Craig, Lee and Jesse discuss an innovative partnership between JLL Canada and Adeptmind which is ushering in a new era at Canadian shopping centres in terms of online product searches of what is in malls.
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Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Men's designer section at Nordstrom Yorkdale. Photo: Craig Patterson
Seattle-based large-format multi-brand retailer Nordstrom has removed most of its men’s luxury brands from the retailer’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre store in Toronto. Formerly, brands such as Balenciaga and Valentino were available in the store.
Burberry and Comme des Garçons continue to be carried at the Yorkdale Nordstrom location, with Burberry occupying an area with a dedicated wall space.
Nordstrom also pulled most men’s luxury brands from its CF Toronto Eaton Centre store as well — the Vancouver flagship Nordstrom store is now the only one in Canada with a substantial roster of high-end men’s ready-to-wear. The Vancouver Nordstrom store is said to be the top performing location in Canada by far for the retailer.
Yorkdale’s Holt Renfrew store continues to carry a very robust assortment of men’s luxury brands including a mix of wholesale offerings as well as concession spaces for brands such as Fendi, Dior, Gucci and others.
Nordstrom Men’s Department at Yorkdale (March 2021) Photo: Dustin FuhsNordstrom Men’s Department at Yorkdale (March 2021) Photo: Dustin Fuhs
The Yorkdale Ray-Ban store will measure about 950 square feet and will be located between the mall’s Peloton and COS stores near Holt Renfrew. A third Toronto Ray-Ban store lease was in negotiations for the Bloor-Yorkville area and we’ll update readers when we learn more.
Prior to opening direct-to-consumer stores, Ray-Ban was only carried in Canada at multi-brand retailers. That includes Sunglass Hut, Hakim Optical, Sport Chek, Pearle Vision, LenseCrafters, and other chains — not to mention a wide range of independent retailers specializing in optical goods. Ray-Ban’s direct-to-consumer move into standalone stores as well as a transactional Canadian website is a trend being seen by many other brands, some of which are pulling out of multi-brand retailers to open corporate stores.
In the United States, Ray-Ban operates standalone stores in major cities in a mix of malls and street-front locations.
Ray-Ban is headquartered in Milan Italy, though it was founded in the United States. In 1929, US Army Air Corps Colonel John A. Macready worked with Rochester NY-based medical equipment manufacturer Bausch & Lomb to create aviation sunglasses optimized for pilots. In 1936, anti-glare lenses were introduced and in 1938, the company created impact-resistant lenses which were redesigned with metal frames for the patented Ray-Ban Aviator. Other styles were released in subsequent decades including the ‘Olympian’ which was worn by Peter Fonda in the 1969 film Easy Rider. In 1999, Milan-based Luxottica Group acquired Bausch & Lomb’s Global Eyewear Division for US$640 million.
Peloton, future Ray-Ban, and COS at Yorkdale. Photo: Dustin Fuhs
Below are images from the CF Toronto Eaton Centre Ray-Ban Store
PHOTOS OF INTERIOR OF NEW RAY-BAN STORE AT CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE. PHOTOS: CRAIG PATTERSONPHOTOS OF INTERIOR OF NEW RAY-BAN STORE AT CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE. PHOTOS: CRAIG PATTERSONPHOTOS OF INTERIOR OF NEW RAY-BAN STORE AT CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE. PHOTOS: CRAIG PATTERSONPHOTOS OF INTERIOR OF NEW RAY-BAN STORE AT CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE. PHOTOS: CRAIG PATTERSONEntrance of new Ray-Ban store in CF Toronto Eaton Centre. Photo: Craig Patterson
UK-based JD Group has opened it’s first ‘Size?’ sneaker and apparel store at the corner of Queen and Ossington in Toronto.
Located at 1000 Queen Street West, the 2,200 square foot location made its debut last month to a large crowd that collectively braved the rain to be one of the first to experience the Canadian launch.
“size? will be a huge addition to the sneaker/streetwear scene in Toronto,” shares Jake Biggs, Toronto Store Manager. “We are on an iconic corner for the city and we are excited to tell our story and connect with everyone. Customers can expect the latest product drops from some of the best brands in the game as well as exclusive products only offered through size?.“
size? Toronto – Photo by Dustin FuhsInteractive Google Map
size? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
size? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Jordan Karp of brokerage Savills Canada represents the brand in Canada and he negotiated the Queen Street Size? lease deal on behalf of the retailer. Arlin Markowitz and the CBRE Toronto team acted on behalf of landlord Hullmark which owns 1000 Queen Street West as well as numerous other commercial buildings nearby on Queen Street as well as on Ossington Avenue.
We’ll be circling back with size? with future expansion plans.
size? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhssize? Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Dyson Demo Store at Yorkdale in Toronto. Photo: Dyson
UK-based household and technology ‘reinvention’ brand Dyson has launched two new vacuum technologies that provide ‘scientific proof’ of a deep clean. The innovative products are available at the three Dyson Demo Stores in Canada as well as online.
The Dyson Demo Stores are located at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver and CF Chinook Centre in Calgary. Retail Insider has covered the openings of all three locations which marked an important milestone for Dyson’s continued expansion into the Canadian market.
Image: DysonImage: Dyson
Dyson continues to innovate with its product assortment with vacuums being the most recent innovation. The Dyson V15 Detect™ Total Clean and Dyson Omni-glide™ cordless vacuums recently launched in Canada, with the company noting in a survey from this spring that 47% of Canadians reported that they are cleaning more now since the pandemic.
Specifically, the Dyson V15 Detect™ Total Clean is described as being the brand’s most powerful and intelligent vacuum yet. It is capable of illuminating dust particles with its new laser dust detection technology, and sensing, sizing and removing microscopic dust for scientific proof of a deep clean. Retail Insider recently put the product to the test with great success. The Dyson V15 Detect Total Clean is available in Dyson Demo Stores in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary and online at DysonCanada.ca for $949.99.
Key features of the Dyson V15 Detect Total Clean include:
Laser dust detection: Dust particles invisible to the eye are illuminated with a precisely-angled green laser integrated into a Fluffy cleaner head. This laser is said to be safe for humans and pets.
Measures and reacts: using Acoustic Dust Sensing technology, it measures microscopic dust particles and displays the size and number on the LCD screen on the device. The piezo sensor can automatically increase suction power across different floors and dust amounts.
Image: DysonImage: DysonImage: Dyson
The Dyson Omni-glide™ introduces an innovative omnidirectional cleaner head that is said to effortlessly glide in all directions, picking up small and large debris along the way. The device costs $499.99 and is also available at the Dyson Demo Stores in Canada as well as online. Features include:
Gliding effortlessly in all directions: it floats and manoeuvres around obstacles using the omnidirectional soft roller cleaner head which has two motorized soft rollers to pick up everything from large debris to fine particles on hard floors. Easily moves forwards, backwards and even sideways.
Reaches further under furniture: A new in-line format allows the machine to lay flat on the floor, so it’s easy to clean under low furniture.
The Demo stores are designed to encourage people to pick up, test, and understand Dyson technology. Interactive demonstrations bring to life the science at the heart of Dyson machines. Dyson Experts are on-hand to provide advice and support on everything from improving air quality at home to achieving hair salon styles independently.
Dyson technology is about transformation with increasingly advanced technology launching every year. We’ll continue to follow the company and its retail expansion in Canada which could include more Demo Stores.
Amazon Canada office in Toronto - Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Investment in local communities is an important part of retail giant Amazon’s success story in Canada.
For example, 30,000 Canada-based third party sellers from all 13 provinces and territories – many of which are small and medium-sized businesses – grossed more than $1 billion on Amazon.ca in 2019, growing 40 per cent year-over-year.
Tamir Bar-Haim
But the company also has more than 4,300 corporate and tech employees in its tech hubs in Toronto and Vancouver – employees who support the local businesses in their communities.
“We have three offices in Toronto on Bremner, on York Street and Scotia Plaza and several offices throughout the downtown core in Vancouver,” said Tamir Bar-Haim, site lead at Amazon’s Toronto Tech Hub and Managing Director and Head of Global Expansion for Amazon Advertising.
He said Amazon has valued being present in those local communities and its employees, prior to COVID, were integral in supporting local businesses operating near those tech hubs such as restaurants and retail outlets.
“With our teams largely working from home over the last year plus, the opportunity to get back into the community and fill these vibrant spaces has been one of the things our team members are most looking forward to,” he said.
“Amazon has invested over $11 billion into the economy in Canada since 2010 across our corporate offices, fulfillment centres and more. And the ripple effect there has helped create a lot of jobs in the community. That includes 67,000 jobs in other companies across hospitality, physical retail, etc..
Amazon Canada Office in Toronto – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
“We actually recently surveyed our employees in Toronto just to ask them what are you looking forward to visiting most once the restrictions list? Taverna Mercatto is a great Italian restaurant that’s right at the bottom of our Bremner office. iQ Food is another great lunch spot. Pilot Coffee is another good one that’s a favourite of mine. For us, meeting customers in some of these local community locations is probably one of the best parts of working at Amazon right downtown in the core and that’s certainly what our employees are most looking forward to in terms of getting back to the office.”
With the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, all of the Amazon employees in Canada who worked in a role that could be done at home were encouraged to do so. At some point, with the guidance of health and government authorities, employees will be returning to the office environment.
“There’s no set dates at this point. Like many other businesses we’re watching the situation very closely and waiting to see when some of the public health guidelines start to lift,” explained Bar-Haim.
He said Amazon’s business has grown tremendously over the last several years and its employee base has increased and it’s a very important part of the retailer’s business to invest and give back to the communities that it serves.
“Just during the pandemic we’ve donated millions of dollars to causes that support right now needs like hunger, homelessness and disaster relief. We’ve given to 248 different non-profit organizations just in the last year and I’m really proud of how we’ve contributed back to the community,” said Bar-Haim.
“When we look at small and mid size businesses they’ve always been a core anchor of Amazon’s business. Just last year we released our first SMB impact report for Canada and it showed that Canadian SMBs sold more than 60 million products in Amazon stores in the 12-month period . . . that’s up from 35 million products a year prior.
“We continue to support small businesses in a number of different ways both directly through our employees, through our giving to charitable endeavours but also just enabling small and mid size businesses to grow and reach customers all around the world.”
The company will also continue to invest in its tech hubs.
The Post, Vancouver. Rendering: QuadReal
“We found that both Toronto and Vancouver there’s just phenomenal tech talent. The workforce is diverse. It’s well-educated. There’s incredible universities that train some of the brightest minds and we just found that these folks are a great fit for Amazon where they have a terrific opportunity to build their careers but also work on global projects that can impact customers around the world,” said Bar-Haim.
“We’re certainly growing quite a bit across those hubs. We have more than 1,600 open roles available today. Our focus right now is Toronto and Vancouver.
“When the public thinks about Amazon, they don’t often realize quite how much we’ve invested in our technology hubs both in Toronto and in Vancouver. The fact that we have so many talented employees – 4,300 across these two sites – we’re not only building and servicing products in Canada but actually building global solutions for scale. We think that’s really unique and we’re really proud of it and it’s important to keep our great Canadian talent here at home and challenged and given opportunities to grow and develop.”
Bar-Haim said the company has spent a great deal of time internally reflecting on what the future of work is going to look like for Amazon.
“The future vision for us looks to be a model that balances both the flexibility for our employees to work from home but paired that also with the opportunity for regular in-person collaboration at our tech hubs,” he said. “We very much believe in the benefits of in-person interaction and we think it’s important as we innovate for our customers that we put our employees in a position they can brainstorm, they can collaborate, they cross-pollinate different ideas.
“And our employees have been very receptive to that.”
Image: Mackage (Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto)
Throughout the course of the past 16 months or so – a time that is already being referred to as the ‘pandemic period’ – a myriad of tales of both triumph and disaster have unfolded within the Canadian retail industry. The landscape is filled with them, stories of heartache and closing sales, and of innovative thinking, shifts and pivots that ensured survival during these times of challenge. And then there are the rare examples of brands that have not only survived the impacts of the pandemic, but are coming out of it, on the other side, stronger and positioned better than ever for continued growth. One of those brands is Montreal-based luxury outerwear retailer Mackage. And, underscoring its intention to further expand its reach and presence is the company’s unveiling of New York City fashion veteran Tanya Golesic as Chief Executive Officer.
Impressive portfolio of experience
Tanya Golesic headshot. (CNW Group/Mackage)
Golesic, who most recently served as President of the Americas for Jimmy Choo, joins the Mackage team during a time of real excitement and anticipation for the brand and will be looked at to lead the Montreal retailer to further success and international growth. Also serving as the Global Chief Commercial Officer at Canada Goose and holding previous leadership roles at Marc Jacobs International (LVMH), The Jones Group and Ralph Lauren, Golesic brings with her more than 20 years of global high fashion experience and a results-driven approach that Mackage’s Executive Chairman Patrick Elfassy hopes will “accelerate the brand’s current trajectory”. It’s a vast resume of experience and successes that elevate Golesic above many of her peers. However, when it comes to achieving at the highest level in retail, she says that there is no greater contributor than the team.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked for some of the very best luxury brands in the world,” she says. “These opportunities have provided me with a significant amount of experience when it comes to understanding luxury brands, how they work and how they flourish. More importantly, however, is my commitment and ability to assemble the right team, bringing together people who work and collaborate well with one another toward incredible results. Mackage is obviously known for specializing in luxury outerwear, and with good reason. But, as the brand and our customers’ lifestyles evolve, we’ll continue to develop and introduce product extensions as we move forward. The team will be instrumental in allowing the brand to continue innovating and expand the world of Mackage, creating that aspirational context for our product.”
Brand community
Image: Mackage (Montreal St. Catherine Street)
Founded by Eran Elfassy in 1999, Mackage operates 25 physical stores throughout Canada and the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Japan, and is sold in over 40 countries around the world. It boasts an impressive selection of luxury outerwear for men, women and kids, as well as accessories including hats, scarves, gloves and handbags. In addition, the brand also operates a best-in-class ecommerce site, which allowed it to absorb the sharp shift in consumer behaviour toward online shopping and purchasing that was brought about by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and social restrictions. It’s a change in consumer preferences that Golesic recognizes as one of the most dramatic impacts of COVID-19 on the retail industry, adding that, as we approach a post-pandemic world, the emphasis for Mackage is going to be firmly on nurturing the sense of community that surrounds the brand and providing exceptional experiences, despite the channel that consumers engage with it on.
“One of the biggest influences of the pandemic was the acceleration of consumer behaviour toward online purchases,” she says. “Pre-COVID, many consumers were still hesitant to shop online. But, the circumstances of the past year-and-a-half have removed a lot of the traditional barriers to ecommerce. This shift presents huge opportunities for all brands because of the ease with which people are now shopping online. What it represents for Mackage is an opportunity to create aspirational digital experiences for the consumer who is much savvier now than they were prior to the pandemic. Today’s consumer is very much channel agnostic and will find what they’re looking for, leveraging the means that are at their disposal. As we move toward a post-pandemic world, the consumers’ omnichannel behaviour allows us to really focus on creating community and connection with our customers, wherever they are. We want people to get excited about visiting the brand’s physical spaces as well as engaging with us through digital channels.”
Creativity and innovation
Golesic goes on to explain that, in her estimation, there will be a return of footfall to physical stores as soon as people feel comfortable getting out again, and that many will act upon pent-up excitement to once more experience life. It’s an opinion that’s shared by quite a few of her peers as well as some watchers within the industry. And, if there’s any truth at all to the notion, then the opportunities available to retailers in every category to grow market share through differentiation are immense. Standing Mackage apart from its competitors, says the company’s CEO, is the continuous creativity and innovation with which the brand approaches its ever-evolving offering.
“We have some really incredible innovation around high warmth and ultra lightweight outerwear that we’re working on,” she says. “In order to cater to our customers, despite the climate and where they live, we’re experimenting with some really interesting, new types of fabrics. We’re also continuing our commitment to sustainability, leveraging sustainable materials and 100 percent recycled materials that will be launching within the next 6 months. We’re really excited to be including these new fabrics in some of our garments. And, we’re also going to continue launching new product categories and expanding our footwear capsule which we introduced last year. Everything that we do is done with the Mackage consumer in mind. We’re really excited to be extending our offering to them and continuing to look at ways we can further improve on it.”
Continued growth and expansion
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Image: Mackage (Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto) Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Image: Mackage (Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto) Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Image: Mackage (Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto) Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Image: Mackage (Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto) Photo by Dustin Fuhs
It’s that commitment to continuously improve on excellence and enhance the customer experience that drives Mackage forward, says Golesic, adding that the company’s superior craftsmanship and creativity is the DNA that allows it to authentically hone its global luxury positioning and build on the incredible aspirational narrative that it’s developed through the years. It also allows the brand to continue carving out its own unique space within an incredibly competitive market and adding to its scores of loyal customers. And, according to Golesic, that’s exactly what the brand has planned for the months and years ahead.
“At Mackage, we want to take our customers on a journey with us and to bring back the sense of discovery, escape and excitement that is such a significant component of retail. It’s been a very challenging past 16 months that we’ve all endured. And we believe that its time to dream again and time to tap into and enjoy everything that makes retail great. We’re really looking forward to the opportunities that are ahead of us with respect to delivering these experiences to our customers and to continue expanding the brand and introducing it to key international markets. It’s an exciting time to be a part of Mackage, and we’re all really looking forward to further growth throughout the months ahead.”
With Canada getting back to business, opportunities for employment are booming and Swob — an award-winning recruitment platform— is making looking for a job easy and hiring even easier.
“There are many people looking for work now that businesses are back up and running.”, says co-founder AlexanderFlorio, “Swob is not only helping job seekers get hired faster, but we’re helping employers hire faster as well.”
Alexander Florio
The free app, created specifically for job seekers, is available for download via the Apple Store or Google Play (also available as a desktop option). The app works like a dating app in that job seekers can scroll through part-time, full-time & seasonal employment opportunities and swipe right for those they wish to apply for and swipe left on those they don’t. Users simply create a profile, upload a resume, and identify their location — like how you would with a dating app — and then are matched with a wide range of jobs in retail & food service from which to choose.
“The idea for Swob came from my brother, Alexander, who was frustrated with the process of applying for jobs and felt there should be an easier way.” says Founder Stephanie Florio, “At the time he was using a dating app, and thought of merging the process of job hunting with the functionality of dating apps. The feedback we received on the idea from both employers and students inspired us to launch the business — we had discovered a problem and created a solution.”
Stephanie Florio
For employers, Swob makes recruiting more cost-efficient and less time consuming. While most job boards charge per click and deliver subpar candidates, Swob’s built-in filters ensure that companies are presented with only the most qualified candidates. With monthly, annual, or pay-as-you-post options, employers are also provided with features that ensure their jobs are showcased in front of thousands of qualified users in their area. While the app is strictly utilized by job seekers, employers can get started by heading to the Swob website to begin posting job opportunities.
The pandemic has not only produced an influx of Canadians looking to return to work, but it has also created an uprise in virtual culture, and Swob is the app that’s helping job seekers find work and employers hire faster.
To learn more, visit www.swobapp.com and start simplifying your talent searches! HAPPY HIRING!
