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Henry Singer to Relocate Downtown Edmonton Flagship Store to the ICE District [Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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ICE District (Image: Merle Prosofsky)

Iconic Canadian luxury fashion brand Henry Singer is moving into a new multi-million-dollar flagship store in the heart of Edmonton’s ICE District.

The fashion house will occupy 10,500 square feet in ICE District’s Stantec Tower, western Canada’s tallest tower. 

Jordan Singer, President of the third-generation family business, said the street-front shop on the corner of 103rd St. and 103rd Avenue is a perfect fit for the area where new and old already meet, with “numerous historic warehouse buildings nearby, that were constructed over a century ago.”

Image: Jordan Singer

There are eight to 10 brick-and-beam buildings in the area, constructed between 1910 and 1920, including the 111-year-old Horne & Petifield red brick warehouse next door.

“This is an iconic Canadian fashion story and I personally believe we owe it to Edmonton to do something really truly special, that will appeal to the next generation of consumer but remain true to our existing client base we have built over 85 years,” said Singer, grandson of Henry Singer who founded the company in 1938.

“Bricks and mortar in today’s retail landscape is all about the experience, and it has to be engaging in a special way to bring people into our new space, and provide a feeling that they can’t get online. For us it will be an evolution representing a unique intersection of speciality product, space design, amenities, and service.”

ICE District (Image: Merle Prosofsky)

Henry Singer currently has two stores – in downtown Calgary and downtown Edmonton. The Calgary store is in the Eighth Avenue Place office complex while the Edmonton store is in the Manulife Place tower. 

He said the new store, which will open in 2023, will stimulate customers’ senses from the moment they walk in the door.

“We’ve already begun on the design process and so hopefully we’ll be building, swinging hammers and building, early in the New Year. We don’t have a definitive opening date as yet but it certainly will be in 2023 without a doubt. It’s just how soon in 2023 and of course we’d like to do it sooner but we can only move so fast. I don’t know how to approximate but I would like to say probably somewhere midway through the year but no later than fall/winter of 2023,” said Singer.

Henry Singer Eighth Avenue Place. Photo by CHRIS BOLIN.

The current location in the Manulife building will remain operating until the opening of the new ICE District store. It has been in business at that location, just a few blocks away from the ICE District, for more than 20 years.

He said the new store has a much more efficient floor plan and gives the retailer a chance with a blank slate to reinvent itself in the retail space. 

The downtown ICE District is home to Rogers Place and Edmonton Oiler’s new NHL arena. The mixed-use development includes condos, a public plaza, sports, entertainment, a chic hotel and 208,000 square feet of retail and more than one million square feet of office space.

Henry Singer Manulife Place

“We believe in downtown Edmonton. We’ve been there. We’ve been in downtown Edmonton since Henry’s era and here we are two more generations, a third generation of our company, and we still believe in downtown Edmonton as an amazing place to be. We feel like we owe it to the city to do something really special in the downtown city centre,” said Singer.

“In my mind, downtown city centres are a crucial part of any city. The texture and the layers of what happens in the downtown really in a lot of ways define the city and we looked at ICE District and said man this is an amazing development. It’s got offices. It’s got residences. It’s got luxury hotels. It’s got a full entertainment venue that is the home to our city’s hockey team. There’s so many amazing reasons to bring life to the district and that was really a big reason as to why we saw ourselves as a great fit there especially from a lifestyle standpoint.

“We’re going to be a lifestyle tenant in this mix and we believe that gives us an amazing opportunity and we really want to be a part of that energy that is ICE District.”

ICE District (Image: Merle Prosofsky)

Henry Singer is partnering with design firm McKinley Studios on the project.

“This will be a flagship on the world stage and something the calibre and level of which has never before been experienced in Edmonton,” said founder Walker McKinley. “The secret is out. Edmonton has long been a fashion city, and this will put it on the world map.

“It’s a celebration of heritage through design, quality craftsmanship and all things beautiful, but it is also very much a fashion-forward, next-generation, post-COVID store with eyes firmly on the future.”

Cory Wosnack, principal and managing director of global real estate firm Avison Young, who negotiated the deal for the new Henry Singer location, said the move further solidifies the dynamism that is now Edmonton’s Central Social District.

Membership-Based Juno Veterinary Plans National Expansion, Opens 1st Location [Interview/Photos]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Juno Veterinary (Image: Britney Townsend)

Juno Veterinary, a design-forward, tech-enabled pet health company, has launched with its first location in the Summerhill neighbourhood of Toronto, bringing its innovative membership-based veterinary practice to the market with plans to expand the concept.

The company says it is reimagining, redesigning and inspiring the vet experience with best-in-class technology, 24/7 virtual care access, concierge medicine, and warm hospitality.

Jamie Shea, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, said the idea of building the business began about 12 months ago.

Juno Veterinary (Image: Britney Townsend)

The unique concept has opened at 1073 Yonge St. Its second location will open in the new year in the King West Neighbourhood of Toronto, with more openings planned throughout 2023.

Jamie Shea

“We have a number of locations in the pipeline to open next year. This is the first of many,” said Shea. 

The first location is about 3,000 square feet and it is a fully functional animal hospital serving both primary care, health and wellness, as well as urgent care patients.

It has exam rooms, a full surgical suite, dental suite, treatment area and “due to a significant investment in staff areas, have care team spaces that are much larger than the industry norm.”

Juno Veterinary (Image: Britney Townsend)
Cassandra Vlahaki

“We exist to make veterinary care something everyone can look forward to. Our renewed vet clinic model empowers our care team vets to provide compassionate care in an environment that feels more like a living room than a lab,” said Cassandra Vlahaki, Co-Founder and Chief Veterinarian at Juno Veterinary.

Shea said the company chose its first location because it wanted to be part of the community that it serves. Summerhill is a very residential area but it also pulls from high density condo towers in Yorkville. Shea said it’s great to be located in a well-known Toronto community which is easily accessible.

He said Juno Vet’s $149 yearly membership offers peace of mind and includes an annual exam, same-day or next day urgent appointments and 24/7 telemedicine access 365-days a year from Juno’s virtual care team. Additional benefits include quality time with vets, and transparent pricing. Juno Vet clinics provide services from routine checkups, wellness, preventative and dental care, to urgent care and surgery.

“We’re really trying to reimagine the vet experience for both pet parents and the care teams that service them. We’ve taken a much more modern approach. How do we create the next generation vet clinic? For us, what membership means is think of us as an omni channel business. We have both an in-clinic element to our business as well as a 24/7, 365 days a year virtual care platform that is paired with our offering,” explained Shea.

Juno Veterinary (Image: Britney Townsend)

He said pet ownership has drastically increased in Canada over the last few  years. 

“Right now the market is about a $130 billion market. That’s anticipated to double by 2030. Much like what we’re seeing in human medicine, veterinary care is seeing a record-level consumer demand, as well as increased burnout amongst the clinical care teams that are trying to provide the best care, and keep up with increased demand. So a big part of our model around how we’ve built this next-generation brand is synonymous with exceptional customer experience and exceptional care for our care teams.”

The company said its innovative concept eliminates concerns regarding long wait times, and severe burnout and shortages within the vet industry, at a time when more Canadians have pets than ever before. There is more working space and private space for the care team.

Image: Juno Vet

“While most health and wellness businesses have undergone digital transformations, the pet care industry lags. Juno Vet is leading the modernization of the industry with a uniquely designed tech-enabled veterinary platform that maximizes efficiency and reduces the administrative burden for vets. Automation, team structure, and outsourcing non-pet related duties enable Juno’s team of vet professionals to strictly focus on providing the best care and take caregiving to new heights.”

“We want to bring joy back to the profession and set a new benchmark of care,” added Vlahaki.

Architecture for Juno Veterinary is provided by ALA Alda Ly Architecture.

Kate Camenzuli of brokerage CBRE represents the brand for its expansion.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For November 30th, 2022

By
Retail Insider
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Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

News at a Glance

Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.

Graham Rosen Leading the Expanding Harry Rosen Outlet Division [Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Harry Rosen Outlet at CrossIron Mills (Image: Harry Rosen)

Luxury menswear retailer Harry Rosen has plans to continue to grow its Outlet Division across the country with the founder’s grandson spearheading the development and strategy in-store and online.

Graham Rosen, Vice-President of the Outlet Division, is responsible for merchandise buying and store operations as well as leading the teams who are building this rapidly changing side of the business.

Before joining Harry Rosen a few months ago, Rosen was the Head of Business Operations at Shopify’s Commercial organization. Prior to that he was a management consultant at Accenture and McKinsey & Company where he worked with Fortune 500 companies – including some of the world’s largest retailers – to develop strategies for growth and to optimize their operations. 

Harry Rosen Outlet at CrossIron Mills (Image: Harry Rosen)

Rosen received an MBA from the INSEAD Global Business School and an HBA from the Ivey Business School. 

“I’m excited joining the family business and the legacy my grandfather built nearly 70 years ago,” he said. 

Graham Rosen

His brother Ian is President and COO of the iconic Canadian retailer which their father Larry guided for so many years.

“My entire life has been in the business. When I was a kid I used to help build boxes for the Christmas season and I’ve watched my grandfather, father and more recently my brother Ian drive this business forward. So I’m just excited to be part of it,” said Graham Rosen.

“Harry Rosen is driving forward with a growth plan to invest in its Outlet Division. Our strategy is to reach more men in Canada looking to develop their style at value prices. So in-store we’re growing our Outlet physical store presence.”

The most recent location at CrossIron Mills shopping centre in the Calgary area is the fifth Harry Rosen Outlet in Canada. Other stores are located in Vaughan Mills, Heartland Town Centre in Mississauga, and Tsawwassen Mills and McArthurGlen in the Vancouver area.

Harry Rosen Outlet at CrossIron Mills (Image: Harry Rosen)

The Harry Rosen Outlet at Heartland Town Centre, Mississauga opened in 1996. It is HR’s flagship Outlet, spanning 11,000 square feet and was the original Harry Rosen Outlet when it opened over 25 years ago. 

“And we’re planning to open more Outlet locations in the coming years,” added Rosen, saying future growth depends on availability and which physical locations it can open. “But I would say our goal is to open a few locations in the coming years. I don’t know what the limit is. I definitely think there’s a few coming. We’re currently only in the Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver markets in our Outlets. And we’re in Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg in our mainline that we’re not with our Outlets. Not necessarily opening there but there’s definitely an opportunity to grow our Outlet Division.

“This investment in our physical Outlet stores comes on the heels of launching FinalCut . . . last November which was an effort to extend our brand heritage to provide that accessible style and luxury experience anywhere, anytime. So Canadian men can shop in-store at our Outlets but also from anywhere on FinalCut (the online destination for  top-tier luxury menswear at accessible brand ticket prices).”

  • Harry Rosen Outlet at Tsawwassen Mills (Image: Harry Rosen)
  • Harry Rosen Outlet at Vaughan Mills (Image: Harry Rosen)

Graham Rosen said the best way he likes to describe Harry Rosen Outlet is as a “virtuous circle.’

“By having our Outlets we’re able to keep our inventory at our mainline stores more fresh, more on trend and provide the latest trends, the newest fashion to our mainline consumer but at the same time we’re able to bring over our previous years inventory at 30 to 70 per cent off original retail and access a new customer, provide the Harry Rosen experience to him and provide brands such as Canali at amazing prices,” he said.

“It’s a virtuous circle. It benefits the Harry Rosen mainline by allowing us to keep the inventory more fresh and then it also benefits the gentleman looking for great prices on great designers.”

  • Harry Rosen at Heartland Town Centre (Image: Harry Rosen)
  • Harry Rosen at CrossIron Mills (Image: Harry Rosen)

Rosen said the Outlet concept has been around for the retailer for many years but it’s always been a secondary business for it.

“It’s a growth business. We’re investing in it. We’re going to open new Outlets in the coming years. We’ve launched FinalCut. Our goal is to provide the Harry Rosen legendary quality of fashion and service to more men across Canada, provide timeless items from previous years of luxury designers and welcoming all men to the Harry Rosen ecosystem. That’s the goal.

“We’re investing heavily in this division and it’s become a priority for us.”

Nobis Launches Online Resale Platform to Extend Life of its Parkas [Interview]

By
Shelby Hautala
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NEXT by Nobis (Image: Nobis)

Nobis, a well known luxury outerwear retailer, has recently opened a new program, NEXT By Nobis – an online resale platform where products can achieve a longer life cycle. 

“I am thrilled, I think we have nailed it on the branding. NEXT by Nobis functions well, but I believe it is directly connected to who we are as a brand. The result of which will be purposeful, it will be responsible, and will continue to allow us to invite people back into the new product offering but as well as finding consumers an outlet in an authorized way for the products they currently have,” says Robin Yates the Vice President of Nobis. 

The intention of the resale platform is to allow consumers to directly sell their Nobis products in a safe environment. Nobis will have no interaction with the NEXT by Nobis customers or will handle products, it is simply used for consumers. If someone wants to buy a product from NEXT by Nobis, the current owner will ship it to the new consumer. Nobis was looking at a variety of different resale platforms; however, Yates said the team ultimately decided to create its own so consumers do not have to worry if the product is authentic or a copy. 

“It is a direct consumer platform so we will provide the platform, but the consumer will put up their product. We don’t actually touch the product, it goes from a consumer to the new consumer and they pay for the shipping so we are at arm’s length. But we do create a scale of validating the quality of the product based on age, condition, and life so we set up a scale of price points which further give the new consumer the confidence that they are getting a jacket of a certain quality.” 

How It Works 

NEXT by Nobis

Each product at Nobis has a unique authenticator built in with a QR code. Consumers must register their product online in order to authenticate the product. 

“It is perfect. Since we have this unique authenticator built into each jacket with a unique QR code on every piece, every product has a unique fingerprint and consumers are encouraged to login into the site and register to scan the QR code and that authenticates the product because we didn’t want any counterfeit products making its way through the resale platform.” 

By providing a QR authenticator, Nobis is eliminating people from making the products and directing it to the resale site at a lower price. This program also ensures consumers are buying an authentic product of quality and do not have to doubt if it is real or not which Yates says is a big problem in their category. 

Once consumers have completed the process, once their item is sold they have a choice between receiving 70 percent of the profit back in cash or 100 percent of the profit back with a Nobis gift card – both will have enough profit for Nobis to run the program. 

Validating Products 

NEXT by Nobis (Image: Nobis)

In addition to the unique QR code, consumers must provide proof of quality of their item, this includes sending photos and answering questions. Consumers can scale their product from new with the tags still on to well worn and comfortably used at a lower price. 

“We want to make sure it is a quality that is worthy of a resale, so we certainly do not want damaged products in there nor do we purposely put new products in there or anything like that. It is really made for that middle life of a product, so we definitely want to give the consumer that confidence that they can navigate the site to buy an authentic product and it will be in the condition they expect it to be in based on the way it is ranked.” 

All products must have images matching the description and quality the consumer is providing and each application will be viewed and processed through the system to rank the product based on condition and provide a price. Yates said within the first 48 hours of Next By Nobis being open, they had 18 people who qualified but also noted that some of their older jackets may not  have the QR code. 

Image: Nobis
Nobis 360 Queen St W, Toronto (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“We did have to vet people who did not have the QR code to authenticate and that is interesting. In the first two years of our existence we did not adopt this type of logo, so it is possible the item is old or it is also possible the item was not authentic. We would never see the product so we would not know, so for us it was really important to be cautious to really extend the capabilities of our band authentication and to make sure the Nobis consumer is satisfied.” 

Nobis was founded in 2007 and opened its first flagship location in 2015 on Queen Street West in Toronto. Yates said the brand is always looking for ways to be more sustainable and this new program is vital as it will allow consumers to buy new product lines without having to waste. The program will also be coming at an amazing time as Nobis is having a new collection for Fall and Spring of 2023 which will include pants, new colour, new fabric materials, and also sustainable materials. 

All products on the resale platform will be final sale and not returnable; however, if a consumer wishes to resale it they can. This rule will be broken if a consumer receives a product that does not match the description – if this is the case, the consumer will be able to get a return for their purchase. 

“We have always made a point of doing better – doing a little bit better than you need to. Sustainability is part of your everyday life and we always have made good decisions even before we branded in a sustainable direction. The resale platform is vital to us. We have never been fast fashion and we have always tried to make products of high quality to exceed consumers expectations and this just really validates just exactly that and more purposely allows the product life cycle to be extended.” 

Related Retail Insider Articles

Canadian Retail Sales Expected to Increase More than 20% from Pre-Pandemic for Holidays [Report/Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Yonge Dundas Square at 4pm on Black Friday 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Canadian retail sales (excluding automotive) for the holiday season are expected to increase 5.7 per cent year over year and 21.2 per cent since pre-pandemic (2019), according to Mastercard’s October SpendingPulse report and holiday forecast, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. 

The report also forecast e-commerce retail sales to grow 3.8 per cent year over year and 63.1 per cent from 2019.

“While there are lots of pre-Black Friday sales and promotions happening to draw customers in early, we’re expecting a return of last-minute gift buying this holiday season,” said Steve Sadove, Senior Advisor, Mastercard, former CEO/Chairman, Saks, and former Chairman, National Retail Federation. “Easing supply chain issues coupled with a return to in-store shopping, has reduced the need for consumers to do their online holiday shopping well in advance.

“We’re seeing more of a holiday period than the individual days. There’s an emotional kick off to the season that takes place on Black Friday and it brings attention and starts creating momentum on the part of the consumer. I think that the days of hey Black Friday is a make or break event for the day or for the consumer is gone. The consumer is spreading out their purchases on a much broader basis. They’re starting earlier and finishing later.

“And you saw a lot of those early promotions in October that a number of the retailers ran. Some of it was driven by the excess inventories that they had in the system. The reality is the consumer is stretched right now. You’re already starting to see a tail off  with  the lower income consumer clearly more stretched than the higher end consumer and they’re looking for value and deals. And I think in many cases they’re holding off purchases to see when the best deals are coming.”

CF Toronto Eaton Centre on Saturday, November 26, 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

The report predicted that moderate sales growth was expected on Black Friday (two per cent year over year) and Boxing Day (7.5 per cent). Electronics sales, a popular purchase for consumers during these sales events in the past, are projected to be down 12.5 per cent (54.3 per cent since 2019) on Black Friday and 8.2 per cent year over year (54.8 per cent since 2019) on Boxing Day this year as consumer behaviour shifts. 

The report expects the days leading up to Christmas to be the busiest of the season. A major boost for this season’s retail growth is expected from in-store shopping as customers have more flexibility to shop in-store again. Total retail sales are projected to be up  24 per cent year over year on December 23, and 17.5 per cent year over year on Christmas Eve.

It said strong growth for the Jewelry and Leather Goods sector will be seen on December 23 (25.4 per cent year over  year). Apparel is also likely to be a go-to gift for shoppers on both December 23 (17.1 per cent year over  year growth) and Christmas Eve (4.9 per cent year over year), in addition to Electronics (10.7 per cent year over year) on December 23 and 5.2 per cent year over year on Christmas Eve.

CF Toronto Eaton Centre on Black Friday, November 25, 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“This holiday season, consumers are looking to stretch their dollars as they deal with economic challenges, including higher interest rates, which makes it imperative for retailers to encourage spending through season-long sales,” said Michelle Meyer, North America Chief Economist, Mastercard Economics Institute.

Sadove said consumers are getting back into the stores. The fact that the sales forecast for the two days before Christmas Day is high is telling the retail expert that consumers are waiting it out until the end.

All the sales events are meant to bring excitement to the store, he said.

“The promotions this year from what I’ve seen so far are a bit more attractive to the consumer than they were last year. Last year was a period of tight supply chains and lower discounting. So you’re back to more what I call a reversion to the norm. So you’re back into more normal behaviour but the new norm is it’s not as dependent upon Black Fridays. It’s much more spread out. That is the new norm. But Black Friday is still important as an emotional kick off to the season.”

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For November 29th, 2022

By
Retail Insider
-
Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

News at a Glance

Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.

IKEA Canada Pushes Sustainability with Second-Hand Furniture Campaign [Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Image: IKEA Canada

Sustainability has become a key issue for consumers today as retailers adapt to shifting behaviours.

According to the IKEA Green Friday Survey, 78 per cent of Canadians say that retailers should sell second-hand options at a discount. Also 62 per cent of shoppers say that inflation has made buying second-hand furniture more appealing than before. 

As well, 53 per cent of Gen Z shoppers in Canada see retailers as not sustainable if they do not have a way of buying back used products.  

Image: IKEA Green Friday

During the recent Black Friday sales, IKEA Canada shifted the conversation from mass to considerate consumption by putting sustainability and circularity at the core of its offer, said Helene Loberg, Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA Canada. 

Heléne Loberg

“By taking a stand on Black Friday and offering customers an opportunity to give pre-loved furniture a new home, we hope to contribute to a brighter future,” she said. 

She said many consumers today want to know what they’re buying, where it’s coming from, what it’s made of. They want to make sure that they’re making good choices when they spend their money. Retailers like IKEA today are providing consumers more information when it comes to that. 

On the recent Black Friday, IKEA asked customers to shop pre-loved furniture from its Circular Hub. IKEA Canada’s Circular Hub houses affordable pre-loved products, showroom displays and discontinued items.  

Image: IKEA Canada

Until November 30, IKEA is providing an additional 25 per cent off gently used items found in the Circular Hub As-Is section. As a bonus, customers can also choose to sell back their own IKEA furniture for an extra incentive.  

Loberg said the As-Is section in IKEA stores has been around for many years. 

“Usually what happens is the customer is coming in and checking out what we have in the As-Is corner, the As-Is department. That’s where we are selling either furniture that has been returned, that we can’t put back on the shelf again or it could be displays that we have used in the store and when we do a lane change we take those displays down and we sell them for a discount in the As-Is section,” she said.

“Usually customers are checking that corner first just to see if they can find something that is a really affordable price and if they don’t then they would continue the shopping through the store.

“From a couple of years back, we are providing a sell back program so customers can sell back their IKEA furniture. And that is great. If you are thinking about buying something new, you can actually see if you have something that you can sell back then you get a store credit that you can use towards your new purchase.

“These are the options that we are offering currently and I think that is actually something I expect to expand. I see a bigger interest. And I think affordability is something that is driving that now. People are looking for more affordable products.”

She said the As-Is area is part of IKEA’s approach to sustainability. 

“We don’t want to throw away anything. So when people are returning furniture that for some reason they do not want or maybe it was a wrong choice, if there is some sort of damage and we can’t put it back and sell it then we will sell it in the As-Is section,” added Loberg.

She said the company is working on assessing every single product to see how it can make those products live a longer life. It has a number of sustainability criteria it is using when it is assessing the products. 

IKEA.ca Cyber Monday

 IKEA’s Green Friday Survey also found:

  • 68 per cent of Gen Z shoppers said that buying back and reselling furniture is something that furniture retailers should be doing;
  • 74 per cent cent of Gen Z consumers think it’s important for retailers to keep their products from ending up in landfills;
  • 81 per cent of Canadians own second-hand furniture, with the majority (72 per cent) having received furniture from family and friends;
  • 65 per cent plan to pass it on to family and friends when they are finished with it;
  • 66 per cent say buying second-hand furniture helps them stay in budget, and 62 per cent say inflation has made buying second-hand furniture more appealing than it was before; 
  • Buying second-hand makes Canadians feel responsible with their money (61 per cent) and less likely to make impulse purchases (43 per cent);
  • 79 per cent agree that purchasing second-hand furniture is good for the environment;
  • 54 per cent say they would rather repair an imperfect piece of furniture than replace it;
  • 41 per cent say they enjoy upcycling or customizing second-hand furniture. 59 per cent believe second-hand furniture tends to have more of a story than new furniture;
  • Canadians overwhelmingly believe that it’s important for retailers to work to keep their products from ending up in landfills, while many also state retailers should sell second-hand options at a discount (76 per cent and 78 per cent respectively.)  

Video Interview: Was Black Friday/Cyber Monday in Canada All It Was Cracked Up To Be?

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Video Interview: Was Black Friday/Cyber Monday in Canada All It Was Cracked Up To Be?

David Ian Gray, Founder/Strategist with DIG360 Consulting, discusses the expectations this year around this busy holiday shopping season.

Gray talks about how the dynamic around Black Friday has changed over the years, the changing consumer behaviour and how the shopping sale period has been extended.

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 News Editor with Retail Insider and owner of Mario Toneguzzi Communications Inc. and can be reached at mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com.

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Canadian Jewellery Designer Dean Davidson Opens 1st Flagship Storefront [Photos/Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Dean Davidson (Image: Erin Leydon)

Renowned Canadian jewelry designer Dean Davidson is celebrating his 15th anniversary by opening his first Canadian store in Toronto.

The 1,000-square-foot store in Cabbagetown South in downtown Toronto, located on 145 Berkeley Street at Queen St East, features a commissioned sculpture by Taiwanese-Canadian artist Dennis Lin, utilizing the same brass that Davidson uses in his jewelry.

Internationally recognized, Dean Davidson has been seen on celebrities like Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and the Duchess of Sussex, Meaghan Markle.

Dean Davidson (Image: Erin Leydon)

Dean Davidson specializes in brushed gold jewelry, silver and custom semi-precious gemstones. 

Dean Davidson

“I’ve lived in this neighbourhood for around 10 years. We love the area. It’s very up and coming. Lots of great changes happening in the neighbourhood and I actually fell in love with this building many years ago. There was a men’s clothing store here called Haven and I thought I would love to have a boutique here one day. And one day I came across the listing and it ended up there was a great office component on the second floor so we decided it was time. We felt like it was the perfect spot,” said Davidson.

“And we feel like too that it’s a destination for our customers. We weren’t looking for the foot traffic as much.”

The location includes retail space on the main floor and a design studio and office space on the second floor. 

“It’s really beautiful. It’s all glass. Windows all around,” he said.

“We’re so grateful to all of our loyal customers who have helped fuel our growth. We’ve seen a lot of growth over the last few years and we just felt it was the right time (to open a physical store). We have a large wholesale business and ecomm business. We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to be immersed in the brand and really for them to experience the full collection in one place. They’ve seen the product online and in stores like part of the collection but now they’re going to get a full appreciation for what the brand is. I just really felt that it was the right time to introduce a retail component.”

  • Dean Davidson (Image: Erin Leydon)
  • Dean Davidson (Image: Erin Leydon)

The brand is sold in about 250 boutiques worldwide including Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong among others. About 50 per cent of the business is online.

Davidson said a goal is to open more of its own stores in the future. There are no current concrete plans yet.

“I worked in agriculture for a number of years. I ended up designing jewelry for Paul Hardy who is from Calgary. He’s a women’s wear designer. I worked with him for three years and then silversmithing classes at ACAD (Alberta University of the Arts) in Calgary and then ended up designing my own collection. That’s 15 years ago now,” he said. 

“I launched my first collection 15 years ago. Holt Renfrew picked up that first collection and it just kind of flourished from there.”

Travel is at the very heart of the Dean Davidson brand. Balinese basket weaving, the bamboo forest of Kyoto, and Brazil’s otherworldly sand dunes have all served as inspiration for DD collections, resulting in pieces that transcend time and geographical borders. Fully immersing himself in every place he visits, his perspective as a designer is continually broadened. With each piece, he hopes to encapsulate the wonder and reverence gained from his experiences around the world and share it with the wearer.

Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Davidson chose to partner with a family-owned workshop of artisans early on in the brand’s foundation. Located in Jaipur, India, the multigenerational workshop cuts every gemstone by hand according to Davidson’s original designs, marrying time-honoured tradition with forward-thinking aesthetics.

Davidson was named the 2019 Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards’ Accessory Designer of the Year.

Davidson said the retailer is known as a demi-fine jewelry brand. The focus is on quality and the look of fine jewelry but at an affordable price point.

“All of our gemstones are hand picked in India. We use better quality metals as well and we’ve worked really hard to create a product that is really long-lasting.”

Additional Images from Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley

Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Dean Davidson at 145 Berkley (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
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