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.
Well-known Canadian apparel company Arc’teryx is in expansion mode these days.
Delaney Schweitzer, Chief Commercial Officer of the retailer, said the company opened a new location recently in CF Market Mall. She said CF Toronto Eaton Centre is also opening this week.
delaney schweitzer
In Canada, the company has 13 brand stores, a small pop-up and two outlets. In the US, it has 24 stores. The company also has stores in Europe, Asia Pacific, and China with a total of about 160 stores globally.
“We plan to open eight stores this year and last year we had to scale back because of COVID,” explained Schweitzer. “We had planned a lot more and I think we only opened three stores.
“So we’ll have eight stores open this year in North America. In just Canada . . . for 2022 we will open six stores. One is moving to a bigger location. In Vancouver we currently have a (Kitsilano) location but we’re opening to a flagship (on West 4th) . . . In the US, we’re opening three more.”
Arc’teryx at Carrefour Laval (Image: Arc’teryx)
CF Market Mall was the first new store opening in Canada this year, which had its grand opening on July 9th. CF Toronto Eaton Centre is next followed by Square One, Vaughan Mills, Richmond Centre in Vancouver, and Quartier DIX30 in Montreal.
“We had a very, very successful wholesale business for about 20 years . . . We built the brand through our product and we had a few brand stores that we operated and the business just continued to create more momentum and what we realized there’s more to just Arc’teryx than just the jacket or the product. There’s a huge piece that we do in community and bringing the community together around mountains and outdoors,” said Schweitzer.
“Our stores have kept becoming more successful. There was a strategic decision to open more brand stores . . . and focus on our B2C channels which is our retail stores as well as our e-commerce business.
“In Canada, we see it as approximately 30 to 35 stores. In 2023, we want to open another six stores in Canada.
“We’re a Canadian brand so I think there’s a lot of support from the Canadian consumer. But also the Canadian guest is also very athletic, very outdoors driven, we have mountains all around us . . . And if you’re not in a city that has mountains surrounding, Arc’teryx has a huge following in our climbing gyms and in other athletics. I just think the Canadian consumer loves new technical products. I think the Canadian consumer understands that Arc’teryx is the best outdoor outerwear in the business. We built the brand around our promise of the best technical jacket in the industry.”
Arc’teryx Signage at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Arc’teryx at Carrefour Laval (Image: Arc’teryx)
Schweitzer said the company is also looking for a Bloor Street location in Toronto.
“We’re growing because we see the opportunity and community in getting more people outdoors and that’s what we’re super passionate about at Arc’teryx,” she said.
Earlier this year, the global design company specializing in technical high-performance apparel and equipment, said it had opened 21 stores internationally in 2021. The retailer also celebrated its first ReBird Repair and Service Center in New York with more service centres to come.
Image: Arc’teryx
“As each Arc’teryx store opens, we get clarity on what the community is looking for when it comes to product, experiences, and education,” said Schweitzer. “In 2021, our stores hosted over 37,000 guests participating in community events, both virtual and in-person, from running to climbing and circular design. We will continue to open stores by using consumer insights, in-depth community input, consideration of nearby amenities in core sports, and listening to our team on the ground to determine where we open and how to best serve our guests.”
“Community is the key for success in retail,” said Stephanie Jamieson, Community Director, Arc’teryx. “Whether it’s providing the best gear and product advisors at our stores, offering the opportunity to learn new skills through community events, or supporting local leaders to share their knowledge and passion for the outdoors, our store locations exist to support the community. The stores also educate guests on how to extend the lifetime of their products through care and repair; they also encourage guests to keep their gear in play longer via our Used Gear program.”
Arc’teryx has moved to source 100 per cent renewable electricity for the operation of all stores worldwide.
Arc’teryx remains focused on expanding to new markets in 2022, with 20 stores planned for Europe and North America.
Recent research by the Downtown Yonge BIA indicates a ‘cautious return’ to business for the Toronto district.
According to the BIA (Business Improvement Area), more than 40 per cent of businesses say they are better off than a year ago, while seeing steady improvement so far in 2022.
“No question the pandemic was very challenging for businesses in this area, so it is heartening to finally see some optimism,” said Pauline Larsen, Downtown Yonge’s Interim Executive Director. “As a crucial economic and tourist hub we are thrilled to see upward trends for residents, visitors and businesses.
“We’re getting there. Obviously there is still plenty of ground to make up, but the economic news is certainly positive – which is a welcome change.
“I would say I would like to be able to call this the summer of recovery but possibly my cautious nature would call it the summer of cautious recovery.”
Yonge at Dundas St (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Pauline Larsen
The BIA is located in the Yonge/Dundas neighbourhood. It represents just over $7 billion worth of commercial real estate with over four million square feet of retail space, more than 700 retail stores, and landmark properties such as the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto Metropolitan University, and College Park.
“We have some of the highest foot traffic counts, certainly in the City of Toronto if not in the country. And of course we’ve been keenly watching to see how pandemic recovery has been unfolding in the last several months,” said Larsen.
As of June 15, office occupancy in the entire downtown was about 26 per cent – well above the last peak (16 per cent) in November 2021 and a huge improvement over the five per cent occupancy in May 2020.
“The office return is underway. I would say what’s interesting about that data is that about 40 per cent of those staff are in the office at least once a week. But in terms of being full-time back in the office the occupancy is still 26 per cent. A lot better than it was a year ago . . . but obviously we’d still like to see that number come up,” added Larsen.
Yonge at Gerrard (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
In Downtown Yonge specifically, at the end of June, the overall retail vacancy rate has improved to about 13.47 per cent but there’s still a higher vacancy rate for street front vacancy than the mall retail.
“We’re seeing strengthening of indicators overall but it’s not strengthening at the same rate for every sector in the neighbourhood,” explained Larsen.
“Since the last vacancy figure that we looked at in May the first urban format IKEA has opened which we’re really excited about and has been extremely well reported. That was a really good sign of confidence for us in the neighbourhood economy.”
Larsen said pedestrian counts have also strongly improved. They more than doubled in May compared to May 2021. Pedestrian traffic on Yonge Street has increased steadily every month, a sign of renewed consumer confidence as restrictions eased.
“For example, we pulled out the comparison for Victoria Day 2022 compared to a year previous and there was a 200 per cent increase in foot traffic on Yonge Street north and south of Dundas over that four-day weekend which was something in the region of 900,000 people over that four-day weekend on Yonge Street,” she said.
CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Bay at Dundas (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“So that for us was a very significant improvement and we’ve seen similar stats in June with the events we started to track the pedestrian traffic counts.
“Somewhere in the region of 80 per cent of all of the traffic flow on Yonge Street is pedestrian traffic. So from the point of view of activating the neighbourhood, making the place feel energetic and vibrant, that return of pedestrian traffic is very critical for us and so we’re very, very happy to see that.”
The latest data for visitors, from Environics until the end of February, indicates an 85 per cent year-over-year increase. What’s interesting is that there was a much higher number coming from visitors further away from the neighbourhood.
“In the grip of the pandemic, obviously visitors decreased significantly and they came from not more than a 25 to 30-minute drive away. What we’re seeing now is this increase in visitors but they’re coming from sort of a 50-minute drive away,” said Larsen. “So people are traveling further to come into the Downtown Yonge neighbourhood. And again that’s good news for us.”
This year’s Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala on May 31, 2022 was a true testament to the innovation retailers in Canada are bringing to consumers. Retail Insider would like to join Retail Council of Canada in recognizing these winners as we celebrate the retail industry and where it’s going.
This is the first of a three-part series where we’ll showcase this year’s winners in the categories of e-Commerce Experience, Omni-Channel, Retail Marketing as well as the 2022 Canadian Retailer of the Year Award and the 2022 Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Award recipients.
Here’s a breakdown of each of the Excellence in Retail Awards winners in these categories and some background on their outstanding achievements:
Sobeys team. Photo: Wade Muir
e-Commerce Experience: Sobeys Inc. launch of Voilà by Sobeys
In June of 2020, Nova Scotia-based grocery retailer Sobeys Inc. launched Voilà by Sobeys (Voilà). It’s a world-class e-commerce platform and first-of-its-kind cutting-edge online grocery delivery service which continues to expand into stores in Canada.
Voilà alleviates the common complaints shoppers had about other online services including out-of-stock items, unwanted product substitutions, and compromises on quality and freshness. The COVID-19 pandemic and rising demand for grocery delivery created an even further interest amongst Canadians for this unparalleled service. Shortly after launching, Voilà expanded to more markets in southern Ontario, and Voilà Curbside Pickup launched at 98 stores across the east coast and Alberta. The Voilà team is also building two additional CFCs, in Montreal and Calgary.
Sobeys says that launching Voilà is a win for its employees, partners, and suppliers, which indicates that the retailer is heading in the right direction. Sobeys says that it is most proud to offer its customers: freshness, order accuracy, and on-time delivery.
Ren’s Pets team, Photo: Wade Muir
Omni-Channel: Ren’s Pets with its ‘Fetch Your Favourites’ Same Day Delivery
Toronto-based Ren’s Pets launched same-day delivery to home in all stores in late August 2021, to fetch its customers’ favourite pet food, treats, toys, and more to be delivered to their doorstep. The service is powered by DoorDash, and integrates the Ren’s website, bricks and mortar stores, and customer into one seamless omni-channel process.
Customers place their orders online at renspets.com, the store picks and packs the order from its inventory, and a Dasher fetches the order to deliver to the customer’s home, same day. The program has been a ‘tail-wagging big success’ for Ren’s, especially during COVID. It’s an innovative solution in pet retail for customer who desire quick, easy same-day home delivery on pet food and supplies, facilitated online and executed by Ren’s Pets’ incredible team members in store.
As a new member of RCC, this was the retailer’s first opportunity to compete against other talented Canadian retailers to see how Ren’s Omni-Channel programs compared. “We were very proud of our DoorDash initiative this year, especially executing it during the pandemic, and wanted to celebrate the work of our Ren’s teams,” the retailer said in a statement.
This win was a significant accomplishment for Ren’s Pets, as it’s been on a fast-paced growth plan building out stores and e-commerce capabilities over the past five years. Winning in the Omni-Channel category shows Ren’s Pets strengths as a Canadian powerhouse specialty pet retailer which continues to grow.
Showcase team, Photo: Wade Muir
Omni-Channel: Showcase with a Unified Omni-Channel Strategy: Digitizing the Store Concept
Toronto-based variety retailer Showcase recently launched streaming shopping and other innovations that saw it win an award. With increasing pressures on retail traffic, Showcase brings its trend stores to life on your phone or on your computer – wherever you may be so that you can discover the latest, newest, hottest, greatest products.
That includes being able to see a demonstration and understand more about how a product works. Consumers can engage with the Showcase live chat team or in a live shopping show or interact with a social media post to ask questions and interact. Consumers then have the instant gratification of purchasing that product either online, running into a store, or even getting same day delivery. The initiative is about digitizing the store concept and modernizing it for a digital world.
Showcase will continue to build on its omni-channel capabilities as it looks to the future of a hybrid physical-digital world.
Mastermind Toys team. Photo: Wade Muir
Retail Marketing: Mastermind Toys Let’s Play: A Brand Campaign
Toronto-based Mastermind Toys is Canada’s largest specialty toy and children’s book retailer, with 68 stores coast-to-coast and a wonder-filled website. In 2021, Mastermind Toys partnered with The Local Collective to create its first-ever advertisement campaign to drive awareness of its brand and purpose by highlighting differentiators, like its expert curation, inclusiveness, and sense of wonder.
The campaign focused on addressing a play deficit that has been building for decades, despite play being a critical component of child development. The value of play and its impact on supporting important life skills in children have always underpinned Mastermind Toys’ curation and brand purpose since opening its doors in 1984—uniquely positioning the retailer to ignite Canadians’ desire to play more.
As Canada’s Authority on Play, Mastermind Toys released its brand advertisement, titled ‘Let’s Play,’ as a call-to-action to spark curiosity, learning, discovery, and wonder through play.
Pet Valu team, Photo: Wade Muir
Retail Marketing: Pet Valu Canada: Love Lives Here
Markham Ontario-based Pet Valu’s ‘Love Lives Here’ campaign was a full funnel campaign with the purpose to drive brand awareness and familiarity of the brand through forging a strong emotional connection with Devoted Pet Lovers.
The premise of the campaign is that life with a pet has its ups and down including being filled with laughs, tears, and deep breaths. But at the end of the day, it’s always rewarding. Pet Valu and its Animal Care Experts are said to always happy to help support pet owners for all the good times, and the rest.
“We’re really proud of ‘Love Lives Here’ and we wanted to share our story with the retail community”, says the company. ‘Love Lives Here’ is an exceptional 360-degree marketing campaign that shows exactly what Pet Valu is about – its committed to nurturing the unconditional relationship between devoted pet lovers and their pets, offering animal care expertise, compassionate service and high-quality products and services, and that it’s there to help whenever needed. The campaign resonated with both devoted pet lovers and Pet Valu’s Animal Care Experts and the retailer says that it is confident it will continue to help Pet Valu grow in months and years to come.
‘Love Lives Here’ showcases authentic, memorable moments that happen in our stores every day. The entire company says that it is celebrating this award as it could not have achieved this success without the ongoing dedication of every staff member, franchise owner and Animal Care Expert.
Also at this year’s Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala, two outstanding individuals were honoured with the Award of Distinction.
Paul Wood (centre) and his team from Giant Tiger. Photo: Wade Muir
Paul Wood, President & CEO of Giant Tiger – 2022 Canadian Retailer of the Year Recipient
Paul Wood says that he is honoured to have been selected as recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Retailer of the Year award and shares this prestigious recognition with the over 10,000 members of Team Tiger across the country.
He acknowledges the award is a testament to the dedication, resilience and passion of the team and positive reinforcement of their efforts. It is also a special recognition for Giant Tiger’s commitment to the over 264 communities it calls home and a service to its customers who are at the heart of every decision it makes.
Together with its franchise partners across the country, Giant Tiger continues to give back to local communities and supports them in practical ways which has been a constant part of the Canadian retailer’s DNA over the course of its 61-year history. Wood, and the rest of Team Tiger, says that they feel privileged to be recognized as they seek to make a difference by providing all Canadians, either online or in-store, the opportunity to shop smart and save smart on fashion, home and grocery products everyday.
Shashi Behl receiving her award, Photo: Wade Muir
Shashi Behl, Founder and CEO of Joydrop – 2022 Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Recipient
Behl says that recognition of the award was the best ‘spark of light’ that the team could have received this year. “We celebrated this win with our team with a big team party and brought everyone into the celebration. It is a great feeling going into our busiest quarter with this boost of internal and external recognition”. Behl went on to say that RCC’s recognition gave the company some extra energy when we needed it most and most importantly it was an opportunity to make some very good connections in the Retail industry.
With so many amazing retailers in Canada, to be awarded this prestigious recognition by industry peers is a huge achievement. Congratulations everyone. Stay tuned for part two of this series where we profile more winners from this year’s Excellence in Retailing Awards.
GoodGood, an all-day cafe specializing in locally-curated coffee, beverages, snacks and everyday essentials, has been aggressively expanding its presence in the Toronto market this year with the opening of four locations and another one to come in the near future.
Kris Linney, the company’s co-founder and chief marketing officer, said a pop-up location was initially opened in December of 2021 to give the brand name some exposure in the market.
Kris Linney
“From there we’ve moved on and we’ve built out four of what we call all-day cafes. The first one opened in St. Lawrence Market over on Esplanade. That opened at the end of February. From there we opened a second location in St. Clair West and Dufferin. That opened end of March, early April.
“Then we opened on Adelaide where our pop-up was at the end of March. We actually closed down the pop-up and moved next door to a full build out. It’s got about 2,000 square feet. It has seating. And we recently opened on Queen Street, just west of Bathurst, as our fourth location. That opened mid to end of April. So we’ve been kind of rocking and rolling. And we have one more location that’s slated to open end of July or early August and that’s at Yonge and Davisville.”
Future GoodGood at Yonge & Davisville (Image: Craig Patterson)
Linney said the five locations vary in size between 1,500 to 2,000 square feet with seating and a couple of them have patio spaces.
“Really beautiful places where people can hang out, grab a coffee or a drink and discover new awesome emerging brands,” he said.
“We’re evaluating some other options. We don’t have necessarily anything signed yet. We haven’t publicly announced anything. But the goal would be to open a few more locations. We’re very focused on Toronto and I think we’re really getting an understanding of the different neighbourhoods where the concept can thrive in.
“We’ve been very fortunate to be able to open in neighbourhoods that have really embraced the brand and the concept. Definitely have our eyes on a few different neighbourhoods and a few different properties. Evaluating some options.”
GoodGood Adelaide (Image: Dustin Fuhs)GoodGood Queen Street (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Linney said the company is very focused on Ontario as a region and as a whole. That will be the primary focus for the brand for the foreseeable future, at least until the end of this year. But it is interested in looking beyond the Toronto downtown into some markets in the GTA.
“We haven’t officially moved in that direction yet but our goal is to kind of build the brand in Toronto, the GTA and then Ontario proper,” he said.
“We operate what we’ve kind of branded all-day cafes. So what’s really cool about our concept is that they’re legitimately busy the whole day. You can come in the morning. We have an awesome coffee selection. Pastries. So get your morning started. Jump-started some would say. You can enjoy the traditional cafe experience. As the day progresses, we progress with the day. In the lunch time, they’re grabbing those salads. We have awesome snacks and beverages from sparkling waters to sodas. You name it. Across the board. And then after that in the afternoon we fuse into a wine cafe. We do beer. We have pizzas that we make on site.
GoodGood Queen Street (Image: Dustin Fuhs)GoodGood Queen Street (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“You can come in the morning. You can come for lunch. Or you can come in the afternoon. We have a relevant selection of products that’s always available to you and we’re hyper focused in supporting emerging brands . . . We’re very focused on connecting these emerging brands to local neighbourhoods through the all-day cafe concept. It’s been embraced really well by the community and something that a lot of neighbourhoods are going to seek out.”
Founded by Robert Kim and Linney, GoodGood’s goal is to make it easier for neighbourhoods to access their favourite makers and artisans.
Jackson Turner of CBRE is handling leasing negotiations for GoodGood’s store expansion.
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.
Podcast [Interview] Justin Cohen of Psycho Bunny Discusses Store Expansion
Craig sits down with Justin Cohen, Chief Commercial Officer of edgy menswear brand Psycho Bunny. They discuss the plans to open more Psycho Bunny stores in Canada as well as the fact that the brand could even be considered Canadian with its operations in Montreal.
The Interview Series podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Also check out our The Weekly podcast where Craig and Lee discuss popular content published on Retail Insider which is part of the The Retail Insider Podcast Network.
Interviewed this episode:
Justin Cohen, Chief Commercial Officer at Psycho Bunny
Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!
Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario recently opened its newest location at Union Station in Toronto as the Crown Corporation continues to expand its footprint in the province while celebrating 95 years in business this year.
“It is astonishing to look back and see how far we have come as a business and as an industry over the last 95 years. As the LCBO continues to evolve, we will remain focused on helping customers discover and enjoy our products responsibly, providing seamless shopping experiences and creating a more sustainable Ontario. Together with our industry partners, we are now laying the foundation for the next 95 years,” said George Soleas, President & CEO of LCBO.
Located in the country’s busiest transit hub, the Union Station store will service more than 75,000 residents in the area as well as 300,000 daily commuters, tourists and event goers. It is conveniently located in the Bay concourse, within steps of the TTC, GO Transit, and VIA Rail.
“Union Station is the busiest building in the country. It is also one of the most beautiful and historically significant,” said Soleas. “We are excited to be one of the first retailers in the Bay concourse and to provide even more convenience for our customers, as they pick up the perfect choice on their way to or from downtown.”
LCBO at Union Station (Image: LCBO)Image: LCBO
At approximately 7,000 square feet, the store features more than 1,000 products.
The LCBO has more than 680 stores in the province with a couple more opening this year.
George Soleas
It was established in 1927 and today offers more than 28,000 products annually from more than 80 countries to consumers and licensed establishments.
All net income from LCBO sales goes to the Government of Ontario in the form of an annual dividend, which helps fund key local and provincial public programs and services including health care, education, and infrastructure. In 2020-2021 Fiscal Year, it delivered a $2.39 billion dividend to the Ontario Government.
LCBO also has five regional warehouse facilities and is a wholesaler to 450 grocery stores. The LCBO Convenience Outlet program services almost 400 local communities. It provides wholesale support for 18,000 bars and restaurants.
Image: LCBO
In its 2020-2021 annual report, the LCBO’s key financial data indicated $7.18 billion in revenue, $2.54 billion in net income, $140+ million in total e-commerce sales, and grocery sales from the wholesale supply of beer, wine and cider to grocery stores of $486.5 million with 450 active store authorizations by the end of FY2021.
In his message in the annual report, Soleas said the LCBO has accelerated the growth of its e-commerce channel to meet evolving customer preferences, bringing the brand promise to life online.
“As we look toward next year, we know the only thing that is constant is change. Ontarians are shifting their shopping behaviours and continue to have a strong desire to explore local producers. We’ll look to expand popular initiatives like Pair It Forward which celebrates Ontario’s spectacular food and beverage producers, starting a chain reaction of their favourite pairings for their products while shining a spotlight on local farmers, growers and makers throughout the province, showing the world what Ontario is truly made of,” he said.
The annual report said FY2021 net sales and income outpaced plan levels, and grew 6.2 per cent and 5.7 per cent respectively, relative to the previous year. The home consumer channel accounted for the largest share of LCBO sales at 83 per cent, up 452 basis points from FY2020. Net income reached a record $2.54 billion in FY2021, an additional $136.8 million from the previous year. It represented 35.3 per cent of revenues, which was 15 basis points lower than FY2020.
Image: LCBO
The LCBO added nine new stores to its retail network during the year and closed one store. Eight other stores were either relocated or underwent major renovations in FY2021. The grocery channel, established in December 2015, added the final 11 locations to reach the 450 planned authorizations during the year. Sales to grocery stores grew by 52 per cent to $486.5 million in FY2021. The LCBO Convenience Outlet Program continued its expansion with a further 30 locations during the year, providing socially responsible beverage alcohol retail to communities lacking convenient access to an LCBO store. Sales through this program almost doubled to $293.6 million from the previous year, added the report.
“The abnormal circumstances of LCBO’s revenue growth in FY2021 was unlike previous years/. The effects of the usual holiday and long weekends sales build, sporting and public events and activities, and favourable seasonal weather, among others, were all tempered during the year. Restrictive measures, including multiple lockdowns, to curb mass gathering in public places, especially in relation to dining out, resulted in a transfer to greater off-premise alcohol consumption,” said the report.
“Forced staycations, increased household savings and promoted self-entertainment, contributed to alcohol sales growth. LCBO’s performance was buoyed by consumers’ resilience and the company’s ability to quickly adapt to the economic, retail and health dynamics of the environment. Amidst store closures, reduced operating hours and implementing health and safety protocols under the guidance of Public Health, which included strict policing of in-store customer capacity and cleaning and sanitization practices, LCBO further pursued measures to satisfy demand and improve convenience. Examples of these measures included, continued retail store network expansion, improvement of eCommerce delivery options, greater support to the grocer and LCBO convenience outlet channels, responding to consumers’ changing preferences and demands with regards to product preferences and selections, and coordinating with stakeholders to facilitate amendments to licensees’ alcohol retailing policies.”
Italian luxury brand Giorgio Armani has opened the only Canadian location for its sub-brand Emporio Armani at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The beautiful new store took several months to build.
The 4,200 square foot store houses Emporio Armani’s collection of men’s and women’s lines, including Emporio Armani ready-to-wear, accessories, and small leather goods as well as Emporio Armani watches, jewellery and sunglasses.
The Emporio Armani storefront, which replaces an Ann Taylor store in Yorkdale’s 2012 expansion wing, was designed by Giorgio Armani himself along with a team of architects. The store’s design is described as blending “craftsmanship and modernity” with materials used throughout that include hardwoods and fine textured wall coverings that match with the neutral ceramic grey flooring.
Photo: Giorgio ArmaniPhoto: Giorgio Armani
Ceilings in the store are clad with wood, and wooden panels continue onto the walls and alternate with wallpaper-covered sections that provide a backdrop for the display of the products within the space. The choice of natural materials in light colours, from grey to almond, were intended to give the space a light and fresh air according to Armani.
After Ann Taylor exited its Canadian stores in 2020, Montreal-based Quartz Co. leased the Yorkdale space for a pop-up that operated for several months. Construction of the Emporio Armani store started in late 2021 and it opened to the public several weeks ago.
Neighbouring luxury retailers in the mall’s wing include Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Celine, and Hugo Boss. Across the hall is a large Holt Renfrew store which houses large mall-facing concession boutiques for brands including Chanel, Gucci, Fendi, Dior and Brunello Cucinelli.
Technically this isn’t the first time that Emporio Armani has had stores in Canada. Between 1990 and 1995 the brand had a 6,000 square foot storefront at 80 Bloor Street West in Toronto where Banana Republic most recently operated. In 1998 Holt Renfrew opened a licensed Emporio Armani store at the Holt Renfrew Centre at 50 Bloor Street West that operated until the early 2000s.
Photo: Giorgio Armani
In Canada, Emporio Armani is also carried as a stockist at several upscale retailers. Menswear is carried at several Harry Rosen stores in Canada and women’s fashions are available at Holt Renfrew as well as at The Room at Hudson’s Bay in Toronto and Vancouver. It remains to be seen what effect the standalone Toronto store will have on wholesale distribution for Emporio Armani in Canada. It’s also not yet known if the brand will open more Canadian stores.
Armani also operates standalone A/X Armani Exchange stores in the Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal markets. At one time the A/X sub-brand had numerous other stores in Canada that have since closed.
Holt Renfrew carries Giorgio Armani’s top ‘Black Label’ line for women in its stores in Vancouver, Toronto, Mississauga and in Montreal where at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy the brand has a beautiful boutique space. Giorgio Armani’s top men’s line is also carried in a handful of Harry Rosen stores in Canada. The brand is said to be planning to have more of a presence in Canada with details to follow.
Designer Giorgio Armani, who is 88 years old, founded his retail brand in 1975 in Italy. Armani has become a lifestyle brand with hundreds of stores globally as well as music, sport and luxury hotels. He’s said to be the world’s wealthiest openly gay man with a net worth of $9.53 billion USD in 2021 according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.
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.
