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 24 hours.
Canadian custom clothing retailer Surmesur continues to expand its brand in Canada.
Last fall, the retailer opened its ninth showroom in the heart of Waterloo, Ontario, on King Street.
Jean-Pierre Lachance
And the brand also became the Official Suit Provider of the National Hockey League Coaches’ Association (NHLCA).
“This partnership has been a fantastic journey into the heart of professional sports styling,” said Jean-Pierre Lachance, Marketing Director at Surmesur. “It underscores our devotion to custom tailoring and personal service, ensuring every coach not only looks sharp but feels at the top of their game during every pivotal moment.”
Established in 2010 by the visionary Thériault brothers, François and Vincent, Surmesur has championed the seamless merge of tradition with innovation. The brand provides a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, allowing clients to design everything they need for their Sartorial Journey—from daily office wear to life’s most special occasions, including weddings, a particular specialty of Surmesur. Beyond its head office and flagship store in Quebec City, Surmesur has locations in Montreal, Laval, Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, Vancouver, Pittsburgh, and Mexico City.
“We might open a few stores in Mexico and obviously we’re always on the lookout for the United States,” said Lachance. “This year we also developed an on the road service across Canada. So we have a team from Quebec and Vancouver and they’re doing cities like Calgary, Halifax, stuff like that. But there’s no physical store yet. But it’s a good way for us to test those markets, meet with some people.
“We do partnerships now with military, private clubs. There’s clubs all across Canada. So we’re starting to do those partnerships. It’s a really nice way also for us to get in a city, meet the members, usually these guys have big businesses, a lot of networking, a lot of contacts. We never know. But there’s no stores that are going to be open within the next six months but we are moving Toronto. We are opening a new Toronto store in September and the first store was actually in Quebec City, it’s been here for 14 years, and we are moving there also.
“The Toronto store is going to be a more modern approach to tailoring. We are planning the construction at the moment.”
Surmesur Waterloo (Image: Surmesur)
Surmesur at the 2024 NHL All Star Game (Image: Surmesur)
Surmesur at the 2024 NHL All Star Game (Image: Surmesur)
Surmesur has dressed over 170 NHL coaches this year.
“It gives me confidence knowing I’m not just dressed in a suit, but in a suit that’s crafted to stand up to the pressures of the NHL,” said Rick Tocchet, Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks.
Surmesur said its collaboration with the NHLCA is a testament to shared values of teamwork, meticulous attention to detail, and peak performance—qualities that resonate as much on the ice as in its showrooms.
Vincent Thériault
The positive feedback from coaches has been overwhelming, ensuring that Surmesur will continue to style the NHL coaches into the next season.
Vincent Thériault, Co-Founder of Surmesur, said its new location on King Street South in Waterloo “represents more than growth. It underscores our unwavering dedication to quality.”
Surmesur at the 2024 NHL All Star Game (Image: Surmesur)
Surmesur Quebec City (Image: Surmesur)
Surmesur Toronto at 317 Adelaide St E (Image: Surmesur)
For companies like Surmesur, COVID had a huge impact. There was no networking, no weddings, no people at the office. Most of what Surmesur sells was non-existent during that period of lockdowns.
“But it was a way for us to rethink a little bit our services. We kept everyone on the payroll and it gave us time to introduce new products. An offering that is a little bit more casual. Now we can do those types of jackets also, sport shirts. We introduced the jeans,” said Lachance. “We introduced a bunch of new products now for I would say the more business casual vibe.
“Now it’s only by appointments so we can have a little less stylists and they can plan better and create a more personalized relationship with their clients. That was a big move for us because usually we were on street level and people were coming inside and asking questions. This was hard for a stylist in doing a consultation but also answering random questions by people just looking around in the store.
“We just did our best month yet last month. All stores are breaking their records. The wedding season for the past two years has been amazing. Weddings are back. Events are back. Galas are back. Networking is back. For us it’s been an amazing year. I think last year was our best year for the company. It’s great.”
The Waterfront BIA (Business Improvement Area), in Toronto, recently completed a review for public-facing commercial businesses in the popular area with a series of recommendations to turn it into a more vibrant and active part of the city.
“The key insight from our study reveals a challenge in aligning the diverse aspirations for Toronto’s waterfront, encompassing tourism, office, and residential spheres. This diversity of purpose has led to development decisions that, while well-intentioned, have not fully satisfied the needs of any particular group,” said the Waterfront Retail Review report.
“Among these decisions, we’ve observed retail spaces positioned away from main thoroughfares, lobbies in locations better suited for public retail, limited retail engagement places along the water’s-edge, retail spaces of sizes that may not be suitable for more diverse business use, uneven and inconsistent distribution of retail areas along Queens Quay, and restrictive signage and façade guidelines that complicate business visibility.
“Such decisions can impact the long-term vibrancy of the district, potentially affecting its attractiveness to tourists, office workers, and residents who are in search of a dynamic and accessible retail environment but find it hampered by the existing constraints, forcing them to go elsewhere in the city.”
Queens Quay at York (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Dorsa Alizadeh-Shabani and Oliver Hierlihy (Image: Waterfront BIA)
The report contains an overview of the current planning context and best practices relevant to the area, a built-form review of existing commercial spaces along the waterfront, research summarizing the current retail conditions of the waterfront, and the results of surveys conducted with waterfront business owners, residents, and visitors to the waterfront in Summer 2023.
“With most of the eastern waterfront under development, this report and the recommendations suggested here can be used to help inform future development planned for the area and to help future developers and business owners address the issues that are present in the western and central waterfront with the assistance of the Waterfront BIA,” said the report.
“Sample consumer journeys and resident experience sections have been developed to help guide the discussion of what factors need to be considered in the future to ensure that the right retail mix is in place to extend the customer experience on the waterfront for the multiple stakeholder groups that utilize the area.”
The report also touches on comparable waterfront districts across North America to illustrate how Toronto’s waterfront can be shaped to have a more engaging consumer-facing commercial experience.
The boundaries of the Waterfront BIA are from Stadium Road to Cherry Street along the Queens Quay corridor, with the northern boundary of Lake Shore Boulevard and the lake’s edge to the south, inclusive of the Toronto Islands as well. The BIA is funded by a special levy on commercial and industrial properties in the area.
Queens Quay West (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Tim Kocur
Tim Kocur, Executive Director, Waterfront BIA, said the BIA’s mandate is to support development of the neighbourhood as a “premier destination waterfront and make sure it’s clean, active, fun and well functioning every day and that it’s well connected to the rest of the city.”
Dorsa Alizadeh-Shabani, Manager, Operations, Waterfront BIA, said the eastern waterfront is still being developed and the BIA believes there’s still an opportunity there to have it be developed into the world-class waterfront that is envisioned – vibrant and active on the streetfront.
“We’re trying to help it develop an identity much like some of the other BIA’s around the city. Have more of a cultural identity. And we want to emphasize more on that arts and culture section, maybe to be able to help develop that into the waterfront we know it can be,” she said.
Oliver Hierlihy, Operations Director,Waterfront BIA, said the waterfront is many things to many people – it’s an office district, a tourist district, a residential district, a park district.
“With that comes the tricky question of who is this all for? That’s something we’re trying to answer a little bit through the study,” said Hierlihy.
“The big outcome is activity. Residents, visitors, office workers. People looking for things to do. That was the real outcome of the study. Reorienting our organizations towards activity to the extent of wayfinding. How do you find your way around?”
100 QQ East (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
According to the report, general principles for advocacy related to pedestrian level retail for new development plans and for on-going redevelopment include a connected waterfront providing a continuous experience:
Maximize visibility and frequency of retail and public amenity frontages along priority retail corridors to encourage continual exploration and discovery of waterfront opportunities;
Add and enhance wayfinding and signage solutions wherever possible, including for parking access and interior businesses;
Advocate for selective sizing and placement of retail spaces within new developments that considers a balance with current and proposed retail and amenities nearby, focused on a variety of uses for residents, visitors, and office workers;
Support visible connections to retail, specifically those located at the above-ground PATH network. Entranceways to the PATH should be clear from the exterior ground level of buildings.
The report said the importance of these are magnified along the high-traffic east-west corridors (Queens Quay, Water’s Edge Promenade, Harbour Street) and north-south corridors.
The report said it’s also important to maximize the vibrancy of activity and showcase the area’s best shared asset – the water:
Emphasize activity and creative usage of retail space along the water’s edge and on the water wherever possible, e.g. waterfront patios, floating patios, water-focused businesses, etc;
Focus on supporting opportunities to create more destination experience spaces that can enhance the area as a multi-element visitor experience, e.g. food halls, breweries, family- friendly activities, etc.;
Encourage support for flexible/adaptable commercial space configurations to embrace the seasonal nature of the neighbourhood, e.g. ice cream in the summer, hot chocolate in the winter;
Support the development of spaces that allow the waterfront to house arts, culture, and musical amenities, including as a nightlife destination, e.g. extended hours of operation on special event days, high-quality soundproofing of spaces, etc.;
Consider temporary activation of vacant units through early development phases, e.g. artist and exhibition spaces, pop-up retailers, etc.
“World-class waterfronts highlight activity and recreation, including engaging public spaces, programmed events and activations, and complementary businesses that serve as points of engagement and activity. In isolation, none of these tactics can significantly move the needle, but in combination, their impact can be significant. The BIA should assist in recruiting and supporting the development of these types of activations, specifically along the ground-level of the buildings along the Water’s Edge Promenade. In addition, an improvement in the nightlife activities that should be available at the waterfront will help establish a cultural identity for the area and encourage visitors to spend more time here,” said the report.
Future Starbucks at Sugar Wharf (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Amsterdam Brewhouse at 245 Queens Quay W (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Other key recommendations include:
Be intentional with the mix of retail space sizes: The use of commercial spaces is primarily defined by what the size of the retail spaces can accommodate, along with their strategic placement. For example, large units are used for grocery stores, medium units for sit-down restaurants, and small units for quick-service restaurants and convenience stores. With new developments, unit size and placement must be intentionally chosen and laid out to accommodate desired retail mix results;
Extending the shoulder seasons: Find ways to extend the shoulder seasons (Spring and Fall) by activating and sponsoring mid-season activities and installations. The dead of Winter is bad for retailers city-wide, and with the wind off of Lake Ontario, the impact of cold weather is heightened. The BIA should focus on programming and marketing to extend the season people see as acceptable to visit the waterfront into Spring and Fall by giving people a reason to come. This is of specific importance because many businesses on the waterfront are seasonal by nature, such as ice cream shops, bike rental businesses, and tour, charter and water taxi businesses that tend to close their doors in winter, when the BIA’s efforts will have limited benefit;
Utilize co-location to create hubs for visitors: The waterfront experience isn’t one thing; it is many, with anchor activity hubs such as Harbourfront Centre programming, Lighthouse Immersive shows, sports at the Rogers Centre and Scotiabank Arena, Sugar Beach, the Music Garden, and the Toronto Islands representing single trips for people coming to the area. Each of these visits serve as an opportunity to expand upon the consumer’s journey through the co-location of businesses that serve the sample demographics visiting those anchor activity hubs. An excellent example of this in practice is sports bars on the waterfront at locations near the stadiums or restaurants with patios close to the Harbourfront Centre;
Traffic and parking: Construction and traffic issues are evident throughout the neighbourhood as the area continues to grow. Many businesses mentioned that one of the main issues customers complain about is the traffic and lack of parking. This can be one of the main reasons customers do not return to certain businesses on the waterfront. The Waterfront BIA conducted a parking study using a consultant in 2020 and can advocate for better signage for parking and for the City to put temporary traffic mitigation measures in place when multiple construction projects are taking place. Services such as Traffic Agents can help with better traffic flow and extra traffic safety in the neighbourhood at times of disruptions. In addition, the need for more customer parking within the waterfront can be addressed by arranging partnerships between parking management companies and businesses to establish a parking validation system for customers who are within walking distance of certain parking lots. The Waterfront BIA can step in as a connector and an assistant to businesses to help establish such a system and support business needs in the area;
Utilize retail mix strategies to attract local customers: Having a solid mix of complementary businesses co-located can strengthen the business ecosystem. One example is locating an anchor business that brings customers to the area for necessities, such as a grocery store, pharmacy, gym or daycare, and co-locating businesses close to these that will benefit from that traffic, such as coffee shops and dry cleaners. An example of where this is being done exceptionally well is the Loblaws at Queens Quay and Lower Jarvis, where customers come to get groceries with access to convenient subsidized parking and, on the same trip, have access to a pharmacy, coffee shop, wine shop, shoe repair store, medical clinics, and clothing store. These strategies should be the focus while designing new retail spaces and modifying old ones;
Wayfinding: Better wayfinding, including maps of the waterfront, is needed throughout the area to improve the visitor experience and to guide the visitors to different sites, businesses, and activities once they are at the waterfront. Most people come to the waterfront to enjoy the lake or to visit the Islands and the parks, but once they arrive, they don’t know where to go to get to the Islands or what else to do in the area. Better wayfinding tools, even temporary ones, would be beneficial to encourage and guide visitors to explore the entirety of the waterfront;
Building relationships with brokerages: The Waterfront BIA can also work with area brokerages and real estate firms to educate property managers and landlords about what type of businesses the visitors are asking for and what seems to be missing in the area. We can emphasize the importance of drawing exciting and unique businesses to the district that will attract visitors and provide them with a memorable experience. This report can act as an advocacy tool to inform area stakeholders what the community is asking for and to highlight the value of unique consumer-facing commercial spaces that bring in visitors year-round and not just during the warmer months.
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 three days.
New Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law Photography
Vancouver-based luxury brand retail operator Vestis Fashion Group has relocated its Weekend by Max Mara storefront at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, near Vancouver. Its new main level location replaces a former store that operated upstairs for about 10 years.
The new Weekend by Max Mara store spans 1,858 square feet in a retail space boasting a 40 foot wide facade. It replaces a Michael Kors store, and neighbouring retailers include Anne Louise Jewellers, Arc’teryx, Psycho Bunny, Browns Shoes, and similar strong brands.
The Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara carries the full range of the brand’s women’s fashions as well as bags, footwear and accessories. Italian women’s luxury fashion brand Max Mara launched Weekend by Max Mara as a diffusion line in 1983 with a lower price point than the main label. Over the years Weekend by Max Mara has established itself as a brand with a loyal following of women globally.
Inside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law PhotographyInside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law PhotographyInside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law Photography
The Metropolis at Metrotown store design is described as being “reminiscent of a contemporary European home” with flooring of natural wood in two neutral shades that contrast with geometric cement tiles and checkerboard motifs. Wallpaper in the store depicts black-and-white Italian landscapes and gardens. Walls are painted a shade of teal blue and are adorned with the brand’s signature boiserie accent walls.
Vestis Fashion Group was founded in 1985 by entrepreneur Catherine Guadagnuolo. Currently Vestis has the license to operate Max Mara-branded stores in Western Canada via Max Mara USA. That includes having two Max Mara storefronts in Vancouver (by next year it will be three), and three Weekend by Max Mara stores in the Lower Mainland.
The Max Mara locations include a flagship at 3025 Granville Street just north of Shaughnessy, and a storefront at CF Pacific Centre in the downtown core. In about a year, Vestis will reopen its Max Mara store at the overhauled Oakridge Park at 41st and Cambie Streets, formerly known as Oakridge Centre. Vestis also operates Weekend by Max Mara stores at Metropolis at Metrotown and CF Pacific Centre, along with a shop-in-store within the 3025 Granville Street Max Mara location.
Inside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law PhotographyInside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law PhotographyInside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law Photography
Harriet Guadagnuolo, Vice President of Retail at Vestis Fashion Group, said that the opportunity to move stores came up after the renewal of a 10-year lease. The new store, with a wider presence, provided the opportunity to showcase Weekend by Max Mara’s newest retail aesthetic.
Over the past decade, the Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store has built up a clientele, Guadagnuolo said, which had kept the brand in the mall. Metropolis at Metrotown is one of the most productive malls in the country in terms of sales per square foot, though it’s not known to house luxury brands other than at a handful within jewellery stores. Weekend by Max Mara would be considered the most upscale mono-brand store in the mall, given the retail mix.
Vestis Fashion Group brought the Max Mara brand to Canada, and continues to operate the highest saturation of Max Mara stores of any city in North America. Vancouver is also among the top cities for sales in the world, speaking to the strength of the local client base.
Inside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law PhotographyInside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law PhotographyInside the new Metropolis at Metrotown Weekend by Max Mara store. Photo: Alex Law Photography
The next big move for Vestis in the Vancouver market will be the opening of a Max Mara store at Oakridge Park in Vancouver next year. Max Mara will join an impressive roster of luxury brands in the overhauled mall with names such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Brunello Cucinelli, Moncler, Versace, Christian Louboutin, Miu Miu, Rolex, and others. Harriett Guadagnuolo also said that Vestis could be looking at taking on another brand for the Vancouver market, as it has in the past, though we’ll have to wait to hear of any further details.
Canadian Tire store located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (CNW Group/CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED - INVESTOR RELATIONS)
Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC) has launched two innovative technology initiatives to help streamline business for the company and the consumer.
Canadian Tire’s new shopping assistant, CeeTee, is available on the Canadian Tire app under the “Tires” category and helps customers easily select the right tires for their vehicles.
CTC has also partnered with Sanctuary AI to introduce the inaugural human-like robot, known as “General Purpose Robots”, which are designed to alleviate tedious and monotonous tasks in retail stores and distribution centres so employees can focus on more valuable work.
Cari Covent
“The importance of emerging technology is really twofold. The first is that by using it and experimenting with it, we’re not just teaching our employees on how to leverage some of these emerging trends but we’re also establishing ourselves as a leader and able to get in front of some of the technology that’s coming. So that’s really important to us,” said Cari Covent, Head of AI and Emerging Technology, Canadian Tire Corporation.
“And the second thing that’s really important is that from an emerging technology perspective we really want to understand how we can use it to generate growth within our company as well as drive efficiencies. So we see AI, generative AI, as an opportunity to automate a lot of work that doesn’t need to be done by humans and it really allows them to focus on higher value work.”
“We’re one of the first in Canada to really come out with a generative AI powered, customer facing application. And we’re also using gen AI across the organization in a number of different ways. But the other thing that’s important is that the traditional AI for the work that’s been happening for years in our organization as well as in the industry around machine learning and operation research and optimization that still remains really important. A key element we believe to our success has been the investment that we’ve made in both our data platforms. We’ve invested heavily in our data platforms and our processes and our first party data as well as in our digital platforms. And by doing that over the last three to four years it’s really allowed us to move very quickly when generative AI became something that we could use in the early part of 2023.”
Image: Canadian Tire
Covent said CeeTee is an easy-to-use, AI-powered shopping assistant designed to assist customers throughout their tire shopping journey, simplifying the process of finding the right tires for their vehicles, all at a click of a button.
The CeeTee shopping assistant supports tire selection, offers real-time local inventory updates, facilitates purchases and interacts with customers in a very natural and human way.
CeeTee is available on iOS for customers throughout Canada (excluding Quebec).
“It allows customers to go in and ask questions in natural language. So very different from searching on a website and being constrained by specific rules and what’s available. It has the capability of being able to use a combination of large language models as well as our product data as well as our store data to be able to answer really any question that a customer might have related to tires and how to use those tires,” added Covent.
Image: Canadian Tire
Today, it is strictly for tires but Canadian Tire will look at rolling the concept out for other products.
“We’re very pleased at the direction it’s going so our goal now is to scale that, look at bringing in additional categories and/or doubling down on the entire automotive shopping experience. We’re just trying to determine what would be the best in terms of providing an optimal customer experience as well as return on investment. So we’re just working through that decision right now.”
Covent said the humanoid robot concept is with Canadian company Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation that is working towards developing the first general purpose robot.
“How that’s different than other robotics we might use in supply chain is that the other robotics are usually focused on single tasks. This robot can do multiple tasks similar to what a human can do,” she said. “And what makes this interesting is that eventually it will be autonomous. So no different than a human that goes into work every day at a distribution centre and has multiple different things to do in its day this robot will also have multiple different things to do and it will be able to operate completely autonomously.”
Image: Canadian Tire
Covent said there are a number of different tasks that will be developed.
“Our work with Sanctuary in this general purpose robot is not to replace the employees that we have. It’s really to help us solve for a problem that we have which is to attract employees into that type of work and also to reduce the manual labour that happens in the distribution centres,” she said.
For example, boxes will come down a conveyor belt today, down 16 conveyor belts, and a human will take the box, put it on a pallet, stock it up to a certain height then wrap the pallet completely and then it gets shipped to stores. It’s heavy and monotonous work.
“What this robot will be able to do is take that, move it onto the pallet . . . Because of the ability of the robot to be able to see where the next spot goes on a pallet, it’s not just stocking, stocking, stocking. It’s actually essentially creating that puzzle on the pallet,” she said.
“That’s one example. Another example we’re working on is picking and packing. Products are made available to pack into a tote, the robot depending on all different sizes, can pick up those products, put it into a tote, package the tote and then the tote will then get sent to a store for receiving.”
Image: Sanctuary AI
Recently, at a Mark’s retail store in Langley, BC, a robot was used for picking and packing as a pilot project. The robot has the ability to scan a label and then place it into a soft package for ecommerce shipment.
“Right now it’s not in the stores or in the DC’s. We bring it out to test it. It’s being trained in a lab in Vancouver and what they essentially do is take these types of used cases, they use simulation technology to simulate what it would be in our stores and in our distribution centres and they train the robot on that,” said Covent. “Once it’s mastered the elements of the task, then we take it into our store or into our distribution centre and we test in a real-life situation alongside humans.”
She said once Sanctuary is able to scale the robots then CTC will have the availability to put them into its distribution centres.
“It will be in the distribution centres well before it will be in a store,” she said.
“Many organizations are facing labor challenges. Our population is aging, birth rates are declining, and workers have more choice for what they do and where they work than ever in history,” said Geordie Rose, co-founder and CEO, Sanctuary AI, in a statement.
“Through our partnership with Canadian Tire Corporation, we worked on analyzing how their work was done and what work people like and don’t like doing, in both their retail and distribution center environments. In January we deployed a general-purpose robot to a retail store to attempt to perform many necessary but rudimentary tasks that people note finding unsatisfying or unfavorable. The results were spectacular. We are ecstatic to have accomplished this with Canadian Tire Corporation, one of Canada’s leading companies.”
Brooks Brothers at Royal Bank Plaza on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
On Friday liquidation sales began at Ted Baker, Brooks Brothers and Lucky Brand stores in Canada, as well as at Ted Baker stores in the United States which are owned by Ted Baker Canada. Ted Baker Canada recently obtained protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and Alvarez & Marsal has been named the monitor.
Liquidation sales began Friday at 25 Canadian locations for the three retail banners, with store closures to follow. Ted Baker Canada also operates 31 Ted Baker stores in the United States under its Ted Baker Limited Division, which are also being liquidated. Ecommerce websites for the Ted Baker and Brooks Brothers brands in Canada have already been decommissioned with a message that they are ‘under maintenance’. Emails were sent out to customers today announcing store closures and liquidations. Staff in stores on Friday told Retail Insider that the liquidation sales at Ted Baker and Brooks Brothers stores will be ongoing to the end of July, or when merchandise sells out.
Initial discounts in stores were between 10% and 30% on Friday, and discounts are expected to increase in the coming days as the sale continues for the liquidation. The company said in a press release Friday evening that all sales are final and that online shopping is no longer available “for the time being”.
Ted Baker at CF Toronto Eaton Centre on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Ted Baker at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
on May 10th, 2024) (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Ted Baker at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
On May 3, Ted Baker Canada obtained a Canadian court order approving the liquidation process, and received approval from a U.S. court on May 8 — on the same day, a U.S. Court entered an order recognizing the CCAA proceedings, giving effect to the orders of the Canadian Court in the United States.
Ted Baker expanded into the Canadian market in 2012 with a first store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The location moved to a new space in 2019 where it operates today, now under liquidation. Since 2012, Ted Baker has opened standalone stores across Canada. That includes Toronto locations at the Toronto Premium Outlets, CF Toronto Eaton Centre and CF Sherway Gardens; Vancouver stores at CF Pacific Centre and the McArthurGlen outlets; in Montreal at CF Carrefour Laval; in Ottawa at CF Rideau Centre, and in Calgary at CF Chinook Centre. Ted Baker also operates concessions in Hudson’s Bay stores in downtown Toronto, Yorkdale, downtown Vancouver, and CF Chinook Centre in Calgary.
Ted Baker women’s fashion concession on the third floor of the Hudson’s Bay Queen Street flagship store in Toronto on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Ted Baker men’s fashion concession on the fifth floor of the Hudson’s Bay Queen Street flagship store in Toronto on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
In the United States, Ted Baker Limited’s 31 Ted Baker-branded stores include a mix of full-priced standalone locations, outlet stores, and concessions within Bloomingdale’s. Stores are in major markets across the country, according to the US website.
The first Brooks Brothers store in Canada opened at 1026 Alberni Street in Vancouver in May of 2009 — that store closed several months ago. Brooks Brothers expanded over the years and now has full-priced stores in Toronto at Royal Bank Plaza, CF Shops at Don Mills and 157 Bloor Street West in Toronto, as well as a large store at The Core in downtown Calgary which opened in 2010. The brand also has ‘factory stores’ (outlets) at Vaughan Mills, Toronto Premium Outlets, the Outlet Collection at Niagara, and Tsawwassen Mills.
Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Craig Patterson)
Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Craig Patterson)
Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Craig Patterson)
Lucky Brand has stores in Canada including at the Toronto Premium Outlets, Vaughan Mills, Tanger Outlets Ottawa, Outlet Collection at Niagara, and at the Outlet Collection Winnipeg. Stores were being liquidated Friday. Lucky Brand also had a store at White Oaks Mall in London that closed in July of last year and was replaced by Bluenotes.
The Bloor Street Brooks Brothers store relocated to the former Club Monaco building at 157 Bloor Street West in February of this year — plans were in place for the store to operate there for at least a year if not more. Brooks Brothers had been located at 83 Bloor Street West before that (operating from the summer of 2022 until February 2024), and prior to that, at 110 Bloor Street West where Saint Laurent now operates its new Canadian flagship. The Brooks Brothers location at Royal Bank Plaza is said to be the largest in the company. The large downtown Calgary Brooks Brothers store is in space once occupied by Holt Renfrew, which relocated in 2009 to a much larger location.
Ted Baker at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, 2020. Photo: Philip Castleton Photography
The Yorkdale Ted Baker space is remarkable, given its location across from Apple in a luxury wing created in 2012. A luxury brand could take its place in its 4,300 square foot space, given its neighbours that include Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Celine and others. Ted Baker’s other Canadian locations are exceptional and will likely be leased quickly if they close.
Inside the Yorkdale Ted Baker store, 2020. Photo: Philip Castleton Photography
The owners of Ted Baker’s Canadian operations filed for creditor protection last month in a bid to help the retailer get enough “breathing room” to decide whether to liquidate and wind down the business or pursue other unspecified alternatives. Liquidation is now the goal as product is cleared out of stores across the country.
In court filings last month, lawyers for the ownership group OSL Fashion Canada Inc. and OSL Fashion Services Inc. said that the clothing brand was facing “significant” liquidity challenges and has been “unsuccessful” in reducing costs, improving sales and reaching positive cash flow in Canada.
In March of 2023, OSL Fashion Canada and OSL Fashion Services bought an equity interest in Ted Baker’s Canadian and U.S. operations from Authentic Brands Group (ABG)’s No Ordinary Design Label (NODL) subsidiary. The Ted Baker Canada owners had licensing agreements with NODL and ABG, whose partners pay suppliers in the Ted Baker supply chain. The Ted Baker Canada owners said that some of those payments have not been made, causing “substantial disruptions.”
Lucky Brand at Tsawwassen Mills in Delta, BC (December 2021). Photo: Lee Rivett.
NODL’s insolvency proceedings in the U.K. last month caused further problems for some of Ted Baker Canada’s suppliers to accelerate payment terms. ABG owns the Ted Baker, Lucky Brand and Brooks Brothers brands.
Additional Photos from Brooks Brothers Royal Bank Plaza
Brooks Brothers at Royal Bank Plaza on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers at Royal Bank Plaza on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers at Royal Bank Plaza on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers at Royal Bank Plaza on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers at Royal Bank Plaza on May 10th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Photos from Brooks Brothers Bloor Street
Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 12th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 12th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 12th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 12th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 12th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Brooks Brothers on Bloor Street on May 12th, 2024 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
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 24 hours.
Recently, the new Cleo store concept was opened at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg as the retailer continues expanding its brand.
It’s also expanding its combination stores which highlight both the Cleo and Ricki’s brands.
Dave Nerada
Dave Nerada, President of both brands owned by Parian Logistics, said at the end of April, there were 214 total stores in the chain, including 109 Ricki’s locations across Canada and Cleo had 75.
“We’re in the process of opening eight locations over eight weeks. We opened the Coquitlam store. We just did the new beautiful Cleo concept store. We’ve got Oakville Place then Eastgate Square, The Core, King’s Crossing, Londonderry, Windsor Crossing, Seaway and ending with Avalon. We’re calling it our eight in eight plan,” said Nerada.
“We continue to look for more markets to grow. Right now everybody is uncertain about retail. There’s a lot of retailers that are pulling back. What I’m looking for is how do I move forward? How do I continue to make a presence inside of the market? How do I continue to re-engage a customer? Because it’s customer acquisition.
“There’s the old format where we focus digitally but we also focus physically. And for me brand awareness and connection to brand is through a person that stands with you in a store. I can go out in the world and say anything I want digitally. I can take the best pictures in the world, I can craft all the best stories but at the end of the day the best way for me to connect with you as a customer is physically through a person who stands in a box. Having the two things work perfectly together.”
Cleo at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg (Image: Cleo)Cleo at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg (Image: Cleo)
Nerada said many retailers over the last few years moved away from brick and mortar and focused on digital implementation and online business.
“And they’re starting to revert back because what they’re realizing is the customer wants both. She wants to understand who you are online to make her life a lot easier but she wants to stand in the store and physically connect with you as a brand,” he said.
“To me the future is about creating more continuity and consistency between the physical and the digital shopping experience because I do think there’s some great markets in some smaller markets in small towns that have a great customer base that want to be able to interact with you as a brand. Yes they like online shopping but they also want to be able to experience who you are as a brand.
“While a lot of retailers have moved away from some of these markets, I want to go full force into some of these markets and continue to connect with people.”
Ricki’s Coquitlam (Image: Ricki’s)Ricki’s at CF Polo Park (Image: Ricki’s)
The expansion includes three new Cleo stores, not including the Polo Park location. Two are combination stores of both Ricki’s and Cleo.
Currently there are 17 combination stores in Canada. There’s also 17 Ricki’s and Bootlegger combinations for the parent company.
“One side of the stores is one of the brands and the other side of the store is the other side of the brand. We do this when we see we have a good complement of customers within a specific centre and if you have a larger square footage footprint and you can’t get a secondary store then it becomes a great opportunity for us just to give the customer the opportunity of the assortment,” said Nerada.
There’s one entrance to the combination stores but it depends on the location how that footprint is utilized. It’s a way for the companies to continue to grow the store base.
“Ricki’s is very much a younger demographic that is a wear to work. We focus in on a lot of career-focused work with an elevated version of casual. The way that we describe Ricki’s is very much an approachable fashion for customers at a really great value,” explained Nerada. “So if you look at the assortment collection we’ve got great dresses, we’ve got great blazers, beautiful blouses, some wovens and knits, really focusing on that customer that is 25 to 45, 50. We have a huge program for educators. Teachers. It’s very much that career focused customer. We don’t believe you have to offer a product to a customer for an incredible amount of money. If you look at giving somebody a great first price point on great product that’s the basis in which we’ve focused our strategy for Ricki’s and especially after the pandemic.
“I’ve been with the business for two years now and I’ve known Ricki’s in the retail industry because Ricki’s just celebrated 85 years and it’s always been a wear to work destination. It’s always been career focused.
“Cleo is a little more of a mature customer. For her, she’s probably 50 and above who is fashion minded. She understands who she is and what she is as a fashionable person. So for Cleo it’s really about curation of little pieces to complement your current wardrobe. Very similar in the sense that we see the customer moving from Ricki’s to Cleo as she progresses through her journey of life. The fits are different. But Cleo does a really great business in petites. Petites in Canada is a really great under-serviced market because it’s any woman that is five foot four. They do a good job of framing the fit.”
Cleo at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg (Image: Cleo)
Nerada said that when the new Cleo was designed, the retailer focused on creating miniature boutiques so the customer could see how the collection would come together instead of a commodity base.
Some retailers today have areas with all specific clothing together.
“We really wanted the customer to feel like it was their own little mini shop and like a boutique within the store itself,” added Nerada.
Ricki’s Flagship in Langley, BC (Image: Ricki’s)
Ricki’s Flagship in Langley, BC (Image: Ricki’s)
Ricki’s Flagship in Langley, BC (Image: Ricki’s)
Store Openings (Dates subject to change)
April 13th – Ricki’s at Coquitlam Centre in Coquitlam, BC
April 27th – Ricki’s / Cleo at Oakville Place in Oakville, ON
May 4th – Ricki’s / Cleo at Eastgate Square in Stoney Creek, ON
May 17th – Cleo at The Core in Calgary, AB
May 25th – Cleo at King’s Crossing in Kingston, ON
June 1st – Bootlegger / Ricki’s at Londonderry in Edmonton, AB
June 1st – Bootlegger at Windsor Crossing in Windsor, ON
June 8th – Ricki’s Cleo at Seaway Mall in Welland, ON
Retailers in Canada have some serious work to do to rebuild trust and demonstrate their commitment to both ethical practices and community well-being. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Although it may be rooted in legitimate grievances, the campaign behind the posters is illegal and fails to achieve its intended objective. Instead of fostering meaningful change, it risks undermining social cohesion and the economic stability of communities.
Canadians are frustrated
The motivation behind both the posters and the boycott stem from growing frustration with rising grocery prices, often attributed to “greedflation” — a term describing how corporations leverage inflation to raise prices and bolster profits.
The misconception that large corporations like Loblaws can simply absorb losses from theft without consequence is a significant misunderstanding fuelling the calls for theft as a form of advocacy. A CTV News segment about the posters promoting theft from Loblaws that began circulating online at the end of April.
These actions can unintentionally harm the very communities the organizers aim to help.
The misguided Robin Hood mentality
Another common self-justification for shoplifting from large retailers stems from the perception of redistributing wealth — from the affluent to the less fortunate. This Robin Hood mentality, while seemingly noble in intent, fails to account for the significant adverse consequences inflicted upon employees and honest consumers.
These groups face the brunt of the repercussions as businesses, in response to losses, are compelled to increase prices and reduce the quality of services in an effort to bolster security measures and mitigate financial damage.
This approach to social justice, by focusing on immediate redistribution, ignores the broader implications such actions have on the community. The direct impact on businesses is just one aspect. The ripple effects extend deeply into the lives of everyday individuals who rely on these businesses for their livelihoods and services.
Moreover, this kind of mentality perpetuates a cycle of distrust and economic hardship rather than alleviating it. By undermining the rule of law and societal norms, such actions foster an environment where dishonesty becomes normalized, and mutual trust— the foundation of any stable community — is eroded.
Rather than achieving any meaningful poverty reduction, this misguided attempt at social justice often leads to tighter community divisions and heightened security environments that serve as deterrents to the welcoming, open nature of community spaces.
Rethinking corporate accountability
It is important to note that while the goal of addressing economic inequality is valid and necessary, the means of achieving it through acts of theft under the guise of wealth redistribution is counterproductive. It does not bring about true social justice but instead entrenches the very disparities and distrust it seeks to eliminate.
To genuinely assist those in need, it would be more effective to engage in sustained advocacy for systemic change, support community-enhancing initiatives, and participate actively in democratic processes that aim to reform the structures perpetuating economic inequality.
Galen G. Weston, Chairman and President of Loblaw Companies Limited, holds a folder containing a discount flyer as he waits to appear as witness at the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food investigating food price inflation in Ottawa, in March 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
The growing frustration with corporate practices certainly warrants attention and highlights a call for action. However, the endorsement of theft as a method of protest is overshadowed by more effective and ethical accountability measures.
Those seeking change might consider engaging in constructive dialogue, supporting businesses committed to ethical practices, or advocating for legislative reforms. For instance, the House of Commons committee is urging major retailers like Loblaw and Walmart to sign a voluntary grocery code of conduct. This code seeks to ensure transparency and fairness in pricing and supply chain practices. These methods provide avenues for expressing concerns without breaching ethical, legal and social boundaries.
By championing transparency and pushing for reforms, consumers can influence business operations in a more meaningful and law-abiding manner and make a significantly stronger case for change.
These approaches address grievances and promote a fairer economic system by upholding principles of justice and equity without resorting to actions that undermine the very communities they aim to uplift.
Rebuilding consumer trust
It is clear that large grocery retailers, including Loblaws, must engage in serious reflection and proactive measures to address consumer outrage about the cost-of-living crisis. Retailers need to address the root causes of public discontent stemming from perceptions of corporate irresponsibility and economic disparity.
Retailers can strengthen their relationships with the communities they serve by initiating dialogue with consumers and local leaders to better understand and address their concerns.
This proactive approach can be the way to go to discourage destructive actions like retail theft and promotes a more harmonious relationship between large corporations and the communities they serve, ensuring long-term sustainability and community support.
