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Sport Chek Creates ‘Retail Lab’ in New Retail Concept

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Retail Insider
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Photo: Sport Chek

Sport Check is launching a new retail ‘lab’ concept that will be rolled out across Canada. This may partly be in response to increased competition in the world of sporting goods, including increased competition from Walmart and the imminent opening of Target stores. 

The first location will be in midtown Toronto. 

Rather than sum up the lengthy press release, we’ll re-post it here. It sounds like this will be an impressive retail concept that will be replicated across Canada: 

“Sport Chek Changes the Game With Retail Lab in Toronto

World’s largest sports and technology brands partner with Sport Chek to deliver “living lab” experiences at new retail concept store.

Retail lab successes will form the basis of Sport Chek’s first new flagship stores across the country

Brands including Nike, adidas, Reebok, Samsung and Infusion to test new tech tools in store

Store located at 2529 Yonge Street in Toronto, between Eglinton Ave. and Lawrence Ave.  

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2013 /CNW/ – Sport Chek, Canada’s leading sporting goods retailer and the Official Sports Store of Canada’s Olympic Team, today unveiled a game-changing retail lab. Located on Yonge Street in Toronto, the store delivers the perfect mix of great products, expert staff and next-in-class digital innovation for an unparalleled shopping experience.

Retail Strategy

Sport Chek seeks to inspire its customers to be a ‘better you’ – whether that may be looking better, feeling better or performing better in sport. Captured by the brand’s tagline: “Your Better Starts Here,” Sport Chek undertook a brand reformation in 2012 with powerful new advertising and social media strategies.Ultimately, the retail environment is the primary execution of the brand – and Sport Chek’s management believes that a fundamentally better and more inspiring retail environment can be achieved through the combination of world-class products, all-star staff and customer service and digital innovations to deliver powerful images, sound and interactivity throughout the store.Sport Chek designed the store to be at the forefront of retail and create an ongoing test and learn environment. These next-in-class retail innovations will be proven and rolled out to the Sport Chek store network starting late 2013 with new flagship stores across Canada. “Our goal with this live lab store is to test and demonstrate the latest in retail technology to deliver the same emotional rush our customers get when they are pursuing the sports and physical activities they love,” said Michael Medline, President, FGL Sports. “The store will serve as a conduit between customers and their favourite brands, it offers unparalleled levels of customization and is staffed with the strongest product category experts in the industry.””We wanted to create a store that is dynamic and has its own energy. We have built a store that matches the intense passion Canadians have for sports and the activities they pursue,” Medline added.

Digital and Product InnovationsTile, Tablet, Touch and NFC Screens:  The relatively small 12,000 square foot ‘lab’ punches way above its weight and is believed to be the most advanced digital retail space of any category in North America. With 140 digital screens installed throughout the store, it features Samsung displays with ultra-thin borders, touch technology and near-field-communication (NFC) capabilities allowing for personalized content and greater customer interaction with merchandise.Screens include new digital ’tiles’ both on the wall and custom built into tables. Traditional signage built in to the top of clothing racks now include tablets in custom fixtures showing video and still image content specifically designed for the associated products.

Shoe Wall Innovation: To complement Sport Chek’s authoritative assortment of 500 different footwear styles, adidas has installed its first permanent digital shoe wall in Canada and largest installation in North America, featuring ‘digital’ shoes on three 55″ touch screens. Each shoe contains custom digital content when selected, including product features, live twitter feeds, videos, images and interesting facts about athletes’ accomplishments while wearing that specific model of shoe.Nike has installed its first ‘Nike Shoe VJ Experience’ in the world. Featuring an entertaining 12-foot high digital wall, customers can use Nike shoes custom-built with gaming ‘controller’ technology to design art and sound with the palettes by artists James Jean and David Choe, and sound courtesy of world-renowned DJ Cut Chemist.Reebok has installed a customized, ‘build your own Reebok’ kiosk where customers can custom-build every single part of their shoe, representing limitless possibilities. The shoes are custom-built and shipped to the customer directly within four to six weeks.

Medical Motion Dynamic Gait Analysis: Customers interested in finding the perfect shoe for their sport or activity can participate in a comprehensive gait analysis in the store. Customers walk or run on a gait analysis treadmill, while being monitored by trained Sport Chek associates who can then recommend the perfect shoe.

Ski and Snowboard Innovation: As North America’s leading ski and snowboard retailer, Sport Chek’s retail lab now includes one of only three Wintersteiger Mercury automated ski and snowboard tuning machines in Canada. Customers will be able to watch their skis and boards being tuned on the most advanced machine in the world, offering razor-sharp edges and eight different available base structures. The machine can tune 30 skis or boards per hour, meaning a quick turn-around for customers.To add further customization, Sport Chek has installed a Sidas custom ski and snowboard boot insert system. Specially trained Sport Chek staff use the machine to create a 3D map of the customer’s foot which is then reflected in a boot insert that provides maximum support, shock absorption and comfort within 30 minutes.

Wilson Baiardo Racquet Stringer: Sport Chek’s retail lab includes the Wilson Baiardo Racquet Stringer, offering a precise racquet stringing tension within a decimal point of poundage in just 12 minutes. The Baiardo is used in many tour events each year, including the Australian Open and US Open.

Custom Oakley Installation: Oakley has installed a custom sunglass design kiosk. This fully interactive experience allows customers to interact with a wide variety of lens, frame, colour and logo options to create the perfect customized pair of Oakley sunglasses which are built in-store by specially trained staff in minutes.

Staff Tablets: Staff are equipped with tablets loaded with vendor content to better serve customers, with the ability to ‘take over’ the larger screens in the store to show off vendor advertising or community content.

Digital Community Board: The interactive Community Board connects customers with each other and allows them to view schedules, events, standing stats and updates from their favourite community sports leagues as well as information on fitness classes.

Interactive Escalator: Nineteen screens are installed in the wall beside the escalator with a custom-built Xbox Kinect application that follows and matches the customer’s ascent, activating a variety of themes on the screen including sports scenes, promotions and a simulated chairlift ride.

Custom Content: Sport Chek’s new ‘digital store control’ facility in Calgary produces and pushes custom content to each screen – allowing for any individual screen to be updated with new content within 12 minutes.  The Calgary-based ‘digital store control’ room will run all digital screens throughout the chain as new stores are opened with the digital innovations proven in the retail lab.

Store Front Projection: The store’s Yonge Street facade features a large-scale 5-foot x 32-foot digital projection displaying high-definition video, still images and live feeds of sporting events to anyone passing by the store. The display is driven by four high powered projectors to produce a high-definition picture visible from across the street, even in direct sunlight.

Augmented Reality: Interactive ‘augmented reality’ is being tested in the store with customers being able to access customized offers and discounts by downloading the Sport Chek ‘Scan and Save’ app for in store savings.

Wired For Scalability: Spot Chek intends to introduce and test ground-breaking and ‘next in class’ digital retail advancements in the store for years to come. Recognizing the rapid speed of technology advancements, the retail lab has been pre-wired with 5.5 km of fibre optic cable and 6.5 km of Cat6 cable in anticipation of continuous innovation and testing of new technology.

All-Star Customer ServiceStaff members at the retail lab are defined by their passion for sports and living active lifestyles as well as a commitment to providing excellent customer service. Assigned to sections of the store that match their own personal expertise, employees share in-depth product knowledge and insights from their experiences using the gear.Multimedia stories detailing the sporting lives of store employees will be featured on digital screens throughout the store, inspiring consumers and addressing product questions and expert recommendations.In addition, the store offers complimentary valet with purchases of $25 or more and concierge at the curb, taking the customer experience to a whole new level.

Partner Endorsements

Nike: “We are proud to introduce the Nike Shoe VJ at Sportchek’s retail lab in Toronto.  For the first time, we are enabling consumer to express themselves through original artwork that is inspired by the performance attributes of our most innovative products: Nike Free 3.0 and Nike Air Max 2013,” said Eric Grimes, General Manager, NikeCanada. “Nike has always been about pushing the limits of performance and self-expression, and we are excited to continue to push the boundaries of the retail experience for our consumers in partnership with Sport Chek.”

Adidas: “Our global technology team was thrilled to be involved in this truly unique retail experience that will inspire consumers to a completely new level,” said Jim Gabel, President of adidas Canada Group. “With the installation of adidas’ first permanent digital shoe wall in Canada and the largest in North America, we are proud to share our global innovations with Canadians in this one of a kind retail concept.”

Samsung: “With Samsung displays helping to power opening day, we are excited to partner with Sport Chek on this project that matches our ambitions to push the boundaries on innovation,” said James Politeski, President of Samsung Canada. “Our partnership will see best-in-class Samsung technology rolled out to amplify this amazing retail experience and really wow Sport Chek’s customers.”

Telus: “TELUS believes that connectivity and customization are the future of retail as brands strive to create new experiences for their customers,” said Joe Natale, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, TELUS. “This concept store from Sport Chek has the technology and high energy environment of a sports stadium living inside a 12,000 square foot retail lab and TELUS is pleased to have delivered the digital media solutions to help bring the Sport Chek vision to life.”

Infusion: “Infusion has been thrilled to work with FGL in creating retail digital experiences from concept to design,” said Alim Somani, President of Infusion. “The innovative experience created at the Sport Chek flagship store inToronto is a great example of a major retailer embracing the future. Through this collaboration, Sport Chek can explore the potential that digital technology provides in driving increased consumer engagement, impacting both sales and perception of the brand. We are proud to be able to complement the Sport Chek vision and add them to a growing family of world-class brands that we’ve helped break through the status quo.”

Details
Address: 2529 Yonge St, Toronto (East side, two blocks North of Eglinton Ave.)
Hours: Monday to Saturday:  9:00 AM to 9:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Design: Sid Lee Architecture

About FGL Sports
FGL Sports Ltd. is Canada’s largest national retailer of sporting goods, offering a comprehensive assortment of brand-name and private-brand products and operating more than 500 stores from coast to coast, under the following corporate and franchise banners: Sport Chek, Sports Experts, Atmosphere, Sport Mart, Athletes World, National Sports, Intersport, Econosports, Nevada Bob’s Golf, Hockey Experts, Fitness Source, and S3. FGL Sports also has websites for several of its corporate and franchise banners which can be accessed through its main website at www.FGLSports.com.

SOURCE: FGL Sports Ltd. This is the LINK to their press release. 

‘Skin Removal’ of Vancouver’s ‘Giant Toilet Bowl’ Starting Today

By
Retail Insider
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Former Sears in Downtown Vancouver

Today the exterior of Vancouver’s former Downtown Sears store will start to be dismantled for the renovation and arrival of Nordstrom, as we previously reported, as well as for offices above.

The building’s exterior panelling will be removed using an electric crane on a swing stage.  This is similar to a window cleaning stage (they say), which will lower to panels to the street level for removal. Panel removal starts with the TD plaza area and then moves clockwise, meaning panel removal will subsequently happen on the building’s Granville Street side, then Robson street, then the Howe Street side.

‘Built Form’ of Vancouver Skyscraper Forum provided this photograph, above, of the ground floor demolition of the interior of the former Sears space.

Thank you to ‘officedweller’ of Vancouver Skyscraper Forum for providing us with the update on the Pacific Centre Nordstrom project.

Vancouver’s Canada Post Building Sold to Investors for $159million

By
Retail Insider
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Image: Wikipedia

Vancouver’s Canada Post building has been sold to the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC), one of Canada’s largest institutional investment managers. The new landlord plans to redevelop the site. The building sold for $159million, according to a Land Titles Office search. 

We previously reported on an expert’s speculation that the entire block will be razed for redevelopment. These were via two interviews (links to INTERVIEW 1 & INTERVIEW 2). 

bcIMC spokeswoman Gwen-Anne Chittenden says: “Our vision is for a sustainable mixed-use development that will leverage the great transit and the nearby amenities that the site offers,” she said (to The Vancouver Sun).

That’s rather vague. We called the source to our previous articles to ask their opinion on the sale. Our source tells us that we can expect the developer to bring an application to Vancouver City Hall to have the site ‘upzoned’ for ‘maximum value’. The developer may then either ‘act on’ the density allowance by redeveloping the site or it may work out an agreement with the city to ‘transfer density’ from this site to one or more other future development sites, in return for retaining the architectural integrity of the current Canada Post building. 

A local commercial real estate broker informs us that both Target and Walmart want stores in Downtown Vancouver. The same broker says the current Canada Post site would be ripe for a redevelopment that would include at least one large retailers. Larger-format retailers have increasingly been looking for sites in Canadian city cores, as we discussed in a previous article. 

We will be watching the Canada Post Building’s redevelopment closely and will report what we find. 

Montblanc Opening Free-Standing Vancouver Store

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Retail Insider
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Photo: Montblanc

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.

Montblanc website: www.montblanc.com

Apple Trademarks its Store Design

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Retail Insider
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Apple Store - Image: http://www.patentlyapple.com

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. 

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. 

[Link to Article Source]

Target Reveals Some Labels to be Carried in Canada This Spring

By
Retail Insider
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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)

[Article Source]

Target Canada website: www.target.ca

Miu Miu Opening Toronto Store Saturday, January 26th

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Retail Insider
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Photo: Miu Miu

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. 

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]

Miu Miu website: www.miumiu.com/en
Holt Renfrew website: www.HoltRenfrew.com

Olympic Gold Medalist Ross Rebagliati to Open Canadian Marijuana Stores

By
Retail Insider
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Ross' Gold

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.“

Ross’ Gold ‘Business Model’: http://www.rebagliatigold.com/business_model.html

$230million Redevelopment for Oshawa Shopping Mall

By
Retail Insider
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Oshawa Centre (Image: Ivanhoe Cambridge)

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. 

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. 

Oshawa Centre includes the following anchor stores: 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. 

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. 

[Source: Retail Insider Gregory Huzar, who provided this press release (in .pdf)]

Oshawa Centre website: http://www.oshawacentre.com

Some Malls Will Live. And Some, Like The One, Will Be Demolished For New Ideas

By
Retail Insider
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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). 

Walmart, Capilano Mall Edmonton. Wow. Image: darrellinyvr, flickr

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. 

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. 

Capilano Mall website: THERE IS NO WEBSITE. 

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