Holt Renfrew to Relocate Standalone Men’s Store on Toronto’s Bloor Street Back into Flagship

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March 16, 2023

Holt Renfrew Men at 100 Bloor St. W. in Toronto. Photo: Dustin Fuhs

Luxury multi-brand retailer Holt Renfrew has announced that its standalone men’s store at 100 Bloor Street West in Toronto will be relocating back into the 50 Bloor Street West flagship store nearby where it had operated for years. The new men’s store will be located on the third floor of the larger Holts and will open towards the end of 2024.

The current Holt Renfrew Men store at 100 Bloor opened in September of 2014 in a 16,500 square foot space that was formerly occupied by Roots and The Body Shop. The men’s store currently houses a range of brands, including a second-level concession space for Gucci.

Prior to opening its standalone store, Holt Renfrew’s men’s department was located over two levels within the 190,000 square foot Holt Renfrew flagship at 50 Bloor Street West — that included space on the street level as well as part of the basement, which now houses a beauty department.

The Holt Renfrew ‘mothership’ at 50 Bloor Street West in Toronto. Photo: Dustin Fuhs

3rd floor wayfinding at Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W — part of the floor will become the new men’s store. Photo: Dustin Fuhs

As part of the new third floor men’s department, Holts said that there will be “new multi-use experience spaces”. And menswear won’t be the only category on the third floor, which spans less than 30,000 square feet. Holt Renfrew said in a statement that women’s contemporary fashions, which are already housed on the third floor, will remain there (though obviously in a smaller space). Holt Renfrew’s socially-drive department ‘H Project’ will also be located on the third floor after the renovations. Construction will involve Green Build upgrade including a new HVAC system for better temperature control and airflow.

The design of the new men’s store will be “bold and modern” according to Holt Renfrew, allowing for “benefits and service opportunities”. Last year a sales associate mentioned to a Holt Renfrew journalist that it would be a good idea to have men’s on-site — if a female customer wanted to shop for her husband, for example, she and the sales associate would have to travel up the street to the standalone men’s store.

Holt Renfrew has already been investing heavily into its larger Bloor Street flagship store, including a renovation to its women’s designer floor on level two. Since last year, new boutique spaces have opened for luxury brands Chanel, Gucci and Celine for women, as well as The Studio which is an Instagrammable space catering to stylists as well as offering a unique place to try on clothing. Renovations are ongoing on the second floor, following renovations to the street level which includes 12 luxury brand concessions as well as the basement level housing beauty brands including a standalone Chanel Beauty concession.

3rd floor women’s contemporary department at Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W. in Toronto. Photo: Dustin Fuhs

Wayfinding/store guide, photo taken from mezzanine looking towards levels 2 and 3 at Holt Renfrew in Toronto, 50 Bloor St. W. – photo by Dustin Fuhs

Display on the 3rd floor of Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W. in Toronto. Photo: Dustin Fuhs

Currently the largest men’s store for Holt Renfrew is in Montreal, contained within the Holt Renfrew Ogilvy store which opened fully during the pandemic. That men’s store spans about 40,000 square feet on the fourth floor of the store, with the Vancouver store’s men’s floor being the second largest.

The exit of Holt Renfrew Men from 100 Bloor Street West provides an opportunity for another luxury retailer to occupy the space — or possibly more than one, given its size. Retail Insider will follow up on this when we learn more about what’s happening.

Holt Renfrew also said to Retail Insider that after Mother’s Day on May 14th, the restaurant at the Yorkdale Holts store will close to eventually be repurposed into retail space. The goal is to increase sales in the store as well as foot traffic. Details will be released later this year — Holt Renfrew told Retail Insider that it will involve “an exciting key brand development, who will significantly expand their offering and experience in the store”.

Holt Renfrew also said that its growing its e-commerce business by launching eConcession, where the store’s leased brands can showcase their assortment. A substantial number of brands at Holt Renfrew stores are in concession spaces, including names such as Gucci, Prada, Dior, David Yurman, Burberry and others. Holt Renfrew is the dominant multi-brand luxury retailer in Canada with many brands not carried at either Saks Fifth Avenue or the soon-to-close Nordstrom chain.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For March 16th, 2023

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Retail Insider

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March 15, 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.

Couche-Tard revenue rises to record, but profits drop amid higher costs (Financial Post)

Canadian Tire tops list of most respected retailer: Survey (Toronto Sun)

Canadians may be feeling the pinch at the grocery store but not as bad as elsewhere (CJWW)

Why Canada is a tough market to crack for U.S. retail giants (Modern Retail)

Metro Ontario and Too Good To Go announce province-wide partnership (Grocery Business)

Fire & Flower Expands Market Presence in Winnipeg to Five Cannabis Retail Store Locations (MarketScreener)

Small businesses may be forced to lay off staff or close to repay pandemic debt, survey finds (Ottawa Business Journal)

New Leasing Opportunities at Cornwall Square (Choose Cornwall)

BMW Group Canada celebrates retail partner excellence with inaugural Retailer of the Year program (BMW)

Melcor launches commercial, retail plans for Calgary’s Greenwich village (Real Estate News EXchange)

Black Woman Market exceeding expectations in Montreal retail (CJAD)

Penticton Nissan store sets sales record near five-year anniversary (Canadian Auto Dealer)

The Mushroom-Zombie Mall From The Last of Us Is Getting Redeveloped (re Calgary’s Northgate Mall – Curbed)

Canadian Women’s Undergarment Brand Knix Expanding Further with Stores and Significant Growth [Founder Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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March 15, 2023

Knix on Robson Street (Image: Martin Moriarty)

Joanna Griffiths launched Knix with the goal of transforming an underwear market that had too much frill and not enough function.

Today, the retailer is a trailblazer with its comfortable wireless bras to super absorbent underwear, which are designed to make women feel more comfortable in their own skin.

While the company has experienced spectacular growth since its inception in 2013, Griffiths, Founder and President, said the retailer sees great potential for future growth.

“There’s two different things that are resonating with customers about Knix. The first one is from a product standpoint we’ve been really listening to customers and have thought about a more human centric approach to design taking into account our customers . . . what it is that’s important to them, bringing a lens to design that’s brought into the intimate apparel industry previously,” said Griffiths, who recently was named Canada’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

“Historically a lot of the intimate apparel brands were being led by men but creating products for women. So a lot of the products historically have been designed (and) aren’t necessarily the most comfortable or versatile or taking into account the wear and so at Knix we’ve really engineered products for real life. We’ve been ahead of a lot of the bigger trends that have taken place within the intimates category. Our first product that we launched with leakproof underwear, or period underwear, we were pioneers, inventors of that category. That has become a billion-dollar category. You see other retailers like Victoria’s Secret, Aerie carrying that product as well.

“Primarily we were one of the first to market with wireless bras and now if you look at macrotrends within the intimates category, wireless bras are the fastest growing bra style or category group within the broader landscape. From a product standpoint we’re making products that really speak to the customer and the way they are choosing to live their lives now.

“And from a brand standpoint, we’ve, out of the gate, set to create a more welcoming and inclusive brand. We were very early in body diversity, inclusivity, welcoming customers of all shapes, sizes, ages. And that obviously is a message that’s really sticking out with consumers.”

Knix on Robson Street (Image: Martin Moriarty)

The first store was launched in Kitsilano in Vancouver in October 2019. Currently, there are seven stores – four in Canada and three in California. The Canadian stores are in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Toronto. The California stores are in Santa Monica, San Diego and San Francisco.

Griffiths said Knix is opening a second Vancouver location in the spring on Robson Street as well as an additional two or three Canadian locations later this year.

She said store sizes vary. The initial Vancouver store was about 750 square feet. It was relocated last year and now the retailer typically looks for stores of about 2,500 to 3,500 square feet.

“We’ve been adding about three to four locations a year historically and that seems to be the pace we’ll continue to add for the foreseeable future,” said Griffiths.

Martin Moriarty and Mario Negris of Marcus & Millichap team handled the transaction for the 1150 Robson Street Location, which was formerly occupied by American retailer Eddie Bauer.

Knix on Queen Street in Toronto (Image: Knix)

She said she started Knix with the idea of making great looking leakproof underwear as she saw a huge gap in the market to solve a pain point many people were experiencing.

It was her ‘aha’ moment as she felt whoever did this well would ultimately be very successful and create a product many needed.

“I then picked up on two big themes within the intimates landscape. The first one was there had been really little product innovation. There hadn’t been a lot of focus in making products that were designed for people with real lives,” she said.

“And the second was identifying that there was space within the intimates landscape for a different kind of brand. When I launched the company in 2013, I’d been working on it for a couple of years.”

Knix on Queen Street West (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)

At the moment sales are focused on Canada and the US.

“But we see demand for our products well beyond North America so we see that potential for longer-term expansion setting our sights outside of North America as part of that,” said Griffiths.

The retailer has expanded its product offering over the years and most recently it entered into the activewear category. The assortment also includes shapewear, sleepwear, swimwear, loungewear as well as a teen brand.

“We’re playing in a pretty large category space so it’s really about now going deeper into the categories that we’re already playing in and also thinking about diversifying our revenue channels,” explained Griffiths.

“Currently 100 per cent of our sales come from selling online through our website and then our seven retail stores. And now we’re starting to think about wholesale, retail partnerships. We just launched on Amazon in the US. Even that is a new channel for us. There’s actually so much room for us to grow and expand, be it going deeper into the categories we already have, expanding our distribution through third parties, adding more retail stores and thinking about international. We’ve got our hands full at the moment.

“But we always feel we’re just getting started. I hope we’re constantly a brand to watch to see what it is we do next.”

Knix Founder & President Joanna Griffiths is Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022

She said she was very surprised with winning Canada’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 Award.

“I think when I look at the course of building Knix we’ve had a lot of terrific successes but I’ve also faced quite a lot of criticism along the way that it was too niche and that it was never going to be a big business. So it was extremely validating to win that award and that honour,” said Griffiths.

“I worked in media and entertainment before starting Knix. I worked at CBC, and the Toronto International Film Festival and Universal Music. In music, you have the Grammys, in film you’ve got the Oscars and in TV you have the Emmys. So I feel like getting to go to Monaco and compete for the global EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award is kind of my equivalent to those awards. It’s a big honour and really a testament to what it is we’re building at Knix as well.”

Upscale Women’s Retailer Andrews Relocated Yorkville Village Store to New Space [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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March 15, 2023

Andrews at Yorkville Village (Image: Andrews)

Andrews, a Toronto-based family-owned upscale womenswear retailer, has opened its new location in Yorkville Village, replacing another storefront nearby in the mall that operated for several years.

Though the doors of Andrews were opened in 1990, the heritage of Andrews goes back much further. Starting in the 1940’s at Holt Renfrew, the family has a long history in fashion and retail in Canada.

“Every dinner conversation, every car ride, every trip was completely immersed in fashion and retail – with a passion to serve the customer,” said Darren Mason, President of Andrews.

Andrews at Yorkville Village (Image: Andrews)

Its four locations now cover the Greater Toronto Area – Bayview Village to Yorkville Village to CF Sherway Gardens to Oakville with further afield clients who shop online from across Canada.

“We’re continuously fine-tuning and tailoring the experience we offer to our clients – from every season’s curation of our fashion offering to mindfully considering what can be offered alongside in lifestyle, home, and artware; or how we can further elevate our client’s time with us in an experiential way – in-store or offline,” said Mason.

“With the new location at Yorkville Village, it is a revitalized return to that experience of a luxury shopping destination, once known as Hazelton Lanes, and the authenticity of Yorkville and what we have to offer with our latest curation of elevated casual and contemporary luxury fashion.

“Our company’s mission is ‘to inspire every woman’s personal style by encouraging creativity, individuality, and confidence.”

Mason said offline Andrews will be looking at exploring options to propagate successes from its concept store in Oakville to its other stores.

“We want to stay with that experience of the individual, making time spent by clients with us more experiential and connecting them with expressions of beauty that resonate – in fashion or lifestyle,” he said.“Our clients are our compass. Online, we will soon be relaunching an improved website to offer customers a more dynamic and seamless online shopping experience.”

The newest store is on the upper level of Yorkville Village, beside the Hazelton Avenue entrance. A former location was located up the hall facing a central atrium.

Featuring the latest in modern luxury, the newly relocated store offers a highly curated collection of upscale fashion and accessories from around the world.

The store is 4,000 square feet and features an abundance of natural light streams through large arched windows and Andrews said the vibe recaptures the charm of this upscale shopping destination, which was known as Hazelton Lanes and the authenticity of Yorkville. 

“We’re delighted with our new location in Yorkville Village,” said Mason. “The Yorkville neighbourhood has long been the epicentre for fashion and lifestyle retailers, we are very proud to have been a part of this dynamic community for more than 30 years. The store is uniquely situated amongst a bustling array of lifestyle retailers including art galleries, health and wellness studios, restaurants, and floral designers.”

The new Yorkville location is part of Andrews’ overall strategy to reinvigorate the brand for future growth. Last fall, the retailer opened its first lifestyle concept store in the heart of downtown Oakville. The standalone store features the latest in modern, curated apparel, alongside lifestyle, home, and vintage designer pieces from across the globe.

The retailer describes its new Yorkville location like this:

“The store offers an experiential layout for customers to explore collections that speak to the distinct, yet overlapping personas of their individual lifestyles. Conceptualized from the Japandi style of interiors, the naturalistic environment is punctuated by modern fixtures which seamlessly complement the building’s arched statement windows,” it says.

“Tailored to Yorkville, the store features elevated casual pairings of fashion favourites with contemporary looks from Eleventy, Fabiana Filippi, Frank and Eileen, and Max Mara.  Denim remains a staple with coveted brands such as AG Jeans, Citizens of Humanity, Frame, and Mother. New fashion-forward brands this season include Danish fashion-house, Munthe, NY eco-accessories darling, Naghedi, and LA-based celebrity favourite fashion brand, Rhode, all of which fuse together in this expertly curated environment.”

Andrews Opens New Concept Storefront in Upscale Oakville Near Toronto [Photos/Interview]

CrossIron Mills Near Calgary Sees Strong Leasing Activity with New Tenants Added [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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March 15, 2023

Leasing activity has been incredibly active in the past year or so at the CrossIron Mills shopping centre just north of Calgary’s city limits, in Balzac.

The 1.2 million-square-foot mall, owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and managed by JLL Canada, has very little available space currently and leasing demand continues to be quite strong.

James Moller, Vice President, Regional Manager, Alberta and Manitoba, for JLL, said in the past year or so the following retailers have taken up space at the shopping centre – Harry Rosen Outlet, Bailey Nelson, Lovisa (a jewelry brand), New Balance, Clarks Shoes, and Specsavers.

CrossIron Mills (Image: Ivanhoe Cambridge)

“Now we’re into 2023 and we’ve got strong interest in leasing space. Retailers after a couple of years of putting the brakes on opening stores, are looking to open and expand their businesses,” said Moller. “So it’s been really busy the last six or eight weeks, negotiating leases and trying to figure out how do we get some of these retailers open in 2023.

“Another retailer is taking possession of their space April 1. It’s called Uncle Tetsu. It’s a Japanese bakery and they’re going to open this summer.

“There’s about half a dozen or more deals in the pipeline that we’re just trying to finalize negotiations so we can get them open before the end of the year as well. It’s been very resilient the last 12 months.”

With the demise of Bed, Bath & Beyond, CrossIron Mills will be losing one of its anchor tenants but interest is high for that space already.

“They’re in their winding down phase. I would imagine we’ll get the store back in the next 30 to 60 days. We have very little vacancy. We have no vacancy in the anchor positions. This is a really good size unit (32,000 square feet), facing Highway 2 (Queen Elizabeth Highway) on the front side of the building. We have very strong interest in leasing the space. I have no trouble thinking that we will have a replacement announced probably before they actually even leave,” said Moller.

CrossIron Mills has about 220 stores and there is only one vacancy in the building.

“There’s a few leases that are expiring and a couple of the units we have what we call temporary tenants and they will make way for these new tenants coming in this year,” explained Moller.

Recently, in an interview with Retail Insider, Julie Bourgon, Head of Retail, Canada, with Ivanhoé Cambridge, said the company is exploring ways to densify some of its properties across Canada, joining a growing trend in the retail industry. She said property owners look at shopping centre assets differently today than they did a few years ago.

“On CrossIron specifically there is excess vacant land that Ivanhoe owns and it has been a topic of conversation and strategic planning with Ivanhoe about how best to maximize value,” said Moller. “Those conversations are going on and Julie’s comments are right in line with what we’ve been looking at and talking about. So nothing to announce but it is a strong possibility.”

RCC STORE 23 Conference Returns May 30 – 31 2023, in Toronto

By

Retail Insider

-

March 14, 2023

What is “next” in retail is becoming “now” at stunning speed. How retailers can continue to adapt and thrive at a time of constant change and transformation will be the focus of this year’s RCC STORE 23 Conference, May 30-31 in Toronto.

With an outstanding lineup of 75+ speakers, participants will learn the latest insights from Canada’s most influential retail leaders, world-renowned visionaries, and passionate entrepreneurs who will be encouraged to talk candidly about their challenges, how they are driving change, and about the future possibilities for retail.

RCC STORE 23 mainstage speakers include:

Jarvis Sam – Founder and CEO, Rainbow Disruption (previously led DEI at Nike Inc)

Doug Stephens – Founder, Retail Prophet

Michele Guimond – Vice President Marketing, Mountain Equipment Coop

Eric Morris – Managing Director and Head of Retail, Google Canada

David Shing – Digital Prophet

Jan Kestle – President and Founder, Environics Analytics

Afdhel Aziz – Founder and Chief Purpose Officer, Conspiracy of Love

Kostya Polyakov – National Industry Leader for Consumer and Retail Practice, KPMG Canada

Tamara Szames – Executive Director, Industry Advisor, Canada Retail, The NPD Group

Andrew Grantham – Executive Director & Senior Economist, CIBC

There will also be an exhibitor floor at RCC STORE 23, which will feature some of the most innovative business partners, from startups to leading established companies. These exhibitors will be available to demonstrate their cutting-edge technologies, strategies, and retail solutions.

“We’ve designed this year’s conference to not just inspire the over 2,000 participants but also ensure there are lots of opportunities for everyone to interact and learn from one another and really network,” said Michelle Ribout, Vice President, Education & Partnerships at Retail Council of Canada, and key organizer behind the RCC STORE 23 Conference. “Many retailers have adapted, or entirely reinvented their business models over the last few years; this is an outstanding event for everyone to hear about what is working and where the new opportunities will be going forward.”

More information can be found on the RCC STORE 23 website at storeconference.ca.

RCC STORE 23 will also host two gala awards shows and dinners. On the first evening, the Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala will recognize the best in retail innovation and creativity in 12 distinct retail categories. There will also be special awards of distinction given to prominent retail leaders in Canada that have led companies to remarkable business success, consistently demonstrating community commitment and support.

On the second evening, the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards Gala will celebrate the best new products of 2022. The awards recognize excellence in food, non-food, and private label categories. Entrants represent national and regional brands as well as private label.

To buy tickets to RCC STORE 23 in Toronto, visit: https://storeconference.ca Take advantage the advanced rates by booking by April 17, 2023 and save $100.

*Retail Insider partnered with Retail Council of Canada for this announcement.

Birks Investing in Stores Including Relocating CF Chinook Centre Location in Calgary [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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March 14, 2023

Birks Group has relocated its Maison Birks store to a bigger location in CF Chinook Centre in Calgary and the retailer has undertaken significant renovations at its CF Carrefour Laval store which will be unveiled later this spring.

New design features at Chinook Centre include an expanded square footage and a Rolex Showroom.

Birks is a leading Canadian retailer and designer of fine jewellery, timepieces and gifts since 1879. The company operates 23 Maison Birks stores across Canada, including flagship locations in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

Jean-Christophe Bédos, President and CEO, Birks Group, said the retailer was already present at Chinook with a store that was doing very well. But an opportunity arose to relocate to a bigger site and much better positioned in the shopping centre for pedestrian traffic.

“We are in the luxury aisle and we wanted to be more luxury because we have obtained the distribution of Rolex watches on the condition of course that we would be on or close to the luxury aisle,” said Bédos.

The 4,174-square-foot Maison Birks store, developed by Optima Design, incorporates rich, dark wood tones, high ceilings and innovative lighting. The new store also includes a 1,117-square-foot Rolex Showroom with a VIP area. Floor to ceiling windows showcase the store’s offerings which includes Balmain, Birks, Breitling, Cartier, Qeelin, TAG Heuer, Tudor and Wolf. Chaumet fine jewellery and Longines watches, will unveil shop-in-shops in early spring.

Birks’ own brand of fine jewellery, engagement rings and wedding bands is featured in a 803-square-foot shop-in-shop which celebrates the brand’s heritage and commitment to Canadian nature and landscape by incorporating light, warm wood tones.

Birks renovated its Calgary store in The CORE in the downtown as well as the Brinkhaus store in Calgary in 2021.

“So for us, investment in Calgary is a significant strategic decision that we made to actually have a strong presence in Alberta, specifically Calgary, because we believe that’s a great market for us,” said Bédos.

“After 63 years in the Calgary market, the relocation and expansion of the Maison Birks CF Chinook Centre store is an exciting new chapter for Birks Group Inc. We are thrilled to welcome clients to the new Rolex Showroom and to continue to enhance the shopping experience for our Calgary customers.”

Bédos said CF Carrefour Laval, just north of Montreal, is also under renovation.

“We do believe in the future of luxury in our country,” he said.

“We strongly believe that the long term for our business is very positive in Canada.”

Bédos said the Carrefour location is scheduled to be completed in April. It will have a Breitling Showroom.

He said Birks has additional stores it wants to renovate as well as some markets it wants to enter.

“There is a significant shift in the consumer behaviour for luxury goods. We are closing markets and we are opening new markets. We definitely see that the market is growing and it’s an evolution that we have our thumb on that post to really be present where the consumer spending is growing,” explained Bédos.

“For Canada what’s happening our observation is that the Canadian market’s becoming more and more urban in the spending. Four or five major hubs, clusters of luxury. The cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal are clearly growing for the market. We see significant investments in retail from international brands.

“We see also Alberta with Calgary and Edmonton becoming strong and those areas see a significant arrival of new Canadians and new residents who come from countries where the luxury brands are present and they expect those brands to be present in the markets where they decide to become residents in Canada.”

Bédos said in the past what had been missing in Canada was the international calibre of the retail experience especially in downtown areas and top quality shopping centres.

With the macroeconomic tension at the moment with inflation and higher interest rates, business is not easy.

“But when you provide an experience which is worth it, worth going out of home, worth transacting somewhere else than just on the mobile phone or your desktop, this is what (retail expert) Doug Stephens called what the store has to offer more than just the website,” said Bédos.

“The people go out and enjoy it. You see the transformation of downtown Toronto with Yorkville and Bloor. Yorkdale is a great example. We see also the great example in Vancouver and Vancouver is going to soon have a new Oakridge store which is going to be a significant value proposition for consumers. People will go there. When there is something interesting, they go and shop.”

Badass Fitness Experience With A FightClub Meets NightClub Vibe [Interview]

By

Mario Toneguzzi

-

March 14, 2023

It’s tough enough being a small business owner in the best of times with failure rates quite high across North America.

And of course, for many, it has been an extremely difficult and challenging period over the past three years dealing with the full impact of the COVID pandemic that has affected everybody’s bottom line.

The fitness industry was one of the hardest hit ones during the health crisis with lockdowns shutting down businesses for extended periods of time. Many didn’t survive.

Cissy Chen, founder of Rumble Boxing Studio, not only successfully navigated through the challenging time but is now poised for growth.

Chen, formerly in the oil and gas industry, founded Rumble Boxing Studio in 2016, and it’s seen rapid growth since then.

In fact, the now widely popular boutique fitness studio where FightClub meets NightClub is slated to open its doors in Yorkville, Toronto on March 18, marking its fifth studio in Canada.

“I graduated from the University of Calgary expecting to build a career in oil and gas, but I quickly realized that a 9 to 5 corporate job wasn’t going to fulfill me in the way I needed,” says Cissy Chen, founder and CEO of Rumble Boxing Studio. “At the same time, I started enjoying spin as a fitness routine, and it sparked an idea: if people can ride to the music, why can’t they box to the beat?”

Rumble Boxing Studio Construction at 1235 Bay Street in Toronto (Image: Craig Patterson)

In this video interview, Chen discusses the concept of her business, how she toughed it out during the pandemic and the company’s plans for growth.

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.

Interviewed this episode:

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Zellers Reveals Opening Dates for Alberta and Ontario Stores

By

Mario Toneguzzi

-

March 14, 2023

Future Zellers at CF Pacific Centre (Image: Lee Rivett)

Zellers will be opening a number of its first locations within Hudson’s Bay in Ontario and Alberta and launch its Zellers.ca e-commerce platform on March 23.

“At the heart of the Zellers experience is its price philosophy: Everyday Low Prices. We know Canadian shoppers are smart and savvy, and will be looking for both value and an elevated aesthetic in the products they shop us for. Instead of limited time sales or discounts, Zellers shoppers will know they are getting the best price, every day, no matter when they shop,” said the retailer in a news release on Tuesday.

“Reflecting a product assortment built on three pillars – quality, design, and value – customers will be served across key lifestyle categories, including kitchen and bath, accent furniture and home decor, organization and storage, baby and kids toys and apparel, pets, and apparel basics for men and women.

“Over the first opening days, the Zellers Diner on Wheels will visit different store locations. A full schedule will be provided.”

The Ontario and Alberta Zellers within Hudson’s Bay locations are:

Ontario

Erin Mills Town Centre, Mississauga
Burlington Mall, Burlington
White Oaks Mall, London
Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough
Pen Centre Shopping Plaza, St. Catharines
Cambridge Centre, Cambridge
Rideau Centre, Ottawa
St. Laurent Centre, Ottawa
Cataraqui Town Centre, Kingston

Alberta

Kingsway Garden Mall, Edmonton
Medicine Hat Mall, Medicine Hat
Sunridge Mall, Calgary

The retailer has plans to open 25 stores within The Bay.

Zellers as Canadians knew it ceased to exist in March of 2013 after the Hudson’s Bay Company sold most of the store leases to Target and shuttered a majority of the stores — the remaining two Zellers-branded stores shut in 2020.

“Where the lowest price is the law” was a calling card, which has helped Zellers establish itself as more than a retail destination, but a place to build and support community,” said Adam Powell, Chief Business Officer, Zellers, in a previous Retail Insider story. “Zellers is a brand deeply rooted in the Canadian experience. Spanning generations, people hold distinct connections to Zellers through shared experiences with family and friends, and we look forward to building on that in the future.”

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For March 15th, 2023

By

Retail Insider

-

March 13, 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.

Canadian Tire launches new fee-based tier to Triangle loyalty program for $89 a year (CBC)

Milk prices in Canada up 8.8%, US prices down 12%: Report (Grocery Business)

True North moves one step closer to buying Winnipeg’s Portage Place mall (CBC)

‘It’s the right time’: Sawchyn Guitars owners bid emotional goodbye as they prepare to close Regina store (CBC)

Halifax’s Independent Grocers Weigh in on Price Gouging (Huddle)

A massive new Costco is in the works near Calgary (Daily Hive)

Balzac’s Coffee Roasters appoints Randall Papineau to lead café growth (World Coffee Portal)

N.S. business owner furious, calls planned 4-day power outage ‘ludicrous’ (Global)

Saskatoon police investigating blaze that destroyed former thrift store as arson (CTV)

Hunters Garden Centre celebrates 70 years this season (Surrey Now-Leader)