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GrowME Marketing: A Calgary Vision Built for Businesses That Expect to Win

By
Retail Insider
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The story of GrowME began with a single question on a quiet beach: “Could businesses grow faster if they had the right tools, the right strategy, and the right story?” That question followed Tarek Mohajer, GrowME’s CEO, back to Calgary, where it became the spark for an agency built to move ideas, brands, and businesses forward. It started in a tiny office, with a modest budget and a couple of people on the team, but nothing outweighed the goal: to turn ambition into measurable growth and give businesses the power to reach further than they imagined.

Over the next decade, GrowME Marketing grew beside the city around it. Tech companies, builders and construction firms, e-commerce brands, and professional service businesses needed to be seen, found and chosen, and GrowME made it happen. 

Today, GrowME Marketing agency is a full-service digital marketing and advertising agency based in downtown Calgary, located one minute from the Calgary Tower. With 40+ professionals on the team, hundreds of clients across North America, and accolades from industry leaders, GrowME has become a force in shaping brands that grow.

The Three Forces Every Successful Business Depends On

A business can offer brilliance. It can hold expertise, talent, legacy, and potential. None of it matters until people know who you are, can find you, and trust you enough to choose you. GrowME’s work centers around three forces that decide whether a business grows or disappears inside the noise.

  1. Advertising: The First Spark

Advertising is often the first moment a business earns someone’s attention, and that moment is crucial. GrowME approaches it as an exercise in intention rather than volume. Campaigns are built with a clear understanding of when people make decisions, what motivates them, and how to present an idea at the exact point where interest can become movement.

Whether it’s generating demand for a new Calgary development, giving a tech founder the reach they need to introduce something unfamiliar, or helping a brand break through crowded online spaces, GrowME turns attention into action through performance-driven strategy and creative built for results.

  1. SEO: The Underground Power Line of Growth

GrowME treats SEO as the foundation of digital credibility.  The approach is rooted in structure: an organized site, intelligent content, and a footprint that signals reliability to both people and algorithms. By preparing content for large language models, ChatGPT, and AI recommendation systems, GrowME ensures brands surface where people are asking, evaluating, and deciding.

When this foundation is in place, businesses stop chasing visibility and start holding it. Local service companies become the answer to common questions. National e-commerce brands find consistency across markets. Professional services gain the authority that earns trust before any conversation begins. 

The strength of SEO is not its flash but its endurance. It turns a business into something stable, discoverable, and chosen on purpose.

  1. Web Design: Where Trust Is Won or Lost

A website is the only place where a business controls the entire experience. It is the room customers step into before they ever speak to a human being. GrowME’s design team builds websites that people want to stay in, explore and take action. 

“Every decision behind the design is intentional. Structure supports comprehension. Navigation follows a logic that feels natural rather than forced. Content is organized so that the most important ideas surface without effort, while visuals reinforce meaning,” says Jules Mercado, Art Director at GrowME. 

This level of clarity serves many types of companies. Developers rely on it to present new communities with accuracy and transparency. Retailers use it to streamline the path from discovery to purchase. Businesses with technical or multifaceted services benefit from layouts that turn complexity into something understandable. When a website is built with this kind of discipline, trust forms quickly and visitors progress toward action without hesitation.

The System That Holds Everything Together

The Growth Marketing System is the core of GrowME’s work, a proprietary framework built to turn ambition into growth. It organizes complexity without losing energy. Strategy flows into creative, creative informs execution, and execution feeds insight. The system watches, learns, and evolves with each campaign, shaping growth that feels inevitable rather than forced.

For Calgary businesses and clients across North America, it turns marketing into a force that moves as one. Campaigns reach audiences with uncanny timing. Search lifts brands into view where they cannot be overlooked. Websites invite trust, spark curiosity, and compel action. As a result, ideas take shape, investments compound, and growth emerges as something measurable and unstoppable.

A Calgary Agency Built on Belief and Relentless Work

GrowME’s story is not about luck or timing. It’s a reminder that hard work, vision and collaboration of like-minded people can turn into a force that transforms businesses and communities alike.

The agency has grown into one of Calgary’s most trusted partners for advertising, SEO, and web design. Its work has been recognized by Forbes, honoured locally for seven consecutive years, and used by companies that shape the skyline, the tech scene, the trades, and the retail corridors of Calgary and beyond.

What began as a question on a beach has become one of the country’s most effective engines for growth. If you are ready to work with a Calgary agency built on clarity, strategy, and measurable results, GrowME is ready to lead the way. Visit GrowME Marketing at Suite 710, 1122 4 St. SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1M1, call (403) 547-6963, or reach out online to schedule a consultation.

AIRE Ancient Baths Opens First Canadian Location in Toronto

By
Craig Patterson
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AIRE Ancient Baths in Toronto. Photo: AIRE Ancient Baths

AIRE Ancient Baths has officially opened its first Canadian location in Toronto, marking a major milestone for the internationally recognized Spanish wellness brand and adding a new experiential destination to the city’s evolving retail and hospitality landscape. Located at 510A Front Street West in the Fashion District, the 23,000 square foot facility becomes AIRE’s 10th global location and one of the largest in its international portfolio.

The Toronto opening brings the brand’s signature candlelit bathing rituals into a dramatically reimagined heritage property, housed within a 1912 Edwardian building whose original brickwork, exposed beams, and industrial structure have been carefully preserved. Behind the historic facade, the space has been transformed into a quiet, immersive environment designed to encourage disconnection from the pace of daily life.

“What sets AIRE apart is the way timeless bathing rituals come to life inside restored historical buildings,” says Amadeo Serra, CEO of AIRE Ancient Baths. “These places have a soul, they tell stories. When you’re floating in a candlelit bath in a space with a century of history, time slows, the mind quiets, and you feel part of something much bigger.”

AIRE Ancient Baths in Toronto. Photo: AIRE Ancient Baths

A Heritage Building Adapted for a Modern Wellness Experience

AIRE’s Toronto location follows the brand’s established approach of repurposing historic structures into immersive wellness environments rather than building from scratch. The original architectural framework of the Edwardian building remains visible throughout the space, framing the bathing areas with exposed brick, wood, and steel that contrast with warm stone surfaces and softly lit water.

The result is an intentionally intimate atmosphere, despite the scale of the facility. Candlelight, silence, and flowing water replace signage and digital distractions, reinforcing the brand’s focus on sensory immersion and stillness. The design allows guests to move through the space without urgency, encouraging personal pacing rather than a scheduled or transactional experience.

This approach has become a defining element of AIRE’s global identity, with each location adapting its design to the character of its host building while maintaining consistency in the overall guest experience.

Ancient Bathing Traditions at the Core of the Experience

At the centre of AIRE Ancient Baths Toronto is a complete thermal circuit rooted in contrast therapy, an ancient wellness practice that involves moving between hot and cold water to stimulate circulation, reduce stress, and support physical recovery. The Toronto facility features nine thermal baths, each offering a distinct temperature, texture, and sensory effect.

Guests progress through the experience at their own pace, guided by candlelight and the natural rhythm of the space. The circuit includes the Tepidarium, Caldarium, and Frigidarium, each designed to create gradual shifts in temperature and physical sensation. The Balneum, known as the Thousand Jets Bath, delivers an invigorating hydrotherapy experience, while the Flotarium’s saltwater environment allows for effortless flotation and deep relaxation.

A standout feature unique to Toronto is the Palestra Outdoor Bath, an open air soaking pool that brings the bathing experience outside, offering a rare moment of calm within the urban setting of the Fashion District.

Beyond the thermal baths, the facility also includes a dry sauna, a vaporium, 12 massage rooms, and two warm marble beds. Every element has been intentionally designed to feel removed from the surrounding city, reinforcing the idea of wellness as a retreat rather than a service.

“My recommendation is simple. Allow yourself to truly disconnect,” says Serra. “Leave your phone behind, let go of your schedule, and just listen to your body. And if you can, share the experience with someone you care about. There’s something magical about discovering silence together.”

AIRE Ancient Baths in Toronto. Photo: AIRE Ancient Baths

A Toronto-Exclusive Ritual Inspired by the Boreal Forest

To mark its Canadian debut, AIRE has introduced a Toronto-only experience titled The Signature Boreal Forest Experience. Designed as a 150-minute ritual, the experience draws inspiration from the stillness and purity of Canada’s northern landscapes and reflects AIRE’s philosophy of grounding wellness in natural elements.

The ritual begins with a guided thermal circuit rooted in contrast therapy, followed by a 15-minute Canadian pink salt exfoliation performed on warm marble. Guests then receive a 60-minute massage using cedar essential oil and jade hot stones, designed to promote deep muscular relaxation. A restorative scalp massage follows, with the experience concluding with sparkling wine, chocolates, and forest berries.

Created exclusively for the Toronto location, the Boreal Forest Experience adds a distinct Canadian dimension to AIRE’s global offering while remaining consistent with the brand’s emphasis on simplicity, ritual, and sensory balance.

Entering Canada With International Recognition

AIRE Ancient Baths arrives in Toronto with significant international recognition, having been named one of the “Best Spas in the World” by ELLE Magazine and ranked among USA TODAY’s Top 10 Day Spas. The brand operates locations across Europe and the United States, and the Toronto opening serves as a strategic bridge between its established U.S. presence and future international expansion.

The Toronto facility employs approximately 120 staff members, positioning it as a meaningful contributor to the local service economy while supporting the continued evolution of the Fashion District as a destination for experiential retail and hospitality. The scale of the investment also signals confidence in the Canadian market, particularly as consumer interest in wellness-driven experiences continues to grow.

The opening of AIRE Ancient Baths Toronto coincides with the holiday season, a period when demand for wellness and experiential gifting typically increases. Gift cards are available in a range of denominations and can be used toward any bathing experience or ritual offered at the location.

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SSENSE Receives Court Extension as Restructuring Continues

By
Craig Patterson
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Montreal SSENSE store. Image supplied

SSENSE has secured additional court protection as it works to stabilize its business and navigate a complex restructuring process. On Friday, the Superior Court of Quebec granted the Montreal-based luxury e-commerce retailer an extension of its stay of proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act until Feb. 19, providing the company with more time to restructure operations and pursue strategic alternatives while shielding it from legal action by creditors.

The ruling represents the latest in a series of stay extensions since September, when SSENSE sought creditor protection amid mounting losses, a deteriorating balance sheet, and escalating pressure from lenders. While the company continues to operate during the process, the repeated extensions highlight the scale of the challenges facing one of Canada’s most prominent digital-first fashion retailers SSENSE Bankruptcy Report.

Founded in 2003 by brothers Rami, Firas, and Bassel Atallah, SSENSE grew over two decades into a globally recognized destination for luxury fashion. The Montreal-based retailer built its reputation through a digital-first model that combined high-end fashion with editorial storytelling, attracting an international customer base.

The company’s trajectory accelerated during the pandemic as consumers shifted to online shopping and discretionary spending surged. By 2021, SSENSE was reportedly valued at $5 billion following a minority investment from Sequoia Capital, positioning it as one of Canada’s most valuable privately held fashion companies. That momentum, however, proved difficult to sustain once market conditions shifted.

Post-Pandemic Pressures Expose Structural Weaknesses

As in-store shopping resumed and inflation began to weigh on discretionary spending, demand for online luxury softened. For SSENSE, the normalization of consumer behaviour exposed vulnerabilities that had been masked during years of rapid growth.

Court filings show the company recorded substantial losses over multiple consecutive years, steadily eroding liquidity. By mid-2024, SSENSE was carrying hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities, including significant obligations to banks, brand partners, and other trade creditors. Rising interest rates further increased the cost of servicing that debt, narrowing the company’s financial flexibility.

SSENSE store in Old Montreal. Image: David Chipperfield Architects

Inventory and Margin Challenges Come to the Fore

Inventory management emerged as a central contributor to the company’s financial stress. During the pandemic, SSENSE expanded purchasing to meet elevated demand expectations. When those expectations did not materialize, the company was left holding large volumes of unsold inventory.

Clearing excess merchandise required extensive discounting, which supported near-term cash flow but materially compressed margins. The combination of lower profitability and high operating costs placed additional strain on an already stressed balance sheet.

Lender Pressure Triggers Court Proceedings

By August 2024, tensions between SSENSE and its lenders reached a breaking point. Members of the lending syndicate moved to initiate their own CCAA application, seeking to force a sale of the business in order to recover outstanding debts.

The move prompted a swift response from the company’s founders. SSENSE filed a competing application to place the business under creditor protection while retaining operational control. After negotiations, the parties reached a consensual restructuring framework that allowed the company to remain under the leadership of the Atallah brothers while entering formal court supervision.

Interim Financing Provides Short-Term Stability

On Sept. 12, the Superior Court of Quebec approved SSENSE’s CCAA filing and appointed Ernst & Young as the court-appointed monitor. The court also approved $40 million in interim financing, providing critical short-term liquidity.

The financing included contributions from both the lending syndicate and the company’s founders, signalling continued commitment from management despite the severity of the financial challenges. The initial stay order was granted for a limited period, with subsequent extensions approved as restructuring efforts continued.

Company Continues to Pursue Strategic Alternatives

Alongside operational restructuring, SSENSE has been exploring a range of strategic options. The company is fielding potential investment and refinancing proposals and has launched a sale and investment solicitation process to evaluate interest from third parties.

Earlier this month, the deadline for qualified bidders was extended to Dec. 8, suggesting that discussions remain active. In September, CEO Rami Atallah told employees that a sale was not off the table and that he and his brothers intend to submit their own bid for the company, adding further complexity to the process.

In a statement, a company spokesperson said, “Extensions to the stay of proceedings will continue to be requested, as required, to the Court until SSENSE successfully emerges from CCAA.”

Cost-Cutting and Operational Reset Underway

As part of the restructuring, SSENSE has implemented significant cost-control measures. Workforce reductions over the past two years have affected hundreds of employees, and the company has streamlined operations across logistics, marketing, and merchandising.

Purchasing practices have been tightened, with greater focus on margin discipline and inventory control. Marketing spend has been reduced, with emphasis placed on core markets and efficiency rather than aggressive expansion. These measures are intended to preserve cash while the company works toward a longer-term solution.

Impact on Suppliers and the Broader Fashion Ecosystem

SSENSE’s restructuring has implications beyond the company itself. Court documents show that the retailer owes tens of millions of dollars to brand partners and other trade creditors, many of whom are independent designers or smaller fashion houses.

For those suppliers, the outcome of the CCAA process will determine recovery levels and may influence future wholesale relationships. The situation highlights how financial distress at a major retail platform can ripple through the broader fashion ecosystem.

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Canada’s Food Inflation Crisis Is Not About Grocers

By
Sylvain Charlebois
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Photo: Loblaw Companies

Food inflation in Canada is once again moving in the wrong direction. In November, it rose to 4.2%, up from 3.4% the previous month. More troubling still, inflation for food purchased in stores climbed to 4.7%, the highest level since December 2023. For households already stretched thin, these numbers are not noise—they are signals.

A comparison across the G7 underscores Canada’s vulnerability. The gap between food inflation and overall inflation—a measure of whether food prices are rising faster than the broader economy—places Canada near the top of advanced economies. Only Japan shows a larger divergence. Canada’s gap stands at +2.0%, compared with +1.3% in the United Kingdom, +1.1% in Italy, and +0.5% in France. In the United States, the gap is negligible (+0.1%), while in Germany food inflation is running below overall inflation (–0.5%).

When food inflation persistently outpaces general inflation, the explanation is rarely macroeconomic alone. It points instead to structural stress within the food system itself—how food is produced, processed, transported, regulated, and brought to market.

Canada’s public debate has often defaulted to blaming grocers. Yet it is worth noting an important, and underappreciated, shift in Ottawa. Not a single cabinet minister in the Liberal government has openly blamed grocery retailers for food inflation in nearly two years. That rhetoric has largely been confined to the NDP and the Green Party. This is an improvement—and a revealing one. It suggests that the federal government increasingly recognizes that Canada’s food inflation problem is neither simple nor linear, and that slogans alone will not bring prices down.

The data support that realization. Claims of “greedflation” are not borne out by the evidence. Gross profit margins—measured as revenues minus the cost of goods sold—have remained largely stable across Canada’s major grocery retailers. If profiteering were the dominant force, margins would be expanding. They are not. What consumers are experiencing is cost pass-through within a system under strain.

Those strains are structural and policy-driven. Input costs remain elevated, including energy, fertilizer, and labour. Regulatory complexity adds friction at multiple points in the supply chain. Trade constraints and domestic production limits reduce flexibility. Logistics costs remain stubbornly high in a geographically vast country with limited redundancy. And Canada continues to suffer from a lack of scalable mid-tier food processors and distributors—the “missing middle” that helps stabilize prices in other advanced economies.

The composition of food inflation today reinforces this diagnosis. All three components of the meat category—beef, pork, and chicken—are rising simultaneously, an uncommon and concerning pattern. Coffee prices are up. Pantry staples are more expensive. Vegetables continue to climb. This is not a narrow or temporary shock; it is broad-based and embedded.

Other G7 countries offer a contrast. In Germany and the United States, food inflation is easing relative to overall inflation. Their systems are not immune to global pressures, but they are better equipped to absorb them through scale, infrastructure, competition, and policy alignment.

Blaming greed may be politically convenient, but it does little to lower food prices. The path forward lies elsewhere: reducing regulatory drag, improving transportation and logistics capacity, encouraging investment in domestic food manufacturing, modernizing competition policy, and enabling firms to scale.

Food inflation is not a communications problem. It is a systems problem. And until Canada fully confronts that reality, food prices will remain uncomfortably high—for consumers and policymakers alike.

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The Intersection of Real Estate and Mineral Rights

By
Retail Insider
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In many real estate transactions, the focus remains squarely on surface value.  Where is the property located? How is it zoned? What investment potential does it have? But beneath the surface lies an often-overlooked asset class with the potential to significantly alter a property’s worth: mineral rights.

Mineral rights represent the ownership of subterranean resources of a parcel of land, including oil, natural gas, coal, and metals. Importantly, they can be sold or leased independently from the surface rights to the land above them. In effect, a single parcel of land can be monetized twice — once for the surface rights and once for the right to extract the resources beneath it.

For real estate professionals and landowners, mineral rights deserve more than a passing glance. While they can introduce legal and financial complexity, they also present opportunities for enhanced value creation.

How mineral rights affect property values

Mineral rights can affect property values in several ways:

1. Future development potential

A landowner who retains mineral rights may benefit from leasing opportunities or royalty payments if oil, gas, or other minerals are extracted from their land. These potential income streams can materially increase a property’s overall value.

2. Marketability of the property

In areas where oil production is common, such as North Dakota’s Williston Basin, properties with intact mineral rights can fetch higher prices. Conversely, if mineral rights have been severed from the surface rights in resource-rich areas, the property may be discounted because the surface owner lacks control over what happens beneath the ground with respect to the mineral rights.

3. Surface use considerations

When mineral rights are sold or leased separately, the mineral owner has the right to reasonable use of the surface to explore for and extract the minerals. Future drilling, pipelines, or mining activity may disrupt surface use, including potentially impacting agricultural, residential, or commercial plans. This impact can reduce surface property value if not managed carefully.

These dynamics mean that mineral rights can either add value or introduce risk — depending on ownership status and the surrounding market.

Advice for prospective buyers of mineral rights

For buyers of mineral rights, due diligence is essential. Here are three key steps that every buyer should take:

1. Verify ownership

Mineral rights can be severed and sold decades earlier, often leaving property owners unsure of their status. Buyers should commission a thorough title review, ideally conducted by a landman or an attorney with mineral rights experience in the applicable jurisdiction where the land is located.

Local regulations, permitting requirements, and existing leases or royalties tied to the property can dramatically alter the value of the associated mineral rights. Easements for access roads, storage facilities, or pipelines may already be in place and could also impact the value of the surface rights. Buyers need to know whether these encumbrances exist before closing a deal.

3 Evaluate future potential

A property’s location matters, particularly as it relates to mineral rights. Is it in an active or emerging basin where energy companies are investing and producing oil and gas? 

For instance, in the Williston Basin, mineral rights have proven especially valuable. Buyers in these regions should weigh not only the property’s current condition but also the likelihood of future leasing opportunities to operations and non-operators alike.

Advice for mineral rights owners

For those who already own mineral rights, education and strategy are key.

Know your assets

Many mineral rights have been passed down through families for generations. While selling can be an emotional decision, understanding the market value is critical. Owners should request valuations from credible operators or consult specialists before making decisions.

Weigh selling versus leasing

Holding mineral rights can yield long-term royalties, but it also comes with risks, such as commodity price volatility, regulatory shifts, and the uncertainty of when (or if) operators will drill. Selling mineral rights to a third party can provide upfront value and transfer risk to the buyer.

Negotiate favorable leases

When leasing mineral rights, owners should carefully negotiate terms such as royalty rates, lease duration, and surface use protections. Professional guidance from a landman or an attorney in the applicable jurisdiction where the rights are located can help owners protect both their financial and surface interests.

As I often tell investors and landowners, owning the surface does not automatically mean you own the minerals beneath it. Protecting your interests requires knowledge and preparation.

Why this matters for real estate professionals

Real estate professionals who overlook mineral rights may miss critical factors that influence a property’s value. On one hand, a property that appears attractive on the surface may harbor hidden encumbrances tied to severed and sold mineral rights. On the other, it could hold untapped value in mineral rights.

Across the US, companies and mineral rights investors regularly acquire mineral interests in multiple states and deploy capital into both mineral rights acquisitions and drilling operations. This trend underscores a truth for real estate professionals: subsurface assets can reshape a property’s long-term economics.

From a real estate perspective, mineral rights remain a specialized niche, with relatively few companies equipped to manage them at scale. But for buyers, sellers, and investors who understand their impact, mineral rights can be a differentiator that turns an ordinary land deal into a strategic investment.

Final thoughts

In real estate, what you see on the surface is only part of the picture. Mineral rights, though often overlooked, can alter a property’s value, its future use, and its overall investment potential. 

For buyers of real property, the lesson is due diligence. For mineral rights owners, the lesson is education and careful decision-making.

Above all, remember that mineral rights are a unique intersection of law, geology, and finance. Approaching them with foresight and professional guidance ensures that these unseen assets work for you — rather than against you.

— Adam Ferrari is CEO at Phoenix Energy. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, following receipt of his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He began his career with BP America in the Gulf of Mexico, then spent a stint in investment banking at Macquarie Capital, before transitioning back to the operating side with then-startup Halcón Resources Corporation. Following his tenure at Halcón, Adam pursued entrepreneurial opportunities in the mineral-acquisitions side of the oil and gas industry, which ultimately led him to Phoenix Energy.

*Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is meant for general informational purposes only. While Phoenix Energy One, LLC (together with its affiliates, “Phoenix”) makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information presented, it cannot guarantee it. Phoenix does not provide legal advice, and the information contained herein should not be considered a replacement for obtaining legal advice related to the subject matter hereof. Phoenix recommends you consult with a qualified legal expert for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Any reliance on the information contained herein is done at your own risk. Phoenix disclaims any liability for loss or damage, including indirect or consequential loss or damage, arising from or related to the use of the information in this article or the reliance upon the information presented.

Hudson’s Bay Holiday Windows Return at Queen and Yonge

By
Craig Patterson
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Mars Canada Christmas window display unveiling at the Hudson's Bay/Simpsons building at 176 Yonge Street in Toronto, December 14, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson

On a frigid Sunday evening, December 14, crowds gathered along Yonge Street as Cadillac Fairview officially unveiled the return of Toronto’s iconic holiday windows at the former Hudson’s Bay flagship at Queen and Yonge. For the first time since Hudson’s Bay shuttered its Canadian department stores earlier this year, the illuminated display bays once again glowed with festive scenes, drawing families, tourists, and longtime downtown residents back to a ritual that has defined Toronto’s holiday streetscape for more than a century.

This year’s windows mark both a revival and a reinvention. With the department store behind the glass now closed, Cadillac Fairview has repositioned the historic façade as a leased experiential platform, beginning with a holiday activation by Mars Wrigley Canada. The confectionery giant has taken over seven prominent windows along the Yonge Street side of the building, transforming them into animated tableaux designed to restore a sense of wonder to the corner while signaling a new future for one of the city’s most storied retail landmarks.

Cadillac Fairview, which owns the former Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue complex connected to CF Toronto Eaton Centre, has made clear that the holiday windows are no longer tied to a single department store tenant. Instead, the landlord is treating the building’s extensive street-facing windows along Yonge, Bay, and Richmond streets as a stand-alone experiential and media asset.

Publicly, Cadillac Fairview has framed the initiative as an effort to honour and preserve a cherished Toronto tradition, even as it explores new commercial and cultural uses for the space. Internally, the move also reflects a pragmatic response to the closure of Hudson’s Bay, which left a massive downtown anchor vacant after the retailer filed for creditor protection with more than a billion dollars in debt and failed to secure a buyer.

By reviving the windows, Cadillac Fairview is extracting value from the building’s most visible asset while longer-term redevelopment and re-tenanting plans are evaluated. The Queen Street frontage remains partially blocked due to Ontario Line construction at the intersection, but the Yonge Street run is fully active for the holidays, with additional bays on Bay and Richmond streets being marketed to future partners.

Mars Steps Into the Spotlight on Yonge Street

Mars Wrigley Canada’s activation represents the first major branded tenant to step into the revived window program. Known globally for confectionery brands such as M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, and Skittles, Mars is best recognized by consumers for candy, even though its largest business today is pet care.

For Ellen Thompson, General Manager of Mars Wrigley Canada, the opportunity to animate the windows carried both excitement and responsibility.

Ellen Thompson, General Manager of Mars Wrigley Canada

“So we are so excited to be bringing the wonder of Mars to downtown Toronto,” Thompson said during an interview at the unveiling. “We are thrilled to be bringing back the holiday windows so we can have another year of celebration, and we know that Toronto will absolutely love it.”

The activation spans seven windows and unfolds as a continuous narrative. Thompson described it as a storybook journey following the “elves of Mars” through a whimsical day in their world.

“It starts with a storybook that tells the story of the elves of Mars and a day in the life of their journey,” she explained. “They start their day getting their supplies ready, then they make their way to a chocolate factory. Then they have a very magical special clock, and they go through a winter wonderland, finally finishing their day celebrating with their family and their furry friends.”

The scenes are animated, brightly coloured, and unmistakably festive, designed to be enjoyed by children and adults alike as they move along the sidewalk from window to window.

Crowds Brave the Cold for the Unveiling

Despite freezing temperatures, the unveiling drew a sizable crowd on Sunday night. Parents lifted children onto shoulders for a better view, couples paused mid-walk to watch the moving figures, and groups lingered to take photos and videos as the curtains lifted.

For many in attendance, the moment carried emotional weight. The disappearance of The Bay windows earlier this year had sparked concern that a defining part of Toronto’s holiday identity might vanish permanently. Seeing the displays return, even under a different model, felt like a restoration of something deeply familiar.

Thompson acknowledged that sense of civic expectation, noting that the project was driven as much by public sentiment as by brand ambition.

“My team and I happened to be walking downtown one day, and we saw the windows were boarded up,” she said. “We were talking about how sad it was that the windows wouldn’t be returning again this year. Then we started looking around and saw that other people felt exactly the same way, and we knew we could do something about it.”

Mars Canada Christmas window display unveiling at the Hudson’s Bay/Simpsons building at 176 Yonge Street in Toronto, December 14, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson

Built in a Month, Crafted by Hand

Remarkably, the entire project came together in roughly a month, a compressed timeline by the standards of large-scale holiday installations. Thompson said the speed was made possible by close collaboration with Cadillac Fairview and a Toronto-based production company that fabricated the displays.

“Everything is original, everything is handmade,” she said. “We partnered with a production company here in Toronto, and they’ve been wonderful partners, as well as the building allowing us to take over the windows for the holiday season.”

Mars also worked with Ana Fernandez, a creative director who had previously been involved with the historic holiday windows, to ensure continuity with past displays.

“We hope that people will see that authenticity and the tradition they’ve come to know and love, but also see a little bit of a modern twist that we brought,” Thompson said.

For Mars, the project represented a step outside its usual comfort zone.

“We’ve never done this before,” Thompson said. “This is definitely a little bit out of our comfort zone, but we heard the city of Toronto asking for it, and we thought we could do it.”

Mars Canada Christmas window display unveiling at the Hudson’s Bay/Simpsons building at 176 Yonge Street in Toronto, December 14, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson

Blending Brand Storytelling With Community Impact

Beyond spectacle, the activation includes a charitable component tied to Food Banks of Canada. Visitors are encouraged to visit a dedicated website and fill out a simple holiday wish list, triggering a one-dollar donation from Mars for each submission.

“When people visit us at wonderofmars.ca and fill out a holiday wish list, we’ll make a one-dollar donation to the Food Banks of Canada for every wish list we receive,” Thompson said. “That way we can spread the holiday cheer, not only here in Toronto, but across all of Canada.”

The campaign aligns with Mars’s broader corporate principles, which emphasize responsibility and mutuality, and adds a social dimension to what might otherwise be seen purely as brand marketing.

Mars Canada Christmas window display unveiling at the Hudson’s Bay/Simpsons building at 176 Yonge Street in Toronto, December 14, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson

A Landmark Site With Deep Cultural Roots

The significance of the Queen and Yonge holiday windows extends far beyond their current tenant. The tradition dates back more than a century, to the early 1900s, when Simpsons first installed elaborate Christmas displays at the corner. By the 1920s, visiting the competing Eaton’s and Simpsons windows had become a seasonal ritual for Toronto families.

Over time, the displays evolved from static toy arrangements into animated scenes with motors, music, and narrative themes such as Santa’s workshop, toy factories, and festive villages. When Hudson’s Bay took over the flagship in the 1990s, it modernized the windows while preserving their role as a hallmark of downtown December.

For generations, seeing the windows marked the unofficial start of the holiday season, often paired with trips to nearby attractions or skating rinks. Few retail installations in Canada have matched their emotional resonance or longevity.

That legacy made the closure of Hudson’s Bay in mid-2025 feel particularly final. With the store gone, many assumed the windows would disappear as well, another casualty of the decline of the traditional department store.

Mars Canada Christmas window display unveiling at the Hudson’s Bay/Simpsons building at 176 Yonge Street in Toronto, December 14, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson

A Post-Department-Store Model Emerges

By reviving the windows under a landlord-led model, Cadillac Fairview is testing a new approach to legacy retail real estate. Rather than tying the façade to a single retailer, the windows are being repositioned as a flexible platform for brands, cultural organizations, and charities.

For Holiday 2025, a single major brand secured the Yonge Street run, while other sides of the building remain available or partially committed. The leasing model treats each window bay as a premium experiential unit, sold individually or in sequences, similar to high-impact out-of-home media.

The Mars activation runs from December 14 through January 2, operating 24 hours a day throughout the holiday season. Beyond that, Cadillac Fairview has signaled that the program is intended to continue year-round, with rotating campaigns that blend retail, culture, and civic storytelling.

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Experiential insights from Gradient’s Beauty IMPACT Report

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Image: Gradient Experience
Image: Gradient Experience

Gradient Experience, an experiential agency based in New York, has released its Beauty IMPACT Report 2025, which explores how leading beauty brands are redefining what experience means today.

The report draws on insights gathered through its annual IMPACT survey and conversations with executives from MAC Cosmetics, Mugler, and Caudalie, among many others, offering a grounded view of how experience, culture, and technology are shaping the future of beauty marketing.

The full white paper can be found here: https://www.gradientexperience.com/beauty-white-paper

Pauline Oudin
Pauline Oudin

Pauline Oudin, the company’s President, said the new report builds on Gradient’s earlier Impact Report, which outlined the agency’s methodology for evaluating brand experiences. 

She said last year’s study was broader and included interviews with chief marketing officers and brand directors across industries such as beauty, spirits, luxury, automotive, as well as a survey of “nearly 1,000 marketers.”

Client feedback prompted the agency to drill further into beauty-specific insights this year. 

Oudin said Gradient conducted interviews with “about a dozen CMOs, founders of beauty brands,” ranging from large L’Oréal labels to independent companies, along with a survey of 130 marketers in the beauty sector. While the sample size is smaller than the previous report, she said it provides “directional data” on how brands are using experiential programs.

One trend identified in the survey is a sharp rise in the use of experiential marketing to support influencer content. 

Oudin said the data shows “influencer content creation… increased over 25 points,” while in-retail rituals dropped by 36 points. She noted the shift “is not surprising when you’re in this space” but is now backed by quantitative findings.

The survey also shows greater emphasis on brand and product education delivered through experiences, which Oudin said is “probably… linked to influencer content,” while the importance of product trial and sampling decreased.

Oudin said integration across channels remains critical for brands seeking to maximize the value of experiential activations. 

“A successful experience has to be integrated across multiple channels, otherwise, as a standalone, it’s too expensive,” she said. 

Image: Gradient Experience
Image: Gradient Experience

This year’s results show integration with advertising and media spending rose 26.4 per cent, compared to a 19 per cent increase in retail integration. 

Experiential marketing is “almost becoming a source of content for advertising,” she added.

Although the study did not quantify the overall portion of budgets devoted to influencers specifically, Oudin said most respondents reported higher experiential spending overall. According to the survey, 86 per cent said their experiential budgets increased, with 40 per cent reporting significant growth and 46 per cent reporting slight growth.

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Image: Gradient Experience
Image: Gradient Experience
Image: Gradient Experience
Image: Gradient Experience

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For December 15, 2025

By
Retail Insider
-
Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

News at a Glance

Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 48 hours.

‘I can spend it on other groceries’: Canadians turn to Dollarama amid rising costs (CTV)

Why is Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald stepping down? (Globe & Mail)

New MEC store on Vancouver Island spells good news for company, shoppers: retail analyst (CBC)

Back from the brink: major Canadian retailer MEC expands to Nanaimo (CBC)

Winnipeg store owner ‘can’t retire, because I’m actually here collecting all the stories’ (Winnipeg Free Press)

OK Tire’s new CEO Mielko pushes for growth across Canada (Tire Business)

Duty Free stores hopeful for return of stockpiled U.S. alcohol (Pelham Today)

Got empties? Finding a place to return them in Ontario is getting harder (CBC)

Metro Vancouver’s First Robot Bubble Tea Shop Has Quietly Closed After 1.5 Years (Noms Magazine)

This vintage thrift shop in Toronto is so hidden it almost feels like trespassing (BlogTO)

Quebec microdistilleries want to sell their ready-to-drink cans in grocery stores — not just SAQs (CBC)

The ultimate holiday gift shopping guide for Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood (BlogTO)

Two injured in robbery-related stabbing at Yorkdale mall Friday night (Toronto Star)

Women used children for distraction theft in B.C. store, owner says (CTV)

Five people charged in Ancaster jewelry store heist (Toronto Sun)

Chip Wilson, founder of lululemon, blasts retailer’s succession planning

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Entrance doors to Lululemon at Yonge and Bloor in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

Chip Wilson, the Founder of lululemon athletica inc. and one of the retailers’ largest shareholders, says the company’s board has failed at succession planning and the brand needs to be revitalized.

Wilson made his comments on Friday after the company announced Thursday that Calvin McDonald plans to step down as Chief Executive Officer and member of the company’s Board of Directors, effective January 31, 2026.

“As I have communicated to members of the Company publicly and privately, lululemon needs revitalization and an infusion of new skills to get back to being a product-first company that creates real, long-term shareholder value. After overseeing years of poor decisions erode the brand and destroy shareholder value, it is clear to me that only under my increasing pressure has the lululemon Board of Directors finally started to listen,” said Wilson in a public statement.

Chip Wilson
Chip Wilson

“As one of the largest active shareholders of lululemon, I am deeply concerned about what appears to be a tremendous failure by the Board to competently plan for the future and manage an effective succession process. This latest failure in my opinion only amplifies the urgency the Company faces and the obvious need for the CEO search to be led by new, independent directors with real experience. I believe that the Board should seek the advice of individuals with specific and unique expertise, and deep knowledge of the Company, to advise on the CEO selection process.

“The Board’s praise for Calvin McDonald, a CEO who has overseen massive value destruction over the past two years, with a 62.8% drop in LULU’s share price, shows blatant disregard for its shareholders. In my view, the Board has failed to properly hold management accountable to deliver product innovation and instead has led with complacency. The erosion of premium brand value in the Company’s core markets demonstrates that the Board does not understand its target customers anymore or what will drive shareholder value at lululemon over the long term. I strongly believe in the continued strength of the lululemon brand, and I know there are several qualified CEO candidates across the retail and apparel space who can continue to build on its legacy. I hope the Board continues this constructive dialogue with me to find refreshed, experienced directors ahead of completing a CEO search.”

On Thursday, the company said McDonald and the Board are working together to facilitate a smooth transition, and he will serve as a senior advisor to the company through March 31, 2026. It said the Board is conducting a comprehensive search process in partnership with a leading executive search firm to identify the company’s next CEO.

The company also announced that Marti Morfitt, Chair of the Board, will take on the expanded role of Executive Chair, effective immediately, to ensure the continued execution of the company’s near- and long-term growth strategy during the leadership transition. In addition, Meghan Frank, Chief Financial Officer, and André Maestrini, Chief Commercial Officer, will serve as interim co-CEOs following McDonald’s transition. Both interim co-CEOs bring extensive global retail experience and proven track records of driving growth at lululemon, and will support all aspects of the business through the conclusion of the search process, said the company.

Lululemon area and Sephora kiosk in the University of Toronto Bookstore at 214 College Street in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

Since joining lululemon in 2018, the company said McDonald has guided the it through a period of significant growth and innovation. Under his leadership, lululemon said it has more than tripled its annual revenues, and the company expects to generate $11 billion in annual revenue this fiscal year. It said McDonald also broadened lululemon’s global reach to over 30 geographies and grew the company’s China Mainland business into its second largest market. Additionally, it said he expanded lululemon’s product portfolio, meaningfully growing its athletic and lifestyle categories, and formally expanding into new high-demand activities such as tennis and golf. 

“On behalf of the Board and the entire organization, I want to thank Calvin for his visionary leadership building lululemon into one of the strongest brands in retail,” said Morfitt. “During his tenure, Calvin led lululemon through a period of impressive revenue growth, with differentiated products and experiences that resonated with guests around the world. We are grateful for Calvin’s numerous contributions and appreciate his continued support over the coming months to facilitate a seamless transition.

“The Board is confident in our leadership transition plan, the strength of our teams across the company, and our ability to deliver on our strategy. lululemon has a strong foundation in place, and, as we look to the future, the Board is focused on identifying a leader with a track record of driving companies through periods of growth and transformation to guide the company’s next chapter of success. While the search is underway, I look forward to working closely with Meghan, André, and the rest of the Senior Leadership Team to execute on our strategy with a sense of urgency and meaningfully drive the business forward.”

Calvin McDonald
Calvin McDonald

In a LinkedIn post, McDonald said: “After more than seven amazing years, I will step down from my role as CEO of lululemon on January 31.

“This decision was something that I, along with the Board, have been discussing and carefully considered. As we near the end of our five-year strategy, and with our strong senior leadership team in place, we all agree that now is the time for a change.

“I am incredibly proud of everything that our teams have accomplished since I joined the company in 2018. We have quadrupled our international business and tripled our total revenue to more than $10 billion, while increasing our profitability.

“We’ve driven industry leading omnichannel guest experiences, have become the #1 women’s activewear apparel brand in the U.S., and created significant growth in our men’s business. We expanded into new categories and activities, including tennis and golf. And we advanced our sustainability leadership through our Impact Agenda and strengthened our inclusive, people-first culture.

“We have a strong foundation of innovation, creativity, and connection that has transformed the athletic apparel industry and will continue to drive it forward.

“I feel confident the opportunity ahead for lululemon continues to be significant, and I will fully support the transition as an advisor to lululemon through March. And I look forward to sharing more about my next chapter as well.

“I believe we have built an outstanding and ambitious product pipeline. We have created products that don’t just meet the moment, they anticipate where our community is heading. I cannot wait for our guests to experience what’s coming.

“When I joined lululemon, I said this was my dream job. It exceeded every expectation. Thank you to everyone at lululemon who contributed to the growth and accomplishments we’ve shared, and for building something that I believe will deliver incredible value for years to come.”

Lululemon shop-in-store at the University of Toronto Bookstore at 214 College Street in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

On Thursday, lululemon announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, which ended on November 2, 2025.

For the third quarter of 2025, compared to the third quarter of 2024:

  • Net revenue increased 7% to $2.6 billion. Americas net revenue decreased 2%. International net revenue increased 33%;
  • Comparable sales increased 1%, or 2% on a constant dollar basis. Americas comparable sales decreased 5%. International comparable sales increased 18%;
  • Gross profit increased 2% to $1.4 billion and gross margin decreased 290 basis points to 55.6%;
  • Income from operations decreased 11% to $435.9 million and operating margin decreased 350 basis points to 17.0%;
  • The effective income tax rate for the third quarter of 2025 was 30.5% compared to 30.2% for the third quarter of 2024;
  • Diluted earnings per share were $2.59 compared to $2.87 in the third quarter of 2024;
  • The Company opened 12 net new company-operated stores during the third quarter, ending with 796 stores.
Bruce Winder
Bruce Winder

Retail analyst Bruce Winder said the change at the top of lululemon was expected. 

“Although McDonald took the company to new heights by tripling the retailers’ revenue, expanding internationally and launching new successful categories, shares of the firm were down about 50% this year and investors lost confidence.

“We saw signs of a troubled retailer as several senior leaders left the company over the past year or so.

“Increased competition, tariffs, a softening economy and perceived quality issues all plagued the company and made it tougher to win.

“I listened to their Q2 earnings call in September and the company acknowledged that they had missed the mark on product. Q3 results were posted this week and the US business continued to suffer while international markets fared much better.

“Former founder and majority shareholder Chip Wilson was unhappy with where the company was headed and publicly called for a change.

“McDonald can be proud of a fantastic run at lululemon but as we all know Wall Street has a short memory and sometimes changes need to happen at the top to reset confidence and utilize a new set of eyes.  The question now is who will run this Canadian champion and how will they build momentum again in the US market.”

George Minakakis
George Minakakis

George Minakakis, CEO Inception Retail Group Inc., wondered: Can anyone really predict the future? Can any retailer really predict the future? 

“Retailers and their CEOs come and go it is the nature of business.  lululemon’s stock price is down over 50% from its February highs this year,” he said, adding with no clear successor this should raise many questions about the board.

“If someone thought this brand’s trajectory was infinite, they don’t understand retail,” he explained. “The competition has grown, and the uniqueness of any brand eventually wears out.  

“And apparel is one sector where your fashion decisions are feast or famine.  I believe McDonald did well in his tenure, but the role of retail CEO’s need to be shorter and the leaders must  come with a fresh perspective because over time everything old looks new.”

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IKEA Canada opens its newest Plan and order point in Abbotsford, British Columbia (Photos)

By
Mario Toneguzzi
-
IKEA Canada has officially opened its doors to customers at the new IKEA Abbotsford Plan and order point, located at 32700 South Fraser Way, Unit 80. (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)

IKEA Canada has officially opened its doors to customers at the new IKEA Abbotsford Plan and order point, marking what it says is an important step in its journey to bring the brand closer to the many Canadians.

This unique location is the first of its kind in British Columbia and 11th across Canada, said the company.

Plan and order points are one of the many ways the renowned home furnishing retailer is making affordable home furnishings and services more convenient and accessible. Customers can book appointments with IKEA experts to design, order, and purchase complex home furnishing solutions for the kitchen, bedroom, living room, and bathroom. Once orders have been placed, they can be delivered to their homes or collected from the pick-up location at the Plan and order point, said the retailer.

“For those looking to instantly refresh their spaces, visitors to the Abbotsford Plan and order point, located at 32700 South Fraser Way, Unit 80, can shop a limited selection of products from the IKEA range (excluding food – sorry, no meatballs) for immediate purchase and takeaway,” it said.

Christophe Adrien, Market Manager, IKEA Coquitlam (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)
Janet McGowan
Janet McGowan

“At IKEA, our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many. And for Canadians today, that means greater value, ease, speed, functionality, and sustainability. In response, IKEA Canada has been transforming to ensure we deliver an affordable, seamless shopping experience – no matter how, when, and where customers choose to shop with us,” said Janet McGowan, Market Area Manager, West Market, IKEA Canada.

“IKEA has called British Columbia home for almost 50 years. We see so much more potential in this dynamic market and are excited to continue making our products and services even more accessible to the many British Columbians.”

With a commercial area of 5,790 square feet, the Abbotsford Plan and order point features 10 kitchen display inspirations, nine bedrooms display inspirations, four bathroom display inspirations; and two living room display inspirations. A team of 10 experts are ready to offer customers advice and ideas for designing the spaces of their dreams that meet the evolving needs of life at home.

“The Abbotsford Plan and order point has been created with our customers in mind. It’s a different space where they can explore ideas, get inspired, and work with our experts to plan and design solutions that fit their home, style, and budget. We’ll guide customers through every detail, from concept to delivery, so they can create a home that truly reflects who they are,” said Christophe Adrien, Market Manager, IKEA Coquitlam. “This opening is more than just a new location. It’s a promise to Abbotsford that IKEA will continue to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of its residents. By creating jobs, supporting local initiatives, and partnering with organizations that make a difference, we are committed to building a better everyday life, not just inside homes but across this great city.”

More from Retail Insider:

With a commercial area of 5,790 square feet, the Abbotsford Plan and order point features 10 kitchen display inspirations, nine bedrooms display inspirations, four bathroom display inspirations; and two living room display inspirations. (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)
With a commercial area of 5,790 square feet, the Abbotsford Plan and order point features 10 kitchen display inspirations, nine bedrooms display inspirations, four bathroom display inspirations; and two living room display inspirations. (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)
Alex Mitchell, CEO, Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)
Janet McGowan, Market Area Manager, West Market, IKEA Canada (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)
IKEA Canada hosted a grand opening celebration attended by representatives from IKEA Canada, the Government of British Columbia; Abbotsford City Council, Corporate Sponsorships, and Economic Development; Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce; Archway Community Services; and partners from Leeswood Construction and Colliers. (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership)
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