A unique, first-of-its-kind chef-driven food hall is being launched in a Calgary office complex located in the Beltline, just outside the city’s downtown core.
The District at Beltline, which is about 5,600 square feet, will have six different eateries and seating for about 100 people.
It is part of a larger-scale redevelopment project to revitalize the former IBM Corporate Park four-storey office building, located at 227 11th Avenue SW, off of 2nd Street SW.
John Moss
“In mixed developments, main floor retail is typically established to amenitize the overarching development. In this case, we didn’t just look at our retail as a service to the surrounding office buildings but as a service to the whole community,” said John Moss, Senior Vice President at CBRE Limited, the leasing management group responsible for The District.
“The District’s one-of-a-kind approach considers the office tenants but also brings a central community hub and entertainment district to the Beltline that will support both daytime and evening patronage.
“We talk about food courts, we talk about food halls but there’s never been an execution where you’ve had top-listed chefs ranked in Calgary or in Canada for that matter.”
Image: The District at Beltline
Image: The District at Beltline
Image: The District at Beltline
Moss said The District food hall has been designed as a culinary gathering place to facilitate memorable social experiences in a setting that invites guests to stay awhile and foster community connection. The interior look is defined by distinct wall paneling in rich navy tones and brightly-coloured abstract murals that create a seamless day-to-night atmosphere throughout the space. An ambiance of fun sophistication has also been carefully curated to cater to a variety of demographics while providing a chic and cohesive backdrop that highlights the chef-driven dining concepts.
The District will also include a boutique brewing concept and tasting room by 33 Acres Brewery, a new restaurant and bar from the founders of CRAFT Beer Market, a Mediterranean eatery from chef Kenny Kaechele, and a second concept from Adam Ryan – all of which are set to open in the coming months. Deville Coffee has also set up shop at The District, opening a new cafe adjacent to the food hall off of 12th Avenue SW.
The District building is owned by Spear Street Capital of San Francisco.
“When you typically look at mixed-use development, especially in the downtown or Beltline area, the majority of the time the retail is more just an amenity for the office tenants,” said Moss. “That’s really what it is. But when I came in I said you have a rare opportunity to amenitize this for the community in addition to the office tenants because of its proximity to residential, proximity to downtown, proximity to office tenants in the Beltline.
Image: The District at Beltline
Image: The District at Beltline
Image: The District at Beltline
“I’ve worked on a lot of urban developments and I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve here.”
Moss said the area around The District is also developing into a more entertainment hub and lifestyle centre in the area with additional establishments opening up.
The following six chef-driven concepts will operate at The District at Beltlinel:
Takori, Chef Duncan Ly. Takori is an Asian fusion taqueria serving Asian-inspired tacos and burritos and other fusion fare. Takori’s concept is innovative because it combines Mexican cuisine with Asian flavours. Ly is the chef/owner of Foreign Concept, Concept Catering, Greenfish Sushi (in partnership with Chef Darren MacLean) and Takori;
Greenfish, Chef Darren MacLean (in partnership with Chef Duncan Ly). Greenfish is the first fully sustainable quick service sushi restaurant in Canada and only uses fish approved by Monterrey Bay Seafood Watch and Oceanwise to ensure no species that are endangered or are harmful to the environment are on the menu. Half of the menu is also plant-based and uses fresh ingredients. Award-winning Chef MacLean is the chef/owner of Shokunin (ranked in Canada’s 50 best restaurants six years in a row), Nupo, EIGHT and Greenfish Sushi (in partnership with Chef Duncan Ly). He was Canada’s sole contender and a finalist on Netflix’s global cooking competition, ‘The Final Table’;
Oishidesu Ramen Shack, Arce Morales. Inspired by his travels to Japan, Arce Morales fell in love with Japanese cuisine and was inspired to create Oishidesu Ramen Shack. Ramen shacks can be found everywhere throughout Japan and are a popular, quick comfort food that Arce is excited to share with Calgarians. Morales is also the owner of Mom’s Happy Kitchen;
Roy’s Korean Kitchen, Chef Roy Oh. Roy’s Korean Kitchen will be serving Korean comfort food with a Canadian twist. Guests are invited to try Korean food from a unique point of view. Oh was born and raised in Edmonton and grew up eating burgers, pizza and nachos alongside kimchi stew, raw marinated crab and Korean BBQ. His combined experiences have inspired him to take diners on an exciting culinary adventure with this latest chef-driven concept. Oh conceptualized celebrated Calgary restaurant Anju;
Shrub Bloom, Chef Adam Ryan. Ryan believes that vegetarian food doesn’t have to be bland or boring. Shrub Bloom takes familiar ideas and concepts that people eat regularly and puts a unique spin on it so all preconceived bias about vegetarian food can be thrown out the window. Shrub Bloom serves vegetable forward food with a focus on sustainable, Canadian, and unique producers. Ryan is the co-owner/chef of Shrub Bloom and two other soon-to-open concepts: Milpa, and Fire and Flora. Fire and Flora will also be opening at The District in the coming months. Ryan was previously head chef at The Coup;
Modern Burger, Stephen Deere of Modern Steak. The award-winning Modern Steak opened in 2014. From the start, this included aspirations of creating a local, chef-driven burger concept as a spin-off of the restaurant, which has now come to fruition with Modern Burger. Modern Burger only serves ranch specific Alberta Beef.
Manulife Investment Management recently acquired Garibaldi Village I, an open-format shopping centre in Squamish, BC, which complements its purchase of the Garibaldi Village II property back in 2011.
Gregory Sweeney, Senior Managing Director & Head of Canadian Real Estate Investments at Manulife Investment Management, said the two assets create a 120,000-square-foot plaza-styled shopping centre on the 9.93-acre site and the combined properties have more than 1,000 feet of direct frontage along a major highway, providing prime visibility in a thriving community that is experiencing tremendous growth.
Sweeney said the strategic acquisition will provide common ownership to this prominent retail centre and foster opportunities for improved efficiencies in the operation and management of the two properties.
Image: Garibaldi Village I
“We look forward to continuing to serve this growing and vibrant community’s retail needs,” he said.
Gregory Sweeney
“Garibaldi Village is really is a natural extension of that initial acquisition. Part of the buildings actually abutt each other. There’s a shared common parking lot. So we really felt that Garibaldi Village I was a strong complement to that initial acquisition.
“We do think that these two properties can benefit from some improved efficiencies primarily relating to the operational side, leasing, management and also facilities. But overall I think we believe there’s clear demand for retail services in the Squamish community. It is ranked among Canada as one of the fastest growing cities and then you have a tremendous amount of activity going between Vancouver and Whistler where Squamish is kind of half the distance between the two. So you have a lot of passing traffic through there. And Squamish has certainly become a great recreational destination as well.”
Image: Garibaldi Village I
Manulife Investment Management has $10.2 billion of real estate in Canada and $25.4 billion globally.
“In Canada (there are) three accounts that we invest on behalf of and so we do have diversified holdings across office, industrial, retail, multi-family and we do have some positions for land as well for development,” said Sweeney, adding that the portfolio is fairly-well balanced.
Manulife Investment Management develops and manages commercial real estate for thousands of customers around the globe as part of its comprehensive private markets’ capabilities. As of December 31, 2021, the real estate portfolio totals over 64 million square feet of office, industrial, and retail space strategically located in markets across Canada, the U.S., and Asia.
Garibaldi Village I was purchased through Manulife’s Canadian Pooled Real Estate Fund.
It is located along the Sea to Sky Highway and the property functions as part of a major commercial hub for the local community as well as a highway rest stop for travellers. The demand for retail services in the community is further supported by a growing number of tourists visiting Squamish.
Garibaldi Village I has 13 tenants and one vacant space while Garibaldi Village II has 21 tenants and one vacant space. Garibaldi Village I also has 13 Tesla spaces. The shopping centre is primarily for retail use but there is some second storey office space.
Anchor tenants include Dollarama, Boston Pizza, London Drugs, BC Liquor and Marks Work Warehouse.
Garibaldi Village I (Image: Colliers)
“The two assets are core stabilized assets. In our view, they represent a major commercial hub for the local community. So in the near term there’s really no immediate plans for the centre,” said Sweeney.
“We are investors obviously within the retail sector. We’re principally focused on more open format centres like Garibaldi Village. We’re not significant players in the enclosed mall space.”
Sweeney said those open-format centres have performed incredibly well over the past few years and the expectation is that they will continue to do so in the future, particularly as Manulife Investment Management is investing in strong markets with growing populations.
“We like need based retail where they really are servicing the community. Open format obviously worked well during the pandemic when there were some closures,” adding open-format centres have direct access for customers from the outside.
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.
Starbucks Pickup in Scotia Plaza (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Coffee giant Starbucks Canada is expanding its rewards program with TD Bank to include millions of TD card holders.
Peter Furnish, vice president of marketing and digital experience at Starbucks Canada, said the TD brand aligns with Starbucks from a values perspective with the orientation to the customer.
Peter Furnish
“This gives our members more value out of their Starbucks Rewards memberships. Right now we have all these great features, free coffee on your birthday, mobile order and pay, double star days. There’s benefits. But we’re looking for new and cool ways to give them benefits and extra value,” said Furnish.
“Also we wanted to invite more members into our program and working with TD, which has millions and millions of customers, is a great way to do that. We created the mechanism where the customer can link their Starbucks Rewards account with their TD card – debit or credit card – and it’s literally like any card in their portfolio which is really cool and then you will get incremental stars on our end when you make purchases with that card, incremental TD points, which is great, faster and more, customers want more.
“The second benefit, and this is sort of the real game-changer that we’ve been working on, is their ability to convert their points into our stars in real time on your phone . . . You can actually set it up so it auto reloads as well each week and that’s something that nobody’s ever done before.”
The new initiative is an evolution of Starbucks and TD’s first-of-its-kind partnership, which gave TD Aeroplan Visa cardholders the ability to earn accelerated Aeroplan points at Starbucks stores. Now, the program has been expanded to include millions of TD card holders, making rewards more accessible than ever, said Furnish.
Furnish said the number of people in the Starbucks Rewards program is not something the company has publicly revealed but “it’s in the millions.”
“It’s definitely one of the largest programs in Canada and we have more Rewards customers coming into our stores every day now than we had before COVID. I think COVID has really turbo-charged our growth in terms of member acquisition, it turbo-charged our growth in terms of frequency of those members coming in, and it’s also helped in terms of spend,” said Furnish.
He said the coffee giant has about 1,400 locations in Canada – 1,000 company-operated stores and about 400 licensed stores in places like Safeway.
Image: Starbucks Canada
“We’re building stores. We’re adding new stores every week at this stage. It’s amazing to see the business. With the Rewards program we’ve been able to see how the customer behaviour has changed through the pandemic, where they’re purchasing through the time of day and how that’s changed, the location that they’re purchasing at has changed. The number of stores they frequent has changed . . . It’s been a real benefit in terms of how we plan our business and the real estate as well,” added Furnish.
Over the past few years, the company has closed several stores in Canada and today has fewer stores than going into the pandemic but it is now opening new stores again.
“The focus on the store has changed so there’s certainly more around in the drive-thru space. Delivery has really changed the texture of the business with our partners in Uber Eats. It’s definitely changed the demand curve. We’ve got some really interesting results coming out of delivery and that has been turbo-charged through the pandemic,” said Furnish.
“And I think as the downtown core opens up I know the team is back looking at opportunities in the core. And we’re going to come back.”
By linking a Starbucks Rewards account to an eligible TD Access Card with Visa Debit or Credit Card, customers will:
Earn 50 per cent more Stars on purchases or card re-loads made through the Starbucks® app.
TD Rewards or TD Aeroplan card holders can also earn 50 per cent more TD Rewards or Aeroplan points on purchases through the Starbucks® app.
TD Rewards cardholders can convert TD Rewards points to Stars in real-time to use toward free food or beverages at Starbucks.
Through Blockchain and other innovative technologies, Starbucks said it is exploring how to tokenize Starbucks Stars, creating the ability for other merchants to connect their loyalty programs to Starbucks Rewards. This will enable customers to exchange value across brands, engage in more personalized experiences, enhance digital services, and exchange other loyalty points for Stars at Starbucks, it added.
Starbucks said this approach will serve as a foundation for a more aspirational concept for new, modern payment rails that align payment expenses with the value received by customers and merchants. Starbucks intends to be at the forefront of this disruptive innovation, which will unfold over the next few years.
“Connection and convenience are incredibly important to us at Starbucks. Not only do we, as a company, strive to create meaningful personal connections everywhere customers interact with us, but we also look to make the Starbucks experience easier & more accessible for a customer’s every day,” said Furnish. “Our partnership with TD allows us to connect with our customers in a new and innovative way that is unmatched, personalized and effortless.”
Talent Acquisition from Harry Rosen at First Canadian Place (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The past couple of years have been chaotic, to say the least. Impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic have wreaked havoc on the lives of people all over the world, transforming the ways we engage, communicate and go about our daily routines. For retailers, the consequences have been just as dramatic, perhaps more so than those occurring in other sectors and industries. Highlighted by a sharp shift in consumer behaviour and preferences, it’s a period of time that has challenged merchants everywhere to examine, evaluate and rethink the entire retail journey and experience from all angles. And, blighted by ongoing disruptions and uncertainties, our current circumstances will also serve to symbolize a moment in retail history remembered in large part by the disparity of outcomes experienced by those within the industry. From the business-saving pivots and innovative tactics displayed by some brands to the unfortunate demise and ruin of others, Canadian retail has seen it all over the past 24 months or so. And, according to Bruce Winder, expert retail analyst and author of RETAIL Before, During & After COVID-19, the cumulative effects that retailers across the country have undergone have resulted in a changed landscape, precipitating an evolution within the industry.
“The state of the retail industry in Canada is still one that’s being defined by a lot of uncertainty,” Winder asserts. “And, as a result, it really depends on who you are. If you’re a larger retailer with a really strong balance sheet, you’re probably doing well and have survived, perhaps even thrived. Some were lucky enough to have been deemed essential. And others simply had the resources to get in front of the disruption and work through it. These were some of the organizations that didn’t even really blink an eye in the face of the pandemic, some of whom actually picked up some business. And there are many within the industry who have either shut down their operations altogether or whose future is ambiguous at best. All told, consequences of the pandemic have changed the way retailing is done and will likely pave the way toward a new frontier of sorts in which new formats and business models will be developed and executed, helping the industry rise above these current challenges. In a way, the past couple of years have served to accelerate a natural evolution of retail, challenging merchants everywhere to keep up with the change.”
For the retailers and brands that have survived the sustained turbulence caused by COVID-19 and the related mandatory lockdowns, closures and restrictions, the next 6 to 12 months are going to be critical in their continued success and growth. And, with the prosperity of Canadian retailers in mind, Winder suggests a list of ‘top 10 trends’ that are set to test the resiliency and resolve of businesses, open doors of opportunity, and significantly influence the near- and long-term future of the industry.
Transition to a new normal
Perhaps the most immediate issue that retailers will be faced with, suggests Winder, is the transition that we’ll all eventually embark on toward a new normal. It’s a transition into a post-restriction retail environment that will demand critical decisions to be made by retailers concerning their continued requirement for vaccine passports for entry, maintained capacity restrictions and the wearing of masks by employees and customers. It’s all centred around a matter of health and safety and has already resulted in a division of philosophy and attitudes across the country – a division that was recently highlighted by the so-called ‘freedom convoy’ and its anti-mandate message. And, although the dissenting voices reflected by the protesting truckers may be few, Winder suggests that the decisions that retailers make heading into the post-pandemic period will need to be made carefully.
“Retailers have some tough decisions to make over the course of the next few months or so with respect to whether or not they continue to ask for vaccine passports and if they will still require store staff and customers to wear masks,” he says. “It might seem like an obvious decision to make given the fact that government has said that we don’t need them anymore. But there’s a second tier to the issue involving the way consumers and store staff feel about these restrictions. The country’s incredibly polarized over the issue at the moment. There are many customers who have gone to lengths to make sure that they got vaccinated and that they wear masks and take the proper precautions and who may not want to shop, dine or be in close proximity with those who didn’t. It’s a very serious issue that’s been pushed on retailers by government for political reasons, forcing each business to navigate the challenge independently. For some brands, it’s going to become an issue of protecting their customers and staff, placing them in a no-win situation in which they essentially have to pick a side, resulting in lost customers, despite the decisions they make.”
Growing inflation
Another trend – one that retailers can’t pick a side on – is that of inflation and its associated repercussions on the business’ bottom line. An unprecedented recent rise in Canada’s inflation rate, which rose to 5.1 percent in January 2022, has resulted in subsequent increases in the cost of wages, raw materials, freight and finished goods, adding significantly to the cost of operating within the industry. It’s a predicament that’s placed many retailers in the perils of economic strain, particularly those within sectors and verticals with very low margins. The trajectory of inflation has ultimately led to a substantial increase in the cost of living for Canadians which has been starkly evidenced by soaring food prices. And, according to Winder, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the industry follows suit by raising their prices, bearing inevitable ramifications with respect to consumer behaviour.
“Retailers are getting hit by cost inflation on all fronts,” he points out. “In fact, I haven’t seen inflation like this in the past thirty years. And from the merchant’s perspective, they have to raise their prices at some point. However, what that will do in the end is influence and change consumer behaviour. When wages for the average Canadian don’t increase inline with the cost of product on the shelves, they’ll look to cut back on their spending. Whether it’s felt in the sale of discretionary items, travel and hospitality, food service or anything else, there will be many retailers who will suffer as a result of inflation. Some consumers may also channel down from one retailer or brand to another that offers similar product at a lower price. Many within the industry are going to need to wrestle with this dilemma, not wanting to lose their competitive advantage and price perception, but unwilling or unable to eat the cost increases that they’re facing. It’s posing a massive challenge for everyone to overcome.”
A broken supply chain
Loblaws on Jarvis Street in Toronto on March 1st (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
One of the longest standing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the disruptions it’s caused within the global supply chain. Emphasized by a slew of port closures that have resulted in significant congestion and delays around the world, as well as ongoing container shortages and an inflated cost of freight, the current state of the global retail supply chain can most accurately be described as unpredictable at best, perhaps even broken. It’s causing headaches for retail planners and industry forecasters, adding another layer of complexity to the challenges currently faced by retailers everywhere. As Winder points out, the issues impacting the supply chain are not isolated, but systemic and negatively effecting the performance of retailers throughout their entire organization, adding that it may be a while before the equilibrium and assurance of global supply returns.
“The real challenge is that the whole supply chain has been slowed down,” he suggests. “Most of the time when there’s a supply chain crunch, it’s related to a pocket of the supply chain which can be worked around. But, as a result of the pandemic, every piece within the supply chain has slowed down, from the factories and truck drivers to the ports, vessels, trains, warehouses and stockers in the stores. And, here at home, we’ve had some unusual challenges, including the B.C. floods and recent mandate protests across the country, that have added to those present within the global supply chain, disrupting further Canadian retailers’ ability to move product. However, there are some retailers that are smartly consolidating skus and products and focussing on the 20 percent of their product that represents 80 percent of their sales. Everything passes eventually. But it may be another couple of years before the challenges currently disrupting supply chains are sorted out and things go back to something like normal.”
Shortage of retail talent
Uniqlo Hiring Sign at CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Causing just as much disruption as any other trend impacting the industry is the ongoing labour shortage that persists across the country. Dubbed the ‘Great Resignation’ by some, a lack of prospective employees to fill positions within organizations, primarily in customer-facing roles, is hindering retailers’ efforts to staff their stores. However, the issue around labour extends far beyond simply filling positions with the more pointed issue centred around a shortage of retail talent. Without the proper skilled individuals on the floor, retailers’ efforts to provide the exceptional and knowledgeable service that consumers are seeking are severely impeded. It’s a trend whose impact is perhaps more noticeable than most others as it impacts the consumer directly. And it’s one, suggests Winder, that is currently coming to a head.
“It’s quite a fascinating situation,” he says. “There are a number of reasons that have led many to leave the industry, including concerns related to health and safety and inadequate wages and benefits. But, what’s happened, generally speaking, is that a lot of Canadians across the country have done some soul-searching over the past couple of years. And some of those who had been working within the industry have decided that it’s just not worth it anymore. It’s causing real problems for retailers everywhere. But what’s worse is the fact that customers are starting to notice it. People out shopping retail are recognizing that stores aren’t properly staffed or merchandised, and customer service offered in-store is really starting to suffer. And what’s going to happen as a result is that we’re going to reach a tipping point where retailers will need to make the retail job better and more attractive to prospective employees and the right retail talent. Retail is about people and engagement. Going forward, the brands that keenly understand this, providing customers with the service and care that they’re looking for, will differentiate themselves from their competitors.”
Continued rise of ecommerce
TheBay.com Order Pickup at Hudson’s Bay Bloor & Yonge (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Perhaps the most explosive effect of the pandemic, one that’s completely altered the entire retail operation, is the accelerated rise in ecommerce. Precipitated primarily by the Canadian consumers’ inability or unwillingness to shop in-store for product during lockdowns and restrictions, online ordering soared across the country. And, although ecommerce gains have levelled out somewhat, the shift in consumer behaviour toward digital channels to make purchases certainly isn’t showing any signs of receding. The ease and convenience that’s inherent in online ordering for a range of different products are aspects of the shopping journey that Winder says consumers have come to expect. And, he adds, there are a number of retailers across the country that are actively working toward making improvements to the digital experience they offer consumers.
“From my perspective, Canadian retailers have always been kind of dragging their feet while other nations embraced ecommerce years earlier,” he asserts. “But those operating in the country are realizing that the digital channels aren’t the boogeyman and that they can actually help the business. And for the smaller retailers, they aren’t necessarily looking at some of the bigger players like Amazon as the enemy anymore because they’ve recognized that they can get on their marketplace and get noticed by a lot more customers than they could have otherwise. And the rest of the big guys are running fast to keep up. Walmart, as an example, has committed to investing $1.5 billion in their omnichannel infrastructure. Canadian Tire has also ramped up their ecommerce capabilities and have seen some great gains from those efforts through the pandemic as well. For years in Canada, we’ve been talking about an ecommerce tipping point. We’ve gone beyond it now and can expect a lot of innovation and creativity from brands over the coming months with respect to the continued enhancement of online offerings and service.”
With so many pressures and constraints currently faced by retailers operating across the country, there’s no doubting that the collective resolve of the industry is being tested like never before. However, as Winder points out, where there are challenges, the very best retailers are often able to navigate the turbulence, turning those challenges into opportunities and ensuring that they continue to carve out a path toward further growth and success.
Watch for part 2 of Bruce Winders ‘top 10 trends’ that will shape the near- and long-term state of the retail industry in Canada on Retail-Insider.com soon.
Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
A new bubble tea concept has been launched in Toronto that combines the unique Asian beverage with popular streetwear and lifestyle merchandise.
Benkei Hime has opened in the CF Toronto Eaton Centre with a second location expected to open in the summer at CF Markville Mall in Markham. And more stores are being planned for the future.
The first store is located on the lower level of the popular shopping centre between Garage and Steve Madden.
“I am a proud Torontonian. It has been my dream to build a flagship location here, and there is nowhere better to start than in Eaton Centre,” said Jason Wang, owner of the store.
Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“At Benkei Hime, we want you to have a one-of-a-kind experience. If we can give people a good time during this tough time, then I think we did a good thing here.
“We consider ourselves as a fashion label, not really a bubble tea store. The idea is to push the boundary between art as well as beverage. The beverage is more tea, but some coffee, fashion and youth culture. It’s a brand for young people.”
In Asia, the brand is known for trendy clothes, Instagram-worthy beverage pictures and it’s a platform for young people to enjoy life and to express themselves.
Wang is an entrepreneur with a number of different businesses. The idea for Benkei Hime just seemed to fit in with the times.
Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone, especially young people. Wang wanted to build a culture, a one-of-its-kind concept, where East meets West.
The Toronto store has vibrant colours, a catchy design and Instagram-worthy decor inside.
Wang said Benkei Hime is slated to become a focal meeting point of various worlds. On the surface, it is a place that meshes one-of-a-kind bubble tea drinks with fashionable lifestyle merchandise. Dig deeper, and you will see that it seeks to also be an innovative way to connect Eastern and Western cultures harmoniously, he said.
He said the interior designs and catchy environment, along with its unique drink flavours like Caramel Sea Salt Pearl Milk Tea and Hazelnut Creme Brulee, all are unmistakably an attempt to fully realize a brand identity that wears its Asian roots proudly, while still being true to the joie de vivre and local culture that is Toronto.
Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Wang said the concept is quite unique and something that shopping centres need today.
“They need a young crowd to come. After the pandemic everyone’s so used to Amazon and online shopping, we need people to come out and to enjoy life,” he said.
“We’re also looking for opportunities in Ottawa, Vancouver. We’re already seeing people lining up (at CF Toronto Eaton Centre). People like the concept, like the vivid colour and our design, and appreciate the art that is associated with the drinks.
“People like it, especially in the North American market, and we will open more stores, especially in Canada.”
Additional Images from Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Benkei Hime at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (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.
Balenciaga's new storefront at 92 Yorkville Avenue (pre-renovation). Photo by Craig Patterson on March 1, 2022.
Kering-owned French luxury brand Balenciaga will open one of its largest stores globally in Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area this year, marking an important milestone in the neighbourhood’s ongoing transformation as a luxury retail destination. Balenciaga was recently ranked as the world’s top brand and its presence with a massive storefront next to Chanel is expected to attract even more luxury retailers to the area.
Balenciaga will occupy about 7,000 square feet over two levels at 92 Yorkville Avenue in a retail space formerly occupied by Diesel. The Balenciaga flagship is expected to carry the brand’s full range of fashions for women and men given the vastness of the space. From November 15, 2021 to January 15, 2022, a main-floor pop-up in the space for a Gucci x Balenciaga ‘Hacker Project’ collaboration saw the space occupied for about two months. Renovations to the entire space commenced this week and the Balenciaga store is expected to open late spring/early summer.
Eric Sherman, Vice President Real Estate, Yorkville at First Capital REIT, negotiated the deal on behalf of the landlord. He said, “Balenciaga is one of the most prestigious and coveted brands in the world and are a perfect fit for our property at 92 Yorkville Avenue. Their decision to convert what originally started as a pop up concept in a small portion of the space into a full building flagship exemplifies the confidence in the market and further validates our strategy in Yorkville.”
“We see Balenciaga as another game changer for the neighborhood as we add to our portfolio of best in class fashion brands and retail concepts,” he went on to say.
Click image for interactive Google Map
The permanent movement of Balenciaga into a standalone flagship space in Yorkville is a pivotal moment for the neighbourhood as Sherman pointed out. Over the past seven years or so, luxury brands have been opening on Yorkville Avenue and more are expected to come now that Balenciaga will be a confirmed tenant taking such a large and prominent space.
Luxury brand Chanel operates next to Balenciaga in an 8,500 square foot store that opened in the fall of 2017. Its opening followed a Christian Louboutin store that opened in the summer of 2016. Luxury brands to have since opened on Yorkville Avenue include Versace, Brunello Cucinelli (largest in North America) and Stone Island, all of which are located in the 102-108 Yorkville Avenue complex owned by First Capital REIT. Italian men’s luxury fashion brand Isaia also opened several months ago nearby at 77 Yorkville Avenue.
When the new Yorkville Avenue flagship opens in a few months, Balenciaga could exit its current 2,000 square foot concession space nearby at Holt Renfrew at 50 Bloor Street West. Balenciaga opened the concession boutique in the fall of 2019 and given its size and expansive presence within the main floor of Holt Renfrew, one or two luxury brands could replace it.
The space at 92 Yorkville Avenue already says ‘Balenciaga’ following the Gucci x Balenciaga Hacker Project pop-up that occupied part of the space in December and January. Photo by Craig Patterson on March 1, 2022.
The Yorkville Avenue flagship will be Balenciaga’s second standalone storefront in Canada. The first opened in December of 2019 at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre in an impressive space spanning about 4,700 square feet with just over 3,300 square feet of retail space.
Balenciaga has quietly expanded its presence in Canada by opening several leased concessions within Holt Renfrew stores.
In December of 2018, Balenciaga opened its first direct-to-consumer boutique in Canada at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver. The ‘world of’ concession, located on the main floor of the flagship Holts, is part of a luxury floor which houses many of the world’s best-known luxury brands. The Balenciaga boutique is situated in the centre of the floor with partitions and signage indicating its presence. Included is ready-to-wear for men and women as well as accessories, bags and footwear.
‘WORLD OF’ BALENCIAGA CONCESSION AT HOLT RENFREW IN VANCOUVER. PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK
Main floor Balenciaga concession boutique at Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W. in Toronto. Photo: Craig Patterson
Balenciaga entered the Montreal market in the spring of 2019 when it unveiled a men’s concession on the fourth floor of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. That was followed by separate women’s fashion and accessory concessions on the third floor of the store.
In the fall of 2019, Balenciaga opened its second ‘world of’ concession in Canada at Holt Renfrew’s flagship store at 50 Bloor Street West in Toronto as mentioned above.
Several other high-end retailers in Canada carry Balenciaga. Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship at CF Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto currently features dedicated Balenciaga shops for accessories and womenswear and men’s collections are also available. Rumours are circulating that Balenciaga could pull out of the store following three other major luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Saint Laurent.
Nordstrom is also an important vendor for Balenciaga and in Canada, two of Nordstrom’s stores carry the brand. Nordstrom’s Vancouver flagship, which is among the chain’s top performing stores, features a Balenciaga accessory boutique on the main floor as well as a dedicated women’s Balenciaga boutique space on the women’s floor. Balenciaga footwear can also be found at Nordstrom’s stores in Toronto and Vancouver.
The Simpsons x Balenciaga collaborative fashion show.
According to the Q4 2021 Lyst Index (the most recent at press time), Balenciaga was ranked as the world’s most popular brand while Gucci was ranked second. Balenciaga is having a fashion moment — the brand returned to haute couture after 53 years last year, launched a Fortnite collaboration, and teamed up with Kanye West on the launch of his Donda album. Recently the brand also showcased its fashion collection in cartoon format at Paris Fashion Week via popular television program ‘The Simpsons’.
We’ll follow up on this story in a few months when Balenciaga unveils its Bloor-Yorkville flagship in Toronto.
Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Paquin)
Paquin Entertainment Group has been helping landlords across North America lease up unused or under-utilized space in their properties with unique exhibits.
Justin Paquin, a producer with the company which was founded in 1985 – a full-service, diversified entertainment company, and home to four divisions: Artist Management, Artists Agency, Theatre & Film and Corporate Services, said the company has many projects it is working on for the future.
It has offices in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Nashville, Las Vegas and San Diego.
“We’ve felt and we’ve seen from the business we’ve been doing we’re able to come in and provide an attraction to fit a gap in any developer’s portfolio,” said Paquin. “Sometimes it might take two to three years to fill a particular space. A lot of these developers are looking for of course those five years or 10 years or longer leases but until they get there, there might be a gap that entertainment producers can come in and fill.
Beyond Monet / Beyond Van Gogh (Image:
“We did just that with Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre. It was a great pairing and we’re happy to have had a successful run there.”
That particular initiative opened in October 2020 for three days then COVID shut it down for seven months. It reopened in July 2021 and has been opened since, with it expected to close March 27.
The Beyond Monet exhibit opened in August and will run until March 13.
The company has had many initiatives in this area. For example, the Beyond Van Gogh exhibit took place in several Canadian and American cities. Imagine Picasso took place in Vancouver as well as the Sistine Chapel there and Winnipeg and now in Calgary.
“We’ve got a bunch of them coming up. A lot of them,” said Paquin. “We have an incredible announcement that we’re making which I can’t say yet with a project that will be very, very big.
Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Paquin)Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“Just because there’s an empty space available at any given retail space, doesn’t mean it can be easily activated upon. There is a shortage of operators in North America. There are plenty of empty spaces and there’s a whole bunch of people out there with ideas on what to put inside of it but there’s a shortage of people that can actually do it, that can actually operate that space, take out a lease, put everything in and execute.
“We have executed more touring exhibits in the past 12 months than any other company in North America. No one’s even close.”
Paquin said the company looks for a space that has a great location but when it has not been able to find a great location it has built their own. For example, in Austin, it put up a temporary structure on a parking lot. In Buffalo, it put up a temporary structure in a parking lot and that mall’s retail sales increased by 30 per cent.
“We’ve been developing close relationships with a lot of these developers to provide basically temporary attractions that can tour from location to location,” said Paquin.
“Right now it’s really busy. For 20 years, we were a theatrical producer and toured across North America – our theatrical shows. That’s an entirely different business unit. When it comes to the exhibits, that’s another business unit. We work with various different kinds of exhibits. The immersive exhibits and the interactive exhibits. But they all boil down to be different types of attraction and we are working with various different types of attraction.”
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