Montblanc will open its first free-standing Vancouver store this spring at 717 Burrard Street. It will replace the Ports1961 store that closed December 2012, which we previously reported.
This will be Montblanc’s second free-standing Canadian location. Montblanc has a store at 151 Bloor St. W in Toronto.
We have been informed that Montblanc would also like to open a Calgary location. We will update you when we get more information.
Ports1961 women’s fashion will now be available in Vancouver in The Room at the Downtown Hudson’s Bay store.
Thank you to ‘daveraver’ of Vancouver Skyscraper Forum for confirming that the Montblanc ‘opening-soon’ displays are in the windows of 717 Burrard. The representing brokerage for this deal was CBRE Vancouver.
Apple has trademarked its store design. Apple stores are some of the world’s most productive retail spaces featuring unique retail environments. So unique, in fact, that Apple Stores were granted an American trademark for their design.
The late Steve Jobs once stated “Unless we could find a way to get our message to customers at the store, we were screwed.” It appears their store experience is now protected.Â
The US Patent & Trademark office granted the retailer’s trademark on January 24th 2013 based on its “Distincitve Design and Layout”. The trademark was granted in ‘both colour and black-and-white’. Further details are provided in the images posted to this article.
Target has revealed some designers and labels it will carry in Canada this spring. These include:
1) Roots Outfitters – mens, womens, children and toddlers clothing, to be carried March-to-June, 2013, 2) Kate Young – a women’s collection available April 14-May 31, 2013, from the NYC stylist, 3) Up and Up – a wide range of products with ‘minimalist’ packaging, somewhat comparable to the Loblaw’s label ‘President’s Choice’, 4) Shaun White – fashions from snowboarder Shaun White, 5) Nate Berkus Collection – bedding and bathroom accessories, 6) Sonia Kashunk – cosmetics, 7) Giada de Laurentiis – cookwear from the Food Network celebrity, 8) Archer Farms – a ‘premiere’ grocery line like Loblaw’s ‘Black Label’ line and 9) Market Pantry – a lower-cost grocery label not unlike the Sobey’s/IGA label ‘Compliments’ or Loblaws brand ‘No Name’.
Readers can click the links above to see some of the labels and merchandise on Target’s American website (except for Roots Outfitters and Kate Young, both temporary labels not yet on Target’s website).
This roster of labels will be exclusive to Target in Canada. Label exclusives, when executed correctly, can build store loyalty if popular. We have been told that Target plans to “come out punching” with its Canadian arrival, according to a social source at Target corporate head office.
Update: After we published this article, Target confirmed the following designers will also be carried (via this source):
-C9 by Champion (active wear) -Cherokee (children’s clothing) -Circo (children’s clothing) -Liz Lange for Target Maternity -Merona (men’s/women’s clothing) -Mossimo Supply Co. (young men’s and women’s clothing -Mossimo Black (women’s clothing) and -Pixi (beauty label) -Threshold (home furnishings)
Canada’s first Miu Miu boutique opens Saturday, January 26th inside of Holt Renfrew at 50 Bloor St. W. in Toronto. It will be located at the eastern-end of the ground-floor of Holts alongside other accessories boutique in the store’s ‘handbags hall’. We previously reported on its opening.
We have included a photo that Holt Renfrew posted on their twitter as a ‘teaser’ for Saturday’s opening.Â
Holt Renfrew management has informed us that they are not aware of any other Miu Miu locations opening at any other Holt Renfrew stores. [Source]
Ross Rebagliati, the Canadian Olympic gold medallist professional snowboarder, will open Medical Marijuana retail franchises in Whistler BC, Vancouver and Toronto. Locations have yet to be determined, and we’ve been told their ‘flagship location’ will open in Whistler this spring after the Canadian federal government privatizes the medical marijuana production industry.
The franchise’s brand will be called ‘Ross’ Gold’, and Robagliati forecasts that the franchise could make millions. A third-party business partner assisted with preparing this through market and product analysis.
Readers may remember the 1998 Olympic controversy surrounding Rebagliati after a blood test showed he had THC (the principal cannabinoid of the cannabis plant) in his blood. He was allowed to keep his gold medal, and Rebagliati maintained that the THC readings were from second-hand smoke. His latest business venture makes us wonder.
To quote his company’s ‘business model’: “The Canadian Government is only now privatizing the medical marijuana industry, and the company intends to build traction and revenues through the sale of legal retail items before other players enter the marketplace. This will give the company a competitive advantage while the application processes are vetted out by the government. Ultimately, the company intends to successfully apply to become a medical marijuana producer and build a franchise model to license stores throughout Canada.When and if marijuana is decriminalized in Canada like it has been in the American states of Washington and Colorado, the opportunity would also exist for the company to become a government licensed supplier to the general public.“
Oshawa Centre (Oshawa, Ontario) will expand and renovate at a cost of $230million. The mall will expand by 75,000 square feet and renovate 185,000 square feet of current mall space. When done, the mall will be about 1.25million square feet and will have 60 new retailers.
Construction starts this summer and is expected to be finished by Spring 2016.Â
According to landlord, Ivanhoe Cambridge, these are the ‘project details’:
Over 60 new retail concepts, including two additional large format retailers
New 1,000-seat, sophisticated food court
New main entrances on the east side
New and updated entrances on the west side
Upgraded seating area elements, including floor and ceiling treatment
Fully renovated washrooms with modern upgraded finishes
The mall was build in 1956 and currently has 230 stores under about 1.1million square feet. It has the largest ‘Boathouse’ store in Canada.Â
Oshawa Centre includes the following anchor stores:Â A 122,624 square foot Hudson’s Bay store, a 123,281 sq ft Sears store and anchors including Staples, Chapters, Old Navy, H&M and Sport Check. An 89,000 Target store will open in a former Zellers location, opening date to be announced.Â
Renovation rendering. Image: Ivanhoe Cambridge
Ivanhoe Cambridge appears to be in an expansion and renovation mode. We previously reported on its expansion of Vaughan Mills in the suburban Toronto area. As per our article this morning, malls are changing and only the ‘best’ Canadian malls will survive.Â
[Source: Retail Insider Gregory Huzar, who provided this press release (in .pdf)]
In the next decade, Canadians are going to see some of our shopping malls torn down. They may be replaced by new retail/multi-use concepts, or be replaced by entirely new uses. Today we’ll mention Edmonton’s Capilano Mall and its proposal to eliminate its interior mall space and replace it with ‘big-box retailers’.
Edmonton’s Capilano Mall is a mediocre shopping centre (we’re being generous in our description) located in the Eastern portion of the city. Yelp reviews give it ONE STAR (LOL!). Anchor tenants include Walmart and a Safeway grocery store. The mall was built in 1967 and is about 300,000 square feet (the size of a large suburban department store). The interior decore inspires yawning and its landlord could market it as a cure for insomnia.
Capilano’s landlord obviously realized this and is spending $11million to eliminate interior corridor retail and replace it with larger stores surrounded by parking. We think this is also uninspired but it might make the landlord some money in the shorter-term, not to mention bring some new retail to an area of Edmonton that may be somewhat underserved by larger-format stores (at least compared to other parts of the city).Â
We’ve become interested in the ‘future of malls’. Some of the best will survive into the next decade. We think many will fail. Edmonton’s Heritage Mall, for example, was razed and replaced by a massive multi-family residential development. Numerous American malls have been demolished to the point that a website has been dedicated to the concept.Â
We’ve been inspired to create an analytical article on the future of North American malls. Expect a post in the near future, once we’ve had time to compile some research materials and consult with some commercial real estate experts.Â
Walmart will build at least 37 Canadian supercentres in the next year (‘Fiscal Year’: between February 1st 2013 and January 31st 2013). The estimated cost of this expansion will be about $450million. Impressively, nine supercentres will open in Canada this Friday, January 25th.
Walmart will also expand its Canadian distribution network to support its recent expansions. Walmart says this expansion will create 7000 temporary and full-time jobs. It is clear Walmart is serious in staying competitive with retailers like Target, slated to open its first Canadian stores in March.
Walmart will open a total of 73 Canadian stores in fiscal 2013. The company plans to continue opening 35-40 Walmart supercentres in Canada every year. Walmart will have a total of 388 Canadian stores by the end of January 2014. Walmart employs almost 95,000 people in Canada.
Walmart will also be opening smaller ‘urban Walmart’ stores in Canada. We will follow this up with an article in the coming days.
Target’s Canadian stores will have merchandise, on average, more expensive than that in American locations. It’s an unfortunate reality of a geographically large country with relatively high import tariffs and a comparatively small population.
A study by Field Agent Canada for The Globe and Mail shows Walmart’s Canadian prices are, on average, 23% higher in Canada than in the US. In the US, Walmart’s prices are only about 0.5% less than Target. We can likely expect Target’s prices to be similarly higher when it opens its first Canadian stores in March.
Target’s answer to higher Canadian prices is that it will be a ‘unique experience’, offering differentiated merchandise (including designer collaborations) and experiential interiors that will keep Canadians coming back. Time will tell if this will be successful.
So Canada: Will you shop at Canadian Target stores if their prices, on average, will be 23% higher than in the US? Or will you cross-border shop (or shop online) for bargains?
Holt Renfrew’s discount concept hr2 will open its second Canadian location at Toronto’s Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. It will be located at the current ‘Holt Renfrew Last Call’ store currently on site, and be about 28,000 square feet. Holt Renfrew Last Call will close permanently to be replaced by hr2.
Holt Renfrew Last Call will close February 2nd so renovations can begin. The new hr2 will open April 2013.
