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Grocery Innovation Delivers Lessons for all Retail at STORE Conference 2016

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Retail Insider
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Grocery retail innovation, and the broader lessons for all retail, will be a key theme during the second day of this year’s Retail Council of Canada STORE Conference, being held in Toronto on May 31 and June 1. On the afternoon of Wednesday June 1, grocery takes the stage with speakers discussing innovation and the future of grocery retailing both in Canada as well as internationally.

The afternoon kicks off with a ‘lunch and learn’ entitled ‘Grocery Shopping Simplified: The Making of the New IGA Mobile App’, hosted by Judith Blackburn, Manager, Digital Communications of Sobeys Québec and Simon Audet, Partner and VP Strategic Alliances at Mirego. Following the launch of its new iga.net corporate website and eCommerce platform, Sobeys wanted to continue innovating and offering added-value services to its clients. The company aimed to provide its customers with mobile-driven features that would assist them during their pre-shopping activities and enrich their in-store shopping experience. Sobeys chose to develop a new user-friendly IGA mobile app available on both iOS and Android platforms. From scanning products to browsing through a personalized flyer based on user behaviour, the new app offers enhanced personalization to IGA customers. In this session, Judith Blackburn and Simon Audet will talk about the creation process of the IGA mobile application and share their insights on how to successfully lead a digital project of this scope. 

Moving right onto the main stage, James Bacos (Managing Partner, Retail and Consumer Goods Practice, Oliver Wyman Germany) and Fred Thomas-Dupuis (Partner, Retail and Consumer Goods Practice, Oliver Wyman Canada) will present ‘Tectonic Shifts in European Grocery Retail: Innovation Lessons for Canada’. The session will discuss how discounters and online formats have disrupted European’s grocery retail markets, and how after almost 15 years of ‘maturity’, these new players have transformed individual markets and are an emerging pan-European force. Grocery retail experts Oliver Wyman provide their views on the key questions surrounding anticipated break-throughs and who will emerge victorious, and illustrate parallels to the Canadian retail landscape.

The presentations continue with a session by Tina Lee, CEO, T & T Supermarkets Inc., entitled ‘T&T Supermarket: Insights Into the Ethnic Consumer’. T&T Supermarket has become the place to shop for authentic Asian fresh food in Canada, regardless of one’s ethnic background. Ms. Lee will discuss how the Canadian palette continues to develop as it is influenced by the many cultures that live in Canada. She will also share the T&T Supermarket success story, insights into the Chinese Canadian consumer, and tips on how to stay fresh and relevant as the needs of your customer base change.
 
Finally, Keith Anderson (Vice President, Strategy & Insights, Profitero) will host a “fireside chat” with Simon Rodrigue, SVP of eCommerce at Walmart Canada. The session is called ‘The eCommerce Grocery Impact & Implications for Retail’, discussing how shoppers’ changing preferences and evolving competitive dynamics are driving online grocery. Mobile is having an impact in online grocery trial, adoption and loyalty, and this is driving new innovations and game changing digital enhancements. Click-and-collect, delivery, and other emerging online grocery models are still in their relative infancy, and the immediate lessons learned from these models are uncovering valuable insights for both retailers and suppliers.
 
Following these will be the Canadian Grand Prix Awards Gala, now in its 23rd year. The Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards™ is an annual program that celebrates new products in 32 food, non-food and private-label categories. It provides a unique opportunity for entrants to showcase their new products to a jury of industry experts and to be recognized by their peers. The awards also encourage new product development and innovation, which are vital to the continued growth of Canada’s consumer products industry. 
 
For more information on STORE Conference 2016, visit: www.storeconference.ca. To pick up your tickets or reserve a table for the Canadian Grand Prix awards gala visit their site at http://www.rccgrandprix.ca.

Maska Mode Continues Canadian Expansion, Seeks New Locations

By
Craig Patterson
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Montreal-based women’s fashion retailer Maska Mode continues to expand its Canadian operations, and it’s seeking out new locations for stores. The company is working with a leading brokerage to grow its brick-and-mortar operations. 

Maska Mode recently opened a location inside of Toronto’s Yorkville Village shopping centre, formerly known as Hazelton Lanes. The new Maska Mode store features colourful clothing and accessories, as well as an assortment of women’s footwear. The store’s interior is bright and minimalist – white walls and simple, stainless steel fixtures showcase Italian fashions from a variety of designers. Maska Mode carries a number of brands in-store, all imported directly from Italy. 

Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants said that he’s seeking out new retail locations for Maska Mode in Canada, particularly in Ontario and British Columbia. Aurora Realty Consultants handles Maska Mode’s real estate as brokerage across Canada, and Auora’s Toronto VP Jeri Brodie coordinated the deal for the Yorkville Village location. 

According to Aurora Realty Consultants’ website, Maska Mode is seeking retail space in the 1,500 square foot to 2,000 square foot range, both in enclosed malls as well as street-front locations. 

Maska Mode now operates 14 Canadian store locations with five of those in Quebec, five in Ontario, three in Vancouver and one in Calgary. Maska Mode also operates freestanding locations for brands Rinascimento and Imperial. There are currently six Rinascimento locations in Quebec and one in Toronto, and there are three Imperial locations in the province of Quebec. 

Rocky Mountain Soap Company co-owners honoured with Retail Council of Canada’s Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Award

By
Retail Insider
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Retail Council of Canada (RCC) has announced that Cameron Baty and Karina Birch, co-owners of Rocky Mountain Soap Company, will be the recipients of the 2016 Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Award. They will be presented the award at this year’s Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala on May 31, as part of RCC’s STORE Conference being held on May 31 and June 1 of this year in Toronto.

The Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Award, sponsored by Chase Paymentech, recognizes the outstanding contributions of a local independent retailer to his/her community. The recipient is seen as a visionary, an innovator, and an integral part of the community that his/her business serves. Mr. Baty and Ms. Birch were selected this year among a number of outstanding independent retailers across Canada and will be recognized for Rocky Mountain Soap’s unique toxin-free product offering, community engagement and business expansion in Western Canada. 

“Retail Council of Canada is delighted to present the 2016 Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Award to Cameron Baty and Karina Birch, two retail entrepreneurs who are deeply committed to making a difference in many communities across Western Canada through sustainable product development, job creation, and outstanding customer service.” said Diane J. Brisebois, President & CEO, Retail Council of Canada. Rocky Mountain Soap Co. is involved in several local food banks, shelters and organizations such as Cause Canada, Project Shine, donating both time and tonnes of soap. “Cameron and Karina believe there is an innovation renaissance taking place and that entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to take advantage. They are true ambassadors for their fellow independent retailers and their customers,” said Ms. Brisebois. Rocky Mountain Soap Co. joins a long line of outstanding Independent retailers across Canada, including Reckless Bikes, Amos Pewter, That Pro Look, and Cuckoo’s Nest.

About Cameron Baty, Karina Birch and the Rocky Mountain Soap Company: Mr. Baty and Ms. Birch are co-owners of Rocky Mountain Soap Company. They nurtured the company from its days as a 300 square foot shop in Canmore to the now 11 retail stores, over 700 wholesale accounts and 16,000 square foot workshop. It is a company with a strong culture and eclectic, passionate group of individuals. Believing ‘what goes on the body, goes in the body,’ Rocky is on a mission to create small-batch products using simple, natural and fresh ingredients. Rocky Mountain Soap has been included in the Profit 100 and Alberta Ventures ‘Fastest Growing Companies.’

The Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Award will be presented to Cameron Baty and Karina Birchy at the Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala on May 31, 2016. The Gala, part of STORE Conference 2016, will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre from 6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET on May 31. For further information and to purchase tickets: STOREConference.ca. 

Lougheed Town Centre Wins Planning Award

By
Craig Patterson
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The City of Burnaby and  Lougheed Town Centre landlord Shape Properties have won the Planning Institute of British Columbia’s ‘2016 Award for Excellence in Planning Practice – City and Urban Areas’ Gold award. The Lougheed Town Centre Core Area Master Plan includes a dramatic reconceptualization of a 42-acre suburban shopping district into a vibrant, pedestrian and transit-connected, mixed-use community with diverse housing, employment, service and recreation opportunities

At its heart is the 600,000 square foot Lougheed Town Centre itself, anchored by Hudson’s Bay and Walmart, as well as about 160 retailers. The mall will double in size as part of the overhaul, which will include millions of additional square feet for mixed uses. The Lougheed Town Centre Core Area, which is currently comprised primarily of older, commercially zoned properties with an abundance of surface parking, has been identified in the master-plan as having the greatest opportunity for transformation to a pedestrian and transit-oriented centre with a fuller and better integrated range of uses. We’ll discuss this in more detail in a separate article. 

The Planning Institute of British Columbia awards honour the best in professional planning work undertaken by members in communities and regions across British Columbia and the Yukon. Each award submission is evaluated by a committee of six experienced planners from across British Columbia. Evaluation criteria include: innovation, transferability, contribution to the profession, public process, implementation, sustainability, and overall presentation. According to Planning Institute of British Columbia, to achieve a Gold Award, submissions must meet very high standards in all categories.

Article Continued below. 

“We are thrilled that the City and Shape Properties have been recognized with a Gold Award for this important planning process,” said City of Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan. “It recognizes that we’ve achieved excellence in innovation, public process, and sustainability – all elements we are determined to embed in our planning processes, because we know they are critical to ensuring that the Lougheed Town Centre will reflect the high expectations and diverse aspirations of Burnaby citizens.”

“This award is an honour and we’re truly thankful to the Planning Institute of BC,” says Darren Kwiatkowski, Executive Vice President of Development and Design at Shape Properties. “We’re appreciative to The City of Burnaby for facilitating a unique and effective planning process that married the interests of the community, the City and the landowner to create a shared vision for an extraordinary new community. We’re especially excited that this process has produced a long-term, executable plan that will transform Lougheed into a vibrant city centre.” 

“The Lougheed Town Centre Core Area Master Plan represents a unique collaboration  between the land owner and the City of Burnaby,” says James Moore, acting department manager, policy and planning, Planning Institute of British Columbia. “The result is an ambitious vision for a leading-edge community that will have a positive impact on Burnaby for many years to come.”

The award was presented to Shape Properties and the City of Burnaby at the annual Planning Institute of British Columbia conference in Kelowna, on May 12, 2016.

Sephora to Relocate Mink Mile Flagship

By
Craig Patterson
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LVMH-owned, Paris-based cosmetics retailer Sephora will relocate its Bloor Street West store in Toronto to a nearby retail space this summer. The new store is currently under construction. 

The new one-level Sephora flagship will measure about 8,900 square feet, according to Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants, who represents Sephora as broker in Canada. The store will be located at 77 Bloor Street West just off the corner of Bay Street, replacing former retail locations for Porsche Design and Marciano, both of which closed last year. 

Sephora is currently making a major push into the Greater Toronto Area this year, including opening new stores as well as renovating and expanding existing locations. We’ll discuss this soon in a separate article.  

Sephora’s current 6,100 square foot store at 131 Bloor Street West (The Colonnade) will close as a result of the new 77 Bloor opening, but the space won’t be vacant for long. Sources say that Sephora’s Colonnade location will be divided into two retail spaces, with one of them already leased to an Italian luxury brand. 

Sephora Americas’ President and CEO Calvin McDonald (formerly head of Sears Canada) will be speaking at this year’s Retail Council of Canada STORE Conference 2016, being held May 31 and June 1 of this year. Mr. McDonald’s presentation is titled ‘Winning in a Digital Landscape’ on May 31. For details, visit: www.storeconference.ca/agenda.

Warby Parker to Open 1st Canadian Location

By
Craig Patterson
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New York City-based eyewear retailer Warby Parker will open its first Canadian store this summer in Toronto. It could be the first of several Canadian locations, and it will compete with at least two value-priced eyewear retailers already operating stores in Canada — including one that’s homegrown.  

Warby Parker is an innovative, value-priced prescription eyewear retailer, which was founded in 2010 as a pure play online retailer with a $2,500 seed investment by students in the Venture Initiation Program of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Shortly after its launch, the company was featured on Vogue.com and GQ, referred to as ‘the Netflix of eyewear’. The company has grown substantially and now boasts 30 brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. Last year, the company was reportedly valued at US $1.2 billion. 

Warby Parker designs its glasses in-house and sells directly to customers — prices are therefore generally lower than regular optical stores, which may mark up product substantially.

Article continued below.

Warby Parker will open its first Canadian store at 684 Queen Street West, at the corer of Euclid Avenue in Toronto’s trendy ‘West Queen West’. It will replace Dark Horse Espresso, which recently vacated that space for a nearby location. Warby Parker will join trendy retailers at that corner including Vancouver-based John Fluevog shoes which is across the street at 686 Queen Street West, as well as Anthropologie, which opened in a restored church in December of 2014.

Warby Parker will compete with retail locations operated by Vancouver-based value-priced Clearly Contacts, which opened its first freestanding Canadian locations in 2013. Clearly Contacts currently operates a retail location at 317 Queen Street West in Toronto. Warby Parker could also take market share away from Australian eyewear brand Bailey Nelson, which operates six Canadian locations, including a Toronto store at 387 Queen Street West. 

Finalists Announced for Retail Council of Canada’s Excellence in Retailing Awards

By
Craig Patterson
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Retail Council of Canada (RCC) has announced the finalists for Canada’s most innovative merchants at the 2016 Excellence in Retailing Awards. A total of 87 finalists from 50 retail companies are in the running for the prestigious awards, which recognize the pinnacle achievements of retail organizations in 10 retail categories covering a range of in-store, online and omni-channel operations.

“Over the past 20 years, the Excellence in Retailing Awards program has become the gold standard, recognizing the very best that retailers in Canada have to offer,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. “Becoming a Finalist for these awards takes talent, teamwork and ingenuity, and is a testament to the creativity and leadership of an outstanding group of merchants. Together, these organizations have set a high standard for all retailers in Canada to emulate.”

The 2016 list of RCC Excellence in Retailing Awards finalists includes the following companies, in alphabetical order: 

  • Alcool NB Liquor
  • Bauer (Division of Performance Sports Group)
  • Best Buy Canada
  • Bulk Barn Foods Limited
  • Canada Post
  • Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd.
  • Cineplex Entertainment
  • Costco Canada
  • David’s Bridal
  • FGL Sports
  • Foodland
  • Frank & Oak
  • goeasy ltd
  • Groupe Dynamite
  • H&M
  • Holt Renfrew
  • Home Hardware Stores Limited
  • Hudson’s Bay Company
  • IKEA Canada Limited Partnership
  • Indigo
  • La Maison Simons
  • LCBO
  • Liquor Stores, NA
  • Loblaw Companies Limited
  • M&M Food Market
  • Mac’s Convenience Stores
  • Manitoba Telecom Services
  • Mark’s
  • Metro
  • Michael Hill Jeweller
  • Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation
  • PetSmart Canada
  • Reitmans
  • RONA
  • Sears Canada
  • Sephora
  • Shoes.com
  • Shoppers Drug Mart
  • Sleep Country Canada
  • Sobeys
  • Sobeys Express
  • Sport Chek
  • Staples Canada
  • Surmesur
  • TELUS Retail Limited
  • Ten Thousand Villages
  • The Beer Store
  • The Source
  • Walmart Canada

The 2016 winners will be announced at the Excellence in Retailing Awards gala on May 31st. The gala is a highlight of the STORE 2016 Conference, Canada’s largest retail industry event of the year, which runs May 31st and June 1st at the Toronto Congress Centre. For further information and to buy gala tickets: www.storeconference.ca/excellence-in-retailing-awards/gala.

The gala will also honour Louise Wendling, former Country Manager of Costco Wholesale Canada, recipient of Retail Council of Canada’s 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award; Andrew Lutfy, CEO of Groupe Dynamite, named Retail Council of Canada’s 2016 Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year; and Cameron Baty and Karina Birch, co-owners of Rocky Mountain Soap Company, recipients of Retail Council of Canada’s 2016 Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year.

For more information about the Excellence in Retailing Awards and STORE 2016, visit www.storeconference.ca.

Black Goat Cashmere Opens Beautiful Government Street Store [Photos]

By
Craig Patterson
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Vancouver-based Black Goat Cashmere has opened a beautiful new store in Victoria, British Columbia. It’s the retailer’s fourth Canadian store location, and is located in a restored heritage building in a popular tourist zone. 

Located at 1008 Government Street, Black Goat Cashmere occupies 1,300 square feet of space in the historical Promis Block, built in 1905 and regarded as one of the most detailed examples of Edwardian renaissance architecture in Victoria. Designed by Hooper and Watkins Architects for Oscar Promis of San Jose, California, The Promis Block features a Government Street frontage of glazed bricks, molded terracotta decorative elements, recessed upper bay windows and cast iron columns. The building features facades on both Government Street and Langley Street, allowing for a unique retail floor plate with dual frontages. The building went through a comprehensive renovation which included a full seismic upgrade, prior to last week’s store opening. 

The store’s interior, designed by Black Goat Cashmere, is furnished with a mix of white wash and black waxed oak cabinets. Product (including sweaters, cardigans, dresses etc.) are neatly folded to display and showcase the brand’s range of colours, styles and textures. The wooden oak floors are partially covered with hand made wool rugs custom made for Black Goat Cashmere, the walls are decorated with mirrors, frames from the retailer’s photo-shoots and an antique safe behind the cash desk that was part of the original building.

Oberfeld Snowcap acted on behalf of Black Goat Cashmere in the lease deal for the 1008 Government Street space, and Colliers International represented the landlord. 

Black Goat Cashmere’s other three store locations include a downtown Vancouver store at 925 West Georgia Street in the city’s ‘Luxury Zone’, a second Vancouver location on Vancouver’s upscale South Granville strip (the company’s first, which opened in 2011), and a Toronto store which opened in the winter of 2015 at 131 Bloor Street West in ‘The Colonnade’, between Cartier and Agent Provocateur. 

Black Goat Cashmere’s products are designed in Vancouver and manufactured in Mongolia with the highest-quality cashmere. The company is vertically integrated, and sells a variety of cashmere products for men, women and children. Some garments have accents such as mother of pearl buttons and leather trim. The Mongolian cashmere used is from long strands, which are known for durability and high quality, according to CEO Robert Remy. 

*All photos were supplied, courtesy of Black Goat Cashmere.

Jean Machine Updates Store Concept

By
Craig Patterson
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Toronto-based denim-focused multi-brand fashion retailer Jean Machine is looking to expand its target market by launching an enhanced store concept. The 40-year old retailer recently revealed its first new location with its updated environment, and more are expected to follow. 

A relocated Jean Machine store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre is meant to attract a more mature clientele, according to the retailer’s Marketing Director, Jason Perlman. Jean Machine has traditionally focused on younger shoppers, and the new 1,550 square foot Yorkdale location provides a slightly more inviting environment for mature shoppers. An industrial feel provides a backdrop for Jean Machine’s products, and the store look could be rolled-out into other locations. Larger, more comfortable dressing rooms are an added feature, along with vintage accents throughout the store. The company works with a store designer who Mr. Perlman says is now ‘practically in-house’, having done so many of the retailer’s stores over the past number of years. 

It isn’t just updated interiors that are meant to attract more mature shoppers, however — Mr. Perlman explained how music at the new Yorkdale store isn’t quite as high-tempo as that in other locations. Music is still vibrant and an important component to the overall retail environment, he said. 

Farla Efros, President of prominent retail consultancy HRC Advisory, said that retailers need to be careful when going after different target markets — especially during these turbulent times in retail. A “slow and methodical” approach is required, and being able to “test” is key to success, she said. Jean Machine’s new Yorkdale location is near a more “mature customer base”, Ms. Efros noted, making the location and repositioning ideal. 

Family-owned Jean Machine will continue to focus its operations in Ontario, according to Mr. Perlman, where the retailer operates 35 locations. There’s potential for expansion at some point, though the owners are looking to keep operations close to home for the moment. Existing store locations will remain Jean Machine’s focus, as it modifies its strategy to broaden its customer base. E-commerce will also play an increasingly important role for the retailer, he said, as Jean Machine also focuses on enhancing omni-channel initiatives. 

*Photos were supplied by Jean Machine.

Nordstrom to Hire 1,600 For 2 Autumn Store Openings

By
Craig Patterson
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Upscale Seattle-based Nordstrom is hiring 1,600 employees for its next two Canadian store openings this fall, both in Toronto. Each store will employ about 800 people. Jobs will be posted to www.careers.nordstrom.com on Monday, May 23, and hiring will begin in late June.

Nordstrom’s 220,000 square foot CF Toronto Eaton Centre flagship location opens on Friday, September 16 of this year, while its 196,000+ square foot Yorkdale Shopping Centre store will open on Friday, October 21.

Sales positions are available in all areas of each store including women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics and designer goods. Retail experience is not required for sales positions. Hiring will also take place for various support positions in concierge, alterations, building services, housekeeping, loss prevention as well as jobs specific to the stores’ restaurants and coffee bars.

Nordstrom offers employees a competitive benefits package including a 20% retail discount (managers receive a 33% discount), dental, medical and vision options, and an RRSP matching program.

For recent Nordstrom store openings in Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver, Nordstrom sales managers participated in an eight-week manager training program in Seattle. A similar training program is being provided for 62 recently hired Toronto department managers, who this time will be partnered with the retailer’s most experienced managers at stores across Canada and the United States for a five-week training program where they will learn about the company culture. Once salespeople have been hired, they will also participate in a training program in Toronto that will focus on product knowledge, selling skills, and how to offer Nordstrom customers a great shopping experience.

Best of luck to all interested applicants. 

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