The Body Shop Canada enters new era as 100% Canadian, founded in Britain

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August 21, 2025

The Body Shop Canada has entered a pivotal new chapter with its acquisition by Serruya Private Equity.

And the brand has unveiled a focused strategy to expand its Canadian retail footprint, reimagine in-store experiences, and deepen connections with Canadian consumers.

“Being Canadian-owned allows The Body Shop Canada to move with greater agility, tailoring our approach to meet the values and expectations of Canadian consumers,” said Michael Roden, President of The Body Shop Canada. “With the support of a strong executive team, I am proud to be guiding The Body Shop Canada into this new era. Our focus is on creating immersive experiences, both in-store and online, that reignite passion for the brand and welcome the next generation of customers.”

Today, The Body Shop Canada operates 64 stores nationwide and is investing in an enhanced
omnichannel strategy. Since January 2025, the brand has opened two new locations in Ontario at
Sherway Gardens and Lime Ridge Mall and will debut a flagship store in Vancouver’s Pacific Centre in
early November 2025. A new store has opened in CrossIron Mills in the Calgary area. New store designs feature skin consultations, interactive product discovery zones, and community-driven spaces.

“As part of its growth plan, The Body Shop Canada will introduce new collections alongside its hero products, beginning with the launch of the premium Spa of the WorldTM, Sweet On You Mist collection, limited-edition Sugar Pumpkin, and many more exciting products to come. While proudly Canadian-owned, all products will continue to be developed and manufactured in Europe, ensuring consistent global quality and ethical sourcing standards. These launches mark an important opportunity to deepen connections with loyal customers and attract new audiences, reinforcing the brand’s position as an ethical leader in the Canadian beauty market,” said the company.

The Body Shop first entered Canada in 1980, opening its inaugural store in Toronto. In March last year, The Body Shop Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of the global beauty brand with 105 stores across the country, announced it had commenced restructuring proceedings by filing a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Make a Proposal pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada). It will be closing 33 Canadian stores, it said at the time.

In an interview with Retail Insider, Roden said The Body Shop has been in Canada for more than 45 years.

“It has a loyal, a loyal customer and we want to obviously continue to stay connected with that customer. But where we have an opportunity is to be able to connect with the next generation, the younger generation, whot heir parents bought from The Body Shop when they went to university or they went to college. So I think the one opportunity is definitely through our products. We are obviously testing some new product that will be looking at the younger audience,” explained Roden.

“I think number two, definitely there’s an opportunity for us to be more seen in different places, like some of the initiatives that we’re working on. We’re already in Shoppers Drug Mart. We are expanding our brand through third party business outside of just our core business. Shortly we will be launching on Amazon Canada. We have reinstated the online business that was shut down more than a year ago.

“So really we have an opportunity to really make The Body Shop more accessible and convenient while continuing to build on a legacy of ethical, sustainable, product and cruelty-free beauty. We want to live by our values, but we have an opportunity to be expanding.

“And, obviously being now Canadian owned, we also have the opportunity to really speak to our Canadian audience, our core audience here where in the past a lot of the direction came out of the UK. Still the product is out of the UK. We take direction from them but really we are our own business now, so it’s really up to us on how we want to tailor the business through the marketing, through the product and through the customer experience in our stores.”

Roden said the brand still look at retail brick and mortar as an important part of its business, but it’s also open to having diversity and diverting certain parts of the business into new channels

The company was founded in 1976 in Brighton, England by Dame Anita Roddick. Since its beginning, The Body Shop said it has been a pioneer of ethical beauty, offering high-quality, innovation-led skincare, body care, haircare and make-up made with natural, fairly traded ingredients from around the world.

Roden is a seasoned executive in the retail industry who has previously served as CEO of Thrifty’s Inc. (division of YM Inc.), leading large-scale store rollouts, brand repositioning, and operational turnarounds.

“Roden brings deep expertise in market-specific strategy, omnichannel growth, and operational excellence, with a focus on integrating customer experience across physical and digital platforms to drive sustained growth,” said the company.

Roden has been with The Body Shop Canada February 1 when he was brought in to be a consultant to help with the reorganization of the brand. In early June, he became President of the brand.

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Canadian retail remains resilient despite tariffs and HBC closure: CBRE

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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August 21, 2025

Gastown April 24 2023 Water Street Lee Rivett — Iconic Former Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) Warehouse on Water Street in Gastown in downtown Vancouver in April 2023. Photo: Lee Rivett

A trade war and the closure of Hudson’s Bay haven’t spelled widespread problems for the Canadian retail industry. Instead, according to CBRE’s new H1 2025 Retail Rent Survey, retail fundamentals have continued to hold up and perform remarkably well amid the challenges.

Retail deals are taking longer to close but are still getting done, although with greater scrutiny. Tenant demand remains healthy with leasing activity seen in almost all sectors, particularly health and wellness, fitness, grocery and restaurants. And while consumers have tightened discretionary spending, they continue to make purchases in a more intentional manner, said the report which was released on Thursday.

“The long-term trajectory remains positive,” said CBRE Senior Vice President Alex Edmison. “Canada’s population continues to grow and, save for HBC-anchored shopping centres, supply of quality retail space remains constrained.

“We anticipate vacancy will remain low into the foreseeable future and rental rates for quality properties will continue to appreciate at a modest rate. The space left by HBC will take some time to be leased but we are seeing healthy levels of interest and leasing activity around most locations.”

Here are some other takeaways from CBRE’s Retail Rent Survey:

There continues to be a marked slowing in rental rate appreciation across the country. Rent growth was recorded in just 16 of the total 120 retail format types or key urban areas tracked in the survey.
Four of 11 markets reported no change in rents over the last six months.
Unenclosed community centres experienced escalating rents in four markets, the most of any retail format, followed by neighbourhood centres, with increases in three markets.
While most focus has remained on suburban sites, urban retail nodes are still experiencing demand and interest. Four key urban retail nodes across three markets noted increased rental rates.

Here are the most active retailers and growing segments for 2025, according to CBRE:

• Health & Wellness – Strong growth is being driven by evolving consumer preferences that prioritize holistic wellbeing. Demand comes from fitness gyms, fertility centres, cosmetic enhancement clinics, preventative medicine, and traditional health practitioners. Recent deals include Equinox’s third location in downtown Toronto and Evolve Strength’s new flagship at The Post in Vancouver. Momentum is coinciding with office landlords repurposing underutilized podium levels. Large-format HBC spaces are also emerging as attractive options for these tenants.

Restaurants – Faced with eroding margins and profitability, restaurant operators are increasingly favouring second-generation space to save on high construction and fit-out costs. Urban landlords are taking on some of these expenses through tenant allowances for extensive buildouts. Suburban markets are seeing robust restaurant activity especially where they can capture all-day traffic from morning to late night. With consumers being more conscientious of their spending, overall experience and atmosphere are huge drivers for the restaurant sector.

Big Box – Big box vacancy across the country remains low, with major players such as TJX, Value Village and Canadian Tire taking most prime locations. Availability of box space will increase in the second half of 2025 and into 2026 with HBC units hitting the market. There is strong interest in most of these locations, however most will take time to absorb as landlords re-align the spaces to match the long- term vision for their shopping centres.

Some of the notable retail trends CBRE has identified to watch for in markets across Canada:

Vancouver – Anchor tenants, apparel and QSR continue to drive demand throughout the region with the likes of T&T Supermarket, Fitness World, Adidas and Diptyque leading the charge. Former Hudson’s Bay stores, representing 1.0 million square feet across Metro Vancouver, present great opportunity.
Calgary – The daycare rollercoaster continues with the Province of Alberta now limiting the number of licenses being approved for for-profit groups. This has not slowed demand. Despite often significant renewal rate increases most daycare tenants are renewing, with some spaces coming back to the market where tenants cannot afford recalibrated rents.
Toronto – Toronto’s retail leasing landscape has been robust with new deals occurring in food and beverage, fashion and luxury and contemporary fashion segments. Quality space is in short supply and rents continue to appreciate in the hottest nodes. Yorkdale continues to welcome first-to-market entrants. The latest is Gentle Monster, a Korean eyewear label. In Bloor-Yorkville recent entrants include Luca Faloni, Loro Piana and Eleventy. Brands continue to flock to the area.
Ottawa – There has been a small increase in availability in quality power centres, community and neighbourhood plazas. Rents continue to remain high with minimal inducements offered by landlords. An increasing number of 5,000-20,000 square foot spaces are becoming available with greater difficulty in finding new tenants with typical users in this size range citing caution due to tariffs and other economic uncertainty. Entertainment based users are the most interested in pursuing spaces of this size.
Halifax – Supply remains relatively limited for both existing and new product, with strong demand coming from food and beverage tenants. Retail plazas with onsite parking are experiencing robust levels of demand. Limited supply and little turnover within these centres have meant that any vacancy that pops up is quickly backfilled.

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RioCan’s National VP of Leasing shares strong outlook for retail amid tight market conditions

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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August 21, 2025

Retail leasing across Canada continues to show strength, with high occupancy and growing demand from necessity-based and traffic-driving retailers, according to Moshe Batalion, Vice-President of Leasing – National at RioCan.

Asked to provide a national perspective on leasing, Batalion emphasized market tightness and minimal new supply. “The current market conditions remain tight. The market remains a very competitive market. We’re seeing rents continue to rise just given that very little retail is being built.”

When asked about new construction, Batalion confirmed, “New construction for the most part is muted.” This, he added, is “across the country.”

On the development front, RioCan is focused on ongoing projects rather than new builds. “Brand new projects? No. We’ve got out in Calgary East Hills,” he said. “We’ve built out a number of phases and we’re working on building out a few other. There’s a lot of demand in that project particularly.”

In Ontario, the company is seeing similar traction. “We’ve also got a project in North Oshawa called Windfield Farms. We built out about 350,000 square feet already. And again, much like East Hills, a lot of interest in us building more there.”

When asked about which segments are showing the most growth, Batalion pointed to staples. “Right now the necessity-based retailers, basically groceries, pharmacies, banks. We’re seeing a lot of expansion there. And those are really the tenants that we’re focusing on.”

He added, “And then you’re also seeing, you the traffic driving tenants, like fashion, home goods, fitness. Definitely. There’s a lot of appetite from those tenants.”

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are also making waves. “QSR drives a lot of traffic,” said Batalion.

Asked about regional differences in strength, Batalion was clear: “I think right now all pockets are, are extremely strong. If you look at our occupancy rate, we’re at an almost an all-time high. We’re 97.5, and so all markets are kind of in that 97 and above occupied.”

Recently, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust announced it was cutting financial ties to five properties held in its joint venture Hudson’s Bay.

Those properties were the Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, Ont., Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto, the downtown Calgary HBC store, and the Carrefour Laval and Promenades St-Bruno locations in Quebec.

On the topic of the ongoing situation regarding HBC properties, Batalion kept within the bounds of public disclosure.

“With us being in front of the courts right now, I really can’t say much other than what you know, has already been disclosed on our earnings call.”

However, he did add: “We will only allocate capital to those buildings where we can demonstrate an acceptable return on investment. My team is actively pursuing backfill solutions for several of the locations that are already in the RioCan operating portfolio. But given the expertise of my team and the strength of our relationships with the retail tenants, we’re well positioned to secure suitable replacement tenants for those properties. And there is considerable interest.

“I can also say that those rents that were paid by HBC were well below market.”

Batalion also pointed to a major industry shift worth watching: the plateau of e-commerce. “The one thing we have seen is that e-commerce has plateaued, really making retail a hybrid of online and physical shopping. Tenants have realized they now need to expand their physical locations alongside their digital presence. So I think that is a key and very important to our business right now.”

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Tahini’s founder Omar Hamam shares entrepreneurial journey from Egypt to Canadian shawarma success

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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August 21, 2025

For Omar Hamam,, the path to business ownership wasn’t linear but it was driven by persistence, family, and a fascination with how things work. Now the founder of the fast-growing Tahini’s restaurant chain and Alex Food Service, Hamam’s story begins far from the bustling kitchens of his London, Ontario-based enterprise.

“I was born in Windsor, Ontario,” said Hamam. “And I went to school in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I’ve been living in London since 2011.”

A graduate of the University of Manitoba with a degree in business, Hamam didn’t initially set out to be a restaurateur. “I was in engineering for about four years and I was almost done.I hated engineering. I wasn’t a good one for sure,” he said. “I always knew I had an admiration for business owners. To me, this is like taking me to a candy shop. I love seeing how a business works and hearing the stories of how people started their business.”

The shift from engineering to business wasn’t just academic. It meant breaking with family tradition. “My dad’s an engineer, a professor at some point. He has his PhD in engineering, and half my family are engineers,” said Hamam. “In Egypt, the mentality is kind of like, okay, you have to have a good profession. You have to be either a doctor or an engineer. I kind of broke the norm in the family there.”

After graduating, Hamam worked briefly in banking and insurance. “The first job I got was Wells Fargo Bank, doing cold calling for consolidating debts. That was horrible. I lasted less than maybe five months.” He moved to Egypt in 2006 and began working in real estate. But it wasn’t long before a craving from his Winnipeg days sparked a business idea.

“Do you know Slurpees?” Hamam asked. “Winnipeg is known to be the Slurpee capital of the world. I used to drink a lot of Slurpees in Winnipeg. When I went to Egypt I thought, what if I started a business doing Slurpees in Egypt?”

That idea led to meetings with Pepsi and Coca-Cola, negotiations for branded equipment from Italy, and a pilot project in a top Cairo movie theatre. “I launched the first Slurpee in Egypt. It was doing great,” said Hamam. But ultimately, the business climate didn’t suit him. “I couldn’t really manage my way in Egypt. A lot of politics, just a different way of doing business.”

He sold the business and returned to Canada, determined to do things his own way. “When I came back, I decided I didn’t want to work for a company anymore. I love business. I want to do something for myself. I was just looking for a business for months.”

That search led to the purchase of a Middle Eastern shawarma restaurant in 2011. It was busy and successful, but Hamam saw a bigger opportunity. “I didn’t think the name was franchisable,” he said. “I read the book Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc from McDonald’s. I thought what if I can do something like that?”

He studied the stories of major brands, McDonald’s, Subway, Wendy’s, and Burger King, and began developing his own concept. “I needed to open another concept and make sure it’s not just a one-off,” said Hamam. “If I was going to use other people’s money, I’d better be able to bet my own money on it.”

That led to the birth of Tahini’s. “I came up with the name Tahini’s and I opened my first location,” he said. “The first six months I was doing very small sales like $600 a day, which is really, really bad.”

But he stuck with it, and by the end of the first year, “I was doing the same numbers as the first restaurant. That was awesome.”

Franchising was always the plan, and Hamam knew it required infrastructure. “The second step is I need to come up with a franchise agreement and an operations manual,” he said. The first franchise was opened in 2020.

He launched Alex Food Service, named after Alexandria, Egypt. “I needed a commissary kitchen to make all the proprietary items,” he explained. “I started going out and approaching restaurants. I got maybe like seven accounts in the first month.”

That dual business model helped support expansion. “Right now, (Alex Food Service) doesn’t just deliver to Tahini’s, but it delivers to a lot of restaurants as well.”

Tahini’s is a unique, category leading quick service restaurant group founded in 2012 and currently operating 60 locations across Canada, in addition to operating Tahini’s Kitchen within select FreshCo locations, a Sobey’s banner, and offering a selection of Tahini’s retail packaged products through select grocers. The brand has been fueled by nearly 2 billion views across all of its social media channels and is preparing for rapid growth across Canada and internationally.

Reflecting on the challenges, Hamam points to the early days as the hardest. “Nobody knows your name. You can’t get real estate because landlords don’t know you. It’s hard to find franchisees.” But persistence paid off. “I never took no for an answer. If you’re a landlord, for example, I can call you a hundred times all day, every day until you say yes.”

Another edge? Marketing. “We had a lot of followers at YouTube, TikTok, Instagram. We went viral. That really helped us with franchisees and having customers before we already opened.”

From Slurpees in Cairo to shawarma in Southern Ontario, Hamam’s journey proves the power of determination, adaptability, and betting on yourself.

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FatFace to Shutter Canadian Stores Amid Global Shift

By

Craig Patterson

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August 21, 2025

FatFace-NOTL-LoRes-Int-Ext-03-30-2023-Mike-Black-PhotoWorks-dot-com--2500x1666 — FatFace in Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario. Photo FatFace

UK-based clothing and lifestyle retailer FatFace has confirmed it will close all of its Canadian stores this year, marking the end of the brand’s short-lived expansion into the country. The decision comes as part of a broader retreat from brick-and-mortar retail in North America, with the company also shutting down its U.S. stores.

The closures affect approximately 145 jobs across the United States and Canada. FatFace cited economic uncertainty and rising operating costs as the driving factors, calling the physical store model “unviable” in the region at this time.

FatFace entered the Canadian market in 2023 with high hopes, initially opening three stores in Ontario—Niagara-on-the-Lake, Barrie, and Newmarket. Later that year, it launched a Toronto Distillery District pop-up and an outlet location at Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills. By the end of 2023, the brand operated five locations in Canada, with plans for additional stores that never materialized.

The company sought to appeal to Canadian consumers by tailoring products to the market, including maple-leaf motif sweatshirts. FatFace also secured retail spaces in tourist-driven and high-footfall areas, aiming to replicate its lifestyle-driven approach from the UK.

Despite this effort, the stores will now all close permanently, leaving Canadian shoppers with only online access to the brand.

FatFace in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario (Image: GTA General Contractors)

FatFace Moves to Digital-Only in North America

While FatFace’s Canadian and U.S. storefronts will close, the brand confirmed it will maintain online shopping for North American customers. This follows a growing trend among international retailers consolidating their physical presence while expanding e-commerce operations.

FatFace will continue to operate its 175 stores in the United Kingdom, where it has a stronger foothold and long-standing customer base. Since being acquired by British fashion giant Next plc in 2023, FatFace has been integrated into Next’s digital infrastructure, giving the brand a more scalable online platform.

The company has also announced plans to grow its international online reach, exploring entry into additional countries through e-commerce rather than physical retail.

FatFace’s Brand Identity and UK Strength

Founded in 1988 in Méribel, France, FatFace began as a T-shirt brand for skiers before growing into a full lifestyle retailer offering clothing, footwear, accessories, and even pet products. Today, its customer base is largely driven by womenswear, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of its sales.

The brand has positioned itself as a casual, outdoorsy alternative to traditional fashion retailers, with an emphasis on sustainability. FatFace achieved B Corp certification in the UK, reflecting its commitment to ethical and sustainable practices.

This strong reputation and established physical presence in the UK may help shield the company from the difficulties it faced in North America.

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BGO Acquires Mississauga’s Rockwood Plaza

By

Craig Patterson

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August 21, 2025

image - 2025-08-20T185200.317 — Rockwood Plaza in Mississauga. Image: BGO

Global real estate investment manager BGO has acquired Rockwood Plaza, a more than 300,000-square-foot grocery-anchored retail property in Mississauga. The transaction was completed on behalf of the Prime Canadian Property Strategy, underscoring the firm’s focus on high-quality assets with strong long-term potential.

Located at 4141 Dixie Road, Rockwood Plaza sits on 23.7 acres at the busy intersection of Burnhamthorpe and Dixie Road. The site benefits from excellent connectivity, with direct access to Highways 401, 403, 427, and the QEW, as well as close proximity to both the Dixie GO Station and the Mississauga Transitway.

Anchored by National Retailers

Rockwood Plaza is currently 95% leased and features a tenant mix that reflects long-standing stability in the local market. The property is anchored by Food Basics and supported by well-established national retailers such as Winners, HomeSense, Shoppers Drug Mart, Dollarama, and three major banks.

The centre has built a reputation for tenant retention, with many relationships extending more than two decades. The open-air format, with most tenants operating from exterior entrances, highlights its appeal as a convenient neighbourhood retail destination.

Simon Holmes, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for BGO Canada, said the acquisition aligns with the repositioning goals of the Prime Canadian Property Strategy.

“Rockwood Plaza not only provides a stable income profile and significant future development optionality given its urban location and favourable zoning, it also showcases the strength of BGO’s vertically integrated platform,” said Holmes.

BGO will undertake an active asset management plan, focusing on selective capital improvements, tenant engagement, and strategic leasing. These initiatives are designed to enhance long-term value while maintaining the plaza’s role as a strong community hub.

BGO’s Growing Presence in Canada

BGO, also known as BentallGreenOak, is among the most significant players in Canadian commercial real estate. The company, formed through the 2019 merger of Bentall Kennedy and GreenOak Real Estate, manages approximately $89 billion USD in assets globally as of June 2025.

In Canada, BGO maintains a deep presence through its BGO Properties division, one of the country’s largest property managers. The firm oversees more than 25 million square feet of industrial real estate nationwide and has expanded investment strategies across industrial, multifamily, retail, office, and hospitality sectors.

Recent initiatives include a Canadian Value-Add Strategy, which raised C$247 million to focus on growth areas such as industrial and multi-residential assets in major markets including Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, and Montreal. The firm has also broadened into technology-related infrastructure with acquisitions of data centres in Montreal and the Greater Toronto Area.

Rockwood Plaza and Mississauga’s Retail Landscape

Mississauga has long been one of the most active suburban retail markets in the Greater Toronto Area. With strong population growth, a robust employment base, and transit expansion, the city remains attractive for retail investment.

Rockwood Plaza stands out as a strategically located, grocery-anchored retail centre, a category of real estate that has proven resilient even amid evolving shopping patterns. The strength of daily-needs anchors like Food Basics, combined with a lineup of destination tenants, positions the property as a reliable performer in BGO’s growing Canadian portfolio.

For BGO, the acquisition of Rockwood Plaza is a clear demonstration of its intent to secure high-quality, income-producing retail assets in markets with long-term growth potential. The integration of its in-house property management, operations, and leasing teams ensures that Rockwood Plaza will benefit from the firm’s vertically integrated model.

As Holmes emphasized, the acquisition reflects a dual focus on stability and future growth: “We are uniquely positioned to enhance performance and deliver enduring value for our investors.”

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Tariffs Blamed as Canadian Food Inflation Outpaces CPI

By

Sylvain Charlebois

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August 21, 2025

image - 2025-08-20T183945.294 — Grocery store checkout. Image: Pond5

Food inflation has returned as a problem for Canadian households. According to Statistics Canada, food prices rose 3.3% in July, outpacing overall inflation by 1.6 percentage points. Unlike past cycles, this spike cannot be blamed on volatile global markets. The cause lies much closer to home — in our own policy decisions.

Coffee prices surged 28.6%, confectionery 11.8%, and fresh fruit 3.9%, with grapes alone up nearly 30%. Since March 2025 — when Ottawa ended the GST holiday that had distorted winter data — food inflation has exceeded the overall CPI by an average of 1.4 points. A large part of this gap stems from the counter-tariffs imposed on essential imports, many of which lack viable domestic substitutes.

Two facts reinforce this conclusion. First, the cost of major agricultural inputs — wheat, soybeans, and corn — has been stable in recent months, as has the Canadian dollar. Second, food operates on razor-thin margins. A 10% tariff can destabilize an importer; Ottawa has applied tariffs of up to 25% since March. For many firms, this is an impossible burden to absorb without passing costs directly to consumers.

In March, Canada became the only country other than China to retaliate against U.S. tariffs with counter-measures. This strategy, a holdover from the Trudeau era, was framed as a show of resolve against the “tariff tyrant” in Washington. Some still defend it, but the evidence suggests cheaper, less painful options were available.

While U.S. food inflation fell to 2.9% in July — three months after America’s so-called “Liberation Day” on April 2 — Canadian food inflation rose by 0.4 points from June. Nothing suggests this trend will reverse soon. Many expected U.S. food inflation to spike once pre-tariff inventories were exhausted. It didn’t happen. America’s larger, more productive economy, supported by diversified supply chains, absorbed the shock. Canada, one-tenth the size with far less flexibility, simply cannot.

There’s a reason only China and Canada chose to respond with counter-tariffs: such policies weaponize the cost of living, but against one’s own citizens. The July data confirm this. Canadian consumers are paying the price at the checkout.

Meanwhile, Ottawa is collecting billions in tariff revenues. No information has been released about how much has been raised or how those funds will be used. Mark Carney, for his part, clearly understands how damaging grocery tariffs can be — which is why, since taking office, he has resisted adding new ones.

Yet for many consumers, grocers remain the most visible target of blame. For Prime Minister Carney and his government, this reflex is politically convenient: it distracts from the true cost of tariff policy. But the reality is far more complex.

One can only hope that the government will eventually level with Canadians and acknowledge how counter-tariffs at the grocery store hurt Canadian consumers, rather than clinging to the “elbows up” mantra.

The latest inflation numbers underscore the point.

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Chatters Launches New Beauty Chair Services

By

Craig Patterson

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August 21, 2025

Chatters on the lower level of CF Chinook Centre. Photo: Jessica Finch

Chatters Hair Salon, Canada’s largest salon-based retailer, has launched a new concept called the Beauty Chair, an express-service station offering a curated menu of beauty treatments designed to complement traditional salon services. From professional ear piercing and brow laminations to lash lifts, tinting, and waxing, the Beauty Chair adds a new dimension to the customer experience by allowing multiple treatments to be booked in one convenient appointment.

“The launch of the Beauty Chair introduces a new level of personalized service to our clients,” said Kelly West, CEO of Chatters Hair Salon. “By offering professional ear piercing alongside brow, lash, and waxing treatments, guests can enjoy salon-quality results across multiple beauty categories in a single, convenient appointment, reflecting our mission to evolve with client needs while delivering elevated self-care.”

Partnership with Revive7

The debut of the Beauty Chair comes with a strategic partnership with Revive7 Beauty, a Canadian brand known for its science-backed lash, brow, and hair products. Revive7 is the first Canadian lash serum company to offer a globally health-approved formula and has built its reputation on clean, cruelty-free, and chemical-free innovation.

“Our partnership with Chatters represents an exciting evolution for Revive7,” noted Lauren Spencer, Founder of Revive7 Beauty. “We’ve always been committed to making high-performance, clean beauty accessible, and with Chatters’ incredible network and loyal customer base, we’re bringing our most beloved products to a new generation of beauty lovers across Canada.”

Through the partnership, select Beauty Chair services now include Revive7’s Lash Serum, Brow Serum, and Volume Mascara. These essentials are available with lash lifts, brow laminations, and tinting services, creating opportunities for customers to experience performance-driven results firsthand.

To mark the launch, Chatters is introducing special pricing for its Brow Wax & Tint combo service, available at participating salons until the end of October. The company is encouraging customers to book online or through local salons while promoting the new concept on social media channels such as Instagram, where behind-the-scenes content and client transformations highlight the services.

A Leader in Canadian Hair and Beauty

Founded in 1991 in Red Deer, Alberta, Chatters has grown into a national brand with 118 locations across Canada as of August 2025. The company relocated its headquarters to Mississauga, Ontario, and now employs more than 1,200 stylists and over 2,000 staff nationwide.

Chatters’ service offering includes haircuts for all ages and genders, colouring services, treatments for damaged hair, and barbering. Every cut includes a wash, scalp massage, blow-dry, and style. With the addition of the Beauty Chair, Chatters now offers an expanded express menu of brows, lashes, waxing, and piercing, strengthening its position as a one-stop destination for beauty care.

Retail and Sustainability Commitment

In addition to in-salon services, Chatters is also a leading retailer of professional beauty products, carrying more than 2,500 SKUs across over 70 brands, including Redken, Olaplex, Moroccanoil, and Pureology. Approximately 60% of its business comes from retail sales, with the remaining 40% from salon services.

The company emphasizes sustainability through its Style Consciously program, offering vegan-friendly and cruelty-free products while recycling up to 95% of salon waste through a partnership with Green Circle Salons. Its “Beauty Has No Boundaries” initiative also reflects a commitment to inclusivity, with genderless pricing, private room services in select locations, and a focus on welcoming all customers.

Backed by ONCAP since 2015, Chatters has continued to expand nationally, with a focus on enhancing both customer experience and retail innovation. Its new Beauty Chair concept is part of a broader strategy to remain competitive in Canada’s evolving beauty sector, positioning the brand as a leader in combining professional services with retail excellence.

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Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For August 21, 2025

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Retail Insider

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August 20, 2025

News at a Glance

Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 48 hours.

Home Depot announces tariffs may soon impact Canadian stores (CTV)

Retailer Claire’s signs deal to sell much of North American business to U.S. firm (The Canadian Press)

U.S. orange juice shipments plummet as Canadians find Florida OJ hard to swallow (CBC)

Grocery and drugstore retailer Loblaw completes four-for-one stock split (The Canadian Press)

Inflation cools, except at the grocery store (CBC)

Canadian retail rents steady thus far in 2025 (REMI Network)

Bonnis Properties Sells Granville-Robson Retail Complex For $140M (Storeys)

‘We Can’t Compete’: Small Grocer Shutters as Maxi Moves In (The Rover Montreal)

Sports apparel store seeing Riders merchandise flying off the shelves (Discover Moose Jaw)

A community of stalls: Why Edmonton loves farmers’ markets (Edmonton Journal)

Costco opens its first fresh sushi counter in the GTA amid stiff competition for quick meal options (CTV)

Thornbury boutique wins big at ‘Oscars of lingerie’ (Collingwood Today)

Toronto’s Flying Books marks 10 years of flight (Quill and Quire)

Style App Teams with Cadillac Fairview for Personal Styling

By

Craig Patterson

-

August 20, 2025

image - 2025-08-20T150824.080 — Photo: The Style App

Personal styling is finding a new home inside Canadian shopping centres, thanks to a national partnership between The Style App and Cadillac Fairview. The collaboration is bringing in-person and digital fashion expertise to malls across the country, offering shoppers a convenient way to access professional stylists directly through their local Cadillac Fairview property.

For Linda Stamko, founder and CEO of The Style App, the partnership marks a turning point. “We were super excited about our partnership with Cadillac Fairview. I just can’t stop beaming,” she said in an interview. “It’s like a dream come true.”

The Style App, which launched in March 2020 at the height of the pandemic, was created to connect Canadians with stylists both in-person and online. Despite the challenges of starting during COVID, Stamko built a platform that has now positioned itself as Canada’s first in-person styling app, with stylists available in every major city.

Blending Technology with Human Expertise

The platform is simple to use. Clients download The Style App, select their city and mall, and choose from a roster of stylists whose profiles and rates are listed within the app. Sessions can be booked in-person or virtually, with options for closet edits and mall shopping experiences.

Rates are tiered: Red Carpet Stylists, with 10 or more years of experience and high-profile credentials, are priced at $180 per hour, while Expert Stylists, with a minimum of five years’ experience, are available at $130 per hour. All in-person sessions require a two-hour minimum.

“We’re really happy because we are the very first in-person styling app, and we are all across Canada,” Stamko explained. “I think that’s what Cadillac Fairview saw in us — we can offer this service nationwide, with stylists who know each mall and understand their local demographic.”

Cadillac Fairview’s Nationwide Rollout

The Style App is now active in Cadillac Fairview shopping centres from coast to coast, including major properties such as Toronto Eaton Centre, CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa, CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver, and CF Chinook Centre in Calgary. In total, the service is rolling out across 16 Cadillac Fairview malls.

At Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre, the partnership officially launched on June 30, with visible marketing integration. Shoppers can find QR codes on digital directories that link directly to The Style App booking page, while promotions are also featured in newsletters and mall advertisements.

“The engagement has just been overwhelmingly exciting,” said Stamko. “If you go into the mall right now, you’ll see the QR codes and our promotions. Cadillac Fairview has been an incredible partner. They really see the value we’re bringing to their clients.”

While the app is designed to be independent of specific stores, Cadillac Fairview’s retailers are already seeing benefits. The Style App incorporates stores directly into styling sessions, boosting visibility and sales while offering customers a more curated shopping experience.

“Retailers love it,” Stamko noted. “We’re showcasing their stores through videos and social media, and shoppers are booking styling sessions that naturally lead to purchases. It’s really a win-win.”

Cadillac Fairview is also encouraging mall-wide contests. At CF Rideau Centre, shoppers can enter to win a $100 CF SHOP! card through Instagram promotions tied to The Style App.

James Jefferson: From Red Carpets to Canadian Malls

For Ottawa-based stylist James Jefferson, who works as a Red Carpet Stylist with The Style App, the partnership is a return to his true passion.

James Jefferson

“I started in my career in fashion design and styling quite a while ago. I was lucky enough to get hired by Marlen Cowpland, and later I had the pleasure of dressing the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean,” Jefferson explained. “I’ve been working in fashion on and off for about 25 years.”

After running a marketing agency for more than a decade, Jefferson returned to fashion through The Style App. His work today blends online and in-person styling sessions, often beginning with a virtual wardrobe review before moving to mall-based shopping appointments.

A recent client, a government employee, began with a closet edit via video call. The next day, Jefferson took him shopping at CF Rideau Centre to build on what he already owned. “Because we had the closet edit, I was able to help him add the right pieces, show him how to mix patterns and colours, and even help him find a wedding outfit for a trip to Italy,” Jefferson said. “It’s a really rewarding process.”

Personalization as a Competitive Advantage

The collaboration comes at a time when Canadian shopping centres are working to differentiate themselves and offer experiential services to draw customers back into physical spaces. Cadillac Fairview has been at the forefront of such efforts, investing in everything from dining precincts to premium services.

“The truth is, people want to look good,” Stamko observed. “When they feel confident in the clothes they wear, it transforms their shopping experience. That’s what The Style App provides — it’s more than just shopping, it’s about building confidence.”

By embedding personal stylists within its malls, Cadillac Fairview is aiming to offer something that e-commerce cannot replicate: tailored, in-person expertise delivered by professionals who understand local markets.

Growth Ambitions Beyond Canada

While the immediate focus is on deepening its Cadillac Fairview partnership, The Style App has longer-term ambitions.

“My goal right now is to really nurture this partnership,” Stamko said. “Cadillac Fairview actually wants to grow with us, so that’s where my energy is going. But longer term, I want The Style App to dominate the Canadian market and then look to expand into select cities in the United States.”

She added that the Canadian identity of the brand resonates with shoppers. “Because of tariffs and the current market climate, people love that we are Canadian stylists working in Canada. They don’t see us as a U.S. company trying to dominate the space. That really matters right now.”

Looking Ahead

With its Cadillac Fairview partnership, The Style App has positioned itself as a pioneer in merging digital convenience with in-person retail engagement. For Jefferson, the impact is immediate and personal. “You get to meet a lot of great people,” he said. “Helping them feel good, confident, and ready to take on the world, that’s the best part of what we do.”

For Canadian malls, the collaboration is about creating meaningful connections with shoppers in an increasingly competitive environment. As Stamko put it: “It’s a match made in heaven. Shoppers love it, retailers love it, and Cadillac Fairview sees the value in it.”

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News at a Glance

Style App Teams with Cadillac Fairview for Personal Styling

Blending Technology with Human Expertise

Cadillac Fairview’s Nationwide Rollout

James Jefferson: From Red Carpets to Canadian Malls

Personalization as a Competitive Advantage

Growth Ambitions Beyond Canada

Looking Ahead

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