Ottawa-based discount retailer Giant Tiger is seeing considerable success with its Canadian operations, with plans to continue opening new stores. The company recently launched three new women’s fashion lines, and has also spearheaded store renovations and other strategies to enhance shopping environments. 

The retailer was founded in 1961 in Ottawa’s Byward Market area, and has since grown to operate 218 Canadian stores and employs over 7,000 ‘team members’. Stores carry categories such as family fashions, footwear, groceries, confectionary, pet food, cleaning supplies, housewares, stationery, toys, and health/beauty products. The company’s strategy involves striving to lower prices through continued improvements to efficiency as well as maximizing buying power through economies of scale, as well as increasing market share in existing markets by modifying stores and assortment, based on local needs. The company continues to seek out new markets to further increase revenues via well-researched and planned expansion that involves opening new store locations.

Giant Tiger’s vice president of Marketing, Karen Sterling, says that the retailer will continue with plans to open between 10 and 15 Canadian stores annually, doing so primarily with a franchise model that sees partnerships with successful retail merchants who can aspire to become franchisees in their communities. One of the many advantages to franchising is gaining access to local market expertise, not to mention the ability to customize product assortment tailored to local tastes. Franchisees are already a part of the community, allowing Giant Tiger to operate as a “living, breathing part of the community” which includes investing in the local community both with fundraising and sponsorships, she explained. 

Ms. Sterling explained how Giant Tiger has also been rolling out an updated store concept to enhance the shopping experience, as well as provide convenience for time-starved consumers. She described the core client as being a 25 to 50 year old female, partnered and possibly with children. As the ‘CFO’ of the household, seeking out both value as well as time savings, the target shopper seeks out a ‘one-stop’ shopping experience with an optimal value proposition. Stretching the family budget is met through value-priced fashions and other categories, while time savings can be met through stores carrying a variety of product categories under one roof, be it fashions, bedding, bath and food items. Stores are also laid out efficiently and are “not too large” so as to not overwhelm shoppers. Giant Tiger’s primary store format (as opposed to its GTExpress format) measures in the 13,000 to 18,000 square foot range, though some locations can be smaller or larger, depending on markets and real estate.   

E-Commerce is also an extension of the store, she said, with Giant Tiger’s website carrying over 6,000 products that can also be picked up in-store. 

Since 2012, Giant Tiger has been investing heavily in its in-store experience, she explained. Redesigned stores feature wider aisles, convenient shop-in-shop departments, and an overall experience meant for time efficiency. This spring, Giant Tiger expanded operations by launching three value-priced women’s fashion lines — Lily Morgan™, myStyle™ and the updated ACX Active™ — which are already seeing tremendous success. The company also launched its first TV/print/online ad campaign as part of the initiative, which includes a body-positive image for its female shoppers (see video below). 

Giant Tiger will continue to seek out opportunities for new stores in Canada, seeking out real estate as well as local partners. It’s undetermined how many stores Giant Tiger could eventually operate in Canada, as decisions are made based on opportunity, which includes cost effective real estate. A second location in Barrie, Ontario will open, for example, while it’s somewhat unlikely that the retailer would open a store in the heart of downtown Toronto. A number of larger-format retailers have been closing stores in Canada, providing increased real estate opportunities for companies such as Giant Tiger to expand into existing real estate. 

*All images courtesy of Giant Tiger.

French luxury fashion brand Saint Laurent Paris (aka ‘Yves Saint Laurent’) has opened its first Canadian location in Vancouver’s ‘Luxury Zone’. The two-level, 4,800 square foot store at 746 Thurlow Street is located between recently opened Moncler and Prada locations in The Carlyle retail complex. 

Vancouver’s Saint Laurent store features women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections, as well as accessories and footwear. Women’s fashions are on the main floor along with footwear and accessories, and menswear is located on the second level along with accessories for both genders. The upstairs level features soaring ceilings and a large rounded skylight that was part of the original complex, which recently saw major changes to house multiple luxury retailers. A basement space is dedicated to offices/storage, according to a source with the company. 

The Vancouver Saint Laurent deal was negotiated by Mario Negris, Martin Moriarty and Shane Epp of Vancouver’s CBRE Urban Retail Team. CBRE has been involved with leasing retail spaces in The Carlyle, which also includes upscale tenants De Beers and Tory Burch (as well as Prada and Moncler, as mentioned above).  

Saint Laurent joins a substantial number of luxury brands in Vancouver’s expanding ‘Luxury Zone’. Directly across Thurlow Street, Strellson, Versace and Brunello Cucinelli opened stores late last year. Nearby luxury brands include Burberry, Escada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Tiffany & Co. and Dior, and opening this fall will be large licensed locations for Rolex and Stefano Ricci. French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels will join them in early 2017 with a large unit on Alberni Street, currently under construction. 

Saint Laurent women’s ready-to-wear and accessory boutiques opened within Vancouver’s flagship Nordstrom in September of 2015, and a limited selection of men’s Saint Laurent fashions are carried at Leone and Holt Renfrew in downtown Vancouver. 

We’ll soon be announcing a second freestanding Canadian Saint Laurent store location that will open later this year. 

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: July 12, 2016

Upscale Detroit-based lifestyle brand Shinola has opened its first freestanding Canadian store on ‘Canada’s coolest street‘. Located at 1000 Queen Street West (corner of Ossington Avenue), Toronto’s Shinola is the first of potentially multiple Canadian stores, according to the brand’s Creative Director, Daniel Caudill.  

The new 1,800 square foot Toronto store features dramatic soaring ceilings of almost 20 feet, with a display of Shinola-branded bicycles hanging from the ceiling (see photo below). The store features light walnut fixtures which are characteristic of Shinola locations, as well as a fitting room in an old vault which was restored as part of the original building, which was once a bank. Mr. Caudill revealed that the new Toronto store features the brand’s largest selection of women’s leather goods and accessories, which are featured in a separate boutique area at the north end of the spacious store. 

Product customization is a key feature to Shinola’s Toronto boutique, explained Mr. Caudill. A ‘watch bar’ counter allows shoppers to pick out separate watch faces and watch bands, creating the desired timepiece look of the customer’s choosing. An in-store monograming station is also available for leather goods as well as paper products.  

The retail space was formerly occupied by youthful fashion retailer Stussy and a coffee shop, both of which closed last year. The building is owned by Toronto-based Hullmark Developments, which owns several nearby buildings on Ossington Avenue. The Toronto store is Shinola’s 16th location worldwide, and only its second outside of the U.S. — a London, U.K. store opened in the fall of 2014. Brokerage Think Retail‘s Tony Flanz represented Shinola in the Toronto deal.

Mr. Caudill explained that the Toronto store isn’t likely the last for Canada, as Shinola looks to other markets for new stores. Although no retail spaces have been selected, a Vancouver location is likely at some point, he said, and Toronto could even see a second Shinola location depending on real estate opportunities. Shinola is looking to increase brand awareness in Canada prior to any major expansion, which it began doing last year with a Holt Renfrew shop-in-store at 50 Bloor Street West, which continues to operate today. 

Shinola was founded in Detroit in 2011, and specializes in watches, bicycles, leather goods, pet accessories, and selected apparel. Its name is a nod to the former Shinola shoe polish company that operated in the early to mid 1900’s. The company is now owned and operated by Bedrock Brands, a privately owned Texas investment group, and was launched by Tom Kartsotis, one of the founders of the Fossil Group retail conglomerate. Most products are made in the United States, though some watch parts come from Switzerland.

Think Retail represents Shinola as brokerage in Canada and according to its website, Shinola seeks retail space in the 1,250 square foot to 2,500 square foot range, ideally on high streets. 

All photos in this article are by Scott Norsworthy. 

Upscale Toronto-based Pusateri’s Fine Foods has opened a grocery location at RioCan Oakville Place in Oakville, Ontario. It’s the first location for the retailer outside of the city of Toronto, and the latest in an expansion that will see two more Toronto stores open this year. 

The new Oakville Place Pusateri’s is almost 18,000 square feet in size, with a ground level space of 13,686 square feet and a leased upper level occupying 4,015 square feet (according to RioCan floor plans). The store features fresh food departments, grocery and gourmet prepared foods. It also features an in-store boutique for Toronto-based cold-pressed juice company Greenhouse Juice Company as well as Roman Style at ‘Pizza Couture’, available by the slice in a space featuring its own mall entrance (see photo below). The store was designed by Toronto-based GH+A.  

Towards the end of this summer, Pusateri’s will re-open its original location on Toronto’s Avenue Road, which closed last summer due to a devastating fire. The overhauled, stunning 15,000 square foot store will include several new components (including a full-service restaurant), and we recently profiled its plans in a featured article. 

Toronto’s upscale Bloor Street West, particularly the stretch between Yonge Street and Avenue Road, is seeing considerable retail movement and redevelopment. This is the first of a series where we’ll be profiling some of Canada’s top retail streets, including what’s happening and what’s on the way. Bloor Street West is where we’re located, hence our decision to begin a tour in our own neighbourhood. 

The portion of Bloor Street West between Yonge Street and Avenue Road is also referred to as the ‘Mink Mile’, reflecting the luxury retailers lining the street. Addresses on Bloor begin with number “1” at Yonge Street, ending with Strellson at the northwest corner of Bloor Street West and Avenue Road (at the base of the historical Park Hyatt Hotel) at number 170 Bloor Street West. 

Below is a map of the area that we’ll be touring. The entire strip spans just 600 metres, or about 1,970 feet. You can click the map below for an interactive Google experience, including Street View if desired. 

We’ll begin the tour at the corner of Bloor Street West and Yonge Street, and work our way towards Avenue Road where we’ll conclude the tour. 

One Bloor Street East, currently under construction, will feature a 100,000 square foot commercial podium with several retailers. Nordstrom Rack’s first Canadian store is confirmed to be opening a 40,000 square foot store in the complex, with about 10,000 square feet on the ground floor and the remaining 30,000 square feet on the second level. 

Across Yonge Street at 1 Bloor Street West is Sam Mizrahi’s ‘The One’, which (if approved by the city) will feature one of North America’s tallest residential buildings above a multi-level commercial podium. Rumour has it that a large Apple Store flagship could open as the primary retail tenant, though parties won’t go on record to confirm. 

Moving west on the north side of Bloor is the Holt Renfrew Centre, at 50 Bloor Street West. The Holt Renfrew store (with magenta awnings) is anticipated to expand and see renovations, though things haven’t been progressing as quickly as many had expected. The retail component towards the right in this photo will eventually be demolished for an approved 70+ storey residential tower, though there’s no timeline in place that we’re aware of. 

Across the street from Holt Renfrew, at 55 Bloor Street West, is the Manulife Centre. Big things are planned for the building’s retail podium, which will see an expansion and several new retailers. Jeweller Birks has confirmed plans to renovate its existing location some time in 2017, as per the rendering below. Italian food concept Eataly (in partnership with Holt Renfrew’s owners) is expected to open a 39,000 square foot location on the second level of Manulife Centre, though it recently hit a snag when the mall’s primary restaurant provider exercised a restrictive covenant, winning an injunction and stalling these plans.

The above photo was taken from the southeast corner of Bloor Street West and Bay Street, facing northwest. The office tower with David’s Footwear at its base (1200 Bay Street/David’s at 66 Bloor Street West) was recently sold to Amsterdam-based ProWinko, and the adjacent 80 Bloor Street West (featuring Banana Republic and Roots as retail tenants) will eventually be demolished and replaced with a 66 storey residential tower with almost 40,000 square feet of retail at its base. Next to 80 Bloor is Harry Rosen‘s 54,000 square foot global flagship at 82 Bloor Street West. 

The above photo was taken from the northwest corner of Bloor Street West and Bay Street, looking south to 77 Bloor Street West. Construction shows Sephora‘s new one-level 8,900 square foot flagship under construction, replacing an existing store at 131 Bloor Street West. Landlord Morguard is renovating 77 Bloor’s retail podium, and Druxy’s Deli will open a location inside on the tower’s ground floor later this year. 

Past Sephora’s construction on the south side of Bloor are several smaller retail buildings. Three of the five buildings in the above photo are currently for lease — Roots Kids at 89, the former Nine West at 93, and Town Shoes at 95 Bloor Street West. 

Looking north towards the corner of Bloor Street West and Bellair Street is the 100 Bloor Street West retail complex (below the No. 10 Bellair Tower), featuring a freestanding Holt Renfrew Men’s store as well as existing locations for American retailers Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn. Both Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn will eventually close — the Williams Sonoma space was recently leased to French luxury brand Hermes, which will vacate its current 4,000 square foot 130 Bloor Street West location to build an almost 12,000 square foot two-level ‘maison’. Opening next year, the massive new store will be one of only several large Hermes flagships worldwide. The Pottery Barn/Pottery Barn Kids/Milli spaces at 100 Bloor are still for lease, according to brokerage CBRE. 

131 Bloor Street West (south side of Bloor), also known as ‘The Colonnade’, features several top luxury boutiques. French luxury brand Chanel will vacate and relocate to nearby Yorkville Avenue next year, and we’ve been told that a number of other luxury brands are interested in Chanel’s current 7,300 square foot, two-level location. 

Next to Chanel at 131 Bloor is a 3,000 square foot Coach store. The windows are papered over this week but it’s only temporary, as some work is being done to the space. 

Two doors from Coach, and still at 131 Bloor Street West, is Toronto’s Prada flagship. The 5,890 square foot store is adding a second level, that will see it grow to an impressive 13,640 square feet next year, surpassing the size of a recently opened Vancouver Prada flagship. 

Sephora’s existing 131 Bloor Street West location will close with the opening of the new 77 Bloor Street West store (mentioned above). The existing Sephora will be subdivided into two retail spaces, with one of them to be occupied by Italian luxury brand Moncler. A number of other retailers have shown interest in the rest of the Sephora space, and we’re told that landlord Morguard is particularly interested in securing another international luxury brand. 

Looking across the street to 130 Bloor Street West is Hermes’ existing 4,000 square foot store, which will close when the new Hermes flagship opens nearby at 100 Bloor Street West next year. 

Walking westward from The Colonnade is 151 Bloor Street West, on the south side of Bloor Street West (Across from Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.). The building features four retail spaces, and two of them (Stuart Weitzman and The North Face) are currently for lease. 

Northwest Atlantic Principal/Broker Dianne Lemm suggested that we check out the temporary four-stall summer market in front of Club Monaco at 157 Bloor Street West. The independent retailers provide food and beverage options in front of a fashion retailer, addressing a trend that we’ll be discussing in a separate article next week. 

As Club Monaco occupies the southeast corner of Bloor Street West and Avenue Road, this concludes our tour of Toronto’s ‘Mink Mile’. Feel free to suggest other streets we should profile in the comments section below, or email Craig Patterson (who took these photos on July 6, 2016) at: craig@retail-insider.com.