Advertisement
Home Blog Page 735

PenguinPickUp Expands Westward into Vancouver Market: Interview

By
Mario Toneguzzi
-
PenguinPickUp in Vancouver (Image: PenguinPickUp)

PenguinPickUp, a growing network of convenient “one-stop pick-up” for all ecommerce purchases including groceries as well as outbound courier services from its courier company partners, has expanded from its Toronto base to now operating as well in Vancouver.

Brad Baker, the company’s Vice-President of Operations, said the company has recently opened two locations in Vancouver as the concept aims to make the last mile in retail less complex and less expensive.

The company, which began in 2014, has 33 locations across the country in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. Five are in Quebec, two in BC and the remainder are in Ontario.

Welcome to Vancouver PenguinPickUp (Image: JLL)

“Whilst we’ve been in business a number of years now, we still very much operate with a startup mindset.” Said Baker.

Brad Baker

“Our service offer is that we help solve the last mile problem for both retailers and consumers. Consumers can simply have their online purchases sent to us, and trust that their parcels are held safely and securely, ready to be picked up close to where they live or work when it’s convenient for them. As well customers can choose PenguinPickUp as the collection point when you shop online with our retail partners.”

“For retailers, who Offer Click and Collect or Delivery we are a great last mile solution, in that we’re a way that they can reach more customers, particularly in dense, urban markets, with less stops. Helping them to remove time, expense and complexity out of the last mile.”

For example, looking at the Vancouver market, explained Baker, a customer living in the west end of the city could order from IKEA one day by 7 p.m. and the item will be ready in PenguinPickUp’s location by 2 p.m. the next day.

Image: PenguinPickUp

“We’re growing very rapidly. In fact this year we’re opening on average about two stores per month. By the end of this year it’s our goal to have nearly 50 stores, including our third site in Vancouver which is already underway, and we’ll continue to open somewhere between 15 and 20 new stores a year,” said Baker.

“E-commerce has surged in the last couple of years, and there’s a real need to solve many of the challenges it’s created. Consumers are shopping more and more online, and many are worried about porch pirates or perhaps are living in a condo building where they don’t have a concierge and packages may be left unsecured and unattended. Or even if they have do a concierge many buildings are overflowing with packages as they’re not designed to handle the volume of e-commerce we are seeing today. The surge in e-commerce, has also put pressure on reverse logistic and returns, we provide a great solution for retailers in that respect, and are a convenient place for customers to drop their returns off at.

“For retailers, if you can reach thousands of customers through PenguinPickUp stores downtown in one stop, that’s more effective from a cost and environmental impact.”

 “In addition to these services our associates aim to provide a world-class customer experience every day and are intensely focused on delivering our service standards of Focused, Friendly and Clean.

“We are excited to bring our service to Vancouver, we’ve already served many customers and can’t wait to meet more. If PenguinPickUp can be a solution for your retail business, please reach out.”

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For June 13th, 2022

By
Retail Insider
-
Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

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 three days.

Retail Profile: Gastown Area in Vancouver (Spring 2022)

By
Lee Rivett
-
Gastown Steam Clock at Water Street and Cambie Street in Downtown Vancouver. Photo: Lee Rivett

Retail Insider continues its Photo Tour series to provide a window into retail hotspots across the country that are continuing to see changes while dealing with the after effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This edition takes us to well-known Gastown neighborhood in Vancouver, beginning with Water Street, then West on Cordova Street and then onto West Pender Street. Gastown is known for its whistling Steam Clock and retail mix ranging from high end boutiques to souvenir shops – all framed with historical buildings. The area is also seeing a resurgence with new retailers opening stores — including Miami-based luxury multi-brand retailer The Webster which is on the hunt for a Gastown store.

History of the Gastown Neighborhood

The history books for the Vancouver area notes that Gastown was Vancouver’s first neighborhood. A saloon owner, “Gassy” Jack Deighton, known for the gift of gabbing (or “gassing”) was the cornerstone of the neighborhood in the mid 1800s and the surrounding area became colloquially known as “Gassy’s town”. The name evolved over time to become “Gastown”.

Former “Gassy Jack” statue in Maple Tree Square in downtown Vancouver in Gastown. The statue was vandalized and removed in 2022. Photo: angelvancouver

The area prospered with the lumber and seaport industries growing as well as the arrival of the railway connecting the region to the rest of the region and country. The balance of the 1800s saw department stores arrive in the area, including Spencer’s, a Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse, Woodward’s, Fairbanks Morse, and Army and Navy stores. Food retailers like Malkins and Kelly Douglas also set up bases to begin trading from as well.

Archive photo of Dominion Trust Building and the Flack building at Cambie Street and Hastings Street in downtown Vancouver in the 1900s. Photo: Vancouver Archives.

Gastown fell into decline through the Great Depression and fell into disrepair until an effort to preserve Gastown’s history and architecture began in the 1960s. Buildings were renovated and streets were paved in brick to make the area appear even more historical in terms of visual elements. The neighbourhood continued to see revitalizing efforts and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2009. In reality, it continues to struggle with crime and vagrancy given its proximity to the socially challenged Downtown Eastside.

Breaking Up Gastown

The Photo Tour of Gastown is broken into three main sections. The tour starts at the Waterfront Station in the downtown core and heads eastward on Water Street to Carrall Street. After a visit to Maple Tree Square, the tour then touches upon the Woodward’s development at West Cordova Street and Abbott Street, before wrapping up in the Victory Square neighborhood.

Overview of Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.
  1. Water Street
  2. Woodward’s Complex
  3. Victory Square Neighborhood

Water Street in Gastown

Waterfront Station is a an historic public transportation facility and the main transit terminus for transit lines including Skytrain, West Coast Express and Seabus. Within it are several food vendors and restaurants which is the start of the Gastown retail tour. Waterfront Station is also next to the Harbour Centre with its “Lookout” tower atop the office building making it a prominent landmark on the city’s skyline. A Sears store operated at Harbour Centre in the 1980s and from the 1950s to 1970s Eaton’s operated a large store in the building formerly occupied by upscale Spencer’s.

Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver (May 2022). The building was once home to a Sears department store in the 1980s and before that, Eaton’s. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Water Street (From Richards Street to Cambie Street)

The typical downtown Vancouver street layout follows a militant grid format; however, Water Street in Gastown begins a series of radical non-confirming streets that jut out at 45 degree angles to follow the shoreline. The photo tour began at Waterfront Station on West Cordova Street, which is one of the militant grid streets, and continued east to encounter the first 45 degree, non-grid street branching off called Water Street.

Water Street (from Richards Street to Cambie Street) in Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.
Water Street at West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Steamworks Brewpub in “The Landing” on Water Street at West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Buro Coffee Shop on Water Street at West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

The northern building at 375 Water Street is called “The Landing” with the iconic Steamworks restaurant. In years past, the space housed a Polo Ralph Lauren/Polo Country Store as well as brands such as Snowflake furs and Rogers Chocolates. Across the street is a ‘Flatiron-like’ building with a Buro espresso bar in the ground level.

The first city block of Water Street (300 block) between West Cordova Street and Cambie Street includes several souvenir shops for tourists, but also a retailer featured in Retail Insider:

Herschel Supply on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

The city block includes several retailers such as the Whitecaps Official Store, Little Mountain Vancouver and Vancouver-based fashion brand The Latest Scoop which opened next to Gastown’s historic Steam Clock.

The Latest Scoop on Water Street at Cambie Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Little Mountain on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

One historical building on this block is linked to the Hudson’s Bay Company and is currently a family-run souvenir store named “Hudson House Trading Company”. Built in 1894, the Romanesque Revival style building with round-arched windows, brick facades, and rough-dressed stone trim was the Hudson’s Bay Company Warehouse.

Hudson’s Bay Company Warehouse (now “Hudson House Trading Company”) on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

Water Street (From Cambie Street to Abbott Street)

Continuing on from the historic “Gastown Steam Clock” is at the corner of Cambie Street and Water Street. The block is actually the street’s “100 block” as Water Street, given its configuration, lacks a 200 block.

Water Street (from Cambie Street to Abbott Street) in Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.

The 100 block of Water Street between Cambie Street and Abbott Street includes several souvenir shops for tourists and retailers featured in Retail Insider including:

Kit and Ace in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Maison Kitsune and Cafe Kitsune on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Future 5,000 square foot ‘Oak + Fort’ location at 151 Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Current/Closed 2,000 square foot ‘Oak + Fort’ location on previous city block at 355 Water Street (just beyond Gifts and Things, circled in red) in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

Before leaving this city block, a brick building was demolished on the corner that used to be home to the “Flying Pig Gastown” restaurant and “The Australian Boot Company”.

Former Flying Pig and Australian Boot Company on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Google Streetview (January 2022) of former Flying Pig and Australian Boot Company on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver. Photo: Google Streetview.

Water Street (From Abbott Street to Carrell Street)

Across Abbott Street from the former Flying Pig is the local Lamplighter Public House which begins the last block of Water Street for this photo tour. This is the “00” block with upscale multi-brand retailer Secret Location occupying 1 Water Street.

Water Street (from Abbott Street to Carrell Street) in Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.
Lamplighter on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

The “00” block of Water Street includes several souvenir shops for tourists, and also retailers featured in Retail Insider:

Filson on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
CNTRBND on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Native Shoes on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Aesop on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

Other retailers include 28 Water pop-up space, John Fluevog, gravitypope, Roden Gray, and Secret Location.

Maple Tree Square

Water Street ends at an awkward intersectio, named “Maple Tree Square” where Water Street, Carrall Street, Alexander Street and Powell Street meet. Once home to the now-vandalized “Gassy Jack” statue, it is now an open-air square considered the birthplace of Vancouver.

Maple Tree Square (off of Water Street) in Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.
Maple Tree Square in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Maple Tree Square in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

The city square includes a couple retailers featured in Retail Insider:

Le Labo on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Former RAINS/Noble Gentlemen on Water Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

Woodward’s Complex

With a nod to Vancouver’s history with former homegrown department store retailer Woodward’s, the Woodward’s Building is a historic building originally constructed in 1903 for the Woodward’s department store. The redevelopment was completed in September 2010. The “W” neon sign sits on top of a replica Eiffel Tower which was removed before demolition of the original store. A new replica tower features energy-saving LED technology.

Woodward’s Complex on West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Woodward’s Complex in Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.
West side of Woodward’s Complex on West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

The Woodward’s complex is home to a London Drugs, Nesters Market grocery store, JJ Bean Coffee as well as other financial, health and food services.

London Drugs at the Woodward’s Complex on West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Nester’s Market at the Woodward’s Complex on West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Wayfinding Signs at Woodward’s Complex on West Cordova Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

Victory Square Neighborhood

Victory Square is a Gastown neighborhood named after its namesake park located between West Hastings and West Pender Streets bounded by Hamilton Street and Cambie Street.

Victory Square with the present day Dominion Trust building on the mid/lower centre and the Flack Building on the right in front of the Woodward’s Building in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Victory Square Neighborhood in Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Map: Google Maps with overlay by Retail Insider.

The neighborhood includes a couple retailers featured in Retail Insider:

Avenue Road on West Pender Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Avenue Road on West Pender Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Major Interiors on West Pender Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.
Major Interiors on West Pender Street in Gastown within downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

We had a very interesting photo walk around the Gastown neighborhood in downtown Vancouver and we hope you enjoyed coming along with us. Don’t forget to check out our other retail photo tours and thank you for taking this tour with us.

Why Sobeys had to Dump Air Miles: Op-Ed

By
Sylvain Charlebois
-
EXTERIOR OF SOBEYS GROCERY STORE. PHOTO: SUPERMARKET NEWS

Sobeys recently decided to dump Air Miles and start its own loyalty program. Empire, Sobeys parent company, is opting to join the Bank of Nova Scotia and Cineplex as co-owner of the Scene+ program. This latest move by Sobeys is no coincidence. As we brace for higher food prices and cope with a post-COVID workforce still trying to figure things out, loyalty will probably be the next major battle ground for Canadian grocers.

The Scene+ program at Sobeys will start in Atlantic Canada in a few months, and the cross-country roll out will end by early 2023. The partnership with Air Miles will officially end soon after. That’s fast. Most Sobeys-owned stores, including its online service Voilà will have the program. Given how the market is changing right now, this move was critical and perhaps long overdue.

Since March 2020, 26% of Canadians have switched the primary location where they purchase food on a regular basis, according to a recent poll by Angus Reid. Many have moved or have opted to change their grocery shopping location for one reason or another. Having more people working from home has also triggered behavioural changes where grocery shopping is concerned. And with food inflation at 10% these days, consumers are either trading down or changing food shopping habits almost weekly. With higher food prices, everything is negotiable. Where people buy food, and what they buy is constantly changing these days, and keeping customers engaged with brands and stores is going to be challenging over the next several years. Coupled with the fact that younger consumers are rarely keen on being dedicated to any brands or stores these days, consumers need to be hardwired to become loyal, more than ever.

Sobey’s in Brighton, Ontario (Image: Field Agent Canada)

Sobeys quick roll-out will serve the company well, as it needed a better loyalty program. PC Optimum is by far the most popular program where foods are involved. More than 63% of Canadians use the PC Optimum program, followed by Air Miles at only 18.3% according to a recent survey by Caddle. Interestingly, the current Scene program is 6th on the list, at a measly 1.9%. The gap between PC Optimum and the rest of the field is enormous. What’s more important, while 58% of Canadians use loyalty programs at the grocery store every week, 73% of us are influenced by what kinds of benefits these programs can offer us.

With few promotions going on at the grocery store and higher prices, Canadians will seek any help they can get. And food prices aren’t about to drop anytime soon.

Air Miles is a versatile loyalty program used by many retailers. But for Sobeys, it became just an invisible advantage few really cared about. Sobeys never really had control over it. With the high number of miles you could collect, the program became confusing for both members and retailers, including Sobeys. But knowing that Metro, one of Sobeys’ main competitors in Eastern Canada, also had a deal with Air Miles was becoming increasingly awkward in an era in which getting customers back, and back again, will be challenging. The market is just not the same as it was in 2020 when the pandemic started. Consumers are now economically challenged in many ways and a strong loyalty program can allow Sobeys to empathize with a struggling public.

With higher prices and an acute focus on private labels, Loblaws, with its PC Optimum program, clearly has an advantage Sobeys wanted to address. While Sobeys is getting its “private label” act together, it also needs a program to push its own brands like Compliments and Panache. Loblaw’s private labelling strategy, along with President’s Choice and No Name, has left the competition in the dust.

Air Miles (LoyaltyOne) Headquarters in Toronto, Ontario (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Only time will tell as to what the program will look like and how it will get consumers to buy more often at Sobeys. But seeing Empire/Sobeys, a Nova Scotia-based company partner with the Bank of Nova Scotia was anything but a surprise. Even if Scene doesn’t have the clout of a PC Optimum program, it has the potential to do well. Scene has 10 million members, but the awareness of the brand is frankly lacklustre and few use points. Sobeys’ network could change that. It also needs a unique name, a different one, to make it Sobeys’ own.

Regardless, for Sobeys, working with Air Miles was like rowing against the current. Sobeys was likely just waiting for its contractual obligations to end, so it could move on to bolster a program it can better control.

Fit-Based Peer-to-Peer Clothing App ‘ReSuit’ Launches in Canada

By
Mario Toneguzzi
-
Image: ReSuit

ReSuit, a new fit-based, peer-to-peer clothing app, has been launched to revolutionize the way people buy and share clothing.

The app, co-founded by fashion industry veteran Nada Shepherd, who is the company’s CEO, and David Shepherd, who is CTO, allows users to rent, purchase or sell to a community of fashion enthusiasts who share their passion for sustainability.

Nada Shepherd

The concept was founded in May 2019.

“The idea actually had started much prior to 2019 and it’s evolved over the years,” said Nada. “It started with a third party app developer and then the pandemic hit which is interesting for a startup. There’s no playbook . . . Managing several third parties through a pandemic has proven challenging.

“Through that, we decided to, not pivot, but add a few features that were like phase two or three. We brought it in earlier. So that resulted in a delay longer than we anticipated and wanted but here we are. We’re launched and we’re ready to go.

“We’ve got an algorithm that facilitates an easier experience for the user. We’re one of the few apps that allow rental and resale.”

Image: ReSuit

David said one of the biggest problems in the clothing industry is that size labels have become meaningless for both men and women. The app asks people to take some body measurements and then that is matched up with people who have a similar shape and size. When a piece of clothing is listed on the app, people are asked how well it fits. Also, when something is rented people are asked how well it fits.

David Shepherd

“We use a bunch of AI (Artificial Intelligence), algorithms and techniques to then highlight to you, the borrower or the buyer, which items we think will fit you best based on your body size and shape regardless of clothing label,” said David.

“It’s all peer-to-peer. We don’t handle inventory. We don’t touch inventory.”

The app is available throughout the country on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

“Like everything it starts with an idea. It started with an idea around the time my daughter was born. So that would be 2012. It actually started before that when I was a clothing designer and when I closed my label in 2011 there was just a few things I walked away with of the industry . . . The model itself is quite dysfunctional. It’s really hard for a designer,” she said.

“It kind of started with this idea that there’s got to be a better way. Is it a clothing library? But that’s inventory. I’d sworn up and down that I would never do another business again related to inventory because when you’re a designer you’re counting buttons and threads. It’s really challenging. It’s tiring.

“I went to business school and kind of parked it and then it was the sustainability (aspect) that really started to connect some dots for me. I learned about TOMS Shoes and all these other models that are good and bad at the same time and there was a few, if you will, stakes in the ground that were important to me. I didn’t want to deal with inventory. I wanted to put something out in the world that was truly beneficial and helpful without creating waste.”

She said part of ReSuit’s ethos is that it’s going to give two per cent of revenue to a ‘Do Good’ fund. Her intention is to put it towards displaced garment workers. It’s a project that will take some time.

“The waste in the industry really got on her,” said David. “The idea of re-commerce and rental without carrying the inventory. Most, if not all, of the other major players in this space have inventory. So this combination of the rental, the resale, plus also the sizing issue, a lot of the waste and friction in e-commerce today is around high returns because of sizing.

“And when an item is returned different companies do different things with it. But most companies usually don’t recycle it back into their retail chain.”

“Loving fashion and wanting to change it are not mutually exclusive. It’s because fashion is such an important part of our lives and cultures that it needs to evolve; in the way it functions and the way it impacts the livelihoods of others. It’s with that deeply felt conviction that ReSuit was created,” said Nada.

Being an ex-designer, Nada understands the pain points for retailers and designers. Part of this app, of putting stakes in the ground and finding solutions, was a goal to make the industry better for designers.

“What if they only did one size run of a collection one time, no sample set and that’s what they used and they rented it out? And that’s all they did. Would they make more money? Would their life be easier? Would they need these big facilities? That’s really the driving force behind rental. I’m curious to see how that model benefits the designer,” said Nada.

“I think there’s so much talent in this country and it doesn’t come to light because of the manufacturing challenges here. So a big part of our partnerships is reaching out to designers but also the cousins to the industry . . . the dry cleaners that are able to dry clean in a cleaner way . . . we’re really looking for partnerships in driving that forward. Stylists and other industry professionals.”

ReSuit currently has a promotion that users upload two items for either resale or rental or both and also purchase or rent an item. If they do that and email ReSuit, they will receive up to $50 in return for their transaction. So if they rented something for $20 for example they receive $20 back. If they bought something for $50, they would receive $50 back. It’s for the first 100 people that meet that criteria.

Peavey Mart Opens Flagship Store in Home Town of Red Deer AB [Photos]

By
Dustin Fuhs
-
Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)

Farm and ranch retailer Peavey Mart has opened its 40,000 square foot Flagship store in the company’s homebase of Red Deer, Alberta.

Jest Sidloski

“It was obvious to have a flagship presence in your home centre,” said Jest Sidloski, Vice President of Marketing, Customer Experience & eCommerce at Peavey Mart. “We’re from Red Deer. The brand head office is in Red Deer. It was no surprise to anyone that our flagship needed to be here.”

Planning for the company’s flagship had been years in the making, allowing for the new build to be turned around from shovels in the ground to welcoming first customers in a year. 

“We broke ground in April 2021 and the new location soft-opened in late April 2022. The anticipation from the community made the build feel like it took longer, but when you actually look at the moment that shovels went into the ground only a year before opening and then you hear ‘was it really that fast?’ and it was incredible build time.”

Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)

The store will provide the company a new innovation hub to create a new feeling for the retailer, which has roots that go back to 1967 when it started as National Farmway, a chain of “super farm markets” whose first location opened in Dawson Creek, BC. 

With a network of 90 stores from coast to coast, the flagship is the largest in the chain. 

“What consumers get from that Flagship experience is more than a brand new look, and it is a completely brand new look. It’s a very modern ‘farm and ranch’, so it instantly looks like a Peavey Mart yet it’s also unlike anything that the consumer has seen with a Peavey Mart.” 

“We are able to feature more of the customer’s favourite products and brands, with more selection but also with more quantities due to the increased shelf space.

Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)

One of the recognizable features for the retailer is the clientele that they serve and how the old Red Deer location was a product of temporary solutions that were impacting the customer experience.

“When the location became available in South Red Deer, it gave us the space to do what our customers were looking for from this store. The original Red Deer location, at one time, was on the edge of the city with acres and acres of land surrounding it. As the city grew, the land was sold and developed – and at the end, we were sharing a parking lot with a dollar store and a bottle depot. This impacted the access for our rural customers who were looking to come into the store with a trailer.”

“Unlike other retailers, Peavey Mart has a large portion of our goods in an outside selling space. From farming equipment to panels and gates, the store was discombobulated and actually across the parking lot. 

Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)

“With the new location, the outside selling area is built right onto the store, alongside our massive new greenhouse, which is attached to our building versus having some kind of standalone unit.” 

Sidloski also shared what the brand incorporated into the planning before the flagship opened to the public. 

“About a month before opening, our CEO Doug Anderson, held an AI summit with our Red Deer associates and many of the corporate employees about the Flagship. He said ‘It’s not just the store. It’s not just the brand. It’s not just the look. It’s not just the customer story. The flagship is also how our teams interact with each other and support each other.’  

“All levels of the store were able to discuss with the executive team and all levels of management what we needed to have in order to be successful with this location. We took a lot of feedback and ideas and put it into the store what we introduced to the community.”

With the new flagship opening in a community with one of the original stores in the chain, the brand was able to secure institutional knowledge by having existing employees move across town.  

“In the original location and the employees that came to our new flagship, there were hundreds – literally hundreds of years of Peavey experience in that building. There are employees who have been with us for decades, and it allows for our customers to benefit from the product knowledge.”

The brand held a three-day grand opening celebration from June 3-5th, 2022, which culminated with a sold-out concert from the new store. 

“It’s an exciting year again for Peavey, with Peace River, Vegreville and Lacombe are all underway. Peace River is a brand new build with a smaller footprint than Red Deer, expecting to open this summer. Lacombe and Vegreville are set to open in a month, as those are expansions to those locations.” 

Retail Insider worked with Peavey Mart to announce a new store in Bedford, Nova Scotia, which will be opening in the fall. Salmon Arm, BC, will also be opening in the same timeframe. 

Peavey Mart in Bedford, Nova Scotia (Rendering: Peavey Mart)

“We are excited to be opening up two locations on the opposite ends of the country, while furthering our footprint from coast to coast. 

As Peavey Mart continues to expand and open new stores, the question was asked if the future stores will all see elements from the Flagship. 

“We are an opportunity retailer, so not all of our new locations will be ground-up builds. A lot will be taking over old buildings or other existing retail structures, but this location will provide learnings that we can take and try to put them into future locations and then anytime we have the opportunity to go back and reset an existing location – it’ll likely have some of those elements as well.” 

“I think the organization will look at this blueprint going forward for new locations, certainly as a look and feel.” 

Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)
Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)
Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)
Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)
Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)
Peavey Mart in Red Deer, Alberta (Image: Peavey Mart)

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For June 10th, 2022

By
Retail Insider
-
Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

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.

Brief: Value Village Launching ‘Boutique’ Concept in Canada, Costco Opens Quebec Business Centre Store

By
Retail Insider
-

Unique Shreddies Wheat ‘Dispensary’ Pop-Up Opens In Downtown Toronto

Photo: Shreddies Wheat Dispensary

The pop-up is a cheeky nod to the hundreds of cannabis dispensaries that have opened in Toronto since legalization in 2018. 

Read more about the Wheat Dispensary

Value Village To Open 2 Downtown Toronto Concept Stores In Iconic Locations

Future Value Village Boutique at 639 Queen Street West in Toronto (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

US-based Second-hand retail chain will be introducing the new urban Value Village Boutique concept to the Canadian market.

Read more about the new boutiques 

Costco Wholesale Business Centre Expands Canadian Operations With New Quebec Location

Costco Anjou Business Centre
Costco Anjou Business Centre (Image: Costco)

The retail giant has opened its sixth Canadian Business Centre with its new location in Anjou, Quebec.

Read more about the new Business Centre

Sunglass Hut To Relocate Storefront At CF Pacific Centre In Downtown Vancouver

Future Sunglass Hut on the Upper Level at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Lee Rivett.

International eyewear retailer will open in a 1,139 square foot location on the upper level of the shopping centre.

Read more about the future Sunglass Hut location

Electric Car Company Vinfast To Open At Park Royal In West Vancouver

Construction signage for VinFast electric car location at Park Royal Shopping Centre in West Vancouver. Photo: Shanon Thornley

Construction signage for the new South Mall location went up last month.

Read more about the future VinFast location

Bayview Village Hosting 1st-Ever Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-Up To Support Canadian Designers

Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-up at Bayview Village

The pop-up opens on Friday June 10th and runs until Sunday the 12th inclusive. 

Read more about the pop-up

1Related Retail Insider Articles

Bayview Village Hosting 1st-Ever Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-Up to Support Canadian Designers

By
Retail Insider
-
Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-up at Bayview Village

Toronto’s Bayview Village shopping centre is hosting a pop-up this weekend in partnership with Toronto Fashion Incubator. The pop-up opens on Friday June 10th and runs until Sunday the 12th inclusive. 

Included will be a range of curated upscale fashion, jewellery and “glam” accessories that will be all available for purchase, from emerging talents and entrepreneurs.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Toronto Fashion Incubator for this one-of-a-kind bespoke pop-up, where customers can shop luxe and local talent,” said Rachael Tang, Marketing Director, Bayview Village Shopping Centre. “Bayview Village is known for celebrating Canadian design, and through this partnership with Toronto Fashion Incubator, we are offering a turnkey solution for designers to get the exposure they need to amplify their businesses.”

Designers featured at the pop-up range from seasoned veterans to first-time merchants looking to gain exposure and be immersed in the fashion scene. The pop-up provides an opportunity for the community to shop local brands while giving designers an additional platform to showcase their talent.

Bayview Village Hosting 1st-Ever Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-Up to Support Canadian Designers
Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-up at Bayview Village

“We believe that Bayview Village is the right location for our first-ever pop-up as the shopping centre is a well-known destination for Canadian fashion and luxury products,” said Susan Langdon, Executive Director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator. “Alumni brands such as Smythe, Greta Constantine and Jenny Bird have been extremely popular among the clientele at Bayview Village; thus, we have carefully curated a collection of designers whom we feel will thrive in this upscale environment.”

Toronto Fashion Incubator is marking 35 years of supporting up-and-coming Canadian designers with the launch and growth of their fashion businesses through strategic building programs, mentorship and exclusive promotional and marketing opportunities. 

Opening hours for the pop-up are 10:00am-8pm Friday June 10, 10:00am-6pm Saturday June 11 and Noon-5pm on Sunday June 12. 

The first 100 customers to visit the pop-up each day will have a chance to win a $1,000 Bayview Village gift card, limited to one entry per person, terms and conditions apply. 

Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-up at Bayview Village
Toronto Fashion Incubator Pop-up at Bayview Village

Toronto-Based Craig’s Cookies to Launch Significant Store Expansion in Canada via Franchise Model: Interview

By
Mario Toneguzzi
-
Craig's Cookies at 1332 Queen St W (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Craig’s Cookies began several years ago as a way for Craig Pike to pay his phone bill. 

He began by selling the treats over Facebook and Instagram in 2013. Today, he has five locations in Toronto, one in Newfoundland, and plans for a huge expansion through a franchise model.

“I’m an actor and musician and in 2013 I had a month off of work so I started to make cookies to help pay my phone bill,” said Pike. “I hopped on Facebook and Instagram and used them as my marketing tool and sold 200 dozen cookies in a month.

“I used to bring chocolate chip cookies to potlucks and everybody used to like them. So I decided to hop on Facebook and I said does anybody want to buy cookies and I’ll deliver them free on my bike.”

Craig’s Cookies at 1332 Queen St W (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

After selling those first 200 dozen, Pike went away to do some acting. When he came back, he thought he’d continue to make cookies while he was bartending. He did that for the first three or four years. 

“I would bake, deliver on my bike, do little pop-ups on sidewalks, at flea markets. That kind of thing,” said Pike.

Craig Pike

In 2015, early 2016, he received a call from Air Canada’s enRoute magazine. They wanted to put him on the cover and that opened his audience base to more of a downtown Bay Street crowd. 

“So we started selling more cookies for events, for business meetings, which then led to a pop-up shop at Williams Sonoma at Yorkdale mall. I used to wake up at one in the morning and I would bake for six or seven hours and I’d show up to a pop-up and I did the same thing at Yorkdale. Showed up and we’d sell out in two or three hours. Folks were coming in, buying cookies and sticking around. I was invited to do another pop-up there about a month later and I said could I bake on site,” explained Pike.

Craig’s Cookies at 483 Church St (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“So I was able to show up at eight or nine in the morning and bake live which was really, really fun and it also created a beautiful, wonderful, baking smell that wafted down to the mall and attracted customers into Williams Sonoma. Ultimately Williams Sonoma saw it as a really great opportunity to do something a bit more permanent. They invited me to do a six-month pop-up shop beginning in the fall of 2017 and that was kind of the first foray into having like a permanent space.”

About two months later, he was about burned out being an entrepreneur himself and almost gave up the business. But a location became available through Instagram. He decided to go look at it. He always said to himself that if he was going to open a store it would be about 300 square feet. This place checked out and the landlord wasn’t asking too much.

The first location opened in Parkdale in April 2018. It was at the west end of Parkdale. When that opened it was just himself and one other employee. 

“My business model was to work my buns off for two years and then after the two-year lease was over to kind of reassess. BlogTO which is a local Toronto blog, they came by and did a little video of Craig’s Cookies,” he said. “And it got 1.4 million views in the first I think week or so and since then sales have been over $1,000 a day and we had to hire about 12 people overnight.

Craig’s Cookies at 1332 Queen St W (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“About a year later, I thought maybe it’s time to open a second location. I thought where should I open one? Being of the queer community in Toronto, I wanted to open one in the Village here so our second location was on Church Street on Halloween 2019. Then the pandemic hit and because there was no theatre or music happening during the pandemic, I figured I’d put all my energy into expanding the business. In Halloween of 2020, we opened our third location on Bayview Avenue just north of the downtown core and that spring of 2021 we opened our fourth location in Leslieville which is on Queen Street but on the east end of Toronto.

“The fall of 2021 we opened two locations within a week of each other in Yorkdale mall as well as St. John’s, Newfoundland.”

Recently it moved its original Parkdale location to one just down the street in a larger footprint on Queen Street W.

“We are really excited to move to a part of Parkdale that has a lively food and beverage scene,” said Pike. “Parkdale is the original location of Craig’s Cookies and one of the most honest communities I’ve had the chance to open a business in.

“Parkdale and Craig’s Cookies is synonymous, so while we’ve moved, we are thrilled to still get to call this neighbourhood home.”

Craig’s Cookies at 1332 Queen St W (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Today, Craig’s Cookies has about 120 employees and ships throughout Canada. 

It also has a presence in two Nordstrom locations and the potential of more growth within the next year or two.

“The one thing I’ve learned with Craig’s Cookies, because it’s my mom’s recipe which is a really simple but delicious chocolate chip cookie, the possibilities of growth are quite simple but also there’s a huge opportunity. You don’t have to be a real trained baker to work at Craig’s Cookies,” said Pike.

“I’m not a trained baker. I’m not a trained business person. Early on when we opened our second location, I had the wherewithal to think about potential future expansion and branding and marketing. I made the second location kind of look like our Parkdale location. The same flooring, we have hardwood floors up front to make it feel like you’re going through grandma’s home. Or my grandma’s home in St. John’s. It’s a blue tile in the front which is reminiscent of the Atlantic Ocean. With tons of art on the walls that are specific to each community in which we open.

“Ultimately it’s paved the way for really great brand recognition. We’re going to franchise. All the stores will have a similar vibe.”

Pike said the success takes him by surprise quite often, making him pause and be grateful for the incredible team he gets to work with.

“It’s really inspiring to see that kind of work ethic rally around the company that started with me just biking around the city with cookies in paper bags,” he said.

1...734735736...1,318Page 735 of 1,318
spot_img
spot_img

About

Contact

Media

Follow

© 2025 Retail Insider Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The content on this website is protected by the copyrights of Retail Insider Media Ltd. or the copyrights of third parties and used by agreement. No part of any of the content of this website may be reproduced, distributed, modified, framed, cached, adapted or linked to, or made available in any form by any photographic, electronic, digital, mechanical, photostat, microfilm, xerography or other means, or incorporated into or used in any information storage and retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of Retail Insider Media Ltd. or the applicable third party copyright owner.