The casual dining location is slated to be a key tenant of The COURTYARD, a 27,500 square foot indoor and outdoor space that is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2022.
“We are very excited to be a part of Willowbrook Shopping Centre and to be a key anchor in THE COURTYARD,” says Jamie Reeves, Red Robin Canada’s Chief Operating Officer. “This new location allows Red Robin to continue to serve the neighbourhood and guests we’ve had for nearly three decades.”
THE COURTYARD at Willowbrook Shopping Centre
In addition to Red Robin, restaurants confirmed for THE COURTYARD include:
AO Ramen – Upscale Japanese dining including the only teppanyaki bar south of the Fraser.
Chachi’s – Gourmet sandwiches and comfort food.
Good Taco – Fresh, homemade tortillas and authentic fillings are at the heart of every Good Taco.
Trattoria Italian Kitchen – Classic Italian cuisine with the charm of a neighbourhood feel.
OEB Breakfast Co. – An all-day breakfast and lunch restaurant that offers familiar classics.
Red Robin currently operates more than 525 restaurants across Canada and the United States.
Peace Collective at The Distillery District - Photo by Dustin Fuhs
Retail brand Peace Collective, which is known for giving back to the community and supporting several causes, has opened its flagship location in The Distillery District in Toronto.
Yanal Dhailieh
“Peace Collective is a lifestyle brand that helps customers look good while giving back to causes they believe in,” said Yanal Dhailieh, founder and CEO of the concept. “So for every purchase with Peace Collective part of your purchase goes to causes we work with.”
“Causes we help and support are mental health, food insecurity, such as the food bank, and refugee support internationally.”
Peace Collective began in 2014 and sells men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories.
Peace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
“It’s about showing pride in yourself, or your country, or in the things you love. So a lot of our product lines that we’re known for are our Canada collection and our Toronto collection which is all about giving back in a show of pride in being from Toronto and Canada,” said Dhailieh.
“We also have our mental health collection which is all about showing self-love and then we also have a lot of sports items. We have NBA, MLB and MLS apparel all showing pride for your favourite team.”
Dhailieh was studying to be a doctor several years ago but really wasn’t passionate about it. It was then that he took a trip to Morocco to teach English, being involved in a program that allowed children from lower income households to go to school.
“My parents immigrated here from the Middle East, from Syria. I just knew whatever I wanted to do I wanted to be able to give back. The things I saw when I was young and the things my parents had to go through. That was kind of how it was born,” he said. “The idea was I wanted to start something that gave back. I think the first cause that we supported was school meals.
Peace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
“I graduated university and I kind of had this idea in my mind and this name for Peace Collective. It started in 2013-2014 with the first design.”
The retailer currently has two stores – the location that just opened in the Distillery District and one inside Union Station.
The Union Station location has been open since 2017.
Peace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
“Right before opening this (newest) store we closed our original flagship store which was in Ossington Avenue. We had it up until March of this year. But with things changing during the pandemic we made the decision to close it and reopen it in the Distillery District,” said Dhailieh.
“For us, we’re primarily an ecommerce brand that drives us in retail. But the way I like to view retail is people need to experience it as sort of a destination. It adds to everything you’re doing as a brand. So when we were looking for a new destination . . . we could have gone to one of the many malls or higher traditional traffic areas for retail. But it’s a really unique store because of the products we offer.
“We felt that the Distillery kind of added to that brand story and is in another historic area in Toronto and it’s always a place that’s going to have destination traffic. I think having a store inside Union Station and a store inside Distillery really adds to the brand value. It’s something pretty unique.”
Additional Photos from Peace Collective Distillery District Flagship
Peace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin FuhsPeace Collective at The Distillery District – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
We are in the midst of a digital revolution. Though there have been fits and starts of innovation that span the better part of the past three-quarters of a century, all lending to the cumulative technology stack that surrounds us today, the pace of digital development and adoption since the onset of the pandemic has been extraordinary. For retailers, the accelerated digitization has been highlighted most predominantly by the dramatic shift in consumer purchasing behaviour, trending away from physical brick-and-mortar locations toward online channels. The shift has resulted in a slightly altered retail landscape, prompting merchants everywhere to reimagine their service and retool their digital offering in order to remain relevant and successful. However, according to the LexisNexis Risk Solutions True Cost Of Fraud Study for Ecommerce and Retail 2021 U.S. & Canada Edition, with the increased digitization of retail operations and escalating numbers of digital transactions occurring, retailers’ vulnerabilities to cyber fraud and the cost associated have also increased.
“What’s most interesting about this report is the fact that it’s providing the first glimpse into the real impacts of the pandemic from a fraud activity and risk perspective, while shedding light on some of the challenges merchants are facing,” says Kimberly White, Senior Director of Fraud & Identity, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “And what the report finds is that there has been a significant increase in the cost and volume of fraud that’s been perpetrated over the course of the past year. This escalation, which has been driven primarily by the increased availability and use of online and mobile channels in order to execute transactions, has exacerbated challenges that retailers everywhere have been facing for years, placing further pressure on their fraud prevention teams.”
Increased volume and cost
The twelfth annual report developed and released by LexisNexis Risk Solutions – the second installment that includes Canadian data – indicates that the cost of fraud for U.S. retail and ecommerce merchants has increased by 15 percent from the report’s pre-pandemic survey and 7.1 percent over the past year. Likewise, the cost of fraud in Canada also increased over 2020 numbers, rising by 5.2 percent. In addition, the report also finds that the frequency and overall success rate of attacks attempted against North American retail organizations that offer online and mobile transactions has also risen sharply, with U.S. merchants reporting a 140 percent increase in attacks since 2020, 52 percent of which were successful. That’s compared to a 52 percent increase in attacks reported by Canadian retailers and a 45 percent increase in those that were successful. White recognizes the alarming growth in fraud, citing the complicated nature of the crimes themselves as one of the biggest challenges that fraud represents for its victims.
“Fraud continues to become even more complex,” she asserts. “We’re seeing all different kinds of fraud being committed against merchants that offer online and mobile transactions. However, we’ve seen particularly significant increases in fraud related to identity, both stolen and synthetic. And because it’s extremely challenging at the moment to verify someone’s digital identity, retailers everywhere are finding it very difficult to deal with this issue, interacting with identities that are fraudulent. As a result, identity verification has become the top challenge reported by merchants across the continent. There’s currently a subsequent increase in the use of digital solutions that can help mitigate some of these challenges. But it’s still a huge concern for merchants, and one that will continue to be, going forward.”
Lack of reporting
The report also cites account-related fraud such as breached data, botnet attacks and the deploying of malicious malware as other types of fraud that are on the rise. Collectively, each of the modes and methods by which cybercriminals are employing are wreaking havoc on merchants’ operations, causing disruption and uncertainty. However, according to retail industry expert and President of retail consultancy Bottom Line Matters, Stephen O’Keefe, just as big of a concern, adding yet another layer of complexity to the already convoluted issue, is the lack of consistency with respect to the actual reporting of attacks and incidents related to fraud within the industry.
“There are perceived disadvantages to reporting incidents of fraud within the industry which are largely driven by the resources that are required to do so in combination with the low likelihood of a case being investigated that yields a recovery,” he explains. “And so, most of the time, the juice isn’t really worth the squeeze. That’s the problem for retailers. And it becomes a bigger problem for the industry as a whole. Without a proper holistic understanding of the issues and challenges that retailers face when it comes to fraud and the means by which fraudsters are committing their crimes, it’s difficult to effectively combat against it.”
Misrepresentation of fraud
O’Keefe goes on to explain that the absence of reporting all incidents and attacks related to fraud is not the only impediment to properly and sufficiently combatting the challenge. He says that the way in which some incidents are reported is also contributing to merchants’ cloudy view into the fraudulent attacks being perpetrated against their organizations, suggesting that greater emphasis must be placed on the centralization of communication within the business around the occurrence of fraud activity. Without taking this approach, he says that fraud activity will continue to go misreported and therefor misrepresented.
“One of the negative impacts of the online world on loss prevention teams is the ways in which incidents of fraud are handled and communicated within the organization,” he asserts. “Take the trend of porch pirates, as an example. If a customer orders a pair of sunglasses that are delivered, but stolen from the doorstep, when they call to report the item as stolen, they’re going to be connected with the retailer’s ecommerce department, rather than the loss prevention department. Ecommerce teams don’t have the means to investigate something out in the public domain. And, so, from a nuisance value settlement perspective, they will simply send another pair of sunglasses to the customer. The first pair will most often be written off in the books as a customer service gesture. As a result, a loss preventer isn’t afforded a full view of the losses associated with the business, and is without any visibility into that transaction that took place. To handle this most effectively, retailers need to centralize their communications and track the fraud.”
Challenges and opportunities
If a comprehensive and accurate reporting of the fraudulent activity within organizations can be achieved, LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ White says that they can then take the necessary next steps in order to develop and implement measures that can help prevent the very issue of fraud itself. And, looking ahead to a post-pandemic world, one in which she doesn’t see consumer behaviour or sentiment around their use of digital channels to shop and make purchases changing, the need for merchants to bolster their protections against fraud will quickly become paramount.
“Merchants that are serious about optimizing fraud detection while minimizing customer friction will want to use a multilayered solution approach. If they do this across their different touchpoints, they’re really going to find success within this environment. And it’s not about employing ten different solutions at every customer touchpoint. It’s about approaching the issue intelligently, understanding their organization’s individual needs, the experience they’re offering their customers and assessing their risks accordingly. There are solutions that retailers can use today that will help them verify whether or not a name and email go together, whether a device that’s being used to login to a website is a known device or if it’s a bot or has malware on it. There are a lot of opportunities to leverage solutions that will minimize risk to the organization and enhance the customer experience. And, with the assumption that this acceleration toward online and mobile transactions is going to continue, merchants will want to really ensure that the safeguards and solutions they have in place are helping to support their success going forward.”
Praise Bottle Shop has launched a retail space in downtown Toronto to further accelerate its reach with sister business Gargoyle Wine Club, a wine-subscription based service with an altruistic twist.
Will Predhomme
The concept was an idea by Scott Zebarth and Will Predhomme, both Managing Directors for Gargoyle Wine Club and Praise Bottle Shop.
“Gargoyle Wine Club is a subscription-based national wine club involved in wine delivery, mixed packs, sourced by our team of sommeliers across the country. We’ve been around for four years in this capacity,” said Predhomme.
“Praise Bottle Shop is our retail bottle shop we just opened in Toronto and it’s a physical embodiment of this online business.
Image: Praise Bottle Shop
“We are more of a water company than a wine company. Every bottle that is purchased by our customers provides one year of clean drinking water for somewhere in the world. We have this partnership with water.org which is one of the best, oldest, designated water charities to solve the water crisis in the world. That is the main reason why we exist and we utilize wine as the best way to solve this problem.”
Scott Zebarth
The retail store opened on Bloor Street near the corner of Shaw Street.
Zebarth said it was important to have a physical space where people could interact with the brand.
“Really our differentiation point truly is the water mission. So we wanted to have almost a headquarters where people could come in and try to experience that for themselves,” said Zebarth.
Image: Praise Bottle Shop
Image: Praise Bottle Shop
“Every single item you get from our Bottle Shop whether it’s just a glass of beer or whether you just walk out with a case of wine or even just some of our pantry items, that’s one more year of water for people.
“We wanted to make it very clear for our members and now our customers what that all means. So many people talk about a percentage of sales. Getting into the dollar math, we just didn’t want to get into that. I think it gets problematic. We also wanted to be transparent. So every single bottle you receive, or every item you receive from the Bottle Shop, is one year of water. And to date our members have given over 170,000 people water for an entire year. That’s both Gargoyle and Praise. We’re really excited and that number is climbing every single day.”
Zebarth said the company wants to be meaningful. This is the first step for the company in launching physical space. While there is nothing in theory in the pipeline for more stores, he said they would love to have more Bottle Shops.
“It’s all going to a great cause. It’s a really interesting way of building community. We were able to do it online and I know it’s kind of a little backwards. So many people start bricks and mortar then move online. For us, we actually did it the opposite way. But for us it’s really just building a community and I think a really great way of doing that is to have multiple parts,” he said.
Image: Praise Bottle Shop
Image: Praise Bottle Shop
Gargoyle started in 2016.
“We’ve been doing this for five years now and growing it from essentially nothing to the point where we’re at this retail aspect which we never dreamed of doing but to put in context of retail it’s a tremendous opportunity to get your message out and having the Club and having the content and wealth of business behind that helps us to be able to build this environment in a physical representation,” said Predhomme.
“So we don’t see retail as being a negative. We see it as a massive physical positive that is supported by our online business. It’s a nice hybrid.”
Zebarth said the key differentiator for the business is its team of sommeliers. He said gargoyles were the traditional protectors on the sides of a building. They wouldn’t let the evil spirits in – only the good had entry to the buildings.
Image: Praise Bottle Shop
“That is really what our company does. It’s all about curation. Every single item has been curated. And the name praise, when you are going to say something great you’re giving it praise. So that is why we landed on that name,” he said.
“Additionally, we’re going to be starting a new wine brand called Praise as well and that’s going to be launching next year.”
Currently, Gargoyle has anywhere between 1,500 and 3,000 recurring customers who have subscribed to a membership. There is no fee to join. But people don’t need to be a member to utilize its services. It has a full size of concierge products, it can source products for people, there’s also gifting items, one off products as well.
“The point is to create an easier access to the customer and help to demystify the choices that you have when you go to a bottle shop. We spent our time in developing our careers in understanding wine. So to give that option to people who shop, take that off their plate, people want to think it, they don’t want to go to school for it. Let us do that work and trust us that it’s going to be done right,” said Predhomme.
Gargoyle focuses on wine and whiskey for its product.
Image: 'Beyond the Rink' pop-up by Bauer at Union Station
‘Beyond the Rink by Bauer‘ has opened a pop-up concept inside “Union Spaces”, a pop-up dedicated location within the Front Street Promenade of Toronto’s Union Station.
“We are thrilled to present Bauer as our newest showcase in the Union Spaces pop-up store. Over the past three years, we have built an incredible program that features local and international brands on rotation in our pop-up space,” shared Jessica Lemire, Marketing Activations and Event Sponsorship Manager, Toronto’s Union Station.
“We are particularly excited about the Bauer concept as they are a Supporting Sponsor for the Union Holiday- Presented by TD skating rink taking place from November 29th to January 2nd on the Front Street plaza. The “Beyond the Rink” pop-up by Bauer is truly an extension of the skating rink and a perfect opportunity for commuters to conveniently grab holiday gifts for their loved ones while at Union Station.”
‘Beyond the Rink’ pop-up by Bauer at Union Station (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)
Mary-Kay Messier
Offerings at the Beyond the Rink by Bauer pop-up will include a full apparel line-up, including jackets, sweaters, tees, face masks, toques and ice skates.
“This holiday season, we are excited to collaborate with Toronto’s Union Station with a pop-up store located in the heart of one of North America’s busiest commuter hubs,” shared Mary-Kay Messier, Global Vice-President, Bauer Hockey.
“Our partnership provides premium placement to launch our first “Beyond the Rink by Bauer” pop up shop designed to create a brand experience celebrating hockey life and offering our latest in lifestyle apparel.”
The Beyond the Rink by Bauer pop-up at Union Station will be available until December 26th, 2021.
The 369 square foot Union Spaces retail space is marketed as an opportunity to showcase international brands with interactive experiences and retail concepts through short-term leases and specialty activations.
‘Beyond the Rink’ pop-up by Bauer at Union Station (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)‘Beyond the Rink’ pop-up by Bauer at Union Station (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)‘Beyond the Rink’ pop-up by Bauer at Union Station (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)‘Beyond the Rink’ pop-up by Bauer at Union Station (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)
Unique Miami-based luxury multi brand retailer The Webster has officially entered the Canadian market by opening its first international storefront in Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area. The impressive space spans three levels and is another competitor for luxury retailers in Canada’s largest city.
The Webster’s new Toronto storefront at 121 Scollard Street spans about 6,500 square feet over three levels. The pink brick exterior is adorned with a neon light of The Webster logo while a flamingo wind vane sits at the top peak of the structure in honour of the mascot created by iconic fashion illustrator Michael Roberts.
It is the eighth storefront for The Webster which was founded in Miami Beach in 2009, and the first international location for the retailer which is seeing remarkable success and sales growth even over the course of the pandemic. Founder Laure Heriard Dubreuil for years developed relationships with key brands and obtains some merchandise via consignment. Prior to founding The Webster, Ms. Heriard Dubreuil lived in Paris and worked as a top merchandiser for Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent.
At the main floor entrance to The Webster, (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)Main floor next to the entrance doors. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)First floor of the store (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)
The new Toronto store is contained in a building built in 1884 by Leeds Sheppard that at one time housed two semi-detached residences. It’s the reason that the store has two separate side-by-side entrance doors leading into the retail space where visitors are greeted by a life-sized pink feathered bear from Italian artist Paola Pivi. The main floor includes a range of jewellery, fashion accessories for women and the home with ready-to-wear found towards the back of the space — some designs are edgier than what one might find in other stores in Toronto and since opening last week, customers are said to be receptive of the new stock.
At the back of the main floor of the store is a newly built annex housing ‘The Whisper Room’, a space with rounded walls and a large grouping of palm trees scaling into a dome ceiling. The walls were designed to create the feeling of an outline of a sunset according to The Webster.
A wide range of designers are carried on the main floor including the likes of Balmain, Chloé, Loewe, Paco Rabanne, Moncler, Vetements, Burberry and others, with many pieces not found elsewhere in Toronto even if the brands are carried in other stores including their own. The Webster also has its own private label clothing, LHD, designed by founder Laure Hériard Dubreuil herself.
The ‘Whisper Room’ at the back of the main floor of The Webster. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)Stairway joining all levels. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)
A sprawling illuminated pink staircase with a colour-block effect connects all three floors of the store. The second floor houses womenswear, footwear and bags and accessories. The front section of the second floor overlooking Scollard Street is set up to look like an upscale living room in a fine residence or hotel, and guests are invited to linger. More luxury brands for women include a selection of Judith Leiber bags and fashions from Alexander Wang, Fear of God, Lanvin, Versace and various other brands, some more obscure.
Second floor lounge area. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)Second floor. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)
Accessed from the pink stairway is the third floor of The Webster which is dedicated to menswear. Racks of men’s fashions include unique pieces from a capsule collection by Bally as well as unique pieces from brands such as Palm Angels, Amiri, and others. A large selection of sneakers is available at the back of the third floor space with many unique styles. Hanging from the ceiling of the third floor is a fully studded black centrepiece surrounded by raw travertine fixtures. A custom-made foosball table that was commissioned for the store sits by the windows overlooking Scollard Street.
Terrazzo flooring is used throughout the new store in shades of black, beige, white, and pink — terrazzo is said to be an influence that stems from the Miami deco brilliance of the first location of The Webster in South Beach, Miami. Vintage wallpapers from Laure Hériard Dubreuil’s personal collection are a fixture in each The Webster location including lining the walls of the fitting rooms in the Toronto store. Marmorino walls create a softness to the space. Parquet flooring was given a creative twist fabricated in a champagne-coloured metal.
Third level men’s footwear. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)Custom foosball table on the third floor. Photo: Craig Patterson
The Webster has seen impressive growth over the past couple of years — in January of 2020, The Webster opened an 11,000 square foot store in Los Angeles at The Beverly Centre and in July of 2020, The Webster opened an outpost at the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito California. The Webster was founded in 2009 when Laure Heriard Dubreuil opened a 20,000-square-foot store in the former Webster Hotel at 1220 Collins Avenue in South Beach, Miami. The Art Deco building spans three floors and became a draw for locals and tourists. Rather than organize the store according to brand, Ms. Heriard Dubreuil merchandised it as if it were a personal wardrobe by mixing big brands with the emerging, arranging everything intuitively by mood, which was revolutionary at the time.
A decade after opening the first location, The Webster opened stores in Bal Harbour (Bal Harbour Shops) near Miami, in Houston Texas (adjacent to Houston Galleria), at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa California, in New York City’s SoHo area, and most recently the two California locations in Los Angeles and Montecito. The Webster also has an outlet store at Sawgrass Mills in Florida. Each store has its own personality in terms of design.
In Toronto, the renovation of the 1884 building was designed by Stéphane Parmentier, a Parisian interior designer and Creative Director of The Webster Home vertical. Parmentier was also responsible for the design of award-winning The Webster store in Montecito.
Laure Heriard Dubreuil said, “When deciding what we wanted our first international store to be like, we were inspired by our roots. We wanted to create an all-encompassing representation of The Webster’s journey thus far and then exhibit where we are going as we recognized this monumental moment! Stéphane with such a strong understanding of these innate elements, created a sensorial ascending flow from floor to floor projecting our brand ethos in an array of unique depictions.”
She went on to say, “Toronto is an energetic and cultural city which are two attributes that both influenced me to open The Webster over 11 years ago and what continues to be a driver for our success. With each market being so unique comes a new refreshing perspective to the way we operate. I am so excited to see the effect that Toronto has on us and look forward to welcoming our new clients into our ultra-vivid world.”
Second floor lounge with footwear and a jewelled teddy bear on display. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)
Interior Designer Stéphane Partmentier said, “The design of The Webster Toronto is a true depiction of the brand’s natural direction. With such an identifiable DNA, we were able to capture the spirit of this eighth location instantly. We were so inspired by the historical beauty that surrounded us in the neighborhood of Yorkville, that we knew we had to create a place that was so vibrant and unique that would make our mark from the beginning. The perspectives and curves throughout the three floors have such symbiosis, manifesting such depth and exploration of the brand codes with every detail having an exact purpose to bring the whole vision to life.”
Toronto based Cumulus Architects collaborated with Stéphane Parmentier to realize the vision for The Webster’s transformation of the heritage building into a premier retail destination.
First Capital REIT owns the 121 Scollard Street building where The Webster is now located. Over the past several years, First Capital has been acquiring commercial real estate in the Bloor-Yorkville area and has been bringing in new retail and foodservice tenants. Vice President Real Estate, Yorkville, Eric Sherman, negotiated the lease deal for The Webster on behalf of the landlord.
“We are thrilled to welcome The Webster’s first international flagship to Toronto and specifically to our portfolio in Yorkville,” said Sherman. “The Webster has quickly emerged as one of the most prestigious and coveted luxury concepts in the world and a wonderful partner for us. They are committed to achieving unique, purposeful, and curated experiences within a luxury environment that mirrors First Capital’s approach to the neighborhood as a whole. We are proud to deliver another creative transformation of a gorgeous heritage building in Yorkville which has quickly and clearly become the chosen destination for luxury concepts and consumers alike.”
One thing that The Webster is lacking is a restaurant space. There was a possibility earlier on that a restaurant might be included but ultimately the space became ‘The Whisper Room’ as it is now known. One interesting fact about Scollard Street is its restrictive zoning which prohibits the opening of new restaurants on the street, which otherwise includes a mix of beauty businesses, tailors and fashion businesses, and even a few very expensive private residences. The location of The Webster might appear to be a bit out of the way, but it’s actually steps from Chanel and other luxury brands on Yorkville Avenue to the south. An attractive public walkway joins Yorkville Avenue to Scollard Street between Chanel and Stone Island and The Webster is a short walk north of Yorkville Avenue along the path. A dedicated entry on the pathway into The Webster features a unique entryway design with an historic-looking glass overhang.
The Webster opened in Toronto in late October and the store is already busy — a constant stream of visitors throughout the day include the curious and serious shoppers. The Webster in Toronto employs several stylists and is brining in more as part of an effort to gain market share in the city by working one-on-one with private clients. A client may visit the store, or have product sent to them by a stylist to try at home. The personal shopping and styling component to The Webster’s retail operations have proved popular in other locations and has led to strong sales.
Strong sales can be expected in Toronto as well, possibly at the expense of other high-end retailers in the city. The Webster has access to unique and one-of-a-kind pieces, and also commissions exclusives from some of the world’s top designers that means product in the store is not available elsewhere. The Webster’s personal shopping offering potentially poses a threat to other multi-brand luxury retailers in the city. The Webster’s relationship with top brands means that pieces can be acquired for affluent shoppers that otherwise wouldn’t be available in Toronto. Some of the women’s brands carried at The Webster in Toronto are also carried at Holt Renfrew (which has a large store nearby), The Room at Hudson’s Bay on Queen Street and Saks Fifth Avenue which has two stores in the city including one downtown in the Hudson’s Bay Queen Street building. The Yorkville area is known for having several exceptional multi-brand luxury boutiques that will now compete with The Webster. For menswear, CNTRBND in Yorkville is probably the closest in terms of edgier high-end offerings with Holt Renfrew Men being a distant second.
The size of The Webster’s business could grow substantially in the Toronto market, regardless of how large its brick-and-mortar storefront is. Some customers of The Webster may visit the store, which also operates as a showroom, once in a personal interaction with a stylist. The stylist or sales associate may then otherwise communicate with the customer via mobile device with goods shipped to the customer’s residence, or styling done remotely. That means substantial sales numbers could eventually be done from The Webster’s Toronto operations without the need for an expansion of the existing space.
Curated designer goods inside the new Toronto store. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)
Affluent shoppers, who may have otherwise shopped internationally, might now spend more money in the Toronto market and specifically at The Webster. Stylists with a range of unique product may keep the city’s top fashion purchasers happy without heading to Paris or New York City, which means there could be at least a small boost to the local economy in terms of dollars spent at home.
Although there will be increased competition in the area, some may argue that The Webster will bring in a high-end shopper to the Yorkville area that might also go and shop at other high-end stores in the neighbourhood as well. And furthermore, a customer going to The Webster in Yorkville is one less customer who may otherwise have gone to Yorkdale which over the past decade has secured the densest clustering of mono-brand luxury stores in Canada. The next several years will see a battle between Yorkville and Yorkdale for brands, and it’s likely Yorkdale will continue to score big names given its comparative advantages of being managed by a single landlord. Yorkville in comparison is disadvantaged for a few reasons. Multiple landlords means it’s more challenging to see a coherent retail or brand strategy develop, save for what First Capital REIT is doing by acquiring multiple retail properties to control the tenant mix. The Yorkville neighbourhood also lacks cleanliness at times and is suffering from increased crime, drug use and vagrancy since the start of the pandemic — not an issue Yorkdale has to face. Yorkville also lacks the unified personal shoppers and stylists offered at Yorkdale, and the neighbourhood lacks the valet parking offering at Yorkdale. Yorkville, however, does offer a more authentic urban environment with a mix of heritage and other architecture and attractions such as top restaurants and beauty businesses. Not to mention some of the top hotels in the city and thousands of multi-millionaire (and some billionaire) households live nearby, with Yorkville boasting the highest density of wealthy residents in Canada.
Yorkville seems to have won the luxury battle with CF Toronto Eaton Centre, also in Toronto’s downtown core. In 2016, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom opened in the massive shopping complex which was seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in investment by landlord Cadillac Fairview. Today, luxury struggles in the downtown core with a lack of valet parking said to be among challenges in an area with social issues including addiction, mental health and street youth. This has resulted in a reduction in luxury brands carried at two of the anchor retailers at CF Toronto Eaton Centre — we’ve reported that Nordstrom has dropped most of its luxury brands for handbags, men’s and womenswear in downtown Toronto while at Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton and Dior will be exiting the store entirely by the end of the year.
Double doors into the new store. (The Webster Yorkville/Adrian Ozimek)
It’s unknown if The Webster will open more Canadian stores. At a briefing, it was hinted that the Montreal market could at some point be a target for the brand, stepping onto the home turf of edgy multi-brand luxury retailer SSENSE. If The Webster were to open in Montreal, it would compete for the same shopper as Holt Renfrew Ogilvy and several other smaller upscale stores. If it were to enter Quebec, The Webster might have to modify its name for Quebec signage language laws, being named ‘Le Webster’ or possibly ‘Boutique Webster’.
One might also suspect that the Vancouver market, particularly with the film industry, could be a target for The Webster. A lot of money flows though the Vancouver area for various reasons and consumer goods is a destination for part of it. The Webster could thrive in the Vancouver market and grab market share from Holt Renfrew, Hudson’s Bay The Room, Fueille and other upscale edgy multi brand retailers in the city.
And if The Webster does open more stores in Canada, we’ll be reporting on it.
Reaching the summit within any profession, dominating the field in which one plies their skills, is the career goal for many. Reaching those heights, however, accomplishing the very highest objectives, is something that only a few have the opportunity to actually experience. And, when it comes to commercial real-estate in Canada, the number of individuals who can claim that achievement is that much scarcer. Though it’s not nearly one of the focuses of the conversation when speaking with Martin Moriarty about the work he executes on behalf of his clients, he is surely at the top of his game and one of the most reputable and recognizable names on the Canadian commercial real estate scene. As Senior Vice President, Investments & Leasing, at Marcus & Millichap, he’s helping to maintain the reputation of the company as the number one commercial real estate investment sales brokerage and capital markets advisory in North America. And he’s doing so through an impressive combination of unyielding philosophy, a breadth of global experiences and accumulated market acumen.
“When speaking with people about success and the characteristics that are required to achieve, you often hear qualities like hard work, dedication and commitment,” he says. “And, although those are definite requirements, they’re the bare minimum from my perspective. In order to apply these attributes properly, I think context is very important. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled a lot and experienced many different parts of the world. As part of those experiences, I’ve been able to see what has worked and what hasn’t worked in different markets, across various platforms, cities and streets. There’s always a lot to be learned from places like Singapore, London, Dubai and Tokyo from a commercial leasing perspective. Mario and I continue to push forward the agenda within Vancouver, leveraging these experiences and our knowledge of different markets. To do this, we’re extremely focused on adding more class ‘A’ retail, international brands and unique, local merchants in order to ensure that the city has an eclectic, interesting and exciting array of retailers to shop with.”
Strong senior partnership
Martin Moriarty and Mario Negris
Moriarty started work within commercial real estate in London, England in 2008, a time that he describes mildly as “quite interesting” against the backdrop of a worldwide economic recession. He says that these early years within his career provided him with incredible experience and a grounding as a professional that continues to serve him to this day. After nearly three years of teeth-cutting within one of the harshest and most competitive environments in the world, he relocated to Vancouver where shortly after he joined the team at CBRE Limited. Following the better part of a decade, during which time he rose the ranks within the company, he left as Senior Vice President with an inordinate amount of gained experience. And, most recently, in April of this year, Moriarty, along with long-time CBRE colleague and fellow broker extraordinaire, Mario Negris, joined Marcus & Millichap to spearhead an expansion at the North American commercial real estate giant. While at CBRE, the pair formed a partnership that led to a domination of the retail leasing scene in Vancouver. And, according to Moriarty, their partnership, and the success that it generates, continues to strengthen.
“Mario’s a bit of an icon in the industry, rightfully so,” lauds Moriarty. “What can I say? He’s got an absolutely relentless work ethic and determination to succeed. Combine that with a knowledge of retail and the market like no other and he’s onviously going to be the dominant market leader. I was extremely fortunate to have mentored with him and to have had the opportunity to develop such an enjoyable, successful and rewarding partnership with him through the years. And today, at Marcus & Millichap, we’ve both got the privilege of being involved in a great team of young, hungry brokers. It’s been barely more than six months since we joined. But it’s been a fantastic start. We’ve always been fascinated by the development and transformation of a neighbourhood, a street or a space. Just look at what Mario did, working closely with clients, on Alberni Street where it’s now the epicentre of luxury. It’s what get’s us excited to do what we do. And we’re aiming to be a long-standing developer of the social fabric of Vancouver through our work.”
Dominant performance
Based on data within Marcus & Millichap’s annual report, it seems that Moriarty, Negris and their team are doing just that. Over the course of the past year, they’ve been responsible for an incredible 156 deals in Vancouver, comprised of 66 sale transactions, 4 consultant transactions and 86 lease transactions, representing more than 85 percent of the cities downtown retail leasing market. They are numbers that would be considered significant at any time within Vancouver, let alone during a period of such turbulence and uncertainty. Moriarty recognizes the incredible achievements that he and his team continue to realize, but credits the fortitude of the city of Vancouver for the positivity that’s been sustained within the market throughout the pandemic.
“In a word, it’s been fascinating,” he asserts. “When the world changed 18 months ago, everyone within the industry was anticipating an enforced sabbatical for at least a short period. But that didn’t happen. I’ve been incredibly impressed by the resilience of Vancouver. There wasn’t a lull at all. And we didn’t see any panic set in. Everything took a little longer, but most deals continued as is. Deals with necessity-based groups carried on, which wasn’t a surprise. But what fascinated me was the fact that we were able to continue closing deals with international tenants who weren’t too familiar with the market virtually. We’ve been able to close a number of flagship deals with big brands as well during a global pandemic. It’s a real testament to the city both in terms of how it continues to perform economically as well as socially.”
Experiential evolution
Image: Martin Moriarty and Eric Yang, Founder, Blossom Dim Sum & Grill
He goes on to explain that the market positivity is not only helping to ensure that Vancouver’s streets of commercial activity like Granville, Robson, Water, West 4th, Broadway and others remain vibrant and successful, it also serves to encourage creativity within Vancouver’s business community. It’s creativity that Moriarty says is showing up in the types of retailers that are opening store locations within the city as well as the variations of experiences that brands are developing for their customers. And, looking ahead, he says with confidence that there are lots of exciting deals currently happening that shoppers within the city will be extremely excited about.
“We’re seeing a lot of the retailers based in digital technology continue to expand, move in and experience success,” he says. “And, there’s also a lot of attention being paid to detail from the perspective of store design in order to help create and support a more experiential kind of retail. What we’re finding as we continue moving forward into this age of digitization is that simply being a great retailer just doesn’t cut it anymore. People want to experience things and to be entertained. For instance, we just closed a deal for Maison Kitsune, an amazing brand from Paris, which will open a location on Water Street in Gastown. The store’s going to include a high-end café, and wine bar, offering within the space with the intention of drawing more people in. And, with respect to shopping centres and other larger spaces, exhibits like the Marvel Avengers Station in Toronto and the Harry Potter experience in New York will continue to be rolled out, driving traffic and interest from prospective shoppers. But, no matter what type of retailer or experience we’re talking about, I’ve never seen so much activity and interest from international retailers and expect a number of exciting entries in to the city over the course of the next 6 to 18 months.”
Vancouver on the rise
The consistency of the Vancouver commercial real estate market throughout the pandemic, as already noted, has been impressive. However, beyond the city’s collective ability to sustain success and growth during a difficult period, Moriarty says that its performance over the past year-and-a-half is also going a long way toward increasing its appeal among brands looking to expand. And, as a result of the continued consistency of the market, something that Moriarty describes as “more of the same”, he believes that the potential for he and his team to further enhance the quality and breadth of retail offering within Vancouver is immense.
“We definitely aren’t expecting any crazy transformations within the marketplace, this is Vancouver!” he explains. “But there are going to be huge opportunities going forward. Vancouver remains under-retailed relative to the rest of Canada and the U.S., so just having space become free is important for growth. Most of the streets and nodes within the city have historically been very tight. They are all very small blocks and segments of submarkets. So, space doesn’t often free up for additional commercial tenants. But, because of some recent movement and changes, there is some space offering options to interested brands. And, it’s important to note that Vancouver as a brand, considering its current standing and the ways it’s handled the pandemic in comparison to other cities and countries, has helped to increase its reputation globally. I’m receiving interest from brands all over the world. And we’re really looking to capitalize on Vancouver’s high stock to continue growing the city’s retail presence.”
Exciting developments
Image: Martin Moriarty with Mario Negris
With respect to some of the current projects that Moriarty and his team are working on, they are being kept “very busy” he says. Some of the higher profile ventures include work being done in the heart of the central business district with Bentall Centre and its ownership Hudson Pacific Properties around a transformation of the Centre’s retail offering and the creation of a new retail and entertainment destination. Another flagship project is the development of 800 Granville Street in which Moriarty’s team will be working on 100,000 square feet of commercial space. In addition, they will also be collaborating with Westbank and QuadReal to deliver world class tenancies to support the impressive reinvention of Oakridge Centre and help its ownership push forward the agenda of luxury and high-profile retail. Each of these projects are grand in scope and allow Moriarty and his team to continue executing on their mandate of further developing the fabric of Vancouver. And, considering the amount of enthusiasm with which he raves about the potential of the city, it seems that there remains a lot of development ahead.
“Mario and I will continue fulfilling our objective to fill space within the city with exciting international and national retail tenants. The projects that we’re currently working on are going to be some of the best, if not the best, projects in all of North America. I’m often cautious when brokers only speak positively about their market but I truly mean and stand by my assessment of Vancouver at the moment. It’s a city that’s really taking off from a number of perspectives, retail being one of them. Over the last 18 months, we’ve seen large levels of investment and a strong sentiment of confidence. It’s fuelling positivity and growth. And I believe that it’s positivity and growth that will only accelerate further moving forward, resulting in some really exciting times ahead for the city of Vancouver.”
Ottawa-based grocery retailer Farm Boy, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary on December 2nd, has opened its 42nd location in Ontario.
Jean-Louis Bellemare
The 23,225 square foot store location near the intersection of Dupont & Christie streets, in the central Toronto neighbourhood of Christie Pits is in the Litho condo development. This RioCan-built eight-storey mixed-use rental residential development has 210 condominium units and also features an LCBO store on ground level.
“We have received so much support from our Toronto customers over the years and we are thrilled to share that we have opened a new location on Dupont Street.” said Jean-Louis Bellemare, President and General Manager, Farm Boy.
“Those visiting the new location can expect to see the same fresh market experience Torontonians have come to know and love – a wide variety of fresh and unique Farm Boy products, along with exceptional customer service.”
Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
J.J. Hochrein
“Going into new condo developments has been a strategy that we’ve implemented and have seen success with,” said J.J. Hochrein, Director of Marketing at Farm Boy. “The fact that we have a customer base directly above us, with a growing community was a big draw for this location.”
The 42nd store has the familiarity and consistency of a classic Farm Boy market, which includes characters like Mikey the Monkey, who is noticeable for welcoming customers and swinging above the bananas in the produce section. Farmhand, Lulu and Buddy are also included in the store design, in addition to the chicken coop above the eggs.
“One of the things that we want to continue to do with a Farm Boy experience is to have these ‘surprise and delights’ and have some fun with the store. You can see it with some of the characters that we have in our dairy farm, incorporating the barn and in produce with the fields.”
Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
Private label is important for the retailer. With over 1800 products currently being produced under the Farm Boy label, the blend between well-known brands and in-house private ones creates an opportunity.
“That’s a focus for us – to expand our private label line of products. That being said, as we are looking at our Grocery lineup, we want to make sure that we are stocking ‘fan favourites’ like Heinz ketchup and French’s mustard – it’s important to carry what our customers are asking for. That being said, if we have the opportunity to bring in a trusted brand private label and really give the customer a great product with strong value – we’ll look at that.”
When asked about the product breakdown, Hochrein described the process for the in-house private label expansion.
Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
“We’re growing hundreds of products (300-400) a year into the system. We have an amazing team that looks after our sourcing and manufacturing process. We’re constantly testing new products, market trends, customer care feedback. Always asking for feedback from our customers and team to see where we can make a better offering.”
The brand also brings in local favourites into their market environment, which is sourced as part of the strategy of creating a well-rounded shopping experience.
“An example of the product partnerships is with Hayter’s Farm, as they do all of our turkeys. Anytime there is a holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, they are right there to work with us. Hayter’s Farm is part of our core lineup and it has been a fantastic experience and we’ve grown together.”
Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
One thing that customers will notice about the Farm Boy market experience is the presentation of products.
“We design all our labels through the private label team. When we sit down and look at the offering, we discuss the colour palette and how it will look in store. The products are also coloured by style and repeatability – as customers can remember which style they liked based on the look of the label.”
When you walk through the store, one of the interesting design choices is in the lighting, which changes based on the department that you are walking through. The lighting features in the produce section are white, while the features change to a black colour in the meat & seafood market area.
Farm Boy at Dupont and Christie (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“The in-house team at Farm Boy does all the store design, which can be thought as a tier system.
Tier one is the focal murals and highlight signage.
Tier two is the level signage and in-department design
Tier three signage is the pricing signage.
With our team, we look at the messaging and how to communicate effectively to our customers through design. This starts at the high level (Tier One), looking at how Tier Two is seen from the customer and the process goes down from there to the pricing signage.”
In addition to creating the experience, Hochrein shared about the breakdown of the store product offerings and how things change and adapt through location design.
Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
“One of the main locations in the store to grow the offerings is with our Grocery section. We are trying to have more products and more selection for customers, especially as there is a varying palette in our customer base – we want to carry choices.”
The Bakery is another department that is designed for the full customer experience, with easy to read displays and unique offerings alongside staples. Top products in the section include sourdough bread, cinnamon buns & twists. Kettlemans bagels are also a fan favourite and were described as a great partner to work with.
“We want to have great quality meal solutions for customers at a great value, so that’s a big part of what we do. The ‘soup’ side of the business is starting to grow – with the current selection sitting at 20 different varieties that rotate through the program. There are seasonal soups that flow in and out. We also have a chef’s team at head office that is development kitchen that is trying new things all the time. With customer care – we are always on the lookout for suggestions and can send those through to the chef team for further development.”
Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
With delivery and click & collect being a discussion point in the grocery industry, Hochrein was able to discuss what makes a Farm Boy experience different.
“We’ve tried various strategies in the past, but the current success is with Voila by Sobeys (in the GTA), which carries a line of Farm Boy favourites.”
“We are continuing to add products to the program and it’s nice to introduce new customers to the brand through this opportunity.”
Image: Farm Boy Dupont
Farm Boy Dupont will employ more than 135 people and celebrated its grand opening on November 4th, 2021.
The brand will be opening a new Ottawa – Stittsville location in November and have two stores announced for 2022, with markets to open in Guelph and Barrie.
Image: Farm Boy Dupont Image: Farm Boy Dupont Image: Farm Boy Dupont Image: Farm Boy Dupont Image: Farm Boy Dupont (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)Image: Farm Boy Dupont
