VERDURA JEWELLERS OPENS FIRST CANADIAN SHOP IN TORONTO

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October 22, 2013

image-asset - 2021-03-24T212754.486 — Photo: Mindham Fine Jewellery Facebook Page

NYC-based luxury jeweller Verdura opened its first Canadian store location yesterday in Toronto. It’s a shop-in-store located within Mindham Fine Jewellery at 37 Hazelton Avenue in Toronto’s affluent Yorkville area.

Later this month, the company will unveil Coco Chanel’s original early-1930’s Maltese Cross cuffs, created by Verdura. It will be available at the Toronto store.

The Mindham Fine Jewellery store occupies a former home and is across the street from Hazelton Lanes, a shopping centre that will see an expansion and renovation to include more luxury retailers. The store’s owner, Miles Mindham, is also a jewellery designer. The store includes his designs as well as designer timepieces by the likes of Franck Muller and Bedat & Co.

Verdura operates one retail location in Manhattan, and is distributed through selected retailers including Neiman Marcus.

Thank you to Retail Insider ACT7 of Urban Toronto for providing us with this article’s tip.

[Mindham Fine Jewellery website]

[Verdura website]

NORDSTROM COULD OPEN IN THE TORONTO EATON CENTRE WITH NEW SEARS CEO

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Retail Insider

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October 21, 2013

image-asset - 2021-03-24T212049.674 — Photo: Toronto Eaton Centre

Nordstrom could open at the Toronto Eaton Centre, now that Sears Canada has a new CEO who’s reportedly willing to sell store assets.

On Friday October 18th, Sears CEO Douglas Campbell told the Globe & Mail that he would consider selling Sears’ Toronto Eaton Centre location for the right price. This could open the way not only for Nordstrom, but also for redevelopment that could include multiple retailers as well as possibly a second anchor store such as La Maison Simons.

The Toronto Eaton Centre Sears store is about 816,000 square feet over several floors. Though it’s unlikely that the top levels would be used for retail, a substantial amount of space could become available that could create an exciting cluster of new retailers in the mall, including possibly Nordstrom’s Canadian flagship store.

In the past 14 months, Sears Canada has sold off several of its leases to mall landlords. In the summer of 2012, Sears sold its leases in Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa, paving the way for Nordstrom’s first Canadian stores. Sears subsequently sold two leases in the Toronto area, resulting in speculation that La Maison Simons may move in. Sears also announced a $1 billion project to redevelop its Burnaby BC real estate at Metrotown.

Our source for this article is this article by Marina Strauss of the Globe & Mail.

[Toronto Eaton Centre website]

[Sears Canada website]

[Nordstrom website]

RETAIL INSIDER READERS CAN RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ON RETAIL ASSEMBLY’S ONLINE COURSES/WORKSHOPS

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Retail Insider

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October 21, 2013

image-asset - 2021-03-24T213000.779 — Retail Insider and Retail Assembly

Retail Assembly is offering a discount on its online retail-related courses and workshops to our readers, available until October 31st.

Being that they’re online, these programs are created with accessibility and convenience in mind: all courses and workshops offer the flexibility of taking them from anywhere, anytime. Therefore, those who might be too busy or inconvenienced by attending scheduled classroom courses can benefit from this education.

Retail Assembly’s educational materials are designed by industry professionals and experts who appreciate the business side of retailing, and who want to educate others in this very competitive industry.

Retail Assembly has a variety of courses and workshops. We direct you to this link which includes a list of courses as well as a discount for you readers.

[Link to Retail Assembly’s discounted courses and workshops]

[Retail Assembly website]

WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF WINE SELLS AT TORONTO’S SUMMERHILL LCBO

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Retail Insider

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October 21, 2013

A $168,000 bottle of wine has sold at Toronto’s Summerhill LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) store, according to the Toronto Star. The Summerhill LCBO is located in Toronto’s affluent Rosedale area.

The Penfolds Ampoule is a limited-edition Australian wine, one of only 12 handmade bottles ever produced. This is only the third bottle in the world to sell – the first two sold in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Interestingly, the purchase price will include a visit from a senior member of the Penfolds wine making team, who will personally attend a special opening ceremony.

Thank you to Retail Insider Karim Rashwan for directing us to this Toronto Star article about the wine’s purchase.

[Penfolds Ampoule website]

[LCBO website]

UPDATE: DOWNTOWN TORONTO’S OXFORD PLACE HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD

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Retail Insider

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October 21, 2013

Toronto’s proposed Oxford Place mega-project has been put on hold. It would have included a substantial retail mall that could have rivalled the Toronto Eaton Centre in size. Oxford Properties’ CEO made this revelation to The Globe & Mail in this article.

One of the reasons the project was put on hiatus is because the City of Toronto voted against allowing a casino on the premises. A casino was considered to be key for Oxford Place’s success.

We first reported on Oxford Place in October, 2012. The ~1 million-square foot retail project could have housed multiple anchor tenants as well as a massive shopping centre. We subsequently provided renderings of the project, raising optimism that a substantial luxury retail component could be included.

Other new Downtown Toronto shopping centres may still be developed. In November 2012, we reported on a possible half-million square foot mall where the Globe & Mail headquarters are currently located. In January we reported on a retail component that could be part of a major residential/commercial project at the foot of Yonge Street. In March we reported on a proposal for a 750,000 square foot mall as part of a proposed mega-project at Toronto’s Exhibition Place. Most recently, we reported on a possible large shopping centre adjacent to Toronto’s Ryerson University.

Source: Globe & Mail article

[Oxford Place website]

[Oxford Place proposal]

[Oxford Properties website]

DE BEERS HAS OPENED ITS FIRST CANADIAN STORE IN VANCOUVER

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Retail Insider

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October 21, 2013

image-asset - 2021-03-24T220949.399 — De Beers (Photo: Colin Arber)

De Beers opened its first Canadian store this weekend at 1088 Alberni Street in Downtown Vancouver. The two-level store sits adjacent to a Tory Burch store which also opened over the weekend. Both stores are expected to be joined by two more luxury retailers, once spaces have been leased.

For those unfamiliar, De Beers is a diamond company that also retails its wares in a few select cities around the world. De Beers stores are beautiful, product is pricey, and having a De Beers store is considered a prestigious addition to any retail location. De Beers currently has 8 North American locations, all in the United States (9 if you include Hawaii). The company has 46 stores world-wide, 26 of which are located in Asia.

De Beers will open its second Canadian retail location this fall within Holt Renfrew at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in suburban Toronto. We’re not sure if any more Canadian locations will follow, though Retail Insider’s Karim Rashwan speculates that we could see a second Toronto De Beers store somewhere in the Yorkville area.

[De Beers website]

TORY BURCH OPENS 3RD CANADIAN STORE IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER

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Retail Insider

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October 21, 2013

Tory Burch location on Alberni Street in Vancouver. Photo: Colin Arber

Tory Burch has opened its third Canadian store at 1092 Alberni Street in Downtown Vancouver. It’s located next door to luxury diamond retailer De Beers, which also opened over the weekend. Two more luxury retailers are expected to join them.

The store is over 3,000 square feet and spans two retail floors.

Tory Burch’s first two Canadian locations are at Chinook Centre in Calgary, and at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.

Tory Burch is a popular New York City-based designer brand that is also carried in Canada at Holt Renfrew. The label includes women’s clothing, shoes and accessories.

DE BEERS TO OPEN 2ND CANADIAN LOCATION IN TORONTO

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Retail Insider

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October 18, 2013

image-asset - 2021-07-14T224512.161 — Image: De Beers

De Beers will open its second Canadian retail location within Yorkdale Shopping Centre’s Holt Renfrew. Construction hoarding is up, and it opens this fall. It will be the first De Beers in North America to be located within a department store.

De Beers’ first Canadian store opens soon in Vancouver. We first reported on the Vancouver De Beers in February, when we discovered that it would occupy space in The Carlyle, a luxury retail development on Vancouver’s upscale Alberni Street.

For those unfamiliar, De Beers is a diamond company that also retails its wares in a few select cities around the world. De Beers stores are beautiful, product is pricey, and having a De Beers store is considered a prestigious addition to any retail location. De Beers currently has 8 North American locations, all in the United States (9 if you include Hawaii). The company has 46 stores world-wide, 26 of which are located in Asia.

Thank you to source ACT7 of Urban Toronto for notifying us of this story.

We’ll keep you updated if De Beers decides to open further Canadian locations.

[Holt Renfrew website]

[De Beers website]

MIU MIU TO OPEN 2ND CANADIAN LOCATION AT YORKDALE’S HOLT RENFREW

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Retail Insider

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October 18, 2013

image-asset - 2021-04-08T152406.524 — Photo: Miu Miu

Prada-owned Miu Miu will open its second Canadian location within Yorkdale Shopping Centre’s Holt Renfrew. Canada’s first Miu Miu store opened in January at Holt Renfrew’s Bloor Street flagship in Toronto. No word yet on the Yorkdale Miu Miu stores’s size, though we’re told the Bloor location is about 450 square feet.

As with the Downtown Toronto Miu Miu, Yorkdale’s Miu Miu will carry only accessories and handbags, and no women’s clothing.

There are currently 15 leased Miu Miu boutiques in the United States. Nine are free-standing shops that carry women’s ready-to-wear. The other six are accessory shops like those in Canada, and five of those are within Saks Fifth Avenue stores while one is within Manhattan’s flagship Bloomindale’s store. No word yet if Saks Fifth Avenue will attempt to secure Miu Miu leases when it opens in Canada.

Thank you to source ACT7 of Urban Toronto for notifying us of this story.

We’ll update you on any further Miu Miu store openings in Canada, as it’s speculated that a Vancouver location could be next in the works.

[Holt Renfrew website]

[Miu Miu website]

POSSIBLE NEW DOWNTOWN TORONTO MALL: UPDATE

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Retail Insider

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October 17, 2013

image-asset - 2021-04-08T152731.814 — Proposed mall/tower in yellow. Image: Ryerson Master Plan

In May we reported that a large and possibly substantial mall could be built up the street from the Toronto Eaton Centre. We’ve got an update – a prominent building on the same block has been purchased as part of a land assembly.

The Yonge Street Mission, located at 381 Yonge Street, has been sold to a private equity real estate company. The sale’s closing date will be some time in September 2016, allowing the Mission to move and reorganise its operations. The Yonge Street building is adjacent to other buildings already owned by investors Kingsett Capital and the Canada Pension Board.

In April of 2013, Kingsett Capital and the Canada Pension Board purchased several adjacent properties from Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust. Sources tell us that there could be a proposal for a substantial shopping mall on the site, possibly connected to Ryerson University and also possibly including a large anchor retailer. We’re not sure what exactly is proposed for the site, though the Ryerson University Master Plan might give some clues. The rendering at the top of this article shows a proposed commercial podium topped by a taller tower.

The immediate area has seen extensive development including an expanding Ryerson University, Canada’s tallest residential building (Aura at College Park) as well as the newly-branded Eaton Chelsea Hotel (formerly known as the Delta Chelsea Hotel). The area is enjoying a growth in popularity as well as a substantial increase in its residential population as Toronto continues its condo boom.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on this topic, as it could lead to a substantial retail development that could house a Downtown Toronto Target, Walmart, or even La Maison Simons.

Link to our previous article breaking news on the potential Yonge Street shopping centre.

[Source: Yonge Street Mission press release]

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

VERDURA JEWELLERS OPENS FIRST CANADIAN SHOP IN TORONTO

NORDSTROM COULD OPEN IN THE TORONTO EATON CENTRE WITH NEW SEARS CEO

RETAIL INSIDER READERS CAN RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ON RETAIL ASSEMBLY’S ONLINE COURSES/WORKSHOPS

WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF WINE SELLS AT TORONTO’S SUMMERHILL LCBO

UPDATE: DOWNTOWN TORONTO’S OXFORD PLACE HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD

DE BEERS HAS OPENED ITS FIRST CANADIAN STORE IN VANCOUVER

TORY BURCH OPENS 3RD CANADIAN STORE IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER

DE BEERS TO OPEN 2ND CANADIAN LOCATION IN TORONTO

MIU MIU TO OPEN 2ND CANADIAN LOCATION AT YORKDALE’S HOLT RENFREW

POSSIBLE NEW DOWNTOWN TORONTO MALL: UPDATE

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