refreshes its space as well as expands its retail square footage.
The ‘Holt’s Gourmet’ café has operated downstairs in the store for years, and at one time it had some of the cheapest coffee in downtown Toronto. Some students (including Retail Insider’s Craig Patterson) would study in the café in the early 2000’s, when its refillable coffee was just $1.25. The café was also known for its bread, soup and light meals, and was painted green last year. Photos above are from its final hours before it closed on March 31, taken by Craig Patterson.
Holt’s will still have a restaurant at 50 Bloor Street West, though. The current Café at Holt’s on the store’s mezzanine level will see some changes as well as a rebranding, when it will eventually reopen as a franchise of Colette Grand Café. The Grand Café concept is being rolled out into five Holt Renfrew stores nationally, after having launched at Toronto’s Thompson Hotel in 2014.
We’ll keep you updated on the renovations at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street as they progress, because we’re told that the store is going to be stunning when it’s finished.
