The iconic Southern California Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria, which has served Hollywood stars and is known for its Giant Sicilian pie that made it into the Guinness World Record Book, is expanding into Canada with plans to open numerous locations in the Greater Toronto Area.
Sam Wadera, Managing Partner of the franchise group bringing the brand to Canada, said there are currently four Letters of Intent in front of landlords for downtown Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton and York University.
“Initially, we are starting our expansion in downtown Toronto and hopefully that deal will firm up. The GTA will be the initial focus and over a period of time we will expand further to the smaller communities further away from the GTA,” he said.
“If all is said and done, I’m hoping to open the first location by July and August. We are the first so-called franchisee for Ontario within Canada. We’re also the first franchisee for them globally.”
Image: Big Mama’s
Wadera said initially when he was doing research on the brand he knew a few friends and family members who had visited the pizza establishment in Los Angeles.
“It’s a gourmet pizza that is deliverable in various sizes. The company even has a world record for the largest deliverable pizza which is about 54 by 54 inches. They have their own delivery system which I’m hoping to utilize here while using third parties at the same time,” he said. “They also have offerings of pasta and salad and chicken wings and some wines and beers which I’m hoping to carry depending on location.”
“The main thing is pizza and they are good at making it. They have a lot of innovations in their pizza offerings, very much family style but still QSR (quick service restaurant). When I visited and I did my initial training, I saw a lot of families coming in at different times.”
Wadera has a number of years of experience in the industry, starting as a franchisee for Second Cup then he became the company’s development and operations specialist for international. From there, he became involved with Aroma Espresso Bar and eventually became its Chief Operating Officer.
Image: Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria
“As per the master franchise agreement (with Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria), I’ve signed for 52 but I think I can do more depending on how this rollout goes out in the next couple of years. I’m hoping to do around 80 and I’d then take it to another province,” said Wadera.
According to the Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria website, brothers Aro and Allen Agakhanyan opened their first pizzeria in Los Angeles while they were both attending high school in 1992.
“They toiled for several years to prove their pizza restaurant concept was unique and different from the national pizza brands. Not only did they recreate the traditional pizzeria with a “cool” Southern California feel, but they also expanded the size of their pizzas to fit the demands of their guests. Their initial pizza size was a 28” pizza that you could order with your choice of toppings. But it soon became apparent that in order to feed the really big appetites of their customers, the Big Papa (36” in diameter) was born. But Aro and Allen Agakhanyan were not satisfied even then, so they introduced the Giant Sicilian which was and is the largest deliverable pizza in the world. The Giant Sicilian (54” X 54”) and is in the Guinness World Record Book,” says the website.
“The Agakhanyan Brothers continued to enhance the BMPP brand with the addition of creative Southern California products like the Egg Gondola Pizza, Big Mama’s Slice, Pastas, Fresh Salads and Appetizers. Today, BMPP Pizzerias have become the place for family and friends to enjoy both lunch and dinner. The original BMPP restaurant was only 500 square feet. Today, the recently opened BMPP restaurant located in Glendale, C.A. is approximately 2000 square feet and future plans call for every new franchise location to be between 2000-3000 square feet offering Dine-in, Carryout and Delivery.”
It has grown to include 17 company and franchisee locations across Los Angeles County.
“BMPP is definitely “Southern California Cool” as witnessed by 43 million viewers who watched the live broadcast of the 2014 Oscar’s when host Ellen DeGeneres handed out Big Mama’s and Papa’s pizza slices to Hollywood A-List stars Harrison Ford, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio & other,” says the website.
Kelly Farraj of The Behar Group is brokering lease deals for Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria as it expands across Ontario and throughout the Canadian market.
Graham Wong has a grand vision for coworking concept LAUFT to eventually grow it to be the “Starbucks of space.”
And the company’s Founder and CEO is well on his way to getting there as the on-demand network for flexible spaces for remote workers and organizations grows in popularity and momentum.
Graham Wong
LAUFT opened its first location in 2018 and today has five of its seven locations in the Greater Toronto Area open, due to the pandemic, where people and teams are connected to the spaces, tools and services they need to work in the most convenient, consistent and professional way possible.
The company has not reopened its Metro Centre PATH location since it shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic because “the PATH is a ghost town.”
Wong’s vision is a remote work solution where people can dedicate focused time on their work or project without being forced into a traditional 40-hour work week or a long daily commute. From malls to fitness centres to retail stores and self-storage facilities, LAUFT’s plan is to expand its reach nationally and internationally.
Image: LAUFT at Vaultra Storage
Wong said the company is working with a national retailer, which it can’t name at this time, exploring a store in store concept where LAUFTs will be integrated into their environments.
“Two of our current locations are in partnership with a self-storage facility. So you think about ecommerce entrepreneurs, we really did this partnership for that. We’re doing seven locations with this self-storage partner and really what that’s for is if you think about ecommerce and you think about some of the user behaviour in terms of online shopping, we want to create this ecosystem where someone could store their stock in storage and rent on-demand office space for pop up retail experiences or meeting clients or fulfilling,” said Wong.
“What we’re also doing is partnering with fitness brands, as an example, so that when you come to a LAUFT you can work for a couple hours, get an hour workout. We’re trying to create different experiences. We have a roadmap and I would say by the end of this year we’ll have 18 to 20 locations in and around the GTA and the majority of them are tied to retail for sure because that’s just where you’re going to get the most convenience, you’re going to get free parking, you’re going to get ancillary businesses around.
Image: LAUFTImage: LAUFT
“We are looking at Vancouver, we are looking at Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary. The concept of LAUFT is that you’re supposed to be able to open that app and find a LAUFT just as conveniently as you would a Starbucks. We need to prove it in the GTA and then our goal is to go national and we have interest in the US as well. And we also want to be in Europe. Our goal ultimately has always been to be the Starbucks of space and that’s really what we’re going after. We’re even talking to some coffee shop brands in terms of reinventing what that coffee shop model might be.”
LAUFT opened December 2018 in Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket. Other current GTA locations include: Barrie (Georgian Mall), Vaughan (Vaughan Mills), Toronto (Metro Centre), and Burlington (Burlington Centre). There are also locations in Ottawa and Kingston.
The company is also looking at other unique ideas like perhaps rooms for therapists or interview rooms for people looking for a job. Also, podcast, green screen and content creation rooms.
“It’s really just retooling our space. When we first started we thought we would be this work amenity for a lot of gig workers, entrepreneurs, who could work remote and what we’re finding coming out of this it’s content, creative people, designers, developers and we also have a ton of companies now – we’ve signed over 35 organizations – where they’ve said they might not go back to a destination office every single day and they’re reducing their footprint, people are working from home and they need that third option in between,” said Wong. “Something like LAUFT makes sense because they can deploy people, they can have a central bill.
INTERIOR OF LAUFT COWORKING SPACE. PHOTO: LAUFT
“One thing we’re really excited about is not only are we a space for people to get stuff done at a mall but we’re now working with some of the mall tenants. As an example, if I book a desk, can I have a coffee, can I have my lunch ready? So we’re able to actually be a generator of activity within the retail environment. How do we become part of the environment in a more meaningful way than just work?
“We think we’re going to be a great strategy for the malls to bring traffic back into them. Remote work is now ingrained. People just need a place outside of the house and they just need to be close and shopping malls just happen to be very close to where people live.”
With hospitalization rates from COVID-19 dropping as well as active cases, Alberta has moved to eliminate the provincial mandatory work-from-home order and public masking requirements except in high-risk settings.
Effective March 1, the province begins its Step Two of dropping public health measures, on its road back to ‘normal’, which also includes the end of limits on social gatherings, capacity limits for large venues and restrictions on interactive activities, liquor service and operating hours will be lifted.
Annie Dormuth
Annie Dormuth, Provincial Director for British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the move by the Alberta government is much anticipated and awaited news for the province’s small business community, especially those in the hospitality industry.
“We were hoping to see of course the lifting of these restrictions perhaps a little bit sooner, but definitely this day has been on the calendar for many businesses in the hospitality industry,” said Dormuth.
“This has consistently been one of the hardest hit industries throughout this entire pandemic and hopefully all of these restrictions are now behind us. Now it’s really up to the Alberta government as well to really come behind these businesses that are now being able to operate without restrictions and really start engaging on a messaging of consumer confidence and encouraging people to once again go out and return to these activities. Government messaging from across Canada has been basically deemed unsafe to do for nearly two years now and that’s really what we’re going to be looking for the Alberta government to really do as we get past March 1 and on to economic recovery.”
Dormuth said surveys show that 70 to 80 per cent of small business owners in Alberta support the removing of all COVID restrictions but some small businesses may choose to keep some of the protocols in place.
The lifting of the mandatory work-from-home order will also be good news for restaurants, bars and retailers in the downtown cores of the major Alberta cities such as Calgary and Edmonton.
Woman grocery shops with face mask on during COVID-19 pandemic.
“We continually heard from downtown business associations and groups that this is definitely a damaging public health order to our critical downtown core businesses,” said Dormuth.
Michelle Wasylyshen, National Spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, said retailers are all about offering the best customer experience.
Michelle Wasylyshen
“And so we look forward to a time when all COVID requirements are removed and customers and staff can interact as they did previously. We’ve heard from some retailers in provinces that are unwinding mandatory public health requirements, that their stores may choose to keep some safety protocols in place for the time being, including masking, as a means of continuing to provide added protection to their associates and customers,” she said.
“Each store is different and may have quite specific client needs or proximity of customers and associates – think for example of the case of a pharmacy counter, where vulnerable populations and close interactions, are the norm. After more than two years of responding to rapidly changing measures across the country, retailers are very experienced at implementing and adapting their stores to best address their unique operational requirements.”
Michael Kehoe
Michael Kehoe, broker/owner of Fairfield Commercial Real Estate in Calgary, said the lifting of the provincial government mask requirement in Alberta is welcome news for the food service industry.
“Bars and restaurants are returning to a pre-COVID-19 sense of normalcy that this is the most welcome and final component of moving through a so-called ‘endemic’ era,” he said. “This is a natural progression that follows the lifting of such measures in most other jurisdictions. Expressive eyes have been an effective communicative mechanism while masked up over the past two years. Now the smile is back and the handshake hiatus is over. Welcome news as we move into springtime with smiling faces while visiting our favourite pubs and dining establishments.”
Retail expert Bruce Winder said the confirmation of Alberta eliminating mask mandates and the anticipated similar decisions soon from other provinces will have both positive and negative impacts to retail, restaurants and other locations.
Bruce Winder
“From a positive perspective, consumers who have been against mask mandates will begin to frequent these establishments now that they can shop or dine without this burden. From a negative perspective, some consumers who have been in step with mask mandates may reduce in-person shopping or dining for fear of catching COVID-19 from unmasked customers,” said Winder, author of RETAIL Before, During & After COVID-19 and President of Bruce Winder Retail.
“I think that many consumers will continue to wear masks in these settings after mask mandates are eliminated as a precaution. At least for the next several months. Wearing masks had become a way of life in some Asian countries long before the pandemic existed, and we will probably see similar behaviour in Canada.
“We may also see a polarization of different retailers and restaurants into two groups. Those who continue to mandate masks within their locations and those that do not. If so, there will be much legal discussion as it relates to this divide and what rights consumers possess to shop or dine indoors as they wish. Let’s hope that the net effect of such dynamics leads to improved traffic and sales for merchants so they can get back to some new form of normal as soon as possible.”
“We all want to be back with friends, laughing again with comfort. However these have been times of a medical health emergency. One has to wonder, are we rushing things and opening ourselves up to major outbreaks again? When the pandemic started the stats showed that we were weak in hospital beds and not enough healthcare workers. Might we push that envelope again? How does that help business operators that deal with the public face to face?,” he said.
“Many business operators are already concerned. On one hand they need the revenue. But they are very aware that not all consumers will be comfortable in crowded places, especially without masks. Not everyone has had a vaccine and not everyone feels immortal. Not even business owners and their employees. What about consumers and workers who need to keep masks on because of underlying health issues? Will they be walking around anxiously afraid of being harassed? Retailers, restaurateurs and other consumer facing businesses have an urgent hurdle to overcome and that is to create a safe and risk-free experience for all. Opening for business and trying to get back to some normal is important.
“We need to be careful because groups calling for an end to restrictions and politicians ending them doesn’t stop the virus from spreading or the birth of new variants. If we have further outbreaks, you won’t have to worry about restrictions, consumers have already been conditioned to safeguard themselves and that will mean less traffic. Therefore, the onus is on all business operators to create the right healthy environments. So all will feel welcomed and safe.”
In a statement, Restaurants Canada said: “Health and safety are mission critical to restaurants — this is just as true now as it was before the COVID-19 crisis. Since the start of the pandemic, restaurants have quickly and effectively adapted to evolving public health guidance so that they can continue to serve their communities while ensuring the health and safety of staff and customers. With mask mandates for foodservice and hospitality businesses no longer in effect in Alberta, our members will continue to make decisions based on local public health guidance, as well as their unique operational circumstances. Restaurants Canada encourages Albertans to continue supporting their local restaurants on their road to recovery.”
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said cases of COVID and hospitalizations have continued to drop over the last three weeks as the province started lifting restrictions.
“This promising trend puts Alberta in a position to safely remove the majority of remaining public health measures. This is a good day for Albertans as we get another step closer to getting back to normal,” he said.
The City of Calgary has also announced it is ending its face covering bylaw requirement for indoor masking.
“We are cautiously optimistic that we are entering a new stage of the pandemic,” said Chief Susan Henry of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.
“Some of us will welcome the lifting of restrictions while others will prefer to continue wearing face coverings and following other precautions. We must be kind and compassionate toward one another, respect those personal choices and make space for everyone to move at the speed they feel comfortable with.”
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 over the weekend.
Australian eyewear retailer Oscar Wyleerecently entered the Canadian market with multiple stores and more are planned. Retail Insider supplied questions to Oscar Wylee’s head office in Sydney.
The retailer was founded in 2012 and has over 100 stores and over 800 team members across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Its first store opened in September of 2021 at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton and Oscar Wylee opened its first Toronto store recently at CF Sherway Gardens. Other Canadian locations are in Halifax at the Halifax Shopping Centre and in Calgary at CF Chinook Centre and CF Market Mall.
Ishan Dessai, Marketing Manager at Oscar Wylee in Sydney answered a few of our questions about the Canadian expansion below:
RI: Why did Oscar Wylee make the decision to expand into Canada with stores?
OW: The plan for Oscar Wylee was always to grow and provide affordable eye exams and fashionable glasses to everyone. Canada was a natural next step, because just like Australia and New Zealand, it is also a multicultural country with a lot of similarities between the people and the value they place on quality eye care.
Oscar Wylee at Sherway Gardens (Image: Oscar Wylee)
Image: Oscar Wylee
RI: Tell me about the new Toronto location, as well as the importance of the Toronto market to the brand?
OW: Our first Toronto store is in a beautiful location in CF Sherway Gardens – Etobicoke, just a 15 minute drive from the Toronto Central District making it very accessible to customers. The Toronto market is extremely important to the brand given that it is the economic hub of the country and also a city with high consumer spending.
RI: Where will we see more Oscar Wylee stores open in Canada? What are the target cities/locations?
OW: We currently have 5 stores across Canada with 3 in Alberta, 1 in Nova Scotia and 1 in Ontario and a potential 2nd store to come in Oshawa Centre. The plan at the moment is to establish these stores and build a foothold before expanding to the other provinces.
Oscar Wylee at CF Market Mall (Image: Oscar Wylee)
RI: What are global plans for the retailer’s expansion?
OW: The plan for us would be to expand and increase our presence in Australia, New Zealand and Canada with preparations for new store locations constantly underway. With comprehensive eye exams and affordable glasses, this will help make eye care accessible to a lot more people.
RI: How is Oscar Wylee looking to compete with Specsavers which recently entered Canada and is looking at opening 200 stores? How will Oscar Wylee compete with BonLook and other homegrown brands, as well as international entrants such as Warby Parker?
OW: Oscar Wylee competes with Specsavers and other similar brands in Australia and New Zealand and has managed to make a mark in the eyewear industry by providing quality glasses at affordable rates. Our ongoing price is 2 pairs from $199, including single vision prescription optical glasses, non-prescription sunglasses, or a mix of both. This along with the fact that we offer over 750 SKUs of stylish optical frames (with an option of Blue Light Filter) and sunglasses to choose from, distinguishes us from the rest. With a mix of classic, retro, bold contemporary silhouettes and a new collection released every month, there’s an Oscar Wylee frame for every face – and personality.
Oscar Wylee at West Edmonton Mall (Image: Oscar Wylee)
RI: In terms of online competition, how will Oscar Wylee compete against similar retailers in Canada?
OW: At the moment, Oscar Wylee does not have an ecommerce option with the focus on the brick & mortar stores. Oscar Wylee’s modern optometry equipment, network of local optometrists and knowledgeable store teams will provide comprehensive eye exams, best in class service and unique products to the Canadian market.
We’ll continue to follow Oscar Wylee’s expansion into the Canadian market. Interested landlords can reach out to Tony Flanz of brokerage Think Retail which is handling and negotiating site selection for the retailer. Oscar Wylee is said to be looking at retail spaces in the 700 to 1,000 square foot range in shopping centres and on busy high streets near noteworthy fashion and general merchandise retailers. Markets targeted include British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
Retail Insider Media Ltd. Announces Spring 2022 Launch of Canada’s Premier Retail Industry Digital Publication
It’s been said that the future is most often shaped by our current challenges and the lessons that result from mistakes that we make and victories we achieve. To effectively lend toward the creation of a positive mould requires an astute understanding of the current environment and landscape, the forcing functions at play, market shifts and swings, and influential trends that are rearing on the horizon. For retailers operating across the country, the importance of doing so, in actively shaping the future of their operations, and the industry as a whole, is paramount. And, in an effort to support the success of the Canadian retail industry, Retail Insider the magazine is excited to launch the inaugural issue of the publication. Set to be distributed in April, our first edition will include a robust lineup of content aimed at exploring, analyzing and dissecting the most pressing challenges impacting retail operations today, offering expert insights that can help merchants overcome these challenges and discover opportunities for further growth.
Supply chain disruption
It’s painfully obvious how severely current global supply chain disruptions have impacted retail businesses in Canada and around the world. Predominantly caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, port closures, congestion and delays, container shortages and price inflation continue to wreak havoc on operations, resulting in a great deal of uncertainty and, in some cases, completely crippling the ability to forecast and plan. And, with an ever-increasing need for agility and flexibility and a highlighted requirement to pivot and adjust on the spot with changing market shifts and trends, the supply chain is set to play an even more critical role in retail success going forward. With the help of transportation and logistics experts, we’ll explore the many layers and components of effective supply chain management and how the development of a new kind of strategic focus is set to differentiate competitors within the industry.
Continued rise of ecommerce
Another equally compelling consequence of the pandemic has been the accelerated digitization of the world around us. It’s a technological evolution that’s changed the way people everywhere interact, communicate and share information. It’s also resulted in preference changes with respect to the ways people want to engage and shop with their favourite brands – changes that are most dramatically evident in the sharp rise in ecommerce adoption among consumers. And, its impact has been just as dramatic, entirely changing the way retailers operate, sell and fulfill product. To help Retail Insider the magazine and the Canadian industry remain on top of the current state of ecommerce in the country, David Nagy, digital pioneer and Founder of Ecommerce Canada, will contribute the first of his quarterly columns aimed at helping businesses understand the evolving landscape and the digital tools that can be leveraged in order to scale the heights of online success.
The evolving retail experience
As important as developing a strong online presence and ecommerce offering is to the continued growth of retail businesses, the in-store retail experience remains central to the overall omnichannel ecosystem and critical toward ensuring the very best customer service and engagement. Supporting the expansion of the integrated retail journey and experience, helping to bridge the gap between the online and offline worlds, are technologies like virtual and augmented reality. In order to help retailers operating across the country navigate the new digital world and its influence on a transforming customer experience, Retail Insider the magazine is partnering with Snap Inc. Canada to host a virtual roundtable discussion involving a number of Canadian executive decision-makers. Expected to be a lively exchange, the conversation will focus on the challenges inherent within the evolving retail environment, the opportunities available to enhance the customer experience and the tools and tactics being leveraged to do so.
Retail talent shortage
Despite the wonders of the current digital revolution and the ease and convenience that it provides for both retailers and consumers, however, retail will always be about people. It’s human resources and intelligence that continues to disseminate data and apply it to strategic decisions and direction. And, when it comes to executing on delivering the exceptional experience and engagement that customers expect, it’s people on the frontlines that make or break any brand, providing the oft-subtle differentiators between success and failure. Underpinning the importance of ensuring that stores are staffed with great retail talent is the harmful labour shortage that the industry’s currently stricken by. With a mind on the future, we’ll dissect the forcing functions facilitating the ‘Great Resignation’ and the areas retailers must focus on in order to attract the right talent to their organizations, and retain that talent.
Exclusive special report
In addition, Retail Insider the magazine is pleased to present the very first edition of our special reports, which will feature exclusive news featuring new retail entrants to the Canadian market as well as a list of homegrown Canadian retailers expanding their operations. Driven by Retail Insider Media Ltd. Founder, Craig Patterson, this comprehensive view of the thriving Canadian retail market will be unique to the Retail Insider the magazine readership and will contain information that cannot be found anywhere else. Packed full of news concerning international retail entrants, new store openings, insights related to brand expansion strategies, and much more, this special report will feature the excitement behind the expansion of the retail industry in Canada, providing a perspective and context around the impressive growth.
Exciting time for retail
It’s an exhilarating time to be a part of Canadian retail. And, everyone at Retail Insider the magazine is thrilled to be introducing the publication’s inaugural issue to merchants and their teams. With an aim to deliver the most meaningful, insightful and engaging content, we hope to be able to assist those within the industry to more easily identify the challenges and opportunities that are at play today, as well as those that will pose impact in the future. Look out for the digital distribution of Retail Insider the magazine during the week of April 4, 2022. We can’t wait to continue building and developing the magazine and will look forward to receiving the reaction and response of our valued Retail Insider community.
St. Louis Bar & Grill, which bills itself as Canada’s favourite game-day destination known for its ‘Devilishly Good’ food and friendly atmosphere is in growth mode as it prepares to open its 74th location in Canada in Grande Prairie, Alberta on Monday February 28.
Royal Nasager
It will be the restaurant’s third Alberta location, with the other two in the Edmonton area, and it’s part of the brand’s expansion plans in Western Canada.
“There’ve been a lot of fans asking when we’ll have more of a presence in Western Canada so we’re thrilled to make that happen in a bigger way over the next three years,” said Royal Nasager, VP Marketing, St. Louis Bar & Grill.
St. Louis Bar & Grill in St. Albert, Alberta
“St. Louis was born in Toronto but made in Canada. We have our roots here in Ontario. What makes us incredibly unique compared to anyone else in North America is our proprietary products. That’s our wings. They’re the best wings in Canada. Beyond the amazing food that you cannot get anywhere else, it’s our atmosphere and our Devilishly Good atmosphere and that’s all about authenticity, the welcoming environment and really making people feel at home. You know what, there’s lots of people that make those claims but we make good on them.”
Nasager said the brand’s name doesn’t come from the city in the United States but Louis was the name of a man who was involved in perfecting one of the proprietary recipes for the wings over 30 years ago.
According to Restaurants Canada, Alberta’s foodservice industry is expected to surpass the $10 billion mark for the first time in 2023. Currently, St. Louis operates two locally-owned and run locations in Edmonton at St. Albert and another in Sherwood Park. The chain plans to have at least 10 restaurants operating across Alberta and the West by early 2023.
St. Louis Bar & Grill in Grande Prairie Alberta
David Polny
David Polny, Senior Vice President of International Development for the brand, said this year the company will be opening its first location in Winnipeg, as well as Calgary, and Port Coquitlam. A third location will also open in Edmonton this year.
The brand, with headquarters in Toronto, first opened in 1992 and today serves 2.2 million pounds of wings each year.
“We really consider ourselves as a national, a Canadian brand. But starting in Alberta as part of that Western expansion was really born out of strong, strong demand either from folks who had come from this way and we have a strong presence on the East Coast and went out to Alberta or folks who had visited and tried the product. There’s nothing else like St. Louis out there and when people interact with the brand whether it’s franchisee investors or our guests there’s nothing else that compares to it. So there was a very high level of interest prior,” added Nasager.
Arc'teryx Signage at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Vancouver-based technical apparel and equipment brand Arc’teryx will open a 3,900 square foot storefront at CF Toronto EatonCentre this summer. Construction hoarding was installed this week in a retail space that was previously home to PLUS on the 3rd floor of the downtown Toronto shopping centre.
PLUS will be relocating within the mall to a permanent location, as per social media posts and a sign on the door. The brand originally secured the former Ann Taylor location as part of an expansion, which included stores at CF Sherway Gardens, Yorkdale and Square One. This specific location at CF Toronto Eaton Centre was constructed to utilize less than half of the overall square-footage of the space, giving the opportunity for the brand to find a more suitable storefront when it became available. We will follow up with PLUS on its future location.
With the new Arc’teryx location being on the third floor, the galleria roof construction project will have an impact of the area, including substantial infrastructure of scaffolding to be installed and used throughout the lifespan of the project. CF Toronto Eaton Centre has recently added a number of new brands to the third floor, including Moose Knuckles and Jo Malone.
PLUS Relocation Signage at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Arc’teryx Signage at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The Arc’teryx location will be the 15th in the Canadian market, following the opening of a new 2,028 square foot store at CF Carrefour Laval, near Montreal, in December.
Arc’teryx, named for the Archaeopteryx Lithographica, the first reptile to develop the feather for flight, was founded in North Vancouver in 1989. Arc’teryx products are distributed through more than 2,400 retail locations worldwide and includes 115 branded stores in the chain.
We’ll be following this announcement with a store tour when the location opens this summer.
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.
Vinfast at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Vietnamese electric automaker Vinfast is launching in Canada with plans for nearly 40 store locations before the end of next year. At least two showrooms are already under construction in top regional shopping centres.
VinFast is part of Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, which has pledged USD $3.5 billion to the company and its growth. Vinfast is said to be the first large automotive manufacturer in Vietnam as well as the first Vietnamese automaker to participate in a major international auto show. The direct-to-consumer company says that it can make up to 500,000 cars per year and its global expansion will start with Canada the United States and Europe in 2022.
The company has said that it plans to release two electric SUVs in Canada this year and the store expansion will create a network of consumer-facing showrooms as Vinfast seeks to rapidly gain market share. Vinfast’s VF8 is expected to be priced at slightly over $50,000 CAD while the VF9 will cost about $70,000 or so.
Vinfast at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Interestingly, battery packs are not included in the price of a Vinfast vehicle — rather, users rent them (for about $40 CAD/month) up to a distance of 500km and then pay an extra 5 cents per kilometre.
The company said last year that it plans to open 38 retail locations in Canada by the end of 2023 with an initial presence in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. The Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver markets will be first before targeting smaller markets as Vinfast gains brand awareness and sees sales. Retail locations in Canada will be a combination of retail showrooms, combined sales and service facilities, and service-only locations.
So far we know that Vinfast will be opening storefronts at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto and at Square One in Mississauga. Construction hoarding is now up in both malls. The Vancouver market is said to be a target and given that nearly 40 stores will operate in Canada, all major centres will likely see at least one Vinfast location.
Image: Vinfast Vinfast Square One (Image: Insauga)
And while 38 locations sounds like a lot, Vinfast has said that it plans to open 60 showrooms and service centres in California alone as part of a bigger US expansion.
Vinfast is one of several automobile retailers to be targeting opening in major Canadian shopping centres. Several other electric automobile manufacturers also have storefronts in major malls including Tesla, Genesis, Polestar and most recently Lucid Motors. Other car companies with mall-based locations include Nissan, Mercedes, Porsche and of course Toyota which recently opened a massive facility at West Edmonton Mall.
At Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre alone, four automobile showrooms will be present by this spring including Vinfast’s new location, Lucid Motors, Tesla and Nissan.
We’ll follow up on this story when Vinfast begins opening its Canadian storefronts.
