Saturday marks the grand opening of the 2,300 square foot DKNY store at West Edmonton Mall. It’s Canada’s fourth DKNY store and it’s located on the mall’s second level between Lacoste and Coach.
For those unfamiliar, DKNY is a lower-priced ‘diffusion line‘ fashion line by New York City-based designer Donna Karan. It was founded in 1989 and sells ready-to-wear and accessories for men, women and children.
The store opens at 10:00 am and The first 25 people to post their ‘selfie’ on Twitter using the hashtag #DKNYWEM will win a prize upon visiting the store. International models and DJ’s the Tang Twinz will be spinning from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
There are two DKNY stores in Vancouver (2625 Granville Street and at Oakridge Centre) and one at Les Cours Mont-Royal in downtown Montreal. A DKNY outlet store is also located at Vaughan Mills in suburban Toronto.
In a first for the company, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) will open a 850 square foot shop-in-store at the newly renovated and expanded University of British Columbia (UBC) Bookstore in Vancouver. The MEC Outpost opens tomorrow. The shop will feature more than 100 popular MEC-brand products.
The MEC Outpost will feature ‘lifestyle apparel’ as well as clothing for cycling, running, hiking and yoga. Products will sell at regular MEC prices and the UBC Bookstore will receive a portion of the shop’s monthly sales.
MEC is a co-operative and it only sells to its members. Existing members will be able to shop at the UBC Outpost, and new members will be able to join the co-op. UBC Bookstore staff will be available to assist people with membership inquiries and purchases.
“With the Outpost, MEC has come full circle,” said Gary Faryon, Chief Retail Operations Officer. “A handful of UBC students started the co-op in 1971, and forty-three years later we are excited to be back with a new MEC store format that will serve students and the wider university community right on campus.”
UBC’s Managing Director of University Community Services, Debbie Harvie, said: “We are delighted to welcome MEC to UBC. Its high-quality products, sustainability practices and community engagement are in line with the UBC Bookstore’s values. The Bookstore continues to evolve its products and services to meet the needs of the UBC community, including students, staff, faculty and campus visitors.”
Upscale Belgian fashion label Sarah Pacini is set to expand across Canada. The company confirms that it will open store locations in suburban Toronto and Montreal. A Vancouver location is also being negotiated and according to a source, stores in other Canadian cities could follow.
The Sarah Pacini brand has been in existence for over 20 years and it sells women’s knitwear, ready-to-wear and accessories to a female target market aged 28-55. Products are manufactured in Italy. It currently has two Canadian stores, both in Montreal: at Les Cours Mont Royal in downtown Montreal, and 1061 Avenue Laurier Ouest in Outremont.
The new Sarah Pacini store locations will be at Toronto’s Bayview Village shopping centre and at Le Carrefour Laval in suburban Montreal. We’re not yet sure of the Vancouver store location currently under negotiation.
Sarah Pacini stores are generally 1,350-1,750 square feet in size. Store interiors include a mixture of stone, wood, metal and concrete.
INTERIOR OF THE SARAH PACINI STORE IN BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA. PHOTO: SARAH PACINI
Beverly Hills, California, and in New York City are the only two American cities that have Sarah Pacini stores.
Canada’s retail industry can breathe a sigh of relief as container truck drivers end their strike at Canada’s busiest port. British Columbia Premier Christy Clark announced yesterday afternoon that an agreement was reached among the members of the United Truckers Association and Unifor and the Province, the federal government and Port Metro Vancouver. Metro Vancouver’s port will be open for business this morning.
About 250 unionized truckers went on strike March 10, 2014, joining about 1,000 non-unionized truckers who had walked off the job in February. As a result, container shipping at Port Metro’s four terminals was cut by about 90%. If the strike had continued and goods were left stranded, it could have had an even worse impact on Canadian retailers and consumers, as well as potential consequences for retail employment.
Port Metro Vancouver handles over $170 billion in goods annually. Even a few days’ disruption can have a major economic impact on Canada’s retail industry.
“The operation of the Port of Vancouver is of vital importance to the retail industry across Canada. Retailers view the current labour dispute with growing concern,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of the Retail Council of Canada.
Japanese fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo is in advanced negotiations to open a 35,000 square foot store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, according to the Financial Post. Uniqlo is also negotiating to open other Canadian stores, the first of which could open as early as 2016.
Uniqlo’s negotiations with Yorkdale “are pretty advanced,” according to one source familiar with the talks. The same source says that Uniqlo intends to open both mall-based as well as street-front stores in Canada.
Yorkdale Shopping Centre is in the process of leasing out retail space in a new wing that will be anchored by a 191,000 square foot Nordstrom store. Uniqlo could end up in the new wing alongside Nordstrom, according to lease plans provided by Yorkdale landlord Oxford Properties.
The Financial Post reports that Uniqlo formalized its Canadian trademark in August of 2013, possibly in anticipation of opening Canadian stores.
Last week we reported that according to multiple sources, Uniqlo would open in Canada via Nordstrom. Nordstrom spokesperson John Bailey denied this claim.
Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew store is the top-selling in the company, according to multiple sources. Torontonians may find this news disheartening, considering the chain’s largest store on Bloor Street West once commanded an estimated 25% of the company’s sales. New upscale competitors could affect sales at Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew differently than in Toronto, and we’ll explain more below.
Louis Vuitton concession on the ground floor of Holt Renfrew, Vancouver. Other concessions include Gucci, Dior, Prada and Burberry. Tod’s and Fendi boutiques are also featured. Image Source
Industry insiders have known for a while that Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew store has done very well in terms of sales, and we held off on publishing this article until representatives at Pacific Centre landlord Cadillac Fairview confirmed it during the Vancouver Real Estate Forums 2014, on February 20th. For those unfamiliar, Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew store anchors the north end of Pacific Centre.
Vancouver’s 140,414 square foot Holt Renfrew store is currently the third-largest in the company, surpassed in size only by the 147,000 Calgary store and the (approximately) 180,000 square foot Toronto Bloor Street flagship. Industry insiders expect Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew will expand in size given its successes as well as the desire to expand categories including women’s shoes and its men’s department.
Vancouver’s current Holt Renfrew store opened in the spring of 2007. It replaced a 68,000 square foot Holt Renfrew store that opened in Pacific Centre in the early 1970’s. In 2007, before its relocation, sales at the Vancouver store were estimated to be about $75 million yearly.
Atrium at the centre of Holt Renfrew, Vancouver. This photo is taken from the store’s ground floor accessories hall. Upstairs is womenswear and women’s shoes. Downstairs is a 25,000 square foot men’s store that includes shops for Tom Ford, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani Collezioni, Ralph Lauren, Thomas Pink and Dolce & Gabbana. Image Source
Holt Renfrew is part of the privately-held Selfridges Group, owned by Toronto-based billionaire Galen Weston. The company won’t provide sales numbers for its stores, although Holt Renfrew’s total sales are estimated to be approximately $800 million per year for its nine stores. Sales estimates of its Toronto Bloor Street store were about $150 million yearly, several years ago. Overall, the company enjoys sales in excess of $1,000/square foot (making it the most productive store, per square foot, of an department store chain in North America) and the Vancouver store could be surpassing sales of $150 million yearly based on our rough calculations. We welcome Holt Renfrew to provide us more accurate numbers for this article.
Women’s designer floor at Holt Renfrew, Vancouver. Designer boutiques include CHANEL, Tom Ford, Akris, Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Gucci, Prada, Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana. Other designers carried on this floor read like a who’s who of designers: Oscar de la Renta, Jil Sander, Missoni, Valentino, Marni, Etro, and the list goes on. Photo: Holt Renfrew.
Competition could result in Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew seeing a reduction in sales and ultimately having lower sales than the Toronto flagship. Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom will both open within a block of Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew. This may affect the Vancouver store differently than the same competition in Toronto. In Toronto, Saks and Nordstrom will be geographically separated from Holt Renfrew, as both competitors will be located about two kilometres southward at the Toronto Eaton Centre. Alternatively, Toronto’s luxury shoppers could end up heading southward to do their shopping around the Toronto Eaton Centre, benefitting Saks and Nordstrom and to the detriment of Holt’s on Bloor. This topic warrants a separate article.
Holt Renfrew’s Vancouver store is expected to enjoy its tremendous sales levels for at least another year or two. Nordstrom opens its Vancouver store in the fall of 2015 and we’re awaiting further information on Downtown Vancouver’s Saks Fifth Avenue, which is expected to open within Vancouver’s flagship Hudson’s Bay store.
“It’s a great honour to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies,” said Doug Nathanson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Canadian Tire Corporation. “We have seen a significant cultural shift in the past few years at Canadian Tire that has increased employee engagement, positively impacted financial results and heightened pride in the Canadian Tire brand — all of which is a testament to our dedicated employees and strong leadership team.”
Canadian Tire has operated for over 90 years. The Company has grown to nearly 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets across its umbrella of Companies, which includes Canadian Tire retail stores, PartSource, Gas+, FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts, Pro Hockey Life, National Sports, S3 and Atmosphere), Mark’s, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and CT REIT, and is supported by Canadian Tire Financial Services. Today, more than 85,000 people are employed across the Canadian Tire enterprise, which was founded in 1922.
“Canadian Tire has always delivered what our customers and communities need for life in Canada, thanks to the loyalty and dedication of our team. Across our family of companies, we are constantly implementing new and sustainable solutions to meet customer, employee and investor expectations, while strengthening our position within the industry,” added Nathanson.
Established in 1993, Canada’s Best Managed Companies is the country’s leading business awards program recognizing Canadian companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways. Applications are reviewed by an independent judging panel that evaluates how companies address various business challenges, including brand management, new technologies, globalization, leadership, leveraging and developing core competencies, designing information systems, and hiring the right talent to facilitate growth and support corporate culture.
“We believe that there are three vital building blocks to sustainable growth: strategy, capability, and commitment; Canadian Tire Corporation has demonstrated it is a model of success in all three areas and is duly recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed,” said John Hughes, National Leader of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and Managing Partner, Growth Enterprises, Deloitte.
Did you know that you could spend just $4 on an HDMI cable, and the quality would be just as good as those expensive $50 cords? That’s just one of the myths we’re busting.
In this day and age, it’s easy to fall victim to marketing hype. And while the Internet can be a priceless research tool for separating fact from fiction, when not used correctly, it can also help spread all types of myths that ultimately result in consumers spending more money than they should. From overused buzzwords to high-priced TV cables, we shine light on 11 of the most common tech myths that people still fall for. Brush up on the list now so you don’t get taken for a ride later.
1. 4K TVs Are Better Than 1080p TVs
4K HDTVs offer resolutions that are 4x greater than that of current 1080p HDTVs. But as CNET notes, “if you have 20/20 vision, sit about 10 feet from your TV, and are buying a typical TV (50″ or so), you’re not going to see the additional resolution.” It’s when you sit extremely close to a 4K TV that you begin to notice the difference and even then, CNET says it’s not that apparent. Furthermore, there are some 1080p TVs that offer better picture quality than some of the cheaper entry-level 4K TVs. So regardless of what your local big box store salesperson tells you, 4K resolution is not the holy grail of TVs.
2. Only Off-Brand Tablets See Discounts
We see plenty of deals on off-brand tablets from companies like Emerson and Hisense, but let’s be honest — you probably don’t want a Hisense tablet. Fortunately, you can buy a mainstream tablet from Apple, Amazon, or Google and not pay full price. With competition at an all-time high, we’re seeing an abundance of tablet deals on models that in the past might not have seen any discounts. So if a brand-name tablet is what you want, a discount is always around the corner.
3. 3D Printers Are Notoriously Expensive
Like all new technology, 3D printers were prohibitively expensive when they first hit the tech scene. But increased competition, expired patents, and widespread acceptance of the technology had led to lower prices. In fact, small 3D printers sell for $500 to $800. That’s still considerably more expensive than a laser printer, but deals do exist and prices are slowly dropping.
4. Plasma TVs Are Dead & Not Worth Your Money
Despite manufacturing some of the best plasma TVs in the market, last year Panasonic bowed out of the plasma business, leaving LG and Samsung as the last major supporters of the technology. While the tea leaves look grim for plasma, the door isn’t completely closed as both Samsung and LG have announced their lineup of 2014 plasma TVs. So while Panasonic and its top-rated TVs may be harder to find this year, the plasma torch will be carried (for now) by LG and Samsung.
5. Expensive HDMI Cables Mean Better Image Quality
While you may think the quality of your media relies on the cable that transmits it, you don’t actually need to spend upwards of $50 on an HDMI cord. Variousmedia outlets have debunked this myth, and based on the deals we see, consumers should spend no more than $4 on a 6-foot cable. In fact, Monoprice offers one for $3.54.
6. Faster Processors Translate to Smoother Performance
As consumers, we’ve been trained to believe that a faster processor on a tablet or laptop equates to a smoother experience. That may have been true when the Pentium processor reigned supreme, but today you probably wouldn’t notice the difference between a Core i5 clocked at 2.3GHz and one at 2.5GHz.
Instead, you’re better off looking at the number of cores in the processor. A dual-core system is sufficient for everyday computing (streaming HD movies, Twitter, Facebook), but a quad-core CPU (accompanied by a graphics card) will offer more horsepower for HD video editing or playing the latest PC games at full resolution. Likewise, more RAM and a solid state drive can all help increase the speed of your device, independent of what processor lies inside.
7. Apple Products Never See Discounts
Shopping exclusively at the Apple Store is bad for your wallet. As we’ve noted before, deals on Apple products can come as quickly as two days after a product’s debut — that is, if you shop at authorized resellers. And though you may think Apple’s Black Friday Sale is the sale of the year for the Apple faithful, the truth is we see better Apple sales from resellers year-round. The iPhone 5S, for instance, is currently selling for $199 via Apple. Shop around at retailers like MacMall, Best Buy, and Amazon, and you’ll see that the 16GB model has already hit a price low of $125; a price point you may never see if you shop exclusively at the Apple Store.
8. Refurbished Electronics Are Always Scratched and/or Dented
While refurbished electronics are often stigmatized as “rejects,” many of them have actually undergone better and more rigorous testing standards than new products. In addition, they can offer savings of up to 50%. When buying refurbs, we recommend researching who you’re buying from. For instance, Apple, Amazon, and Best Buy offer an assortment of refurbs that have undergone thorough testing standards. Read our complete list of the top brands for refurbished goods for more information.
9. Always Splurge on an Extended Warranty
Extended warranties are pure profit for retailers, as they pocket more than 50% of an extended warranty’s cost. Rather than be bullied into buying one the next time you’re at a retail store, take a look at the warranty provided by the manufacturer (which oftentimes is more than sufficient) and research warranties provided by third parties like SquareTrade. Moreover, some credit cards will automatically double the original manufacturer’s warranty for up to a year when you pay with their card.
10. Black Friday Is the Best Time to Shop for Consumer Electronics
While it’s true that November sees the deepest discounts on many electronics — thanks in part to Black Friday season and Cyber Monday — the discounts are traditionally for cheaper, off-brand items. Brand-name HDTVs and high-end laptops, for instance, see better deals in the months after Black Friday. For the best time to buy specific gadgets, follow our monthly buying guides.
11. New Gadgets Offer the Full Storage Capacity They Advertise
It’d be great if laptops and tablets offered the exact storage space they advertise, but the reality is many of these hard drives come pre-loaded with software, which may diminish some of their advertised storage capacities. (You’ll usually find a disclaimer on the packaging that states something about the product’s actual formatted capacity.) While the lost storage space is usually unnoticeable, in the case of laptops with solid state drives (SSD) — like Apple’s MacBook Air — the diminished capacity is very noticeable and could turn your 64GB laptop into a 48GB machine.
Understanding technology can be tricky to the uninitiated. But that doesn’t mean you should be taken advantage of. With a little research and the right guidance, you can avoid the marketing bait and shop like a savvy consumer.
The name change will happen once Complexe Les Ailes’ anchor tenant, Les Ailes de la Mode, closes. The store was initially expected to close in February of 2014. Both malls will be renovated to create a unified appearance and branding.
With an estimated 26 million visitors annually, the Montreal Eaton Centre is also one of Canada’s busiest malls. It opened in 1990, adjacent to a 1 million square foot Eaton’s department store. Following Eaton’s bankruptcy and store closure in 1999, the lower part of the department store’s space was converted to a 223,000 square foot Les Ailes de la Mode store. Les Ailes opened with much fanfare in 2002, though it proved too large to be profitable. In 2004 Les Ailes was reduced in size to about 77,000 square feet and Complexe Les Ailes was expanded.
The newly created shopping centre will be part of a massive spending project by Ivanhoe Cambridge to update several of its Montreal commercial properties.
Struggling Quebec department store retailer Les Ailes de la Mode will close its Ste-Foy (suburban Quebec City) and Brossard (suburban Montreal) stores. This follows news that Les Ailes’ Montreal flagship will also close. Landlord Ivanhoe Cambridge will buy-out Les Ailes’ leases for an unspecified amount.
In the 1990’s and into the early 2000’s, Les Ailes was described as Canada’s answer to Nordstrom. Over the years, Les Ailes saw its business decline as it essentially became a large discount store. The store’s first owner, San Francisco Group, went bankrupt in 2003. After emerging from bankruptcy a year later, the Group was renamed Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode. The company was sold to Fairweather INC Group in 2005, which proceeded to further run the company into the ground.
The 66,400 square foot Mail Champlain store in Brossard was Les Ailes’ very first location, and it opened in 1993. Its in-store piano player became a common feature when it began opening other stores. Les Ailes’ 63,600 square foot Place Ste-Foy store opened in 1997.
Ivanhoe Cambridge is being flexible by allowing Les Ailes time to vacate its two store spaces. Ivanhoe will search for replacement tenants in the meantime. It’s unknown if the retail spaces will be subdivided or leased to one tenant. Place Ste-Foy is an upscale mall east of Quebec City that features two upscale anchors: a 102,000 square foot flagship La Maison Simons store, and a 32,950 square foot Holt Renfrew store. Mall Champlain is a mid-scale mall in suburban Montreal that features Hudson’s Bay and Sears as its anchors.
In 2007, Carrefour Laval‘s landlord, Cadillac Fairview, successfully sued to evict Les Ailes from its otherwise prosperous suburban Montreal mall. Cadillac Fairview believed that Les Ailes’ refocussed downscale strategy made it an essentially different store than when it opened.
After these closures (including the Montreal flagship), Les Ailes de la Mode will only have two stores in the province of Quebec: in Chateauguay (suburban Montreal) and in Drummondville.
