Candyland, a new pop-up featuring New York candy lifestyle brand “by robynblair” has opened at Bayview Village in Toronto.
The exhibition will be animating a retail storefront in the luxury shopping centre from July 30th to December 2021.
“I’m very excited to be working with Bayview Village for my first Canadian collaboration and to connect with their loyal customer base,” says Robyn Blair Davidson, the artist behind the exhibition. “These one-of-a-kind BV prints were so much fun to make and I can’t wait to see them on display.”
Candyland at Bayview Village will feature a number of instagrammable experiences, including an eight-foot gumball walk-in photo-op, walls lined with gumball machines and a rainbow road of colourful candy boxes.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with ‘by robynblair’ to bring joyful moments through these haute pieces of art,” says Rachael Tang, Marketing Director, Bayview Village Shopping Centre. “BV is known for its one-of-a-kind experiences and this will be nothing short of sweet.”
Quebec-based Legault Group, owner of Mondou stores, announced Friday that it has fully acquired Guelph-based Ren’s Pets.
The move brings together two Canadian brands that have seen exceptional growth in their respective locales, with Mondou having 74 stores in Quebec and Ren’s Pets having just opened its 35th store last week in New Brunswick. With 31 stores in Ontario, two in New Brunswick and two in Nova Scotia, Ren’s will be continuing its expansion with added resources from Legault.
“This transaction is part of Legault Group’s growth plan, which is based on expanding our activities in Canada through acquisitions and partnerships focused on innovation,” said Martin Deschênes, Chief Executive Officer of Legault Group. “It will allow both companies to combine their strengths and accelerate their growth in Canada by opening new stores through an agile and flexible approach.”
“We are proud to join Legault Group and combine our strengths with the Mondou store network in order to pursue our development. We share common values with this respected team in the Canadian industry such as customer service excellence and a commitment to the community and the well-being and health of animals,” added Scott Arsenault, President of Ren’s Pets. “We are confident that this transaction will be beneficial not only to both banners, but also to all Canadian consumers who care about their pets.”
“It is very important for us to preserve the unique character of Ren’s Pets and respect the original concept that has made the company’s success and reputation for over 40 years,” explained Jules Legault, President and Co-owner of Legault Group. “This acquisition therefore represents collaboration and continuity for Ren’s Pets, since the brand and all the personnel, including the current management team, will remain in place.”
“The acquisition brings together two phenomenal brands, Ren’s Pets & Mondou, to form a powerhouse in Canadian pet retail,” shares Larissa Wasyliw, VP Ecommerce & Marketing at Ren’s Pets. “Working together for your pet’s best life, we’ll be collaborating, synergizing, and sharing best practices- it’s going to be amazing. You’ll see even more fast-paced growth from both brands.”
Commenting on the acquisition, one customer stated, “Coupled with one of the best pet insurance plans, pet owners can now find everything they need at either Rens or Mondou. It hasn’t been easier to find what we want when we need it.”
EXTERIOR VIEW OF NEW MONDOU STORE IN VERDUN, MONTREAL. PHOTO: MONDOU
Images: Mondou
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With the pet industry booming through the pandemic, the ability for the brand to expand into the post-pandemic environment is greater for Legault moving forward.
A recent survey on retail rents by a Calgary commercial real estate firm has found some very interesting results of what’s been happening throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Fairfield Commercial Real Estate, rents for transactions completed during the dog days of the pandemic along retail high street 17th Avenue S.W. have stayed at pre-pandemic levels.
And the company’s survey indicates some street front retail and food service rents have even increased over the last year in prime locations.
As Alberta’s economy has fully opened up, there is demand for real estate space for businesses. While many retailers and food service establishments have unfortunately pulled the plug due to the vicious economic challenges presented by COVID, there have been many new tenants out on the market looking for space in popular urban retail districts across the city.
Monika Blachut
Monika Blachut, Associate with Fairfield Commercial Real Estate, says at the start of COVID there was quite an influx of vacancy versus a hesitancy from entrepreneurs to make moves in spaces.
“We saw during the beginning of COVID when there was a higher vacancy rate there was a little bit of improvement in that first year, second year where tenants were able to negotiate a little bit of a lower rate,” said Blachut.
“However, what we’re seeing now is that deals done I would say anywhere from Christmas on in the new year of 2021 have been hitting consistently pre-COVID numbers and I would even say there are some developers who have chosen to maybe make smaller footprints because they need to reach their certain rent targets to get financing. And landlocked construction costs none of that has decreased so they’re actually reaching and achieving above market pre-COVID rates for smaller spaces.”
Blachut said this is happening specifically in inner city urban districts.
“I think the days are gone of your three, four or five thousand square foot footprint that can pay the rates that landlords need to make projects and numbers work so we’re seeing a migration to smaller footprints to achieve the higher rates,” she said.
“It’s supply and demand. The suburban market in Calgary is booming. So landlords in Calgary are achieving what they’re asking for and obviously with inflation and projections over the course of say five, 10 years there are step ups in rates and we’re just going to see ever-increasing rates over time.
“What we were curious about was in the inner city. I can assure you that the downtown core is an anomaly in the Calgary market. In the downtown core, we have heard of some very, very aggressive and interesting deals put together just because there’s so much vacancy in the office market that retailers don’t have the business to support high, high rates. But the moment you leave that downtown core, the market is there and landlords are able to achieve them.”
She said entrepreneurs are now weighing out the pros and the cons of those rates. They’re able to look at a monthly gross rate that works for their business model.
“The question that we have posed is are these rates sustainable? And really what’s going to happen in the fall when these government assistance programs are over? That’s the real question. The rates we’ve seen even when we did our market analysis on rents along 17th Avenue it was very high numbers, but is it sustainable? That is the balancing act in our industry and obviously a landlord’s hope is to get as much money and for as little space as possible and entrepreneurs are paying it for prime locations,” said Blachut.
“It will be interesting to see a year from now. If current demand sustains, then possibly yes it’s sustainable. I wish I had a crystal ball. I don’t. Maybe there’s a lot of entrepreneurs and businesses that have hung on and have maintained. Any new businesses that have opened up obviously don’t qualify for any of these government programs. That’s the interesting thing. It’s the new businesses, new deals that are being put on paper that are paying these rates. I just think from a business plan model these rates work for them.
“In Kensington for instance there was a monopoly of a few landlords who owned a lot of buildings and they were getting very very high rates and we saw a time even two years ago when there started to be a lot more vacancies because it wasn’t sustainable. Businesses weren’t able to pay rent, pay increasing staffing costs. Everything is going up. Do I think there will be another falling out? I think that’s something that will happen. But no one has a crystal ball.”
The attraction to those urban districts is the density of people living, working and visiting those areas which is driving up the rental rates.
“The consumer is there. You’re just servicing an already existing and growing population with new developments as they go up,” added Blachut.
Craig speaks with Terry Cassaday, founder and CEO of ergonomic chair company ergoCentric which is expanding further into retail with new storefronts.
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International bakery-cafe chain Paris Baguette will open its first Canadian location on the luxury stretch of Bloor Street West in Toronto. The retailer is operating under a franchise model and is also targeting the Vancouver and Montreal markets as part of a national expansion.
The first Toronto storefront for Paris Baguette will be located in a retail space formerly occupied by Browns Shoes at 110 Bloor Street West. The space measures about 2,500 square feet at street level according to lease plans. Neighbours will include some of the world’s top luxury brands including names such as Gucci, Prada, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and others.
Paris Baguette is a global brand owned by South Korean food-and-beverage company SPC Group that operates more than 80 corporate and franchise bakery-cafés throughout the United States and over 6,000 internationally. The premium bakery-cafe concept focuses on handcrafted breads, pastries and cakes, as well as chef-inspired sandwiches and salads. Included are various grab-and-go menu items that will offer a food experience on a stretch of Bloor Street lined primarily with luxury brand storefronts.
Rendering showing Paris Baguette’s new space at 110 Bloor St. W. Image via ProWinko Canada/CBREParis Baguette will occupy the former Browns Shoes space at 110 Bloor St. W. — photo by Craig Patterson on August 1, 2021Photo: Paris Baguette
In October 2020, Paris Baguette announced its presence in Canada via a registered Franchise Disclosure Document. At the time the company said that it was charting the course on a Canadian expansion in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and other “booming” provinces and cities. Paris Baguette said in a statement that its goal is to establish at least 100 bakery branches in Canada by 2030.
“We look forward to building our footprint in Canada through franchising,” said Gregg Koffler, Vice President of Franchise Sales and Development in a statement last year. “Consumers are continuing to chose quick service restaurants and, as such, we see a great deal of opportunity for business owners looking for a tried and true business model, that offers gourmet menu selections for dine-in, delivery or takeout.”
“We offer multi-faceted store footprints and our concept succeeds in a variety of environments, from city centers to suburban shopping complexes. Pairing that with our global identity and real estate team, we are confident that Paris Baguette is positioned to resonate with an array of communities in Canada.”
Big changes are coming to 110 Bloor Street West. We reported last month that upscale Paris-based women’s fashion brand Anne Fontaine would also be opening in the commercial podium which is seeing a roster of new tenants that will coincide with the updating of the property that includes a new retail facade. ProWinko owns the commercial podium of 110 Bloor.
CF Toronto Eaton Centre (August 1, 2021). Photo: Dustin Fuhs
Popular Montreal-based fashion and outerwear brand Moose Knuckles will open a 4,500 square foot storefront at CF Toronto Eaton Centre this fall. Construction hoarding went up over the weekend in a retail space formerly occupied by LOFT on the third level of the mall — a Reiss fashion store is located on one side and jeweller European Boutique is on the other.
CF Toronto Eaton Centre is also home to outerwear competitors Canada Goose, Mackage, and Rudsak. Stores carrying Moose Knuckles in the shopping centre include Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Harry Rosen. CEO Noah Stern recently told Retail Insider in a podcast that the company would be growing its direct sales channels including its own standalone stores and concessions.
Moose Knuckles Construction at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (August 1, 2021). Photo: Dustin Fuhs
The past year or so has been devastating for the retail sector across Canada as the industry has coped with the uncertainty of the lingering COVID-19 crisis and the resulting plunge in sales.
And a key area which was particularly hard hit was the sector’s presence in airports throughout the country.
The plunge in travel due to restrictions and public health concerns was dramatically felt by retailers, food and beverage operators and of course duty free shops.
Tim Barnes
But recently there has been a seed of hope planted for the future as restrictions have eased, travel is increasing and news of the Canadian border opening up has fueled some optimism about the future.
“What we thought would take a lot longer we’re now seeing our food and beverage numbers jump drastically in July based on the increase in traffic but also the leisure traveller is what’s driving it and that leisure traveller does tend to stop for a burger because they’re in the leisure mode,” said Barnes.
Image: YYC Calgary
The airport in Calgary has about 120 to 130 different businesses operating out of the terminal.
“We’ve been absolutely lucky but also very supportive of our partners and as a result we’ve had virtually no bad debt come through from the process which is incredible when you think about it,” said Barnes. “We thought for sure there would be a number of operators that would be in trouble and go insolvent.
“Now there have been some who have left the airport and they’ve left on good terms and we supported them through that process. We used all the government programs at our fingertips for supporting them and we supported them ourselves as well with rent relief and rent extensions for payment. So we’re really proud of the fact that we actually have no really bad severing with relationships where we’re left holding the bag. I think it’s in part because we were very supportive through the process and provided those extensions and worked with our partners and also because we’ve got great partners. They’re stand up great business people that have integrity.”
Barnes said the opening up of the Canadian border to the US is huge. The transborder business historically has been around 20 per cent of its volume.
“It doesn’t sound like a lot but when you actually look at the numbers from a retail perspective they punch well above their weight. As you can imagine, people going to Palm Springs or Las Vegas they tend to have breakfast, they tend to have maybe a couple of drinks on their way and they do spend more. It does make a difference. The domestic traveller spends less,” he said.
No Boundaries at YYC (Image YYC Calgary Facebook)
Barnes said the airport a few years ago started asking passengers what they wanted in the way of amenities. It wanted to make sure that any changes it made in retail were driven by the passengers.
“So every new concept that we developed from that point forward has been based on passenger research. It gave us a good process to follow,” said Barnes. “It seems simple but we weren’t doing that before. And that process has really helped us,” said Barnes.
“We haven’t necessarily increased the amount of retail in our redevelopment plan. What we’ve actually done is stripped away a lot of the clutter. If I were to use a phrase, it would fewer, bigger, better in terms of what we’re trying to do with retail so that when passengers do come through and they experience destination type locations that serve multiple needs versus having all these smaller operators that makes it much harder for them to survive.
“We used to have these carts in the middle of the concourses and they were great for sales but from a passenger experience standpoint they were terrible because oftentimes you’d get a wide body in and they’d be walking the lineup and they would actually have to line around these carts which was great for revenue because people be standing next to this cart and buy something. But from a passenger experience standpoint it was not where we wanted to be.”
Image: Canadian Brewhouse at Edmonton International Airport
The retail component has been an important revenue stream in recent years for airports across the country with a trend to providing services that passengers are looking for in their travel experience.
Myron Keehn
Myron Keehn, Vice President of Air Service and Business Development at the Edmonton International Airport, said pre-COVID there were more than 60 businesses in retail food and beverage at the airport. Currently just over half have returned to operations.
Just recently a unique new concept with Canadian Brewhouse was introduced at the airport with two restaurants – it’s the first airport location in Canada for that brand. The kitchen is located on the air side and a technology has been built which allows the food to move between post-security and pre-security areas. The restaurant is divided in two.
In the past year or so, many food and beverage locations were closed but the airport always maintained some food and beverage and retail options for passengers and the public as well as employees.
Canadian Brewhouse (Image: Edmonton International Airport)
“We did keep open a handful of restaurants and a handful of retail so people could be served but at the peak of the pandemic we were doing hundreds of passengers a day instead of doing five to ten thousand a day,” said Keehn. “Those restaurants and retail stores couldn’t stay open. There’s no passengers. There’s no revenue.”
Some businesses permanently closed but Keehn said those spaces are being reimagined and reinvented and reopened as new brands over the coming months and into 2022.
“The airports are basically like a barometer for the economy . . . It has a direct impact on the economy. It’s a great bellwether of the economy,” said Keehn.
“Our duty free will reopen. We can start having international flights after August 9 as the federal government has announced and we’re very pleased with that and as the government works to reopen Canada’s airports to international travel duty free stores can open as well.
“Today in Edmonton we’re seeing about between 50 and 60 per cent of 2019 as far as passengers. We’re doing quite well in Canada. Alberta’s doing very well compared to other jurisdictions that are still in different stages of reopening based on their local vaccination rates and case loads. That has a direct impact on the ability to reopen . . It helps to reopen the economy.”
