New Retailers at CF Rideau Centre in Downtown Ottawa to Increase Foot Traffic [Interview]

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July 19, 2023

Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre, operated by Cadillac Fairview, has added three new retailers to its tenant mix in the heart of Canada’s capital.

Uniqlo, Arc’teryx and Imaginaire are expected to increase traffic to the downtown shopping centre.

“While the retail landscape continues to evolve, one thing that remains constant is Ottawa being a unique and dynamic market for retailers to launch their brands, both regionally and nationally,” said Brian O’Hoski, General Manager of CF Rideau Centre.

“We’re proud of our successful track record of attracting first to market retailers and helping our retail partners succeed, and look forward to building on this positive momentum.

“Bringing an international retailer like Uniqlo to Ottawa gives them an introduction to a new market, people here are familiar (with it) but they have to travel to Montreal or Toronto, and now being in the city is a huge win for us and for the city.”

UNIQLO at CF Rideau Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

The Ottawa shopping centre is about 1.2 million square feet with about 180 stores. O’Hoski said the mall is about 90 per cent leased.

Cadillac Fairview said the Imaginaire store is the first outside of Quebec for the retailer and it will open in the fall. It will be the brand’s seventh store, which offers board games, puzzles, books, pop culture items and collectibles (coins, sport cards, trading cards). Imaginaire will be located on Levels 3 & 4 of the centre and occupy over 20,000 square feet.

Imaginaire Construction Hoarding at CF Rideau Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Global retailer Uniqlo made its highly anticipated debut in the Ottawa market this month with a 15,000-square-foot store on the centre’s third floor. The Japanese fashion brand is known for its casualwear and wide selection of graphic tees. The opening at CF Rideau Centre is part of the brand’s five-year expansion plan across North America.

Vancouver-based lifestyle brand Arc’teryx also opened their first location in Ottawa at the centre this past month. The 3,000-square-foot store is located on Level 2 of the centre and features premium activewear and sports equipment for shoppers of all ages.

O’Hoski said Arc’teryx was a quick backfill on a former Nike location which moved within Rideau Centre to another spot which was triple in size. The Uniqlo store is in the former Victoria’s Secret space. The Imaginaire space is unique where “we actually punched in the escalators and an elevator up into the fourth floor. So the retail entrance will be on the third floor of the shopping mall in the expansion but the bulk of their space is actually above in the fourth floor that was formerly a theatre space from a long time ago. It wasn’t being utilized,” he said.

“We had to make a lot of moves to get these big spaces available,” added O’Hoski. “We’re in really good shape and deals are continuing to roll in.”

lululemon at CF Rideau Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Vacated Nordstrom at CF Rideau Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

The shopping centre is also working on ideas of what to do with the 150,000-square-foot space vacated by the departure of Nordstrom from the Canadian market.

In the past year retailer lululemon also tripled its footprint at the centre.

In December 2022, Cadillac Fairview announced the evolution of CF Rideau Centre with the commencement of construction of the Rideau Registry residences, a 288-unit residential rental building integrated with the shopping centre.

Wholly owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, CF manages more than $42 billion of assets across the Americas and the United Kingdom, with further expansion planned into Europe and Asia. Internationally, CF invests in communities with like-minded partners, including Stanhope in the UK, Lincoln Property Company in the U.S., and Multiplan in Brazil.

The company’s Canadian portfolio comprises 68 landmark properties, including the Toronto-Dominion Centre, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Tour Deloitte, CF Carrefour Laval, CF Chinook Centre and CF Pacific Centre.

Cadillac Fairview’s first residential rental project in Canada, The Rideau Registry, is a 288-unit building seamlessly integrated with CF Rideau Centre, Ottawa’s largest and busiest shopping mall. (CNW Group/Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited)

The Rideau Registry Construction at CF Rideau Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Rideau Street in Ottawa, Ontario (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

CF Rideau Centre is located in the heart of downtown Ottawa, minutes walking distance to the popular Byward Market, pedestrian-friendly Sparks Street, the Chateau Laurier Hotel and the Parliament buildings.

Every major city in Canada these days has been facing challenges with their downtowns with issues around safety, drugs and homelessness a major topic of discussion. Ottawa is no exception.

“Ottawa I think is no different than our other major markets that we operate in. The government worker in the past has offered so much stability in terms of their employment levels and their work and with them being a little later on the return to work we’re a little behind in terms of traffic,” said O’Hoski.

“I think that’s kind of stirring up or popping up what you’re seeing in terms of the social unrest and the homelessness and drug use. We’ve been having to make some (security) changes and updates and do things a little differently to ensure the safety and security of our centre and our shoppers and our tenants. But nobody’s got the answer for this. We’re looking around at ways of fixing these issues and returning downtown to its glory.”

Upscale Boutique/Spa Concept ‘Etiket’ Embarks on Expansion with Toronto Location and Plans for Further Growth Across Canada

By

Shelby Hautala

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July 19, 2023

Etiket Boutique in Montreal (Image: Etiket)

Etiket, a Montreal based boutique and spa, has expanded and renovated its Montreal location, is going to open its first location in Toronto, and has plans to expand in Canada.

The spa, which opened twelve years ago, is known for its luxury skincare treatments, beauty, fragrances, and has world-class spa treatments.

“Skincare treatments, fragrance, make-up – all in one location. There is really nobody like us,” says Simon Tooley, the Founder and President of Etiket. “Over the years we have evolved and although there are similar places, there is still nobody that wraps it all up like we do and when we started we were really the first to do it.”

The Montreal spa, located at 1826 Sherbrooke Street West, was originally 1,400 square feet and has been expanded to 3,300 square feet. The new renovated space was designed by Alexandre Blazys and Benoit Gerard of BlazysGerard and includes two new treatment rooms, four in total. The new space also allows for new areas to solely focus on make-up, skincare, fragrances, and also has a new reception desk.

“We were bursting at the seams in terms of our skincare and we just couldn’t handle it all and now we have a much bigger space. We have two dedicated areas for makeup, which we never had before and then I think one of the biggest things for us is expanding our fragrance to be about 1,000 square feet. So there is no one like us in Canada that does what we do when it comes to fragrance, we do niche brands from all over the world and we really take people on a journey.”

Etiket Boutique in Montreal (Image: Etiket)

Etiket offers a variety of services including SkinCeuticals treatments, HydraFacial treatments, Oxygen Treatments, Environ Facials, Pai Skincare Facials, body treatments, and makeup application. The renovated Montreal location also has four treatment rooms, where one is focused on Tata Harper treatment – “one of only three in the world.”

“We talk a lot about selfcare, but that is what our customers come to – they want a holistic approach. So we start them in the treatment room and then continue with our skincare. We are one of three spas in the world that do Tata Harper treatments, so that is a spa room dedicated and designed by Tata just for us.”

In terms of fragrances, Etiket offers forty different perfumes from all over the world such as Creed, Parfums de Marly, and Maison Francis Kurkdjian.

“When I first launched our fragrance section, everyone thought I was crazy. Since then, we have become a destination for perfume aficionados from across the country. Our skincare customers also love that they can explore the world of scent while they shop for their essentials. Finding a fragrance is a very personal journey, and we approach it with the same care and expertise as do our clients’ skincare needs. Shopping for perfume at Etiket is an adventure unlike anything else.”

To go beyond just offering spa and skin treatments, Etiket takes the time to teach its customers about skincare routines, fragrances, and teaches how to apply makeup. Tooley says they do this because the team wants to prioritize helping customers reach their end goals.

Etiket also offers a unique loyalty program which allows consumers to gain points for rewards, free shipping over $75, and fifteen percent off on your birthday. The more you spend, the higher reward the consumer receives as it has four different program options. The retail industry is starting to see a new shift of in-house loyalty programs offering personalized rewards like this one to consumers across Canada.

New Toronto Location Coming Soon and Future Growth

Etiket Rendering at The Well (Image: Etiket)

After looking for a location in the city for years, Tooley says Etiket will be opening its second and largest store in The Well, which will hopefully be opening this upcoming November.

Etiket will be on the second level of The Well and will be 6,500 square feet. The space is designed by Montreal’s SAJO to provide a unique retail experience not seen before. The space, like Montreal, will be both a store and a spa.

As the space is much larger than Montreal’s location, this new space will have six different treatment rooms including one by Dr. Barbara Sturm which will be the first in Canada and another Tata Harper treatment room which will be the fourth in the world after the one at Etiket in Montreal. Along with the services offered at the Montreal location, the location at The Well will offer customers new services.

“We are all about building relationships, and to be in a regular mall has no interest to me at all. But within this environment where we know we have people living upstairs from us or people who are there working on a day-to-day basis, it allows us to continue with our manifestation which is really creating that bond.”

Tooley says in terms of expansion, he is looking at possibly opening four more locations within the next five years. The focus would be to add another location in Toronto and then focus out West such as Vancouver and Calgary.

Ali Fieder Baker, Vice President at commercial real estate firm Avison Young is handling Etiket’s Canadian real estate needs.

Online Experience & New App

In addition to the in-store shopping, spa services, and skincare treatments, Etiket also offers online shopping with shipping throughout Canada. Luckily for people in Montreal, Tooley says they are working on a same day delivery system and are looking to offer the service in Toronto as well once the new location opens.

Etiket also has upgraded its app as it switched to Shopify last year. The app allows consumers to easily browse products, shop, and order.

“We want to be the Canadian destination for beauty. There is really nobody else who is doing this across the country and that is where we would like to go. Relaunching our app is a big part of our business and we just want to make it easier for consumers who are looking to replenish their skincare products.”

Additional Images from the Montreal Boutique

Increasing Retail Monopoly Power Poses a Threat to Canada’s Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery [Op-Ed]

By

Retail Insider

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July 19, 2023

Canada is currently grappling with a significant economic issue: market concentration. A select few corporations dominate key sectors, leading to reduced competition, rising prices and limited purchase options for consumers.

Canada’s grocery industry is a prime example of this. A recent report from the Competition Bureau found that a lack of competition in the grocery sector is resulting in higher food prices.

The grocery industry is dominated by five major players — Loblaws, Metro, Empire (the owner of Sobeys), Walmart and Costco. These five companies account for over three-quarters of all food sales in Canada.

The Bureau recommended four policies to encourage competition in the sector. These include establishing a grocery innovation strategy, encouraging new independent and international players, introducing legislation for consistent unit pricing and limiting property controls.

While independent grocery chains could be a viable alternative, they don’t occupy as large a presence of the market as they do in other countries. The Canadian grocery market is heavily concentrated and limits the ability of independent chains to compete by forcing them to purchase their products from larger chains.

History of monopolies

Hudson’s Bay at CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Photo by Dustin Fuhs

Canada’s economy has historically been marked by notable monopolies, thanks to its vast geographical expanse and relatively sparse population.

Entities like the Hudson’s Bay Company and Canadian Pacific Railway company played significant roles in the country’s development. This largely happened out of concern that domestic companies would be overwhelmed by American competitors unless they grew significantly.

Recent trends indicate this phenomenon is not only persisting, but intensifying. While Sobeys, Loblaws, Metro, Costco and Walmart dominate over 60 per cent of the grocery sector, Bell, Rogers and Telus command about 89 per cent of the wireless telecommunications market.

The concentration of power extends beyond these sectors. The banking industry in Canada is dominated by six banks — the Royal Bank of Canada, TD Bank, Scotiabank, the Bank of Montreal, CIBC and National Bank, which collectively control about 93 per cent of the industry.

Similarly, the beer market is largely controlled by two multinational giants, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors.

And the Canadian telecommunications industry is still reeling from the recent merger between two of the industry’s giants, Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications. The implications of this deal are far-reaching.

The Rogers-Shaw merger

The Rogers-Shaw merger’s final approval came with 21 enforceable conditions Rogers and Videotron must adhere to, aimed at bolstering competition and reducing costs for customers.

The merger’s approval depended on Shaw selling its Freedom Mobile business to Quebecor’s Videotron. If Rogers breaches its conditions, it must pay up to $1 billion in damages. Videotron could be subject to $200 million in penalties if it fails to meet its commitments.

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne holds up a contract between the telecoms and the federal government as he speaks at a news conference about the Rogers-Shaw merger on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Despite these conditions, some remain skeptical about the impact of the merger on competition in Canada’s telecommunications sector.

Some critics have argued the merger may lead to higher prices for consumers and less innovation. Carleton University political economy professor Dwayne Winseck warned it could lead to a “tight oligopoly on steroids.”

On the flip side, other experts believe the merger could benefit consumers by accelerating the rollout of 5G networks and improving infrastructure and services, particularly in rural areas.

However, these benefits could be offset by the potential for higher prices and less competition. The merger could lead to a dominant market share in Ontario, reducing competition and potentially leading to higher internet prices.

This is particularly concerning, given Ontario’s average monthly price of home internet services is already higher than the national average. This situation underscores the need for a revamp of Canada’s competition laws.

Loopholes in competition law

The merger has sparked controversy because it exploited weaknesses in Canada’s anti-monopoly law, the Competition Act, to push the deal through.

The Competition Act has been criticized for failing to prevent acquisitions that allow large firms to eliminate competitive threats and solidify their dominance.

As Canada’s competition watchdog, the Competition Bureau can review mergers to determine if they will be harmful to competition. But since its introduction in 1986, the bureau has only challenged 18 mergers and has never won a challenge on final judgment.

The law also has a high bar for intervention in a merger, often favouring negotiated agreements that include concessions or remedies that address some of the competition concerns, but not necessarily all.

The Competition Commissioner, Matthew Boswell, believes the existing competition laws are inadequate. Boswell has been hamstrung by legal loopholes and unable to prevent anti-competitive mergers, like the Rogers-Shaw deal, from happening.

Challenges and opportunities

Along with rising consumer prices, limited purchase options and intensifying competition, the growth of monopolies in Canada has led to a host of other issues.

Monopolies have the potential to stifle innovation — a key driver of economic growth, as a lack of competition tends to dampen innovative efforts. Productivity growth, which is crucial for improving living standards, is also under threat, as monopolies can create an environment less conducive to efficiency and progress.

As Canada embarks on its post-pandemic economic recovery, policymakers must ensure economic resilience and inclusiveness while preventing existing monopoly issues from worsening.

At the same time, there is an opportunity to reshape the economic landscape to encourage competition and foster innovation, benefiting everyone involved in the market.

This journey towards a more prosperous future will require rigorous scrutiny of developments like the proposed Rogers-Shaw merger and the wisdom to navigate the interplay of monopolies, competition and the broader economy.

By Garros Gong, Ph.D. Student in Management Science, University of Waterloo

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Kelowna’s ‘The Chopped Leaf’ Ramps Up Canadian Expansion With New Franchising Opportunities and Menu Offerings [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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July 19, 2023

The Chopped Leaf in Heritage Valley, Edmonton (Image: The Chopped Leaf)

Kelowna-based The Chopped Leaf, which opened its first location in the BC city in 2007, continues to grow its footprint in Canada with plans to expand through franchising opportunities.

It’s also continually evolving its menu offering.

The brand was founded by Blair Stevens and his wife Karla.

The Chopped Leaf at Strathcona Town Centre (Image: The Chopped Leaf)

The healthy eating chain is currently expanding aggressively and looking for new franchisees across Canada with 30 new restaurants planned to open this year.

Recent openings included Winnipeg, Manitoba; Barrie, Ontario; and the chain’s first drive-thru in Grand Prairie, Alberta. Expansion is focused in Ontario, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada, with franchise opportunities also available in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec.

“Canadians are actively looking to eat healthy, and feel good after they eat, which is what we offer,” said Blair Stevens, President and Founder of The Chopped Leaf. “As we expand across Canada, we are looking for franchisees who believe in the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the power of healthy eating.”

The Chopped Leaf, owned and managed by Innovative Food Brands, is focusing on Ontario, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada and locations are franchisee-owned and operated.

The Chopped Leaf recently introduced their new Shake-A-Bowls, encouraging customers to experience the joy of shaking their own salad or bowl right after it’s been freshly made.

In this video interview, Blair Stevens discusses how The Chopped Leaf came into being, its evolving menu, expansion plans and what today’s consumer is looking for in the food sector.

The Video Interview Series by Retail Insider is available on YouTube.

Connect with Mario Toneguzzi, a veteran of the media industry for more than 40 years and named in 2021 a Top Ten Business Journalist in the world and the only Canadian – to learn how you can tell your story, share your message and amplify it to a wide audience. He is Senior News Editor with Retail Insider and owner of Mario Toneguzzi Communications Inc. and can be reached at mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com.

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Food Retailer Marché Leo’s Plans Expansion with 3 Toronto Store Openings, Including Waterfront Flagship [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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July 18, 2023

Marché Leo’s North York (Image: Marché Leo’s)

Marché Leo’s, a growing food and grocery retailer, is scheduled to open three new locations in Toronto – in the Corktown, Waterfront and Dundas areas.

Mona Randhawa, Director, Sales & Marketing, said the company’s mission is to bring people together through tradition – offering fresh produce, local Ontario roasted coffee, sustainable meats, everyday grocery, and a wide variety of family friendly meals.

“Our foods pay homage to traditional food culture with emphasis on old world quality and rich flavours. We’re the place you go to when you want homemade in small batch from quality ingredients. We look for quality alternatives across the board, and aim to create a full-service market experience with access to local artisans, craft foods, truly fresh meal solutions, and nostalgic products that play an important role in everyday living and wellness,” she said.

It opened its first store in the Davisville community in 2011. Today, it has four locations – two regular stores in North York and Kitchener and two express stores in Atrium on Bay and Eglinton in Toronto.

Marché Leo’s Marketplace on Eglinton Avenue East (Image: Marché Leo’s)

Future Marché Leo’s at 475 Front Street East in the Canary District (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

This year the company is working on two new locations and some renovations at two of its existing locations – Eglinton and North York.

Its location at 475 Front St E (Canary District) is intended to open during the Fall. Then shortly after that is the launch at 4208 Dundas St W (Etobicoke). The company’s flagship location on the Waterfront at Merchant’s Wharf is expected to open Summer 2024 in about 40,000 square feet with its largest market kitchen – including a number of food installations and ample seating for locals to mingle while their meals are prepared fresh.

“We have already begun to branch outside of the GTA into smaller markets with success. There’s something to be said about the support in close-knit communities and we enjoy being a part of their plans for urbanization. We have always been very involved in the communities we operate through local events, food banks, sponsorship, and other joint initiatives,” said Randhawa.

Bayside Village Leasing Plan (Image: First Capital REIT)

Future Marché Leo’s at 90 Merchants’ Wharf in Bayside Village on the Waterfront (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Future Marché Leo’s at 90 Merchants’ Wharf in Bayside Village on the Waterfront (Rendering: Marché Leo’s)

Bayside Village Rendering (Image: First Capital REIT)

“Whether it’s a Sunday night store concert or a fundraiser for charity, we take pride in being a piece of the community and we will continue to stay engaged and connected. As of recent, we are building up our online community to do the same, providing more value to our people and sharing more of what connects them.

“We are putting more focus on opening medium and larger scale store formats, to keep up with the needs of the modern household, and ensure they have access to the foods they want. We hope to create a destination where families frequent. Where you can not only get your household essentials, but you can discover and engage with new flavours, products, and other locals.

“We don’t have plans to go outside of Ontario in the short term. We have received some interest from other regions and the sky is really the limit. But I’d say we have our work cut out here being in the largest Canadian market.”

Marché Leo’s Kitchener (Image: Downtown Kitchener)

Key features of a Marché Leo’s include:

Over 10,000 products including a full assortment of grocery from local regions, Canada and around the world;
Demonstrations for new-to-market and trendy products;
Quality meats with a variety of local and health options, and signature house-crafted deli preparations; like its Oktoberfest and Jalapeño Cheddar sausages;
A large variety of fresh Grab & Go and takeout meals made from scratch daily;
A self-serve hot meal and salad buffet station; which has been a lunch time hit;
Stone-oven pizzas, sandwiches, and other chef-inspired cook ups from the market kitchen;
A fresh gelato and sorbet counter with seasonal flavours; such as Sicilian Blood Orange or Crème Egg around Easter;
A craft coffee bar with local Ontario roasted bird-friendly beans;
The Cheesecake Factory cakes, local treats, fresh baked goods and pastries; and
Select locations also carry imported and locally-crafted beers, wines and non-alcoholic beverages.

“Our signature house preparations are developed around North American and internationally inspired foods. We are getting to appreciate cuisines and palates from around the world, heirloom recipes and foods with some value and history. It’s been fun getting to be a part of that and sharing it with our community,” said Randhawa.

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A post shared by Marché Leo’s (@marcheleos)

The concept began as a gourmet grocery store offering a variety of chef-inspired meals, high quality meats and artisan products from Canada and around the world that were not exactly common at grocery stores at the time.

“It’s always exciting when we get interest from customers across the country for a product that they can’t seem to get their hands on. It’s a sign there’s room for growth and people are still looking for more accessibility when it comes to food. We do our best to understand our customer and are building up to have what they’re looking for under one roof,” she added.

How Gender Mannequins is Transforming Retail Displays in Canada

By

Mario Toneguzzi

-

July 18, 2023

Shape collection — Shape Collection, image supplied

Gender Mannequins is transforming retail displays, making them come alive with style and expertise.

Since 1997, Gender Mannequins has been supplying mannequins to retail stores across Canada including some of the biggest names in the industry as well as specialized boutiques and shops of all sizes.

Leif Anderson, CEO of the company his parents founded, says mannequins have always been used as a tool for sales in retail. It’s a well-known fact that clothing properly displayed on a mannequin will increase the sale of that product by 20 to 40 per cent.

“Mannequins are a fantastic way to sell products, and with the options available today, they have a chance to do so much more. They are an integral part of any fashion brand, and given the chance, they can really affect a brand’s in-store visual impact,” he says.

“Mannequins are more than just a general feeling in a store; they become something clients can really identify with and establish a long-term connection. They tell a complete story of what the brand represents, conveying inclusivity and diversity, and showing commitment to a greener future. Most importantly, mannequins sell products.” Gender Mannequins is the go-to resource for retailers seeking answers to their interior and window display questions. Its esteemed clientele includes renowned brands such as Andrews, Aubainerie, Giant Tiger, Harley Davidson Canada, Hudson’s Bay Company, Henry Singer, Lilianne Lingerie, Body and Beach, Lole, Matt and Nat, Quartz, Reitmans, La Maison Simons, Sporting Life, Team Town Sports, Tip Top, Eclipse, La Canadienne, Pseudio, Stag Shop, and many more.

Casual Male mannequins with diversity, image supplied.

“We tend to customize our products for the clients,” says Anderson. “Each client has a different need in terms of what they need for visual. We build the mannequins based on what our clients need.”

At a basic level, a mannequin is a life-sized human form used in-store to showcase merchandise in order to increase sales. They are often perceived as simple bodies that involve dressing and accessorizing and, apart from this, do not tend to have separate characteristics.

Anderson says they are an iconic presence in retail and one of the simplest and most effective ways to inspire the customer to buy product.

He says mannequins allow new product, sales and hot trends to be featured visually in an instant. In addition, mannequins also work in window displays and can be used to lure clients into the store by displaying the store’s best and finest merchandise.

“Today, they have evolved beyond static objects to become something that can add real value to the message of a brand and highlight store design to heighten the customer shopping experience. Mannequins, from a retailer’s perspective become the face of the brand they represent. More and more, retailers are challenging what a typical mannequin is to distinguish themselves. Some might not consider mannequins terribly significant, but they are. Brands that “get it” make hefty investments to design custom mannequins that effortlessly illustrate their brand story and image. In today’s retail environment, it’s the details that matter. Luckily with mannequins, the possibilities are endless,” says Anderson.

Gender Mannequins, using today’s 3D printing technology and digitalization, can create a customized mannequin in a quick and affordable way. The company, which uses a factory in China to make the mannequins, says new plant-based materials available for making mannequins have a considerably less carbon footprint than a decade ago. Some creative solutions include mixing material with recycled material to create beautiful looks that are not only unique but show the client visually a brand’s commitment to a greener future.

The company also offers a range of alternative sizes and inclusive mannequin heads featuring different ethnicities that can be used across all its mannequin collections. It believes that representation matters, and by providing mannequin heads that reflect various ethnic backgrounds, it empowers its customers to create inclusive and relatable displays. By embracing diversity in visual merchandising, it celebrates the richness of different cultures and fosters a sense of belonging for all shoppers. “A mannequin has the power of making your clothes look as good as it needs to be and, in some cases, even better,” say Anderson.

“There’s a big difference between a mannequin from Ali Baba and the ones you get from us. It comes down to quality and design. Picture your retail store as a beautifully crafted kitchen. You’ve invested time and resources into exquisite countertops, a tasteful flooring, and stunning cupboards. Now, would you want to undermine the overall design and aesthetic appeal by placing a subpar, cheap oven in it? Probably not. Instead, you’d want the best oven that seamlessly integrates with the kitchen’s ambiance and your design choices, right? It’s no different with a mannequin. A mannequin can communicate your brand. It can make your clothes pop, it can make your clothes sell.”

The company is based in Montreal but has agents in Toronto and Vancouver.

For more information on Gender Mannequins, visit gendermannequins.ca

*****

Retail Insider worked with Gender Mannequins on this story. For more info, email craig@retail-insider-com

Zellers to Open 21 Pop-ups in Hudson’s Bay Stores in Canada, Aiming to Shape Future Retail Strategy

By

Mario Toneguzzi

-

July 18, 2023

Zellers at Hudson's Bay Ottawa Rideau (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Zellers is opening 21 pop-ups within Hudson’s Bay stores by August 11, spanning five provinces and almost all in new markets.

As well, the brand will open its next full store experience within a Bay store in the Bramalea City Centre in September.

Currently, the retailer has one pop-up operating at the Queen Street location in Toronto and 25 store-in-store locations operating in Canada.

“Pop-ups are a key ingredient in our expansion strategy, allowing us to explore and test in new markets, gather valuable customer insights, and fine-tune our offering before establishing larger format store locations,” said Sophia Hwang-Judiesch, President of Hudson’s Bay in a statement.

“Our customers are very much part of our growth process, and together we will shape the future of Zellers, building a shopping experience that truly connects with communities across Canada.”

Zellers at St Laurent Shopping Centre in Ottawa (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

The company said pop-up footprints will vary from store to store, ranging from 1,000 to 2,800 square feet (with the exception of Queen Street in Toronto) depending on location. Zellers stores within Hudson’s Bay range from 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. The Bramalea store will be just under 10,000 square feet.

The company said the pop-ups serve as strategic market tests to determine future Zellers store locations.

George Minakakis, CEO, Inception Retail Group, and author of The New Bricks & Mortar: Future Proofing Retail, said he remains skeptical of Zellers as a strategy.

“This was, after all, a forgotten failed brand. It’s not like Overstock buying Bed Bath and Beyond at a fire sale while there is still brand recognition. If you want to revitalize Hudson Bay as Canada’s department store, this is not the approach I would have taken,” he said.

“Hudson Bay and Zellers may have a historical connection but never reflected the same customer base. Nostalgia is not a long-term strategy. On the other hand, if Hudson Bay is going to change its whole value proposition, then it may fit. This would then acknowledge that Hudson Bay, as we know it, is no longer viable and must change.

“Of course, the pop-up strategy is not now new. It means temporary to me. We’ve seen other department stores with shop-in-shops and they switch brands frequently. From a branding perspective, I would never have called it “Zellers.” It simply tells me you want to compete against Walmart. Unless there is an outside chance you were going to rebrand some of these Bay locations to Zellers completely, I might be sold on this tactic. But I don’t see how damaging Hudson Bay’s image makes sense. And there is still a Trade Mark case pending over the Zellers brand.”

Zellers at Hudson’s Bay Ottawa Rideau (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Showcasing a curated assortment of quality, value and design-led Zellers merchandise, the pop-ups deliver a delightful bite-sized taste of Zellers. Moreover, the pop-up model provides a unique opportunity for Canadians to actively demonstrate where they would like to see the next Zellers store open, it said.

“I am really happy to hear that Zellers is leveraging customer insights to learn what the customer wants from a product assortment perspective. The pop-ups are meant for exactly this. My only challenge with the Zellers rollout is the sub-par customer experience that is tied to The Bay,” said Liza Amlani, Principal and Founder of the Retail Strategy Group and The Merchant Life.

“The Bay stores have their own challenges – from the lack of sales associates to archaic fixtures and signage. The entire store needs an update. Having Zellers pop-ups in The Bay stores makes it seem like HBC is grasping at straws to increase footfall with something new and shiny. Investment needs to be made to the in store experience in order to keep customers coming back.”

Doug Stephens, Founder of the Retail Prophet, said that regrettably he didn’t have much in the way of a positive take on Zellers.

“In fact, having visited one of the Zeller’s locations in St Catharines earlier this year, I honestly felt that in over 30 years of retail, I’ve never seen such an embarrassing retail launch,” he said.

“The concept was dropped into the entrance area of a dilapidated store, with broken fixtures, stained carpets, terrible lighting, stock-outs and holes in their inventory and nothing in the way of storytelling or customer experience. It was cringe-worthy to say the least. I can’t speak for all locations (existing or planned) but if they’re anything like the one I visited, they need to rethink the idea entirely. If the Zellers brand wasn’t already dead, HBC seems intent on doing their best to kill it.”

Zellers at Hudson’s Bay CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Zellers is popping up at Hudson’s Bay stores in:

British Columbia

Langley Willowbrook Mall
Nanaimo Woodgrove Centre
Penticton Cherry Lane Shopping Centre
Prince George Parkwood Place
Victoria Bay Centre

Alberta

Lethbridge Centre Mall
Red Deer Bower Place
St. Albert Centre

Saskatchewan

Regina Cornwall Centre

Ontario

Windsor Devonshire Mall
Kitchener Fairview Park
Barrie Georgian Mall
Burlington Mapleview Centre
Oshawa Centre
Pickering Town Centre
Place D’Orléans
Newmarket Upper Canada Mall

Quebec

Brossard Champlain Mall
La Salle Carrefour Angrignon
Rockland Centre
St- Bruno Les Promenades

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For July 18th, 2023

By

Retail Insider

-

July 17, 2023

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 24 hours.

Dupes offer cheap fashion to Canadians, but small businesses say they’re paying the price (CBC)

Loblaw pilots in-store program to help hard of hearing (Grocery Business)

Vancouver’s KITS Eyecare’s sales rise, stock jumps (Record)

Canadian Tire Bank expands relationship with Temenos, moves to Temenos Banking Cloud (Retail Banker International)

Style Q&A: The Body Shop expands its footprint in Canada (Vancouver Sun)

TransLink expands retail operations at transit hubs (Western Investor)

Unclear why suspicious packages repeatedly shipped to Toronto store: police (Global)

American automaker Rivian set to open first Canadian showroom in Burnaby (Burnaby Now)

Ottawa mall, site of Canada’s largest Canadian Tire, is for sale (Real Estate News EXchange)

Ontario woman shocked when $600 Walmart gift cards are worthless (CTV)

Scammers fool dozens of job seekers using popular London, Ont., antique shop as cover (CBC)

Ex-owner of Whitehorse butcher shop on the hook for $17K+ in THC-tainted jerky case (CBC) ****

Catching Up on Promenade Mall Revitalization Phase 1 Work (Urban Toronto)

New Brands Transforming Toronto’s Yorkville Avenue into Youthful High-End Retail Destination [Feature]

By

Craig Patterson

-

July 17, 2023

Future Kith store at 78 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

Toronto’s Yorkville Avenue is seeing a retail transformation that will bring in a high-spending youth demographic, with the addition of several new brands opening stores. The street’s luxury transformation began several years ago with some big-names, creating a clustering that also competes with Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre for consumers.

Yorkville Avenue has been an upscale retail destination for years with various retailers in the area, and in 2016 things began to escalate when French luxury brand Christian Louboutin opened its Canadian flagship store on the street. That was followed by a key tenant, Chanel, which in 2017 opened an impressive two-level flagship store across the street. Since then, Yorkville Avenue has luxury brand store openings that include Brunello Cucinelli, Versace, Stone Island, Isaia and Balenciaga.

Now more youthful brands are establishing a presence on the street. Earlier this month, pricey Los Angeles-based fashion brand John Elliott opened its first international store at 83 Yorkville Avenue. It’s only the sixth location for the popular brand, joining locations in Miami, Los Angeles, New York City (two stores) and Aspen, Colorado.

John Elliott at 83 Yorkville Ave and Reformation next door. Photo: Craig Patterson

Inside John Elliott Yorkville, image: John Elliott

The Yorkville Avenue John Elliott store features a minimalist and utilitarian aesthetic under the direction of architect Stephan Wiemer. The store spans about 2,400 square feet and is in a retail space once occupied by popular designer brand Off-White and a hair salon that until recently occupied the building’s upper level. John Elliott’s full men’s and women’s collections can be found in the store including leather goods, Japanese denim (priced in the hundreds of dollars), sportswear, fine jewellery (created in collaboration with Japanese brand M.A.R.S.), and footwear made in Italy. Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants represented John Elliot and CBRE’s Urban Retail Team were involved in representing the lease.

The most exciting tenant in recent memory for Yorkville Avenue has yet to open, and it’s currently under construction. it’s also said to be one of the worst-kept retail secrets in recent memory for those paying attention to future store openings in Toronto. New York City-based Kith will open a storefront at 78 Yorkville Avenue spanning about 10,000 square feet over two levels, and it will include both a fashion component as well as Kith Treats, which is an ice cream concept found in Kith’s stores globally.

Kith still hasn’t formally announced its Toronto store — Retail Insider decided to publish this article after two other publications, Sole Savy (in late June) and BlogTO reported on Kith’s Toronto opening based on some online job postings by Kith on LinkedIn. Kith typically announces its store openings about 60 days prior to an actual opening date, and construction on the Toronto store is ongoing with its opening expected before the Toronto International Film Festival in September (if it even happens this year).

For several months, design-build firm SAJO has been building out the Kith space at 78 Yorkville Avenue in secret with no signage indicating the new tenant for the building. Retail Insider reached out to landlord First Capital REIT which was unable to provide comment for this article, likely due to confidentiality agreements with the tenant. We will therefore follow up on this article with a more comprehensive report on Kith including more information and renderings of the new Kith store.

Kith was founded in New York City in 2011 by Ronnie Fieg, and the brand now has 15 stores globally. That includes nine standalone stores in the United States in New York City, Los Angeles, Aspen, Miami and Honolulu, as well as two shop-in-store concessions in New York City (Bergdorf Goodman) and Long Island (at Hirshleifers). Globally, Kith has stores in Paris and Tokyo, as well as a concession at Selfridges in London.

The cult-favourite Kith is expected to be a big draw for monied youth into Toronto’s Yorkville area, with industry insiders saying that it could be a game-changer for the street with its constantly updated product drops. It will join John Elliott on the street as well as well-established multi brand menswear retailer CNTRBND which has its storefront about a block away at 135 Yorkville Avenue and another closer to the future Kith on Bellair Street. Combined, these retailers are expected to make Yorkville Avenue a draw for younger consumers who might otherwise frequent Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre and even Queen Street West.

CNTRBND at 135 Yorkville Avenue. Photo: Craig Patterson

The newly opened Diptique at 101 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

Another First Capital property recently saw the addition of a new luxury tenant — French fragrance and candle brand Diptique just unveiled its new store at 101 Yorkville Avenue. The store will occupy the space for a time until the building is demolished for redevelopment, and is the second location for the brand in Canada following a store opening at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre last year. Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants represented Diptique in the lease deal.

Closer to Kith and John Elliott, the former Free People space at 79 Yorkville Avenue has been leased long-term to Vancouver-based luxury reseller Mine and Yours. The store is currently under construction and will be opening next month. Mine and Yours is the second luxury reseller on the street, joining Russell Oliver’s retail concept across the street that opened in late 2021.

Mine and Yours is next door to US-based women’s fashion brand Reformation, which in late 2022 opened its tech-heavy Canadian flagship store at 87 Yorkville Avenue.

Future Mine and Yours at 79 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto — John Elliott is to the right in this photo. Photo: Craig Patterson

In late 2021, ‘The Cashman’ Russell Oliver opened a luxury resale store in Yorkville adjacent to various full-priced luxury brand stores. Photo: Craig Patterson

Other happenings on Yorkville Avenue include the recent openings of US-based Veronica Beard and lab-grown diamond concept retailer VRAI at 111 Yorkville Avenue, both of which were recently reported on in Retail Insider. One long-time high-end retailer, Kimina, will be closing its store across the street after operating for nearly 40 years. Kimina is known particularly for selling Issey Miyake’s pricey Bao Bao bags.

Veronica Beard and VRAI at 111 Yorkville Avenue. Photo: Craig Patterson

Closing soon: Kimina at 112 Yorkville Avenue. Photo: Craig Patterson

Chanel, Stone Island, Versace and Brunello Cucinelli on Yorkville Avenue in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

Yorkville Avenue will continue to see changes in the months and years to come as new retailers move into the area. First Capital REIT’s Yorkville Village shopping centre, formerly named Hazelton Lanes, will see the addition of a new Yorkville Avenue entrance near Avenue Road with the opportunity to add several new luxury retailers to the complex.

Future Yorkville Avenue entrance to Yorkville Village. Image: First Capital REIT

Current condition of the future entrance to Yorkville Village (formerly Hazelton Lanes) in Toronto — a very high-end residential condominium building will be constructed on the property as well. Photo: Craig Patterson

Corner of Yorkville Avenue and Hazelton Avenue in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson

At the same time, two blocks south, Toronto’s Bloor Street luxury run (formerly the ‘Mink Mile’) is adding several new luxury brand stores this fall including Ferragamo, Rolex, Van Cleef & Arpels, Alexander Wang, Bonpoint, Paris Baguette and Saint Laurent. The clustering of these stores, joining other big names such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Prada and others on the street, will solidify Bloor-Yorkville as an important luxury retail destination for Canada as well as being a draw for tourists. We’ll continue to report on new additions to the area as well as how competition with the Yorkdale Shopping Centre will play out as both maintain their positioning as Toronto’s key luxury retail shopping nodes.

Tech-Driven Entertainment Experience ‘Illuminarium’ to Open as Key Tenant at Toronto’s Distillery District [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

-

July 17, 2023

Venue — Illuminarium Toronto at The Distillery District (Image: Illuminarium)

Illuminarium, a new tech-driven entertainment experience, will open its first Canadian location at The Distillery District in Toronto on August 25.

In partnership with Toronto-based Secret Location, the concept uses state-of-the-art technologies to activate all of the senses and enables guests to see, hear, feel, and even smell experiences they previously could only dream of.

“We’re so excited to join together to bring Illuminarium to Toronto. Illuminarium’s platform gives us the ability to uniquely combine techniques used in traditional motion picture production and virtual reality to make you feel like you are actually there,” said Ryan Andal, President & Founder of Secret Location. “While Illuminarium at The Distillery District is an incredible canvas for us as creators, I think it’s even more exciting for our guests as it’s something they could never experience at home.”

The concept will open in the former Fermenting Cellar, a 13,500-square-foot complex at 28 Distillery Lane.

Future Illuminarium at the Fermenting Cellar in The Distillery District (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

It will join Atlanta and Las Vegas as the third Illuminarium location in North America.

“By now everyone has already seen Immersive Van Gogh, but that really just opened up the possibilities of what you can do in a projection-based environment. Illuminarium’s spaces take that technology platform to a whole new level which allow us the creative freedom to experiment with game-like interactivity, theatrical performance, live music, and even immersive dining. This isn’t a one-and-done experience. We’re at The Distillery District for the long term. This city has so much talent that we’ll be able to collaborate with and showcase,” said Andal.

“I’ve been trying to open up locations for the last five years. Looked at a number of different locations. Inside malls. Yorkville. We really liked this Distillery location partly because of the owners here. They’re very careful about what they curate into the Distillery space. They are very mindful of supporting small Canadian business.”

“We are incredibly proud to be welcoming Canada’s first-ever Illuminarium to The Distillery Historic District,” shared John Berman, Co-Owner of The Distillery History District. “As an incubator for first-to-market brands and retailers and a district that has become a cultural hub celebrating and supporting the arts, we couldn’t think of a better fit for Illuminarium’s foray into Toronto.

“Illuminarium will be opening in the spectacular Fermenting Cellar, the one-storey westward expansion of the Stone Distillery Building, built in 1869, which represents an important part of The Distillery District’s rich history. We are excited to be bringing a completely innovative, immersive technological experience to a whole new generation of people to enjoy, juxtaposed against our beautiful heritage buildings and architecture.

“We look forward to welcoming Torontonians and visitors from across the country to experience Illuminarium at The Distillery later this summer.”

Andal said the venture will be at the Distillery District for the long term. So it wouldn’t make sense to open another location in Toronto as it would be competing against itself.

“We are looking at other Canadian locations. Looking at Montreal. Looking at Vancouver. Potentially Calgary. Potentially Niagara as well. So we haven’t identified any specific locations yet but we’re looking,” he said.

“Illuminarium itself is growing quite aggressively. They have a location in Macao that they announced a JV deal with a company out of there. Potential deals in other countries. Chicago.”

Secret Location, which has been around for about 15 years, is known for its Emmy® award-winning interactive VR and AR experiences, to combine cutting-edge technology with immersive storytelling to create incredibly digital projection mapped experiences.

“We’re thrilled to open our first Illuminarium in Canada,” said Alan Greenberg, CEO of Illuminarium Experiences. “Toronto is booming with entertainment creation so it was a natural fit for us to open up our first Canadian experience here. We look forward to showcasing our unparalleled immersive offerings with exclusive content pieces as well as the entertainment programming we have in our U.S. locations.

“We are also excited about combining our own content together with the unique offerings created by Secret Location to continually offer guests a great new portal into immersive entertainment. Illuminarium at The Distillery District will be a playground for all – from first dates to families and everyone in between.”

The company said state-of-the-art technology including the world’s most advanced RGB pure laser projection by Christie, LIDAR sensors that blanket the space with interactivity, scent machines, a unique digital sounds space and programming using the latest video game engines allow guests to feel like they are inside a game or film. By enabling audiences to see, hear, feel, smell and even personally affect the space around them, Illuminarium at The Distillery District places the guest “inside” the narrative. In essence, Illuminarium at The Distillery District exemplifies a “Virtual Reality, without the glasses” experience.

Illuminarium and Secret Location said they will initially open with two immersive spectacles along with a 19+ After Dark experience on weekend evenings.

The first two shows are:

SPACE: A JOURNEY TO THE MOON & BEYOND is an out-of-this-world immersive experience, taking visitors on an extraordinary journey across the galaxy. The exhibition will include interactive and visually-stunning imagery from the James Webb Telescope through the lens of Illuminarium’s high-tech animation systems and 360-degree fully immersive screens. Fly through the latest stunning images of nebula, kick up dust on the moon, see Saturn’s rings up close, and weave through an asteroid belt. A giant leap into the unknown, SPACE will transport you to places you’ve only ever imagined.

WAKING WONDERLAND created by Secret Location, is an interactive adventure that invites you on a dreamlike journey, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Tumble down the rabbit hole and encounter surreal settings and colourful characters. Chase the Cheshire Cat through the magical forest, stir things up in the Mad Hatter’s tea factory, and tiptoe into the throne room to awaken the Queen of Hearts, as you brave our hero’s quest to breathe life back into a dormant Wonderland.

Also opening in September is the adults-only immersive nightlife and hospitality experience called SPACE AFTER DARK. At After Dark, guests 19+ can enjoy innovative cocktails served by futuristic robots, while surrounded by fantastical dreamscapes that are ever-changing. Through proprietary, state-of-the-art projection and audio systems, the experience offers cinematic, real-time audio and visuals alongside DJs, musicians, and other live performances to create a unique party atmosphere.

Future Illuminarium spectacles coming to The Distillery District will include a WILD Safari Experience, Lite Brite Worlds of Wonder, The Greatest Moments in Rock & Roll, Virtual artist residencies featuring many of the top names from the global music industry, a Prehistoric World Dinosaur Experience and many more.

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News at a Glance

New Brands Transforming Toronto’s Yorkville Avenue into Youthful High-End Retail Destination [Feature]

Tech-Driven Entertainment Experience ‘Illuminarium’ to Open as Key Tenant at Toronto’s Distillery District [Interview]

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