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Matthew McConaughey’s “JKL” Clothing Line Launches this Fall at Sears Canada

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Retail Insider
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Matthew McConaughey's new clothing line called 'just keep livin' ("JKL")

Sears Canada will launch Matthew McConaughey’s new clothing line called ‘just keep livin‘ (“JKL”). It will be produced by Grand National Apparel Inc. The clothing line will be available in-store and online for the fall 2013 season. It was introduced in American Sears stores in February 2013.

A portion of every sale goes to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. The funds will provide after-school fitness and wellness programs for youth in Canada based on the curriculum of the just keep livin Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Matthew McConaughey, that supports after-school programs in areas that need them most.  These programs encourage young people to “improve their physical and mental health through exercise, teamwork, gratitude, and positive life choices” according to its press release.

The fashion line will include “technically-advanced fabrics, performance details and a relaxed, casual aesthetic.  Dubbed All-Journey Gear, the collection delivers versatile, active-inspired looks with functional performance fabrics that merge into good-looking, but hard-wearing apparel” (press release).

Sears Canada President and CEO Calvin McDonald states: “As we enter the second year of our three-year Transformation, working with new brands like JKL will help us improve the quality of our apparel offerings. An important part of our trading strategy is to increase our relevance with men in the 25-45 age range, and we expect that JKL’s attractive yet rugged design will help bring these customers to Sears.”

Matthew McConaughey states: “JKL stands for just keep livin. In 1992, my father moved on, and just keep livin came to be. It was about keeping his spirit alive and continuing to get incentive from the things he taught me. The tag line is a compass for me and serves as an approach to life: No matter where we’re headed, where the road takes us, what’s up ahead or what’s behind us, we’ve got to ‘just keep livin’. That’s the philosophy. It’s a big part of what we try to show the kids through our foundation and it’s the DNA of the JKL brand.”

[Source – Press Release]

[Sears Canada website]

CALGARY’S CHINOOK CENTRE TO EXPAND, AGAIN

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Retail Insider
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Chinook Centre Expansion

Calgary’s Chinook Centre is planning for yet another expansion. The south-east corner of the mall’s site will eventually be redeveloped and could include an anchor retailer as part of the expansion. The entire project would include retail, office space, a hotel and residential space. 

The redevelopment would coincide with proposed transit-friendly development around the nearby Chinook Station light rail transit (“LRT”) hub. The mall expansion, specifically, would see parking moved underground and a more ‘pedestrian friendly’ environment created at ground level.

The proposed mall expansion will go to vote by the Calgary Planning Commission this Thursday (June 6th) and we’ll let you know the outcome. We have been informed by one of our Calgary insiders that it is expected to pass, given that Calgary’s Corporate Planning Applications Group has recommended that it be approved.

Diagram showing proposed mall expansion area, as well as proposed Chinook Station LRT area redevelopment.

In September 2010, Chinook Centre saw the opening of a $277 million, 180,000 square foot expansion. The mall has since firmly established itself as Calgary’s premier suburban shopping destination. It secured the future opening of Calgary’s only Nordstrom location, which is expected to open late September 2014.  It has also scored first-rate retailers such as Burberry, Tiffany & Co. and Tory Burch. We have been following the mall’s expansion proposal for several months and we’re expecting renderings and more specific proposal information in the coming days. 

Chinook Centre is one of North America’s most productive malls. It has sales of almost $1,100/square foot and by 2016, it is expected to boast sales of close to $1 billion with non-anchor sales of about $1,200/square foot. These numbers come from this Calgary Herald article.

We’ll update you on Chinook Centre’s expansion proposal as we get more information.

[Top Image adapted from a diagram by Nordstrom]
[Chinook Station Area Plan (.pdf)]
[Chinook Centre website]

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE AND BLOOMINGDALE’S HAVE BEEN QUIETLY CONSIDERING CANADIAN MALL SPACE

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Retail Insider
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Hudson's Bay store in Toronto that was considered for conversion to a Bloomingdale's [Image Source]

We’ve received word that American retailers Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale’s have been inquiring into obtaining Canadian retail space. For example, both stores recently expressed interest in the proposed third anchor store space in a substantially expanded Oakridge Shopping Centre in Vancouver. These retailers have also made enquiries with other Canadian mall landlords.

Saks’ inquiries have been ongoing in Canada for the past 24 months, though they may cease temporarily now that the company is organizing for a possible sale. Saks could find Canadian business difficult since many of its core designer labels already have exclusivity agreements with Holt Renfrew, Canada’s answer to Saks. 

Saks Fifth Avenue would likely struggle in Canada given the popularity (and current profitability) of Holt Renfrew. Holt Renfrew’s nine Canadian stores each generate between $800 and $1000+ per square foot according to inside sources, considerably higher than most Saks Fifth Avenue stores. Holt Renfrew’s per square foot sales are some of the highest in the world for such a retailer. 

Bloomingdale’s inquiries into selected Canadian retail space began not long after its negotiations with Hudson’s Bay fell through. Hudson’s Bay had wanted to bring Bloomingdale’s concessions into Canada and had even earmarked its Yonge and Bloor Hudson’s Bay store to be converted into Canada’s flagship Bloomingdale’s store. After talks stalled, Bloomingdale’s began examining the possibility of an independent Canadian entry. Even more speculation surrounding the situation is that parent company Macy’s could look to enter the Canadian market. This could be done possibly by buying out selected mall stores from a retailer such as Sears Canada, not unlike what Cadillac Fairview did to escort Nordstrom’s Canadian entrance.

Our in-house retail analyst doubts we’ll see either Saks or Bloomingdale’s come to Canada any time soon. Meanwhile, we’ll keep an ear to the ground and report on any new developments since we’ve been told both retailers are still showing interest in Canada. 

[Saks Fifth Avenue website]

[Bloomingdale’s website]

CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL COULD SEE WALMART OPEN IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO

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Retail Insider
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Photo: Trinity

Walmart could open a store on the west side of Downtown Toronto, near the popular Kensington Market neighbourhood. The store would be part of a 125,000 square-foot proposed retail project to be built by RioCan real estate investment trust.

The complex would be three floors, and Walmart would occupy levels two and three. Underground parking for about 300 cars would also be provided.

Many feel the project is incompatible with the small-store feel of the adjacent Kensington Market area. Some have expressed concern that area shoppers will abandon the popular Kensington Market area for the new Walmart-anchored project.

Urban Planner David Fitzpatrick analysed the situation and feels Walmart won’t harm the area. In a nutshell, he believes Walmart and Kensington Market attract substantially different customers looking for substantially different products. He goes so far as to say that business in the Kensington Market area could be improved with more people being attracted to the new Walmart, and the new Walmart’s parking being used for Kensington shoppers. For David’s excellent analysis, click here.

A public meeting on the proposed development will be held by the City of Toronto’s planning department at 7:00pm on June 6th at the College Street United Church at 452 College Street.

On Monday we’ll announce and discuss two American luxury department stores contemplating Canadian retail space. Have an excellent weekend, and thank you for reading Retail Insider.

[RioCan website]

[Walmart website]

HOLT RENFREW LAUNCHES ZADIG & VOLTAIRE ON SATURDAY

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Retail Insider
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Photo: Zadig & Voltaire

On Saturday, Paris-based ready-to-wear retailer Zadig & Voltaire will open men’s and women’s shop-in-store locations inside of Holt Renfrew stores in Toronto (Bloor Street), Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal. 

Zadig & Voltaire was started in 1997 by the grandson of the founder of Lacoste. The brand’s products are in the ‘contemporary’ or ‘bridge’ price ranges. The brand has become popular and is considered to be ‘fashion forward’.

Zadig & Voltaire has stores around the world, both free-standing and shop-in-store concessions. The company has five free-standing American stores, and has shop-in-store concessions at nine American Bloomingdale’s locations. 

[Zadig & Voltaire website]
[Holt Renfrew website]

LOFT by ANN TAYLOR OPENING 4 ONTARIO STORES (INCLUDING 1 ON FRIDAY)

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Retail Insider
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LOFT by Ann Taylor @ NorthLake

LOFT by Ann Taylor will open four more Ontario locations in the coming months. The locations include:

LOFT opened its first Canadian store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre in November 2012.  LOFT will be announcing more Canadian locations in the coming months.

LOFT is considered to be a more ‘relaxed’ and ‘younger’ version of sister label Ann Taylor. Ann Taylor is a moderately upscale womenswear retailer. The United States has over 500 LOFT stores.

[Source: Press Release]

[LOFT website]

TARGET CANADA LAUNCHES dENiZEN JEANS BY LEVI’S

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Retail Insider
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Target Canada has just launched dENiZEN jeans by Levi’s. The brand is only available at Target stores and the jeans, available for men and women, are priced between $21.99 and $34.99. 

The brand has been popular with American shoppers. The jeans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, aiming to flatter customers of different shapes and sizes. dENiZEN was launched in American Target stores in 2011.

The entire line of dENiZEN jeans can be viewed on their new Canadian website: http://www.denizen.ca. The brand also has a Facebook page.

[Source: Newswire]

[Target Canada website]

[dENiZEN Canadian website]

CONRAD BLACK AND JUSTIN TRUDEAU USED FOR HARRY ROSEN MARKETING ADS

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Retail Insider
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Image: Harry Rosen

Toronto-based menswear retailer Harry Rosen is using Conrad Black and an image of Justin Trudeau for marketing purposes.

Conrad Black, convicted in American court for fraud, appears in a four-minute video on Harry Rosen’s website where he is interviewed by journalist Seamus O’Regan. They discuss Black’s new book, what Black is “bullish about”, and clothing. See the video from Harry Rosen, above.

Federal Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau is also used in a print ad for Harry Rosen. Trudeau never agreed to be in the campaign. The image of Trudeau above indicates, humorously, that Trudeau is addressing a press scrum regarding his invitation to Harry Rosen’s ‘Private Sale’.

In 2007 Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s image was used in a Harry Rosen print ad. Flaherty insisted the retailer donate to his riding and Rosen agreed.

Harry Rosen has previously used well-known persons for its advertising, including Jose Bautista, Adam van Koeverden, Christopher Plummer and Richard Branson, among others.

Image: Harry Rosen

For those unfamiliar, Harry Rosen is an upscale Canadian menswear retailer with 15 (soon to be 16) Canadian store locations. It is in the process of a major expansion that will see several stores substantially enlarged.

Feel free to comment below. Should Harry Rosen use a convicted felon for marketing? Should a celebrity’s image be used for marketing without his/her permission?

[Partial Article Source]

[Harry Rosen website]

West Edmonton Mall: First North American Retail Location for This Mobile Device Waterproofing Product

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Retail Insider
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West Edmonton Mall will house North America’s first Liquipel store, opening Thursday, May 30th. The store offers Watersafe™ liquid protection technology for mobile devices including cell phones, tablets and MP3 players. Having lost more than one mobile device to water damage, we see this concept as being extremely useful.

According to Liquipel, mobile devices can be waterproofed while customers shop the mall. A nanoscopic super-hydrophobic coating is applied to the device via a patent-pending process, according to Liquipel’s press release (see below).

Liquipel’s first North American store opens on Level One of West Edmonoton Mall, near the Ice Palace.

Below we’re re-posting the ‘About Liquipel’ section of their press release for your reference: 

“About Liquipel
Liquipel LLC is the sole owner and licensor of Liquipel (http://www.liquipel.com/), an award-winning process that uses an intelligent molecular coating to make smartphones and other devices Watersafe™ from accidental exposure to water and other liquids. Since its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012, it has won an Edison Award, a FierceWireless Fierce 15 Award, was named by Popular Science the Grand Award Winner in the Gadgets Category in the magazine’s “Best of What’s New” issue, and has also been included in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “100 Brilliant Companies” list. It is available in the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Liquipel makes us rethink how we utilize our electronic devices. By merging the latest in technology and consumer products, Liquipel creates a no-limits lifestyle free from boundaries. For more information and videos, please visit Liquipel’s website, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To contact Liquipel, LLC, email info@liquipel.com.”

[Liquipel website]

[West Edmonton Mall website]

HUGO BOSS TO OPEN AT CALGARY’S CHINOOK CENTRE

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Retail Insider
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Hugo Boss Calgary

*****UPDATE: Hugo Boss opened its Chinook Centre store on August 21st, 2013*****

Hugo Boss will open a 3,500 square foot store at Calgary’s Chinook Centre. The store will be located in the ‘older’ part of the mall, away from other similarly upscale stores that have located in the mall’s most recent expansion.

The store will be next to an existing Williams Sonoma store, as per the floorplan below. 

The store will join other upscale mall tenants including Burberry, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, Coach, Lacoste and others. These tenants are all located in the mall’s newer section.

Chinook Centre is one of North America’s most productive shopping centres with sales of $1107/square foot, according to landlord Cadillac Fairview. Mall anchor Hudson’s Bay is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation that will include new interior design and a 15,000 square foot TopShop/TopMan store. Targetrecently opened a 115,000 square foot store in Chinook Centre, and Nordstrom will open a 140,000 square foot store in Chinook Centre in the fall of 2014. 

Thank you to Retail Insider Trevor Hanlan for information on this article.

[Hugo Boss website]

[Chinook Centre website]

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