Future Bath & Body Works at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Bath soap and home goods retailer Bath & Body Works has announced that it will be relocating into the former 5,010 square foot Microsoft location on Level One of the CF Toronto Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto.
The current 4,520 square foot space on Level Two, next to the former Disney Store, will close to make way for the summer 2022 relocation.
The new space was made available when Microsoft shuttered all 83 physical stores worldwide in June 2020, which affected seven Canadian locations in BC, Alberta and Ontario. Most recently, The Latest Scoop used the space as a pop-up location before relocating to the former True Religion jean storefront on Level three.
Future Bath & Body Works at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Bath & Body Works was founded in 1990 in New Albany, Ohio, and entered the Canadian market in 2008 with an initial six locations. The brand has subsequently grown to more than 1900 stores worldwide and operates more than 100 in Canada.
Bath & Body Works, Inc (formerly known as L Brands, Limited Brands and The Limited, Inc.) was created as a separate company in 2021 when then L Brands CEO announced that Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works would be separated into two publicly traded companies.
L Brands was the home to a number of brands throughout the years, including Lane Bryant, Abercrombie & Fitch, Structure, Express and La Senza, which was sold to Regent in 2019.
It’s the fourth Aesop location in the Vancouver area and the first outside of the city proper. The other store locations include Aesop Kitsilano (on West 4th Avenue), Aesop Gastown (on Water Street) and Aesop Main Street in Vancouver.
Aesop entered the Canadian market in the summer of 2015 with its first location in Vancouver. The company subsequently expanded into the Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary markets by opening standalone stores.
The first Vancouver store opened at 19 Water Street in the city’s Gastown area in 2015 in a 615 square foot space. Other locations that followed it include at 3583 Main Street in an up-and-coming area of the city as well as at 2072 W. 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. Sources say two more Vancouver lease deals are currently being negotiated.
Aesop at Park Royal in West Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Martin Moriarty
Aesop at Park Royal in West Vancouver (May 2022). Photo: Martin Moriarty
Aesop Locations in the Greater Vancouver area. Photo: Aesop Website (Locations)
Aesop Construction Signage at Park Royal Shopping Centre in “The Village” (Oct 2021). Photo: Shanon Thornley (LinkedIn). Former location of DavidsTea at Park Royal in West Vancouver in May 2021. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)
As the local coffee shop industry looks to rebound from a difficult time over the last two years, popular France-based brand Columbus Café & Co is planning an expansion in Quebec with four new cafes.
Founded in 1994 as the first coffee-shop chain in France, the brand is considered to be one of the contenders to fill the void that Starbucks left when the Seattle-based chain closed a significant part of its storecount in 2020.
The new cafes set to open in the province include:
CF Carrefour Laval (910 sq. ft.)
262 Ste-Catherine Street West (former Starbucks)
2153 Ste-Catherine Street West (1883 sq. ft.)
269 Rue Sicard, Sainte-Thérèse (2088 sq. ft.)
The Rue Sicard location was announced as its first drive-thru cafe in Quebec.
Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)
Image: Columbus Café & Co
Image: Columbus Café & Co
Columbus Cafe has partnered with Canadian brokerage Think Retail to launch its Canadian stores, and is seeking additional locations in Montreal with high-traffic street front locations with an optimal size of 1,500 square feet. The brand would also consider the right fit in regional malls, open-air centres and other non-conventional locations according to Think Retail.
Tony Flanz
“It’s an exciting time for this marque global brand as it makes it mark in North America,” shared Tony Flanz, President & CEO of Think Retail. “The Think Retail team is proud to work with this forward-thinking company that epitomizes quality on every level, from its delicious coffee to gourmet menu and fabulous branding.”
The first North American café made its debut on Mont-Royal Avenue in Montreal in 2020 and has since added locations on Park Avenue and last week with the new 910-sq.-ft. cafe at CF Carrefour Laval.
Columbus Café & Co is looking to open about 80 locations in the next three years, which means the expansion is ongoing and will be significant.
Additional Images from Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval
Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)Columbus Cafe at Carrefour Laval (Image: Think Retail)
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 several days.
Podcast [Interview] Michael Binetti Discusses Toronto's Retail History
Craig has an animated conversation discussing the history of retail in Toronto with Michael Binetti, who hosts Jane’s Walks. Binetti begins by discussing the first store in Toronto, followed by how a department store row developed on King Street East that gave way to Simpsons and Eaton’s opening further up on Queen.
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.
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/
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen at The Meadows (Image: Pitchfork)
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen was born out of an idea of creating a more wholesome and inspiring food shopping experience for people in Saskatoon.
After opening its first location in The Meadows neighbourhood in southeast Saskatoon, the company is expanding to a downtown location at the Midtown shopping centre – with plans to eventually expand the brand throughout Western Canada.
“Pitchfork is a combination grocery store and restaurant,” said Chris Brychun, Director of Retail Operations. “With that, our grocery side of the business has a full selection that your traditional grocery store would have in a smaller, more intimate, community size store and we also lean pretty heavily into local content. We have local content represented in almost every category in the store as well.
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen at Midtown (Rendering: Pitchfork Market + Kitchen and Smart_)Pitchfork Market + Kitchen at Midtown (Rendering: Pitchfork Market + Kitchen and Smart_)
“And the restaurant part of the business, the kitchen part, we have chefs on staff that work with us and they create all of the products that are made in store. All the prepared meal products that are sold in stores is done by them. Essentially anything that would need to be prepared in any way. It’s got that actual flavour to it. It’s not taken out of a box and put on display. It’s actually created in the building and our restaurant also offers sit-down service. There’s 45 seats in our original location plus a patio for the summer months. We have breakfast, lunch and dinner menus available. All of this is also available for delivery.”
Chris Brychun
The first location opened in June 2021 in about 7,500 square feet.
The Midtown location is expected to open near the end of this year or the first quarter of 2023. Square footage is between 15,000 and 18,000.
“It will be essentially the look, feel and representation of our current store with obviously some changes. Our restaurant is going to be about twice the size. It’s going to be more of a true restaurant experience versus the cafe comparison that we use in the Meadows. Obviously with the square footage being significantly larger, we’re also going to have a larger representation of all of the grocery products and expanded assortment in that location,” said Brychun.
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen at The Meadows (Image: Pitchfork)
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen at The Meadows (Image: Pitchfork)
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen at The Meadows (Image: Pitchfork)
“We also are planning a show and production kitchen. The show kitchen will service the actual restaurant. The production kitchen we are designing to be able to produce centrally in the city for up to three or four locations. Then we can actually centralize some of our production. Make it a little bit more efficient and make sure that it is a bit of a standard offering across locations that we open.”
Brychun said the downtown core is an interesting one in the city and the goal as a business is to fill a niche market.
“Downtown has had grocery stores in the past but over time, it’s been over two decades since there’s been a functional grocery store in the downtown,” he said. “We thought it was a prime opportunity to fill a distinct need for residents of the downtown core, the massive population of people that work in the downtown core, who enter and leave that area on a daily basis, but also its proximity to the inner city.”
In the future, Brychun said the company believes grocery stores are a pivotal part of community building. It’s looking at opening three or four locations in Saskatoon but the grand vision is to create a new chain to go across Western Canada.
Pitchfork Market + Kitchen Delivery at The Meadows (Image: Pitchfork)
Tara Faris, General Manager, Midtown, said Pitchfork will be accessible from both an exterior entrance, as well as from within the mall.
“The exterior entrance will be accessed from the West Parking Lot off Idylwyld Drive and Auditorium Avenue and the interior entrance will be in the southwest corridor, adjacent to Boathouse, Coles Bookstore and Tim Horton’s,” she said.
“In looking at potential options for the development of the space, our focus was on securing an anchor that would drive foot traffic to the mall and increase repeat visitation to benefit all retailers and service providers.
“The addition of a full-service grocery store downtown fills a decades-old gap in the amenities available for those that live and work downtown.”
Video Interview: Steve Sadove Discusses Consumer Spending Habits
Steve Sadove, Senior Advisor, Mastercard, former CEO/Chairman, Saks, and former Chairman, National Retail Federation, discusses a new report on consumer spending habits.
Sadove talks about how total retail sales have increased from a year ago and from pre-pandemic, trends in the industry, how in-store sales are rising, what sectors of the industry are doing well and which ones have fallen.
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 National Business Journalist with Retail Insider and owner of Mario Toneguzzi Communications Inc. and can be reached at mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com.
Also check out the other series offered by Retail Insider, including The Weekly podcast and The Interview Series, which are both available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Simplecast and other podcast players.
RCC STORE 22, the biggest retail event of the year in Canada, is just a week away! May 31 and June 1, 2022 at the Toronto Congress Centre, North building.
Back in person for the first time in three years, the two-day event, featuring 75+ speakers, also has an impressive group of exhibitors who will showcase some of today’s most innovative retail solutions.
For conference delegates, the exhibitor floor is an exceptional opportunity to experience first hand how these new products and solutions can positively impact on their businesses. It is an ideal environment to meet new people and re-engage with networks. And there will be plenty of snacks and giveaways to keep everyone energized and make conversations and networking easy.
Here are some of this years’ exhibitors that are especially exciting:
In just a few short years, TikTok has gone from a budding social media network to an important economic driver in an ever-connected economy. It’s a platform uniquely positioned to help marketers deliver both cultural and business impacts.
Come by the TikTok (booth #147) to learn more about how to activate your brand and how to create your own #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt moments. Oh – and for a chance to win exclusive TikTok swag!
DedON: Booth #245
DedON is at RCC STORE 22 to show you how to shape your retail’s physical space with a bit of virtual help!
DedON has worked with some of Canada’s biggest brands – Loblaws to Tim Hortons and everything in between – in over two decades of experience in retail design and renovation. They will be showcasing their work in virtual reality at RCC STORE 22 – CAD drawings, models, 3D animation, drone imagery and various other assets. How will you spark a new idea for your retail space in the virtual world?
Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce: Booth #312
The Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce will be in attendance next week to showcase Ukrainian companies that provide innovative solutions for the retail industry in marketing, security and IT. These companies are looking for new partnerships and clients in Canada in to operate and to support the Ukrainian economy in the wake of the Russian invasion.
If you’re looking to assist Ukanians or a Ukrainian company coming to Canada o visit RCC’s Ukraine Resource page, which includes actions from the CUCC and contact information.
Salesforce: Booth #348
Image: RCC
A comprehensive view of your customer base with a cup of joe. Sounds pretty good, right?
Salesforce’s hands-on booth will be offering demos of their software and showcasing how their products can produce a 360-degree view of each shopper. With their platform spanning across commerce, marketing, service and analytics, it promises to empower your associates with tools and insights to stay connected and inspired and deliver personalized shopping experiences to build lifetime loyalty. Oh, yeah – and there’s an espresso bar if you’re looking for a kick of caffeine, too.
If you haven’t already, pick up your tickets for STORE 22 by clicking here. Travel and accommodation options are still available.
Scandit: Booth #238
What goes best with the latest smartphone? A flashy pair of headphones and smartwatch, of course!
Scandit turns any smart device into a comprehensive data capture tool — from barcodes to text and real-life objects. Learn how their product can bring efficiencies to elements like AR-driven shelf management to scan-and-go technologies.
Come to their booth, learn a bit about the technology, and you might have a chance to win a pair of Apple AirPods Pro or an Apple Watch Series 7 through their smart data capture trivia game!
The Mode Show: Booth #236
MODE Show is Canada’s leading B2B fashion, jewelry, accessories, and lifestyle tradeshow for retailers to source from wholesalers, artisans, importers, and more.
To adapt to the ever-changing retail landscape, MODE is collaborating with Show T.O. to diversify its offerings making it a one-stop-shop for retailers of all sizes. Canadian retailers looking to stock and replenish their stores need to look no further, with MODE offering a curated mix of product categories from apparel and accessories, to luggage and handbags, to beauty and wellness, to design and lifestyle products, and more.
SAP: Booth #300
Retail is transforming beyond omnichannel to a single, adaptive focus on the customer.
SAP helps small and multi-billion-dollar retailers build, launch, and scale personalized campaigns that are seamlessly integrated with back-office functions. Stop by booth #300 to see some of those campaigns in action as well as The Customer Channel.
Retail Insider had the opportunity to tour the new downtown Toronto IKEA store that will open to the public next week on Wednesday, May 25. The store is unlike any other IKEA location in Canada, featuring natural light through ample windows and a product assortment catering to residents in nearby high-density neighbourhoods. Also on offer is an impressive food and beverage offering that will no doubt become popular with locals.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA, photo taken from Yonge and Gerrard Streets (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Yonge/Gerrard entrance to IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The 66,000 square foot store at the north-west corner of Yonge and Gerrard Streets was announced in March of 2021. The ‘IKEAToronto Downtown – Aura’ store as it is called will be cashless (credit and debit cards can be used) and shoppers will be able to scan and pay for products using the IKEA app and bring them home or have them shipped, or consumers may use self-service points to purchase products. Smaller items can be taken home or ordered online for delivery, while larger items can be ordered online with an employee in the store. A representative said that one of the goals of IKEA was to bring “retail of the future” to the Toronto store.
Second level looking down to the main floor at IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Penguin Pickup instructions at IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Food and beverage will play an important role in the store. A ‘Swedish Deli’ has a mix of sit-down and grab-and-go options including frozen foods that can be brought home. Screens in the store provide an opportunity to order various dishes including meatballs, both real meat and vegan (the vegan option is only $5.49 for six veggie balls served with green lentils, curry sauce, shaved parmesan and arugula). Other items include hot dogs ($1), wraps (including egg salad, veggie and salmon), salads, cinnamon buns ($1.50 each), muffins ($1.50 each), vegan chocolate tortes, frozen yogurt, ice cream cones and sundaes among other items.
Menu at Swedish Deli at IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Prices are lower than other foodservice businesses in the area with coffee priced at $1 and premium espressos are $1.50 for small and $2 for a large size — the Deli area has its own entrance doors onto Gerrard Street and crowds are expected. The Swedish Deli will have its own business hours, being open earlier and later than the main store depending on business needs.
The store features multiple showrooms developed with locals in mind, including small model ‘apartments’ with items catering to condo dwellers. Various items are available to buy in the store and larger items can be ordered for delivery.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)
The two level store features a street level with tableware, a cook shop, kitchen items, a planning area for kitchen, checkouts and the Swedish Deli. Upstairs is a customer service area, items for the living room, storage, lighting, dining items, workspace items, home organization, kids items, and planning areas for bedroom and bathroom. Washrooms are also located upstairs. In the basement is an area for customers to pick up orders to bring home either by subway or car.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA. The arrow on the floor is via a light fixture overhead (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Included as well on the second floor are live plants (as well as a variety of artificial ones) at prices considerably lower than what one might pay at downtown retailers. IKEA will compete against a range of retailers in the downtown core on price as well as service.
Live (and artifical) plants at IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
IKEA partnered with Penguin Pickup which has 16 points in the downtown core. Customers can order items from the store to be picked up at one of Penguin Pickup’s locations. Larger items and those out of stock come from a warehouse in Mississauga.
IKEA’s own logistics had to be modified for the new store given the density of the downtown core compared to the suburbs.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)
During the tour we learned of IKEA’s Small Business Program which works to outfit offices and remote work stations. The downtown store features displays and showrooms showcasing work environments.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
About half of the 160 employees in the new downtown store came from other IKEA locations in the area. Some of the employees who transferred to the new store already lived in downtown Toronto and said that they were happy to have the opportunity to walk to work.
Other urban concept IKEA stores are located in Paris, London, Queens NY and a location in San Francisco opens next year.
Interestingly, IKEA’s real estate arm Ingka owns much of the podium at Aura at College Park now, including the space above the store occupied by a Marshalls store as well as main floor space occupied by two financial institutions. Those tenants will remain according to an executive with Ingka.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)
Toronto’s newest IKEA is an impactful opening for the city’s downtown core which saw lower foot traffic and retail sales over the course of the pandemic. Locals will have reason to celebrate with a new store with affordable price-points and a compelling retail and food experience.
IKEA Toronto Downtown – Aura will be open from 10-9pm Monday-Sunday once fully operational next week.
See below for many more photos.
Yonge Dundas Square Sign for IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Second floor entrance to IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The IKEA Downtown Toronto – Aura is an impressive store with many classic “IKEA” features along with additional “Urban Concept” designs. During our tour, we were able to explore the entire sales floor.
Our goal during this part of the article is to share the views that the customers would be able to see when they visit the store when it opens on May 25th, 2022.
Check-Outs
The new IKEA will employ a number of check-out options, including the app “fast track” lines and team members with mobile check-out on tablets. The “cashless” environment will still allow for debit/credit transactions.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Loyalty
IKEA Family is the loyalty program within the IKEA community. This allows for customers to gain access to exclusive discounts, free workshops and events. The brand has invested in the program in preparation for an influx of new members within the downtown core.
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Business and Office
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Toronto Community
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Swedish Deli & Dining Area
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Inspiration Rooms and Zones
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Extra Images from the Tour
IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Craig Patterson)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)IKEA Downtown Toronto – AURA (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
