Inside Erin Mills’ Overhaul [Photos]

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January 13, 2016

Mississauga’s Erin Mills Town Centre has almost completed an overhaul and last week, it announced a new anchor store will replace its former Target location. Based on customer feedback and in light of the increasing competition from two nearby expanding centres, Erin Mill’s landlord decided to make the mall “better, not bigger”.

The 850,000 square foot, 185-store Erin Mills Town Centre was built in 1989 and required updating. After engaging with shoppers to determine how the property could be improved, landlord 20 VIC Management decided to substantially renovate the property without expanding its footprint. Customers said that they preferred the mall’s ‘manageable’ size compared to nearby centres, as well as convenient parking, wayfinding, and a variety of reasonably affordable stores with a focus on fashion.

The landlord spent in excess of $100 million for an overhaul that saw common areas renovated, as well as the addition of a massive glass sphere at the mall’s Centre Court. With a circumference of 283 feet, the sphere is the largest of its kind in the world. The Centre Court also features an infinity fountain, limestone flooring, and seating for patrons to socialize under natural light. MMC Architects oversaw the mall’s overhaul.

Walmart will replace the mall’s former Target store with a 136,000 square foot Walmart Supercentre, which will open later this year. The store will offer groceries as well as electronics, home decor and apparel, and will employ about 250 associates. According to Erin Mills’ Vice President, Nance MacDonald, the mall is one of only a few GTA shopping centres to fill its vacated Target space. Target opened at Erin Mills in August of 2014, and closed eight months later in April of 2015. Walmart joins a 134,000 square foot Hudson’s Bay, as well as Mississauga’s only Sears store, measuring about 132,000 square feet.

The new second-level food court features 26 foot high ceilings, a 350 foot long window wall, and an outdoor patio with views of the expanding city of Mississauga skyline. The food court is one of several gathering places in the centre, as Erin Mills endeavours to be part of the community and will hold various events, such as fundraising events, at the centre.

Photos above were supplied by 20 VIC Management Inc.

H2O Plus Closes Canadian Stores, Halts Shipping

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Craig Patterson

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January 12, 2016

American skincare brand H2O Plus has closed its last Canadian location, which operated on the third level of CF Toronto Eaton Centre. The company also says it is no longer shipping its products to Canada. H2O Plus is in a state of transition, which includes relocating its corporate headquarters and outsourcing its product manufacturing.

Founded in Chicago in 1989, H2O Plus LLC develops, manufactures, and markets water-based skin care products. The company’s distribution includes H2O Plus retail stores, e-commerce, and distribution through other retailers. In July of 2011, H2O Plus LLC became a subsidiary of Tokyo-based POLA Orbis Holdings, Inc.

H2O Plus entered the Canadian market in 1999 and at one time, operated several Canadian locations. Its first store was at 929 Robson Street in downtown Vancouver, which closed in December of 2013 to be replaced by a Tesla Motors showroom. Its other Vancouver locations included an Oakridge Centre store, as well as a kiosk at Metropolis at Metrotown, both of which closed several years ago.

H2O Plus continues to operate two U.S. locations, in Chicago and New York City, as well as several in Asia. As recently as 2008, H2O Plus operated 15 U.S. stores and 61 locations globally with sales in excess of U.S. $120 million. Sales are now estimated to be half that amount.

In July of 2015, H2O Plus announced that it was relocating its headquarters from Chicago to San Francisco, and that it was shifting its business model from a manufacturing company to one that focuses on the marketing and sales of H2O Plus products around the world. The company believes that a San Francisco headquarters will allow it to gain greater access to Asian markets. Manufacturing of H2O Plus products will gradually be transferred to third-party companies in the United States, it said.

Canadian Bag and Accessory Brand VENQUE Seeks to Expand Distribution after Considerable Success

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Craig Patterson

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January 11, 2016

Toronto-based bag and accessories brand VENQUE is seeking to expand its domestic distribution, following a successful launch that has resulted in substantial sales growth. We spoke with co-founder Simon Cui to gain insight into why sales of the brand have taken off, and what makes VENQUE products unique to the marketplace.

Founded in 2011 by brothers Simon and Viktor Cui, VENQUE designs, manufactures and retails high quality bags and luggage. VENQUE’s creations are simple and functional, and prices are reasonable with bags priced under $200 each. The brothers created the brand after finding frustration in locating high-quality, well-priced bags that are also well designed and multi-functional. The brand’s name is a combination of French and English – a nod to Canada’s two official languages, recognizing the exceptional diversity that characterizes this great nation.

The detail-oriented Cui brothers created their own fabric for VENQUE, called quanta fabric, after being unable to locate materials they felt were appropriate. The new fabric is durable yet gentle and attractive, giving VENQUE bags their unique look and feel. The brothers’ background in fashion and textiles helped them secure a manufacturer to create the line of bags. Real leather detailing is also featured on its bags, which is remarkable considering VENQUE’s modest price point. Consumer feedback has been extremely positive, prompting VENQUE’s founders to expand the brand’s design and colour availability.

Although its beginnings were modest, VENQUE products are now available at over 200 retailers globally. In Canada, distribution is primarily through Browns Shoes locations. Sales growth is exceptional as consumers discover the brand and as a result, VENQUE is looking to expand its distribution within Canada, as well as globally. Simon Cui revealed that at some point, as the brand expands its offerings and grows its sales, VENQUE could consider opening freestanding Canadian store locations.

If you are a retailer looking to carry the VENQUE bag and accessory line, feel free to email Simon Cui at: simon@venque.com.

Tiffany & Co. to Expand Vancouver Flagship

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Craig Patterson

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January 11, 2016

Iconic American jeweller Tiffany & Co. will expand its freestanding Vancouver location by adding a second level. When the expansion opens later this year, the store will be almost as large as Tiffany’s Toronto Bloor Street flagship.

Located at the northwest corner of Burrard Street and Alberni Street with a 723 Burrard Street municipal address, the 4,700 square foot Tiffany & Co. opened in the fall of 2006. Tiffany will expand into space occupied by Japanese restaurant Kamei Royale, with the restaurant set to open a new location in the Coal Harbour area in the spring of 2016.

‘Van23H’ on Vancouver Skyscraper Page Forum claims to have seen renderings, and says that the expanded Vancouver store “will be even nicer than the Bloor Street flagship.”

Tiffany & Co. entered the Vancouver market as a licensed shop-in-store within Holt Renfrew in 1994. Tiffany continues to operate a shop at Vancouver’s Holt’s as a concession. Tiffany has three free-standing stores in Toronto, two in Vancouver, and one each in Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal. Three smaller Tiffany & Co. concessions also operate within Holt Renfrew locations in Calgary, Montreal (at Ogilvy) and as mentioned, in Vancouver.

Study Reveals International Retailers Coming to Canada

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Craig Patterson

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January 11, 2016

A new study by the University of Alberta School of Retailing reveals what international brands and retailers are confirmed to be entering Canada over the next several years, and how they will affect competition. The study was conducted by the School’s Department of Applied Research, which is also available to hire for private industry research.

The study’s categories include luxury brands, contemporary brands, fast-fashion retailers, and the category ‘other’ — which includes jewellery retailers, furniture retailers, a department store chain and an optical retailer. Many of the companies discussed haven’t been reported on in Retail Insider.

Each company is described in the study, followed by a discussion of which competitors may be affected by their entry. As more brands move into the Canadian market, there will be an increase in competition for market share.

The study also discusses challenges international retailers may face when entering Canada. This is an important consideration, given Canada’s vast geography, language laws, and recent failures by some retailers that unsuccessfully attempted to enter the market.

Finally, the study discusses how luxury brands are increasingly choosing malls over street-front retail space, how some brands initially prefer department store concessions, and how e-commerce will increasingly integrate with brick-and-mortar retailing for years to come.

For more information on the study, visit the University of Alberta School of Retailing Applied Research website, which includes a link to studies as well as contact information.

Woolrich Looks to Open Canadian Stores

By

Craig Patterson

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January 7, 2016

American outdoor wear brand Woolrich plans to open 80 stores around the world over the next five years, and the company specifically says that Canada will be part of that expansion.

Founded in 1830 in Pennsylvania, Woolrich is America’s oldest manufacturer of outdoor wear. The company was founded for the purpose of manufacturing fabric for the wives of hunters, loggers and trappers. Later, the company also outfitted clothing supplies to the American Civil War.

Woolrich boasts annual sales of U.S. $250 million globally, with the vast majority of sales being wholesale. The company hopes to see retail sales increase from the single digits to about 24% by 2020 through an 80-unit store expansion. The aggressive expansion is being spearheaded by WP Lavori in Corso, the brand’s long-time partner. In June of 2012, Woolrich and WP Lavori expanded their 35-year licensing deal. Andrea Cane, creative director of WP Lavori, told Women’s Wear Daily that the two companies are initially investing $50 million into the Woolrich store rollout.

Woolrich currently operates 17 stores worldwide, including two in the United States, 14 in Europe, and one in Tokyo. Its first American store opened in September of last year on Wooster Street in New York City’s Soho area, and earlier this month a Woolrich store opened on Boston’s upscale Newbury Street.

The new Woolrich stores will focus on the company’s Woolrich John Rich & Bros. label, an elevated collection designed by WP Lavori. Of the 80 stores anticipated before the year 2020, 54 will be in Europe, five in Asia, and 11 in the United States and Canada. Toronto, Vancouver and other Canadian markets are all targets according to Woolrich, though its focus for 2016 will be on opening stores in Chicago, Antwerp, Dusseldorf, Madrid, Milan, Oslo, Rome, Rotterdam and Seoul. Between 2017 and 2020, the company also intends to open stores in Florance, Frankfurt, Geneva, Paris and Vienna, as well as American cities Aspen, Denver, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, and midtown Manhattan.

Extreme Stores Shutters Multiple Locations

By

Craig Patterson

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January 7, 2016

Seemingly out of the blue, Extreme Stores closed eight of its 14 Alberta and B.C. locations on December 31. The company says that closures were ”due to recent changes in the economy that we were unable to weather.”

Extreme Stores carry men’s and women’s multi-brand activewear and accessories for “extreme fun on land, surf and snow”. The company’s website says that it carries “summer dresses, board shorts and technical gear, to footwear, wallets, watches and sunglasses, we’ve got you covered for fun outside, rain or shine”. The family-owned company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Kelowna, B.C.

Brian Jenkinson of Vancouver-based CUT & SHOW alerted us to Extreme Stores’ Facebook post, revealing which locations closed last week. Shuttered Alberta stores include locations in Lloydminster (Lloyd Mall), Cold Lake (Tri-City Mall), Red Deer (Parkland Mall), Medicine Hat (Medicine Hat Mall), and Edmonton (Kingsway Mall). Shuttered B.C. stores were in Dawson Creek (Dawson Mall), Abbotsford (Seven Oaks Shopping Centre), and Langley (Willowbrook Centre).

The company said on Facebook: “The closures have affected us deeply as we have not only had to leave our wonderful customers, but also say goodbye to our amazing and loyal employees – none of whom were notified about this closure beforehand.”

Extreme Stores continues to operate six locations – five in B.C., and one in Alberta. The Alberta store is at Prairie Mall in Grande Prairie, and B.C. stores continue to operate in Nanaimo (Woodgrove Centre), Victoria (Westshore Town Centre), Kelowna (Orchard Park Mall), Vernon (Village Green Centre) and Prince George (Pine Centre Mall).

Caudalie Plans Canadian ‘Boutique Spa’ Expansion

By

Craig Patterson

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January 6, 2016

French skincare brand Caudalie is planning to open more Canadian stores, which it calls ’boutique spas’, following last month’s debut of its first Toronto location. We interviewed the company’s American CEO, Carole Silverman, to gain insight into what Caudalie has planned for Canada.

Caudalie is a multi-channel French skincare company, specializing in anti-aging, skincare, body care, fragrance and masks. The company was founded by a husband-and-wife team in Paris in 1995, and prides itself on using natural ingredients, as well as helping the environment. The company operates 19 global ’boutique spas’, as well as eight full-sized ‘destination spas’, including a large Canadian spa (the Miraj Hammam Spa) at Toronto’s Shangri-La Hotel.

Caudalie opened its third Canadian location last month at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens. The 900 square foot boutique joins two recently opened locations in Quebec — one at Montreal’s Quartier DIX30 which opened in the summer of 2014, and the other, which opened last month, at CF Carrefour Laval. The new Toronto boutique spa features two small treatment rooms, as well as a variety of Caudalie products.

Ms. Silverman explained how Caudalie is looking to open two or three more Canadian ’boutique spa’ locations, and that it will be done carefully. She said that a Vancouver location is likely, as the brand resonates well with Asian consumers. At least one more Toronto boutique spa location could be in the works as well, according to Ms. Silverman, though no locations have been secured. Ms. Silverman also revealed that the company has no plans to open any more large spas like the one at Toronto’s Shangri-La Hotel.

Saks Flagship to Feature Queen Street Doorman and Concierge

By

Craig Patterson

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January 6, 2016

Saks Fifth Avenue is advertising to hire a doorman for its Canadian flagship. Plans show that the store will also feature a concierge desk at its Queen Street entrance. The new Saks Fifth Avenue store opens on February 18 and according to one retail expert, the doorman/concierge combination is part of Saks’ attempts to assert luxury dominance in Canada in the face of competition.

The job posting indicates that the doorman will be responsible for assisting at both Saks and Hudson’s Bay, and the ideal candidate “Must be an ambassador for both the Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue store with an intimate knowledge of the layout of both”. Saks Fifth Avenue will occupy 163,000 square feet over four levels at the eastern end of the massive CF Toronto Eaton Centre Hudson’s Bay building.

The Queen Street entrance will feature a concierge desk, guiding shoppers towards Saks and Hudson’s Bay. Although the two stores will technically be separate, there will be multiple access points between the stores and as well, some cosmetics brands will be segregated, with some premium brands in Saks and some less pricier cosmetics at Hudson’s Bay.

Luxury retail expert Farla Efros, President of leading consultancy HRC Advisory, said that Saks’ new doorman is a move to build customer credibility, as Saks looks to take market share from competitor Holt Renfrew. She explained how as online retail grows, luxury stores will need to enhance the in-store experience with amenities such as door staff, concierges and other upscale features. Toronto’s Saks flagship will also feature personal shopping and other VIP features characteristic of its U.S. flagships. Given that Saks will be carrying many of the same brands as Holt Renfrew in Canada, Ms. Efros said that both retailers should put forth their best efforts to enhance the shopping experience, including creating customized experiences for shoppers. This will become even more important in the fall of 2016 when Nordstrom opens its first two Toronto stores. If Nordstrom’s Vancouver store is any indication, Toronto’s Nordstrom locations could also feature a substantial number of luxury brands, competing with both Saks and Holt Renfrew at the upper end of the market.

Two of World’s Top 25 Global Fashion Companies are Canadian

By

Craig Patterson

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January 5, 2016

Lululemon-Storefront — PHOTO: PEREGRINE.BUILD

Standard & Poor’s has ranked the world’s top fashion apparel, accessories and luxury goods companies based on market capitalization. Of the top 25 fashion companies, two of them are Canadian.

Vancouver-based yoga and athletic wear brand Lululemon ranked 19th in the study, with an estimated market capitalization of U.S. $7.256 billion. Montreal-based Gildan Activewear Inc‘s market capitalization is estimated to be U.S. $7.058 billion.

For those unfamiliar, Gildan manufactures and markets branded clothing, including undecorated blank activewear such as t-shirts, sport shirts and fleeces, which are subsequently decorated by screen printing companies with designs and logos — Gildan customised t-shirts are easy to print on.. The company also supplies branded and private label athletic, casual and dress socks to retail companies in the United States (including Gold Toe, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, and the Gildan brand), and it also manufactures and distributes Under Armour and New Balance brand socks as well as Mossy Oak outdoor clothing products. Gildan has approximately 34,000 employees worldwide and owns and operates manufacturing facilities in Central America and in the Caribbean.

Women’s Wear Daily determined that the top 25 companies within the fashion apparel, accessories and luxury goods segment boast a market capitalization of $448 billion and generate $228 billion in annual sales. The segment is part of the consumer discretionary sector, which is made up of eight segments that also include: specialty apparel retailers, department stores, specialty stores, footwear retailers, general merchandise, catalogue retailers, and Internet retailers.

*PHOTO:* *WWW.VISUALMERCHANDISINGGROUP.CA*

The top three firms in the segment cater to luxury, led by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, Compagnie Financière Richemont SA and Hermès International Société.

Women’s Wear Daily noted that many companies within the fashion apparel and accessories segment struggled in 2015. Michael Kors Holdings Ltd., for example, came in at number 18 on the list of top 25 companies with a market cap of U.S. $7.548 billion. The company has shed nearly 50% of its market cap over the past year, however. Women’s Wear Daily also noted that, currently, there are more declining stocks in the sector than there are gainers, blaming a strong U.S. dollar as well as economic woes in China hurting tourism spending abroad.

Standard & Poor’s top 25 apparel, accessories and luxury goods companies ranked by market capitalization include:

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

Inside Erin Mills’ Overhaul [Photos]

H2O Plus Closes Canadian Stores, Halts Shipping

Canadian Bag and Accessory Brand VENQUE Seeks to Expand Distribution after Considerable Success

Tiffany & Co. to Expand Vancouver Flagship

Study Reveals International Retailers Coming to Canada

Woolrich Looks to Open Canadian Stores

Extreme Stores Shutters Multiple Locations

Caudalie Plans Canadian ‘Boutique Spa’ Expansion

Saks Flagship to Feature Queen Street Doorman and Concierge

Two of World’s Top 25 Global Fashion Companies are Canadian

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