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Aritzia Reveals 2016 Expansion Plans

By
Craig Patterson
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Image: Aritzia

Vancouver-based women’s fashion retailer Aritzia is continuing with its Canadian expansion for 2016, which includes new stores, relocations, and expanded existing locations. Last week we also discussed the retailers’s plans to spin off its in-house Babaton brand into its own freestanding stores. 

Aritzia will open seven new stores in 2016. Of those, four will be in the United States, and three in Canada. In Canada, Aritizia’s new stores will include locations at Tsawwassen Mills south of Vancouver, a location in suburban Toronto, and the new Babaton store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. New U.S. locations include Boston’s Prudential Center (opened last month), Roosevelt Field on Long Island NY, Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek CA, and at a popular Los Angeles shopping centre. 

Aritzia is relocating four of its current stores to larger locations in 2016, including its Metropolis at Metrotown location in Burnaby BC, Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, and another store in Alberta. As well, two existing Aritzia stores will expand, including a store in New York City’s Soho as well as its Robson Street flagship in Vancouver, which recently grew to an impressive 13,000 square feet, all on one level. 

Aritzia is represented in Canada by Dianne Lemm, Principal/Broker at Northwest Atlantic. 

Larger Aritzia locations better display expanded product lines and are a reflection of increased sales, according to Chief Marketing Officer Oliver Walsh. The brand continues to see success and it will continue to open new locations and grow existing stores into 2017 and beyond. Stores are designed in-house and each location is unique, according to Mr. Walsh. 

Aritzia was founded in 1984 as a shop-in-store at Vancouver retailer Hill’s of Kerrisdale, and will have 61 Canadian locations by the end of the year. Aritzia’s target market is women aged 14 to 30. Much of the clothing sold in its stores are its own exclusive brands, including Auxiliary, Babaton, 1-01 Babaton, Community, Wilfred, Le Fou by Wilfred, Wilfred Free, TNA, Golden by TNA, Parklife, and Talula. Stores also carry clothing from brands such as Mackage, J Brand, Citizens of Humanity, A Gold E, Frame, Levi’s, Rag & Bone, Adidas, One Teaspoon, and Herschel.

Inside MEC’s Newest Store Location [Photos]

By
Craig Patterson
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Canadian outdoor consumer cooperative MEC has opened its newest location in Kelowna, British Columbia. The store features bright interiors and unique features such as a massive wood overhead canopy, and carries a wide assortment of product categories. 

The 20,000 square foot store is centrally located at Orchard Plaza (Unit 100-1876 Cooper Road) and features products for climbing, biking, running, camping, fitness, yoga, paddlesports and snowsports. The store also features a full-service bike and ski shop, a bike fitting station, equipment rentals, a community room as well as gear, clothing and footwear for all manner of outdoor activities.

The Kelowna store is the 18th for MEC, which is headquartered out of Vancouver. High industrial-style ceilings and light characterize the airy space. All of the store’s wood and metal fixtures (with a focus on sustainable/natural materials) were manufactured by Vancouver-based Peregrine, including tables, benches featuring powder coated metal, a Canadian maple plywood canoe rack, and the massive overhead ceiling canopy that welcomes shoppers into the store. 

MEC is in the process of expanding its Canadian store base, both by building new stores as well as replacing existing locations. Yesterday, we reported that MEC would open a replacement store in London, Ontario, and the company is in the process of opening new stores in Laval Quebec, Toronto, and a second location in Edmonton. 

The Kelowna store is holding its public grand opening event on Saturday, April 23, featuring a ‘bike battle’, DJs, prizes and snacks. 

All photos are by Robb Thompson Photography, and were supplied by MEC.

m0851 Partners with Brokerage for Canadian Expansion

By
Craig Patterson
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Upscale Montreal-based fashion brand m0851 (the “m” is lowercase) plans to open more Canadian stores, and it has retained the services of brokerage Oakmont Real Estate Services.

The m0851 brand was founded in 1987 by Frédéric Mamarbachi, and its name represents the first initial of his surname, as well as his birth month and year. The company designs and manufactures leather bags, accessories, jackets and outerwear. It started out manufacturing leather belts under the nameplate ‘Rugby North America’ and in 2003, changed its name to better reflect a refined, urban brand identity. Its head office is in Montreal’s trendy Mile End neighbourhood. Its products are designed and manufactured in Montreal, and its store interiors are also designed in-house. 

The company now operates 23 stores globally, with 11 of those in Canada. Its Canadian stores are located in Montreal (4 stores including one in Laval), Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto (2 stores), Vancouver (2 stores) and one in Calgary. International cities featuring m0851 include New York City, Santa Monica CA, Boston, Madrid Spain, Tokyo (2 stores), Nagoya, Osaka, Hong Kong (3 stores) and Beijing. M0851 also distributes their collections through a select network of retailers in 35 countries, and has an e-commerce site. 

According to Oakmont, m0851 is looking to open a further five locations in Quebec, three in Ontario, one in Alberta and two in British Columbia. It is seeking retail space in open-air sites, enclosed shopping centres and high streets, between 1,000 square feet and 2,500 square feet in size. For more information, contact Ben Labrecque at: Ben@oakmontrealestateservices.com or 514-917-5015. 

MEC Secures Former Future Shop Location for New Store

By
Craig Patterson
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MEC on King Street (Image: MEC)

Vancouver-based large format outdoor consumer cooperative retailer MEC has secured a former Future Shop location in London, Ontario for its next new store, replacing an existing MEC location. The Future Shop nameplate was shuttered by parent company Best Buy in March of 2015. 

MEC will double the size of its London operations when it relocates to 1051 Wellington Road, in a 24,000 square foot space that has sat vacant for over a year. According to MEC, the new store will “have a broader and deeper assortment of quality products for budding and experienced backcountry and urban adventurers alike”.

The new store is less than a kilometer away from its present address at 1230 Wellington Road. That store location is currently the second-smallest in Canada and offers a limited range of products. Construction will begin on the new store in early May, in anticipation of completion and opening this fall. Until then, MEC will continue to operate from its present location.

The completely refurbished building will include a distinctive floating canopy to mark the store’s entrance, and wood-infused interiors to define the store and display merchandise. As part of MEC’s green building program, the store will operate on renewable energy.

APRIL 2015 GOOGLE STREET VIEW. CLICK PHOTO FOR INTERACTIVE VERSION.

According to MEC, the new store will provide a wide variety of apparel and gear for activities such as running, hiking, climbing and camping. Cycling will occupy the largest area in the retail space, and seasonal activities like paddling and snow sports will also feature prominently. There will also be a full-service bike repair and ski-tech shop as well as an equipment rental program for boats, skis and camping gear. A community meeting room will be available for use by local outdoor clubs and environmental organizations.

Formerly known as ‘Mountain Equipment Co-op, MEC boast over 4 million Canadian members and 18 storefronts. The company donates 1% of revenues ($3.4 million donated in 2015) to Canadian non-profit organizations that help conserve ecologically and recreationally important areas.

Family-Founded Retail Construction Company Continues to Grow and See Success

By
Craig Patterson
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CLIENT: AVEDA

Mississauga, Ontario-based Pace Construction is one of Canada’s most highly respected retail, commercial and industrial construction companies. Now owned by Alison Eden, the family-founded company has a unique history, a remarkably positive reputation, and is one of Canada’s only construction companies to be owned by a woman. Pace Construction has been in business for 31 years and counting, and it has built over 5,000 stores to date. 

The company was founded by Miss. Eden’s father, Ainslie, in 1982 while Alison was just a teenager. Business was a family affair with her mother and father doing the drawings, and everyone pitching in to take retail concept to turnkey. Radio Shack was one of Pace’s first clients and since then, the company has grown to build retail spaces for some of the world’s leading brands. 

Ms. Eden discovered that retail construction was her passion, and she eventually bought her fathers company. Alison bought Pace Construction from him in 2005. She says that she loves the business, and gets a “rush” from the construction process while being in the “thick of things”.

Alison Eden
HBC/SAKS IN TORONTO (INTERIOR MILLWORK)

Ms. Eden noted that Pace continues to see success through old fashioned business practices — hard work, good customer service, and honesty. Its slogan is, “Trust the Experts, Trust the team”. The company has a number of testimonials from satisfied customers, with comments such as: “Quality, timeliness, and dedication are qualities that help Alison succeed” and “You can always count on a professional job completed on time and on budget”. A particularly glowing reference from Ross Anicai said, “The definitions of professionalism, diligent work, business ethics and hard work have been rewritten after Alison’s Pace Construction joined the construction industry many years ago.” 

Charity is a component of the business, with Pace Construction supporting the Canadian Red Cross, World Accord, SickKids Hospital and Pugalug Pug Rescue. 

Pace Construction continues to do business Canada-wide with the help of project managers and site supervisors to ensure quality and workmanship. Pace offers general contracting, project management, installation, custom millwork fabrication, carpentry, painting, demolition, plumbing, electrical, custom A/V installation, architect and engineering services. You can reach them at: (905) 279-3336 or by email: info@pacecon.ca.

Wake Up To The New No-List-Price E-tailing Reality

By
Retail Insider
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By Sanjeev Sularia

According to the Canadian Competition Bureau, when a retailer sets a sale price, that retailer must have already sold a reasonable quantity at the ordinary selling price or offered the item at the ordinary selling price for a reasonable amount of time. Misleading customers about a regular price is prohibited, as is advertising a sale price and not having enough stock available.

The problem is, the vast majority of Canadian and United States vendors aren’t sticking as close to the law as they should be – as many make the claim that what is being sold at a “.ca” e-tailing URL is “cheaper” than the list price the vendor would charge me in a physical store.

According to a recent article in The New York Times, list price discounting has become “a sales tactic that is drawing legal scrutiny, as well as prompting questions about the integrity of e-commerce”.

E-commerce retailers draw buyers in with “list prices” or “official prices” and mark them down dramatically to get a sale. Online shoppers want to feel they have a bargain, and online retailers want to satisfy that desire. With so many online retailers jostling for business, it seems that it’s becoming increasingly impossible to pay the list price for a product. And given that anyone and everyone shopping in cyberspace is after a deal, this matters.

In fact, our systems, which every day monitor 130,000 brands in 1,100 categories, has itself discovered that in North American sales, only a small set of items are ever sold at list price anyway (no more than 45%). In the case of precious stones & gems, camera accessories, bakery products, baking ware, food cupboard staples like sauces, marinades & dressings, ready-for-consumption frozen and pet care merchandise, with only 1 in 10 instances are sold at list price.

I say Canadian and US, but this is really a global issue. Internet retailers including Wayfair, Walmart, Rakuten (formerly Buy.com), Crate & Barrel and Williams-Sonoma employ list prices to varying degrees; Amazon, the biggest e-commerce player, uses them extensively and prominently. But it’s one that’s come under scrutiny, given recent US legal moves that look set to curb the whole practice, and so will obligate all North American retailers to swiftly change their digital sales techniques.

The backlash against list-price discounting first rose its head in 2014, when a group of California district attorneys brought a false advertising suit against Overstock.com, accusing the online retailer of using misleading list prices in order to exaggerate the amount of a customer’s savings. The firm was fined US$6.8 million, twice the size of the next-largest penalty for false advertising in California, and has also cost Michael Kors US$5 million to settle a class action suit challenging the prices offered at its outlet stores.

With the US government’s FTC (Federal Trade Commission) first off the blocks in investigating these tactics, the mythical iron “standard price” could soon see its demise in cyberspace. According to David C. Vladeck, the former director of that organization’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, after all, “If you’re selling US$15 pens for US$7.50, but just about everybody else is also selling the pens for US$7.50, then saying the list price is US$15 is a lie… And if you’re doing this frequently, it’s a serious problem.”

Contextual understanding is key

The problem here is that getting the pricing facet of online sales is one of the most difficult parts of cyber retail. It is a huge challenge to keep up with a dynamic, ever-changing marketplace; if the price is too high, online shoppers buy elsewhere, if too low you risk your profit margin.

What’s more shoppers thrive on comparing prices, so your relative prices compared to your competitors are paramount. Smart pricing technology will become the next way of enticing and satisfying bargain-hungry visitors to your website, as great data and smart, real-time optimization really is the only chance to evolve your sales strategy past this now-outdated trick. According to Rafi Mohammed, a consultant and author of The 1% Windfall: How Successful Companies Use Price to Profit and Grow, “Online retailers don’t use blowout sales since it’s so easy to shop there. But to provide confidence to consumers that they are consistently getting good deals, it’s even more important for them to provide price comparisons.”

Real-time, constant pricing adjustment based on market factors has to be the solution to satisfying the bargain-hunting appetite of online shoppers in the form of automated price optimization. To get there, pricing response time is key, as automation enables online retailers to optimize pricing 24/7. The market changes quickly and to succeed online retailers need to be able to change pricing to keep up with it.

Technology that can really analyze big data to enable online retailers to get full visibility of new and returning customers, enabling you to optimize for demand, trends, products, price architecture and regional behavioral differences has to be the way forward. But you need a smart, flexible system to get this right.

The verdict’s clear; old techniques can’t be relied on any more. You need real-time, accurate pricing and merchandising intelligence no matter the geography, vital as country boundaries disappear with the rise to dominance of e-retail – and also vital as the threat of legal action if you make any mistakes in this regard takes root.

Volume, pricing and revenue goals with automated price adjustments constantly taking place will enable online retailers to operate with confidence in this “list price” free world. Don’t get left behind.

The author, Sanjeev Sularia, is CEO at Intelligence Node, a leader in the field of pricing strategy automation

Overhauled RioCan Centre to Anchor Yonge and Eglinton Transformation

By
Craig Patterson
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RioCan Yonge Eglinton Centre (Image: RioCan)

An expansion and renovation of Toronto’s RioCan Yonge Eglinton Centre is nearing completion after more than three years of construction. The centre anchors one of the busiest intersections in the region, which will only become busier when the $5.3 billion Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit line is completed in 2021. 

French beauty retailer Sephora will anchor a prominent corner retail space at the centre, with frontage on Yonge Street as well as from access points within the centre. Construction is now underway on what will become one of Canada’s largest Sephora stores at 10,459 square feet, which is scheduled to open in July of this year. 

According to RioCan Vice President/Leasing Jeffrey Stephenson, the centre features a mixture of both destination and local retailers to serve resident and visitor populations. Local shoppers might patronize recently renovated grocery retailer Metro or Goodlife Fitness, for example, while retailers such as Sephora, Swarovski, Urban Outfitters and Michael Hill can pull shoppers from a wider catchment area. Page + Steele / IBI Group Architects were responsible for the 70-store retail component renovation (including the addition of a 40,000 square foot glass/metal ‘cube’ at the Yonge/Eglinton corner), as well as designing the re-cladding of the centre’s two office towers. 

RioCan Yonge Eglinton Centre (Image: RioCan)

A number of new tenants were recently added to the centre, diversifying its retail mix with a variety of food and fashion. The four-level retail podium features a number of food retailers on the subway level, and the top two floors also feature a number of large format retailers such as Winners, Toys “R” Us, Indigo Books & Music, and Goodlife Fitness. An enhanced concept Pickle Barrel restaurant, also upstairs, overlooks the busy neighbourhood below. Recognizing affluence in the surrounding area, Cineplex recently opened one of the region’s only VIP Theatres, further driving traffic to the centre. 

According to RioCan Senior Vice President of Leasing Jeff Ross, the decision to expand and improve the centre was partly in response to anticipated increased traffic from the new Eglinton Crosstown Line, as well as new residential development in the immediate area. RioCan earmarked over $100 million to improve the centre, which now includes a 264,400 square foot retail component as well as about 754,000 square feet of office space in two tall towers. The intersection is already very well-trafficked, with an estimated 80,000+ daily pedestrians. Only Toronto’s Yonge and Dundas Street intersection is busier.

RioCan Yonge Eglinton Centre (Image: RioCan)

RioCan’s focus isn’t just on its retail/office plaza at Yonge and Eglinton’s northwest corner, however — the company has partnered with Bazis and Metropia for a project called ‘E Condos‘ at the northeast corner of the same intersection. That development will include a 54,000 square foot commercial podium at the base of two residential towers measuring 58 and 38 stories, with over 850 residential units between the two of them. 

Saje Natural Wellness Reveals 2016 Store Openings

By
Craig Patterson
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PHOTO: SAJE NATURAL WELLNESS

Popular Vancouver-based retailer Saje Natural Wellness has provided a list of where it will open stores in 2016. Its ‘Saje at Home’ concept already opened earlier this month on Vancouver’s Robson Street. 

Saje Natural Wellness’ store openings in 2016 include the following locations:

• ‘Saje at Home’ on Robson Street, Vancouver, BC (now open)
• Westboro, Ottawa, ON – Opened March 24
• Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS – Opened April 14
• Halifax Shopping Centre, Halifax, NS – Opening May 24
• RioCan Georgian Mall, Barrie, ON – Spring
• Upper Canada Mall, Newmarket, ON – Summer
• CF Markville Shopping Centre, Markham, ON – Summer
• Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto, ON – Summer
• Tsawwassen Mills, Tsawwassen, BC – Fall

In early 2017, Saje will open its second Saje at Home concept store at West Edmonton Mall.

Saje was founded in 1991, with the opening of a small shop at North Vancouver’s Lonsdale Quay. The retailer has since grown to retail hundreds of different natural wellness products, accessories and gift ideas. Products contain 100% natural ingredients, including plant-derived essential oils and base ingredients. Profit Magazine recently ranked Saje as #154 in its top 500 fastest-growing Canadian Companies. The company has doubled its store count over the past two years, and it plans to operate 50 Canadian stores by the year 2018.

Aritzia to Launch New Brand Store Concept

By
Craig Patterson
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ARITZIA AT METROPOLIS AT METROTOWN. PHOTO: IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE

Popular Vancouver-based women’s fashion retailer Aritzia will spin off another one of its private label brands into its own retail concept. This will will be the company’s third in-house label to see its own freestanding stores. 

In the fall of 2016, Aritzia brand Babaton will open a freestanding location at CF Toronto Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto. The 1,780 square foot Babaton store will replace the mall’s existing Wilfred location, which will move downstairs into a new 5,150 square foot space. Babaton will be strategically located between retailers Hugo Boss and Reiss on the third level of the mall. That level is considered to be very desirable — a south end pedway leads directly to Saks Fifth Avenue and Hudson’s Bay and on September 16 of this year, Nordstrom will open a 220,000 square foot flagship at the north end on the same floor. 

Babaton is the latest Aritzia brand to launch its own stores. In-house brands TNA and Wilfred already operate six freestanding locations in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. The Wilfred brand will see more store locations opening in Canada this year, according to Aritiza’s Chief Marketing Officer Oliver Walsh. 

LEASE PLANS ABOVE AND BELOW ARE VIA CADILLAC FAIRVIEW

Toronto’s Babaton will be designed by Aritzia’s in-house team of store designers, according to the company. The Aritzia brand itself is seeing a substantial store expansion, which we’ll discuss soon in a separate article. 

The Babaton deal was negotiated by Northwest Atlantic Principal/Broker Dianne Lemm, who represents Aritzia in Canada. 

Founded in 1984, Aritzia’s target market is women aged 14 to 30. Much of the clothing sold in its stores are its own exclusive brands, including Auxiliary, Babaton, 1-01 Babaton, Community, Wilfred, Le Fou by Wilfred, Wilfred Free, TNA, Golden by TNA, Parklife, and Talula. Stores also carry clothing from brands such as Mackage, J Brand, Citizens of Humanity, A Gold E, Frame, Levi’s, Rag & Bone, Adidas, One Teaspoon, and Herschel.

Saint Laurent Paris to Open 1st Freestanding Canadian Store

By
Craig Patterson
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Saint Laurent Paris THURLOW STREET, VANCOUVER, ON APRIL 16 2016. PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK OF @ECO.LUX.LUV

French luxury fashion brand Saint Laurent Paris (aka ‘Yves Saint Laurent’) will open its first Canadian location this year in downtown Vancouver. The store will be located in the city’s burgeoning ‘Luxury Zone’, and will measure about 5,000 square feet over two levels. 

Saint Laurent will have the address 746 Thurlow Street, and will be located between Moncler and Prada, in The Carlyle retail complex. CBRE has been involved with leasing spaces in the Carlyle, which also includes upscale tenants De Beers and Tory Burch. Hoarding for the new Saint Laurent store went up over the weekend. 

Company representatives were in Vancouver last week, confirming that the city’s Saint Laurent store will feature the brand’s women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections, as well as accessories and footwear. Women’s fashions will be on the main floor, menswear will be located on the second level, and a basement space will be dedicated to offices/storage. Saint Laurent women’s ready-to-wear and accessory boutiques opened within Vancouver’s flagship Nordstrom in September of 2015, and a limited selection of men’s Saint Laurent fashions are carried at Leone and Holt Renfrew in downtown Vancouver. 

IMAGE: GOOGLE MAPS

When it opens, Vancouver’s 5,000 square foot Saint Laurent store will be one of the biggest in North America. Only its New York City (14,000 square feet at E. 57 Street) and Beverly Hills (10,000 square feet on Rodeo Drive) units are larger. Saint Laurent currently operates 17 freestanding and two outlet stores in the Unites States. 

Saint Laurent will join a substantial number of luxury brands in Vancouver’s expanding ‘Luxury Zone’. Directly across Thurlow Street, Strellson, Versace and Brunello Cucinelli opened stores late last year. Nearby luxury brands include Burberry, Escada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Tiffany & Co. and Dior, and opening this summer will be large licensed locations for Rolex and Stefano Ricci. French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels will join them in early 2017.  

Last month, designer Hedi Slimani made news when he exited Kering-owned Saint Laurent after completely transforming the brand’s image. Versace protege Anthony Vaccarello has taken over. 

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