Change of Scandinavia Confirms 3 More Canadian Locations to Open this Year

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May 8, 2017

Danish lingerie and fashion brand Change of Scandinavia is confirmed to be opening at least three more stores in Canada in 2017, with plans for significantly more over the next several years.

On July 1 of this year, Change will open a 570 square foot boutique at CF Carrefour Laval, north of Montreal. Two more locations will open in the fourth quarter of 2017, including a 600 square foot boutique at CF Richmond Centre near Vancouver, as well as a 680 square foot store at the recently renovated and expanded Oshawa Centre, east of Toronto.

The company continues to seek opportunities, anticipating to open between 8 and 10 Canadian locations in 2018. By the year 2020, Change is looking to operate between 25 and 30 Canadian stores, ideally in the 600 square foot to 1,000 square foot range in busy shopping centres. Targeted regions include British Columbia (Lower Mainland), Ontario (Greater Toronto Area) and Quebec (Montreal and Quebec City CMA’s).

Change of Scandinavia is represented by Tony Flanz of Think Retail for its Canadian real estate negotiations.

Founded in Denmark in 1995, Change of Scandinavia now operates more that 240 corporate and franchised stores globally. Stores are modern and simple, featuring a black and white palette to showcase product. Most of Change’s stores are in Europe and Scandinavia, with the exception of Canada and Singapore. The company still hasn’t entered the potentially lucrative US market.

Change of Scandinavia is particularly unique because of its large bra sizes, which cater to a different niche than other lingerie retailers such as Victoria’s Secret and La Vie En Rose. About 75% of Change’s bras are in the DD to M cup size range, with a wide range of fits and styles. Most other lingerie retailers in Canada sell bras in the B-D range. Change stores offers free bra fitting to ensure that its products meet the needs of its diverse customers — and prices are kept reasonable to attract a broad clientele. As well, approximately 75% of Change’s revenue comes from underwear and bras, with the remainder from loungewear, swimmer, nightwear and stockings.

Change entered the Canadian market with its first store in 2006, and it now operates 15 stores nationally, with five in British Columbia (Vancouver x 2, Burnaby, Coquitlam and West Vancouver), one in Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), five in Ontario (Toronto x 2, Thornhill, Oakville, Burlington), and four in Quebec (Montreal x 3 and in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu).

Recently-opened stores include the March 2016 opening of a 1,200 square foot flagship at Montreal’s Place Montreal Trust, as well as the summer 2016 opening of a 600 square foot store at upscale Park Royal shopping centre in West Vancouver.

Outlet Collection Winnipeg Opens to Huge Crowds [Photos/Floor Plan/Store List]

By

Craig Patterson

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May 5, 2017

Saks Off 5th at Outlet Collection Winnipeg

Ivanhoé Cambridge has officially opened its Outlet Collection Winnipeg outlet centre, and thousands lined up for the opening on Wednesday, May 3.

Outlet Collection Winnipeg features more than 400,000 square feet of retail space and 570,000 square feet of gross leasable area, with space for about 100 retailers. The centre, located at 555 Sterling Lyon Parkway, features six anchors: Saks OFF 5TH, Old Navy, F21 Red by Forever 21, DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, Nike and Winners. F21 Red and Winners will open in September.

The property is managed by Ivanhoé Cambridge and is jointly owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge, Forster Projects and Harvard Developments. The project broke ground on September 25 of 2015, and it cost over $200 million to build.

(CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE OUTLET COLLECTION WINNIPEG FLOOR PLAN)

About 1,300 full and part-time retail jobs have been created with its construction, and a further 400 construction-related jobs were created for its development.

Outlet Collection Winnipeg boasts some unique sustainability features. It’s LEED® pre-certified, and was designed to be over 20% more energy efficient than the stringent requirements of the Manitoba Energy Code for Buildings. Unique roofing material will reduce the heat island effect, and water-efficient fixtures were installed throughout the centre. Low-emission CO2 materials were selected for the flooring, paint and composite wood products used. And for cyclists, there are 80 bike parking spaces.

For those arriving by car, the centre features about 2,300 parking spaces.

The centre is the only dedicated outlet mall in Manitoba, and is also the first US-styled suburban outlet shopping centre in Western Canada. Currently, Vancouver’s McArthurGlen Designer Outlets is the only other ‘pure’ outlet centre in Western Canada, and it differs from the Winnipeg property in primarily two ways — McArthurGlen lacks larger anchor stores, and it also features upscale architecture that is unlike any other outlet malls. Western Canada is also home to Calgary’s CrossIron Mills and South Delta’s Tsawwassen Mills, though these are considered to be ‘hybrid’ outlet centres with a mix of full-price and off-price retailers.

Outlet Collection Winnipeg

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Below is Outlet Collection Winnipeg’s list of retailers as of now. First-to-market tenants are marked with an asterisk (*)

Anchors

•   DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse*
•   F21 Red* (Opening September 2017)
•   Nike Factory Store*
•   Saks OFF 5TH*
•   Old Navy Outlet
•   Winners (Opening September 2017)

Retailers

•   Adore Cosmetics (Opening September 2017)
•   AJ Sports
•   Aldo Outlet
•   American Eagle Outfitters* (Opening September 2017)
•   Ardene
•   Audi
•   Banana Republic Factory Store*
•   Bell
•   Bench
•   Bentley*
•   Bluenotes
•   Boathouse*
•   Bombay
•   Bowring
•   Browns Outlet*
•   Call it Spring Outlet*
•   Calvin Klein Outlet*
•   Cellicon
•   Chatters Hair| Beauty |Salon
•   Danier Outlet
•   Davids Tea
•   DOVR
•   Dynamite/Garage
•   Ecko Unltd.
•   Famous Footwear Outlet
•   Gap Factory Store*
•   Garage/Dynamite
•   Gateway News
•   GNC
•   Guess Outlet*
•   Justice* (Opening September 2017)
•   Labels
•   Laura/Laura Petites
•   La Vie en Rose Outlet
•   Levi’s Outlet*
•   Lids
•   Lindt Outlet
•   Lolë Outlet*
•   Lucky Brand Jeans Outlet*
•   Lululemon Athletica*
•   Michael Hill*
•   Michael Kors Outlet (Opening September 2017)
•   Mobilinq
•   Mountain Warehouse*
•   Naturalizer Outlet
•   Nine West Shoe Studio*
•   NoMiNoU
•   Peoples
•   Perfumes 4 U*
•   Portia-Ella
•   Pylon
•   Quarks*
•   Rockport Factory Outlet (Opening September 2017)
•   Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (Opening September 2017)
•   Roots*
•   Samsonite Outlet*
•   Skechers*
•   Soft-Moc Shoe Rack*
•   Suzy Shier
•   Telus/Koodo
•   The Body Shop*
•   ThinkKitchen*
•   Tommy Hilfiger Outlet
•   Under Armour*
•   Urban Kids
•   West 49
•   Wireless Wave

Food Concessions

•   A&W
•   Bar Burrito
•   Big Smoke Burger
•   Chachi’s
•   Freshly Squeezed
•   Jimmy the Greek
•   Kernels
•   KFC
•   Kimchi
•   New York Fries
•   Shanghai 360
•   Starbucks
•   Sticky’s Candy
•   Sushi Shop (Opening September 2017)
•   Thai Express

*Photos via Jill Demianiw/Ivanhoé Cambridge.

Express to Shutter Stores, Exit Canada

By

Craig Patterson

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May 4, 2017

American fashion brand Express has announced that it will close all 17 of its Canadian stores, beginning this month, as well as discontinue its Canadian operations through its Canadian subsidiary, Express Fashion Apparel Canada Inc. The retailer will continue to operate 635 stores in the United States.

Express entered the Canadian market in the fall of 2011 amid controversy, when customers complained that prices were considerably higher in its Canadian stores than in the United States. The company’s first Canadian location opened at CF Fairview Mall.

The company said that its decision to exit Canada was part of its ongoing strategy to improve profitability, and manage and optimize its store footprint. Express also said that the “challenging Canadian retail environment” and “unfavorable exchange rates” prevented it from meeting expectations.

Express Canada has reportedly filed an Application for Protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act with an Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

“The challenging Canadian retail environment, coupled with unfavorable exchange rates prevented us from meeting the expectations we had when we entered the market in 2011,” said David Kornberg, president and CEO, Express. “Our overriding focus remains to invest in and direct our resources towards those areas that can generate the greatest return, including growing our e-commerce business, relaunching our customer loyalty program, and continuing to build our omnichannel capabilities to allow our customers to engage with our brand and shop wherever, whenever, and however they want.”

Express Canada currently has 17 stores in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. The retailer intends to conduct store closing sales beginning mid-May. Stores are in some of the country’s leading malls, with seven stores in the Greater Toronto Area, two in Ottawa, three in Calgary, Two in Vancouver and one in Edmonton. Express also operates an outlet in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Subsequent to the closings, Canadian customers will continue to be able to make purchases through the Company’s e-commerce website, www.express.com, as well as through the Express mobile app.

For the fiscal year ended January 28, 2017, Express Canada had net sales of approximately $34 million in U.S. dollars ($45 million in Canadian dollars) and contributed a net loss of approximately $6 million in U.S. dollars to the Express, Inc. consolidated financial statements.

Express will incur charges of approximately US $6 million in the first quarter of 2017 and the remaining US $22 million to US $28 million of exit costs in the second quarter of 2017 related to its Canadian exit.

The company anticipates tax benefits from the move in the range of US $14 million to US $16 million, of which approximately US $7 million is expected in the first quarter of 2017 and the remaining US $7 million to US $9 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Express Canada is seeking appointment of Alvarez & Marsal Canada as monitor in CCAA proceedings to oversee liquidation process for Express Canada.

Express was founded in 1980 by Limited Brands as ‘Limited Express’ in Columbus, Ohio. Limited sold 75% of Express to Golden Gate Capital Partners in May of 2007. Express is a specialty apparel and accessories retailer of women’s and men’s merchandise, targeting the 20 to 30- year-old customer.

STORE 2017 Conference Full Agenda now Available

By

Retail Insider

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May 4, 2017

Retail Council of Canada’s (RCC) STORE 2017 Conference takes place on May 30 and May 31st, at the Toronto Congress Centre. RCC has just announced its full agenda, and Retail Insider readers get $50 off by using discount code: RI50, which expires on May 19th.

As well, tickets are available for the Grand Prix Gala as well as for the Excellence in Retailing Awards.

To see the full STORE 2017 Conference agenda, click here.

STORE 2017 is Canada’s biggest retail event of the year, and is the must-attend conference for the retail industry and their partners.

Packed with more than 80 speakers – representing the “who’s who” of retail in North America – this year’s two-day conference will bring together over 2000 delegates, identify critical trends and shifts in retail and provide retailers and their partners with information, contacts, strategies and tactics for ongoing success.

“What’s more prevalent this year is how the global impact of technology, changing consumer shopping preferences and political disruption is directly affecting retailers in Canada”, said Kyle Tomlin, Vice President Education and Events. “This year’s conference topics and speakers will talk to some of the really tough questions and provide a range of unexpected perspectives that retailers can immediately bring to their teams.”

The conference has been structured to provide retailers with the choice of attending both provocative keynote presentations that cover matters affecting all retailers – including a special interview with Matt Shay, President of the National Retail Federation, the largest retail association in the world – as well as concurrent sessions that focus on store operations, marketing, merchant and supply chain, and digital and mobile. Content at STORE 2017 is also developed so regardless of a retailer’s size or type, whether large, medium or and independent, mass merchant, apparel or grocery, there is a stream with relevant topics. For example, the entire afternoon on the second day of the conference dedicated to grocery.

Speakers at STORE 2017 will include:

Duncan Fulton, President, FGL Sports who will talk about preparing for the new world of retail.
Sylvain Prud’homme, President & CEO, Lowe’s Canada, will talk publicly for the first time since Lowe’s acquired RONA.
Kamy Scarlett, Senior Vice President, Retail and Chief Human Resources Officer and Thierry Hay-Sabourin Senior Vice President, eCommerce from Best Buy will talk about how they built Best Buy’s “clicks and bricks” strategy by bringing vertical business lines together and the role it plays in driving staff, customers and business strategy forward.
Matt Shay, President, National Retail Federation will discuss global forces, times of change and their influence on retail.
Doug Stephens, Founder of Retail Prophet will explain how the customer journey will need to be re-invented so it is unique, multi-layer, personal and impactful.
Michelle Romanow, CBC’s Dragon’s Den “Dragon” and Co-Founder of Snap by Groupon will talk to three current retail disruptors about their business models, why they work and why disruption will continue in retail for the foreseeable future. Michelle will speak with Nicole Tapscott, General Manager, Casper, Deborah Poole, General Manager, Wayfair Canada, and Ben Zifkin, Founder & CEO, HUBBA.

Record numbers of participants have already registered for STORE 2017, which will be held on May 30 and May 31 at the Toronto Congress Centre. For full information and to register, visit https://www.storeconference.ca

Partner content. To work with Retail Insider, email Craig@retail-insider.com

Over the Rainbow to Relocate Iconic Yorkville Store

By

Craig Patterson

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May 4, 2017

Toronto’s Iconic denim retailer Over the Rainbow will relocate its Toronto Yorkville store the fall of 2018, into a considerably larger space at an overhauled Manulife Centre.

Over the Rainbow has occupied its current 4,300 square foot location at 101 Yorkville Avenue since 1982. The retailer was founded in 1975 with a store on Bloor Street West.

The new Manulife Centre Over the Rainbow will span about 6,500 square feet, according to co-owner Daniel Carman. It will be located on the ground floor of the complex’s retail podium, occupying part of the retail space formerly occupied by gift retailer William Ashley (which recently relocated) as well as some space currently occupied by BMO. Over the Rainbow will be accessed from within the mall, and it will also feature exterior display windows as per the rendering above.

The New Manulife Over the Rainbow will be designed by Giannone Petricone Associates Inc. , and the current location will remain open while the new store is being constructed.

The 101 Yorkville retail building was jointly acquired last fall by First Capital Realty and Greybrook Realty Partners Inc., with each paying about $17,785,000. The 45,000 square foot commercial building will be demolished and replaced with a more contemporary 35,000 square foot retail building, which will be targeted towards luxury brands.

Manulife Centre will see a $100 million overhaul that will include the addition of Canada’s first Eataly (at an impressive 50,000 square feet) as well as an overhauled Maison Birks jewellery flagship, and a number of other new retailers. Some existing retailers will also renovate as part of the mall’s overhaul. The Manulife Centre overhaul is expected to be completed in 2019, which is also when Eataly expects to open its three-level concept.

Over the Rainbow is considered to be one of the country’s leading premium multi-brand denim retailers, and it was founded by Joel Carman in 1975. Mr. Carman is quoted as saying: “This new store has been in the making for many years! We are so excited to finally reveal our plans and we can’t wait to deliver a bigger, modern space for our customers, in what we view to be a crown jewel of a building in the BLOOR-YORKVILLE area. We believe the dynamic redevelopment plans to MANULIFE CENTRE complement our store’s vision for the future. Not to mention being surrounded by great retailers in the building and having direct access to the subway and underground parking facilities. We believe the new store will be a home run for our customers while allowing us to deliver the same comfortable and friendly experience that comes with shopping at OVER THE RAINBOW! It’s an exciting time for our family business!“.

Brazilian Luxury Designer Boutique Opens 1st Location in Canada, Plans Expansion

By

Craig Patterson

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May 4, 2017

Canada’s first and only women’s luxury boutique dedicated to Brazilian designers, called outHERE, recently opened in a prominent location in Toronto, and is already considering expansion. The boutique’s stock includes a number of stunning evening gowns, which have caught the attention of locals and even some celebrities. The store is also unique in that a considerable amount of its profits are donated to charity, including the building of an orphanage in Africa.

Entrepreneur Marcus Chaves and partner Gabriel Cesar operate the 800 square foot storefront at 1282 Bay Street, in Toronto’s affluent Yorkville area. The boutique is located at the base of the prestigious Regency condominium building, across Bay Street from the city’s flagship Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences.

Mr. Chaves’ mother, who has been in the fashion business for over 40 years, inspired him to get into the retail business, he explained. He worked with her for a number of years in New Jersey before moving to Toronto in 2010 to work in the event planning business. After getting to know a considerable number of affluent Toronto women, not to mention their fashion preferences for formal events, he decided to take a risk and begin selling women’s fashions. In April of 2016, he started seeing clients at their homes and several months later, he and Mr. Cesar decided to invest in their own retail space.

The store is already a hit, which can be attributed to both customer service as well as a unique product offering. Mr. Chaves explained that he buys pieces for his store with certain clients in mind, and in some instances, he’ll bring in edgy pieces for women wishing to ‘push the boundaries’.

Being in Yorkville is strategic for outHERE, explained Mr. Chaves. The area is affluent and growing quickly, and it’s also close to other affluent neighbourhoods such as Rosedale and Forest Hill. Clients also come into the store from Oakville, Muskoka, and even as far away as London ON, Ottawa and Montreal. Yorkville locals, who may discover the store by walking by, are becoming loyal clients as well, he explained.

Instagram has been key to building brand awareness, Mr. Chaves explained. He’s built relationships with clients who have seen his merchandise on the social media platform. The store’s adorable and friendly French Bulldog Bento also has his own Instagram account, with over 200 followers.

Approximately 90% of outHERE’s stock is from 12 Brazilian designers, with almost all of them being exclusive in Canada. Prices range between $500 and $10,000, with the upper-end items including impressive hand-beaded gowns.

The store also carries Canadian outerwear designer Sentaler — one of the only brands that isn’t from Brazil. Known for its alpaca coats and made famous by Princess Kate Middleton, Sentaler is also involved in various charitable activities — something that attracted Mr. Chaves, who is also extensively involved in philanthropy.

Mr. Chaves explained that he’s not out to ‘get rich’ from outHERE — rather, much of the store’s profits are going towards funding a 600-child orphanage in Mozambique. It was his sister’s involvement with Missions Ministry that inspired him to take up the cause, and the family has already sponsored hundreds of youth in need. He’s also looking to further expand the family’s charitable endeavours as outHERE becomes increasingly profitable.

Mr. Chaves and Mr. Cesar are looking to eventually expand outHERE to other Canadian cities, and will first test the markets with temporary pop-up locations. Vancouver and Montreal are targeted cities and if women in those cities are receptive to outHERE’s merchandise and concept, permanent locations could follow.

Within the next year or so, outHERE is also looking to launch an eCommerce site — or possibly a site with VIP access for selected clients. Mr. Chaves explained that while it’s good to have the retailer’s product visible to potential clients, shoppers are better served to actually try product on before buying it, to ensure that the fit is perfect. As well, face-to-face interaction is part of the experience in outHERE. “It’s all about the service,” says Mr. Chaves.

Bonnie Brooks Wins Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award

By

Retail Insider

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May 3, 2017

Retail Council of Canada (RCC) has awarded Bonnie Brooks, former Vice-Chairman of the Hudson’s Bay Company, as its 2017 recipient of RCC’s Excellence in Retail Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. The Award will be presented to Ms. Brooks at the Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala in Toronto on May 30, 2017, and tickets are still available to attend: retailawards.ca/content/gala-tickets

“RCC is delighted to recognize Bonnie Brooks with this Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. “Bonnie has spent more than 40 years in fashion and retail and was the first female President and CEO of the Hudson’s Bay Co., leading a transformation in the department store world that continues to be widely emulated and admired. Known for engineering turnarounds for brands and retailers, Bonnie is recognized as a builder, an innovator and a leader of change. Over the course of her career in Canada and abroad, she has mentored and shepherded the careers of many in this industry and has passionately supported careers in retail.”

The Excellence in Retail Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a family or an individual in retail who has demonstrated outstanding business success and community service throughout his/her career, and who has left an indelible mark on the industry. Bonnie Brooks joins a long line of passionate merchants across Canada receiving the award, such as Founders of Roots Canada, Michael Budman and Don Green; Founder of The Brick Warehouse Corporation, Dr. William H. Comrie; The Billes Family, Founders of Canadian Tire Corporation, and most recently, Louise Wendling, former Country Manager of Costco Wholesale Canada.

Bonnie Brooks’ illustrious 40-year career in fashion retail and marketing includes more than eight years at Hudson’s Bay Company, serving as its first female President and CEO from 2008 to 2012, later becoming President of the Hudson’s Bay Company with the integration of the American Lord & Taylor department store chain, and ultimately Vice Chairman of the Hudson’s Bay Company from 2014-2016. Prior to returning to Canada to join the Hudson’s Bay Company, Ms. Brooks spent 11 years in Hong Kong, and was President of the Lane Crawford Joyce Group – with department store and franchise distribution operations in over 500 locations in Asia. Prior to moving to Asia, she was Executive Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Holt Renfrew in Canada.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Bonnie Brooks at the Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala in Toronto on May 30, 2017. For further information and to purchase tickets: retailawards.ca/content/gala-tickets

The Gala, taking place at STORE 2017, Canada’s largest and most important retail conference, will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre from 6:15 pm. to 8:30 pm.

Media are invited to attend STORE 2017, May 30 and 31, 2017. For further information: STOREConference.ca

Structube Announces New 50,000 Square Foot Megastore Concept

By

Maxime Frechette

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May 2, 2017

Montreal-based, affordably-priced contemporary/modern home furnishings/accessory retailer Structube is launching its first flagship megastore, and the idea could be rolled out in other Canadian markets if it proves to be successful. Montreal will be the launch city for flagship concept, with the first flagship confirmed to be opening in the fall of 2017.

Currently, most Structube locations measure in the 3,000 to 10,000 square foot range — considerably smaller than the new megastore concept, which will see Montreal’s store span an impressive 50,000 square feet.

The new megastore will feature Structube’s entire product offering on display, and will include a large customer pick-up area, self-serve kiosks and digital signage. “The new store concept will epitomize our recent pivot to low, low prices by creating a new, large and inviting store experience for modern, contemporary furniture at the lowest possible prices,” said Tony Trew, Structube’s Marketing Director. “We hope to finally give Canadians an alternative “go to store” for stylish and affordable furniture and accessories,” he said.

The Montreal flagship will be located at 5620 Boul Métropolitain E, towards the northern end of the Island of Montreal as per the map directly above.

Structube will also open four other stores in Canada this year, in Ajax ON, Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary. When all are open, Structube will have 57 locations across Canada. The company says that it plans to eventually operate about 85 stores in total in Canada, by opening approximately 10 per year.

Renderings in this article are via Loda Design, which has partnered with Structube to design the new Montreal flagship.

Family-owned Structube was founded in 1974. The company originally specialized in tubular retail clothing racks, hence its name ‘Structube’, being derived from an abbreviation of the French term “structures tubulaires”. Its first home furnishings store location opened in Montreal in 1980, expanding into multiple Quebec locations before entering the Ontario market, followed by Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Structube’s contemporary style furniture ranges from rustic wood and mid-century to sleek lacquer and glass, with both pre-assembled and easy-to-assemble products. The company caters to young professionals, condominium dwellers and even small businesses.

Longo Family Honoured with RCC’s Canadian Grand Prix 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award

By

Craig Patterson

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May 2, 2017

Retail Council of Canada (RCC) has announced that Anthony Longo, President and CEO of Toronto-based grocery retailer Longo’s, and the Longo Family, are the 2017 recipients of the Canadian Grand Prix Lifetime Achievement Award.

RCC’s Canadian Grand Prix Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes senior executive(s) who have demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to the Canadian grocery industry. The Award recipients reflect the industry’s spirit of community and trust and demonstrate a strong commitment to innovation, both in the products their company offers to consumers and the leadership they provide within their organization. The recipients are recognized as role models whose passion goes beyond a lifelong dedication to the industry, demonstrating a commitment to greater good through support for charitable and community organizations.

To purchase tickets, visit: rccgrandprix.ca/gala-tickets

“RCC is honoured to award Anthony Longo and the Longo Family with this award, in recognition of their tremendous contributions to the grocery industry in Canada,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President & CEO, Retail Council of Canada. “Over more than six decades, The Longo Family has continued to lead by example through a strong work ethic and living its values of honesty, trustworthiness and mutual respect. Along with co-founder Gus Longo, he, his 17 family members in the business and talented Senior Leadership team, have led the expansion of Longo’s across the Greater Toronto Area and growing the online channel with GroceryGateway.com, ensuring that, as a progressive independent grocer, Longo’s is able to meet consumers at their various need states,” she said.

Under Anthony Longo’s leadership, the company continues to be recognized as one of the most respected grocery retailers in the country, supporting growth, innovation and making a difference in people’s lives through philanthropic partnerships and community support.

Anthony Longo is President and CEO of Longo’s, a position he has held since 1998. Under his leadership, the company has been recognized as one of Canada’s 10 most admired corporate cultures and as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed companies, sustaining a standard of excellence and leadership in all areas of the business.

He was honoured by his peers with the Retail Council of Canada Golden Pencil Award in 2006, one of the youngest recipients, in recognition of his outstanding service to the food industry. Under his leadership, the company continues to be recognized both in the U.S. and Canada for its innovation, its pledge to Team Members and customers and its diverse product selection and commitment to excellence.

Anthony volunteers on the board of a number of organizations including The Food Marketing Institute, The Grocery Foundation, Humber College Board of Governors and Salt + Light Catholic Television.

About Longo’s

Longo’s is a family-owned Canadian organization that started in 1956 when three brothers, Tommy, Joe and Gus opened their first fruit market. It was a small 1,500 square foot store on Yonge Street in Toronto. The family maintained a commitment to providing customers with the best fresh food experience possible. All these years later, this philosophy remains the heart and soul of the company.

Today, Longo’s operates 25 full service grocery stores around the Greater Toronto Area, five Urban stores in Toronto under the “The Market, by Longo’s” banner as well as www.GroceryGateway.com, the leader in online sales of home-delivered groceries. Longo’s employs more than 5,000 team members and offers an environment where people have the opportunity to be the best that they can be.

The Longo Family Charitable Foundation is dedicated to the support of children’s and women’s charities with a strong focus on health and fostering a sense of family and community. Longo’s selects worthy organizations to support and works with each one to develop an innovative partnership that brings productive results to the charity and reflects the family culture of the Longo’s team.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Anthony Longo and The Longo Family at the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards Gala on May 31, 2017. For further information and to purchase tickets: www.rccgrandprix.ca/gala-tickets

The Gala, taking place at STORE 2017, Canada’s largest and most important retail conference, will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre from 6:15 pm to 8:30 pm.

INDOCHINO Lands at Metrotown [Photos]

By

Craig Patterson

-

May 1, 2017

INDOCHINO at Metropolis at Metrotown in Vancouver (Image: INDOCHINO)

The world’s largest made-to-measure menswear company, Vancouver-based INDOCHINO, has opened its second retail showroom in the Lower Mainland at Metropolis at Metrotown in suburban Vancouver. The 2,088 square foot store is also INDOCHINO’S first mall-based location in the region, following the 2015 opening of a highly successful showroom in Vancouver’s Yaletown area.

INDOCHINO opened an impressive three showroom locations in the span of about a month — all are in Western Canada, and all three are contained within highly successful enclosed shopping centres. Metrotown, which opened on Friday April 28, is INDOCHINO’s seventh Canadian retail space. On April 6, INDOCHINO opened at Calgary’s CF Chinook Centre and a week prior to that, West Edmonton Mall saw the opening of its first permanent INDOCHINO showroom.

INDOCHINO’s other Canadian showrooms are in Vancouver (Yaletown), Toronto (King Street East and Yorkdale Shopping Centre), Mississauga (Square One) and in Ottawa at CF Rideau Centre.

The Vancouver Yaletown showroom is currently the company’s top performer, according to INDOCHINO CEO Drew Green. “We’re committed to becoming a global brand that Vancouver can continue to be proud of. Before expanding further in the US, we felt that Metrotown would be a very convenient and accessible option for many of our existing customers and open our experience to new customers,” he said.

INDOCHINO at Metropolis at Metrotown in Vancouver (Image: INDOCHINO)

The new Metrotown showroom is situated on the mall’s Upper Level Atrium Court, as per the floor plan below. Metropolis at Metrotown is the largest shopping centre in British Columbia and the third largest in Canada, according to Retail Council of Canada’s Shopping Centre Study. The mall is also the busiest in the province in terms of annual visitors, and is also one of the top performers in terms of sales per square foot.

Fixtures in the new store were created by Vancouver-based Peregrine, which works with some of the country’s leading retailers and their interiors.

INDOCHINO used Toronto as a test market — it was the first region to see multiple showroom locations. The company’s downtown Toronto showroom was recently joined by two suburban mall locations. “When we tested multiple locations in Toronto, we found that the lift and efficiency we achieve across the region is significant,” Mr. Green said. “We’re using the same winning strategy out on the West Coast, augmenting the success of our Yaletown flagship with our new Metrotown showroom.”

INDOCHINO, which grew 54% year-over-year in 2016, is on track for over 50% year-over-year growth in 2017 — and it’s already 10% above plan in fiscal 2017. As well for its fiscal year-to-date, the company has shipped over 50% more sales dollars globally than for the same period last year. In February 2016, the company announced a US $30 million strategic investment by Dayang Group — the world’s largest suit manufacturer — which has helped accelerate the company’s expansion plans, significantly enhanced the product offering to its customers, and generated additional operating efficiencies.

Things are no doubt going well in Western Canada, as well as company-wide. “Our showrooms in Edmonton and Calgary have each achieved over 200% of plan, while overall growth in Canada fiscal year-to-date is over 60% compared to the same period last year,” said Mr. Green.

INDOCHINO announced a major international expansion last year, with the goal to open about 150 retail stores globally while selling a million suits annually by the year 2020. The company was founded in Vancouver in 2007 as an online custom suit retailer and in late 2015, co-founder Kyle Vucko was replaced as CEO by Shop.ca founder Drew Green.

INDOCHINO’s retail showrooms are an extension of the company’s online made-to-measure experience. INDOCHINO customers are paired with a Style Guide in-store, who helps them design one-of-a-kind suits or shirts. Style Guides take measurements, assist with fabric selection, and walk shoppers through custom options including buttons, vents, pockets, lapels and monograms. Each garment is made to order and delivered within four weeks, when customers can return for a second fitting to ensure a perfect fit. The showroom works in tandem with INDOCHINO’s e-commerce website, so men can access their profiles and reorder at their convenience. The showrooms are designed to be modern and bright, boasting comfortable reception areas and lounges dedicated to serving groom parties and other groups.

Oberfeld Snowcap represents INDOCHINO as brokerage in Canada, with future showrooms ideally ranging between 2,500 and 3,500 square feet.

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