Group of One Voice One Team members. Photo: One Voice One Team
Toronto, 8th February 2021 – RetailU, the leading retail training platform that supports retailers invest in their field leaders through micro e-learning and customized virtual workshops, has teamed up with the One Voice One Team, a non-profit organization providing youth leadership workshops, assemblies, and community service programs in order to empower the youth of today for a better tomorrow.
Founder April Sabral says, “Supporting One Voice One Team is a natural fit for RetailU. Many retail first-time employees are students, some even grow into managers. OVOT develops their leadership skills, the work OVOT are doing is incredible and making a huge impact not only on the students but also supports teachers, which is necessary today”.
To launch this ongoing partnership, retailu will donate 50% of all membership sales through February to One Voice One Team. Sabral says our goal is to help 400 youth in Winnipeg attend the OVOT program. Learn more HERE.
Orlando Bowen, the founder of One Voice One Team, says, “We believe that, despite their challenges, all youth can make the most out of their circumstances if they are given support, guidance, and opportunities for growth. Numerous issues plague youth today: such as unemployment, suicide, gang involvement, mental health challenges, and more. At One Voice One Team, we empower, inspire, and facilitate opportunities for youth to be catalysts in creating a ‘better tomorrow’ today” “We are beyond excited to work with Retailu. We have the same mission to develop future leaders.”
In the last year, through the process of COVID and extreme lockdowns, retail and schools were hit hard. Sabral says,” I saw my son struggle with online school” “We knew we had to step up and do something. Also, many first-time job seekers were not able to gain their first retail job. To launch this partnership, we are offering a special rate for a one-year membership. Managers looking to up-level their skills can get involved support us reach our goal while investing in themselves”. “It is not enough to know about the issues we are facing today. We all need to step up and support local initiatives like this that need us.”
This launches an ongoing partnership between retailu and One Voice One Team.
RetailU was founded by Sabral in 2019 when she couldn’t find affordable, relevant leadership training for her team. retailu provides off the shelf quality leadership training for field leaders at a fraction of the cost of other training programs. After developing leaders for nearly three decades, she thought there had to be a better way. retailu is a subscription licence model with over 25 retail core competencies courses geared to improve managers’ skills to drive their business.
One Voice One Team is a non-profit organization providing youth leadership workshops, assemblies and community service programs in order to empower the youth of today for a better tomorrow. The charitable organization services the GTA, surrounding cities and Winnipeg, Manitoba. They offer customized, remote programs inspiring kids and educators across North America. Many of their high-energy, experiential learning programs blend mentorship and life skills coaching with cognitive behavioural activities to develop leadership skills necessary to succeed in the biggest game of all, the game of life.
Rendering of Lakeview Village - Cicada Design | Lakeview Community Partners Limited
The retail landscape is one that is in constant flux. Anchored to a myriad of factors and influencers that include market trends, consumer sentiment and behaviour, the advancement of technology, and even the weather, to name but a few, the industry and its operators are required to meet the flux with continuous innovation in order to succeed and flourish. Much of the innovation developed by retailers is rightly focussed on the consumer and is reflected in enhancements to in-store service, evolving digital offerings, the provision of multiple purchasing options, and a multitude of other initiatives, in concerted efforts to create and support ideal conditions for the consumer to shop within. With this omnipresent retail objective in mind, and driven by a desire to transform the very notion of urban living, Lakeview Community Partners Ltd (LCPL) is developing a one-of-a-kind mixed-use community that is set to revitalize southeast Mississauga’s Lake Ontario waterfront and reinvigorate the retail experience.
A Different Approach to Community Development
Envisioned as a confluence of retail and cultural amenities and residential units, the Lakeview Village project is a joint venture partnership involving some of the Greater Toronto Area’s leading community builders, including TACC Construction Limited, Greenpark Group, CCI Development Group, Branthaven Homes, and Argo Development Corporation. With the goal of creating a “complete community” and a place where residents and visitors can connect with the Lake Ontario waterfront, LCPL’s proposal stands out by virtue of the holistic approach through which planning has been conducted. Including considerations from economic and environmental sustainability to the clever use of placemaking and open-space connections, and just about everything in between, Lakeview Village’s overall design seems to offer something for everybody. And, according to Rob Spanier, President of the Spanier Group and LCPL development advisor, it’s a design that will result in an urban living environment unlike any other in the country.
“There are many other large-scale mixed-use projects that currently exist or are under development,” he admits. “But what helps set Lakeview Village apart is the fact that we’ve started from the concept of ‘place’, allowing for all other aspects of the community to be built around it. If you create the horizontal place, you can plant all of the uses to truly deliver an incredible development. When we worked through design of the concept, we knew that we had to consider everything, including the ground floor, the appropriate retail programming and tenant mix, and the public realm. And through the establishment of a successful combination of retail, food and beverage and neighbourhood services, we’ve been able to achieve the true essence of ‘place’. Lakeview Village is not a new subdivision. It’s a truly complete community that complements Mississauga’s incredible development pace of the last thirty years and offers a destination that everyone in the Greater Toronto Area will be able to visit and enjoy.”
An Open Space Network
Located in southeast Mississauga’s Lakeview neighbourhood, Lakeview Village is comfortably situated, just seven kilometres from Mississauga’s City Centre on the western edge of Toronto. And, supported by established transit infrastructure and the community’s close proximity to major highways, it’s a destination that promises convenience for its residents and ease of accessibility for visitors.
With plans to bring the community to life, syncing occupancies with the completion and opening of its many parks, Lakeview Village will be home to an anticipated 20,000 residents occupying somewhere in the region of 8,000 units, including townhomes, mid-rise and condo buildings. And, designed within the context of an open space network, the area will be dotted by parks and green spaces, for everyday active and leisure use, within a continuously linked system that provides an uninterrupted connection to Lake Ontario, from east to west Mississauga. Lakeview Village is also intended to be a multi-modal district with an emphasis on the utilization of transit and active transportation. To support its commitment, the community will be intersected by a network of cycling and walking paths. And, to ensure a more pedestrian-friendly environment, a ‘fine-grain’ network of roads with frequent intersections has been developed in order to limit the speed of vehicular travel within the community and further secure the safety of residents and visitors.
Renderings of future Lakeview Village mixed-use property.
The weight that LCPL has placed on ensuring that these open space features are present within its design reflects its mandate to keep the public realm at the forefront of its considerations throughout the planning process. In addition, says Brian Sutherland, Vice President of ARGO Development Corporation, the attention that’s been paid to these aspects of Lakeview Village’s design represent yet another significant point of differentiation for the development, enticing prospective residents and visitors alike with an unmatched lure and attraction to the area.
“Lakeview Village is a truly unique project,” he says assuredly. “The former use of the land was very utilitarian. For decades it served as a coal burning plant for the province. And since the plant’s closing more than fifteen years ago, the land has sat dormant, cutting off access to this entire piece of waterfront land. Through this project we have the opportunity to reconnect people with the nature that surrounds the Lake Ontario waterfront and create an amazing urban community where people will come to live and work as well as a destination for people to visit for so many different reasons. It’s exciting to be part of a project like this and to be involved in an initiative that is focused on revitalizing an area that’s been so under-used for so long and reimagining it in such a special way.”
Retail at the Heart
As impressive as these revitalization efforts are, however, and as critical as the residential and community infrastructure components might be toward the Lakeview Village master plan, the heart of the entire project is Lakeview Square — the vibrant cultural and retail hub of the mixed-use destination. A focal point of the project, located in the southeast quadrant of Lakeview Village, the Square opens up to the waterfront and represents the centre of civic and commercial activity. It’s where cultural, commercial, office, institutional, and recreational open spaces are meant to converge, creating a hub of activity and engagement and sustained local traffic to peruse the wares of merchants occupying the estimated 200,000 square feet of retail space that will be available in the Square. It’s this kind of placemaking, through a thoughtful approach and effective execution, that’s making Lakeview Village such an interesting proposition for retailers. And, as Spanier points out, it helps to create the perfect environment for retailers to engage with residents and visitors and to become a critical part of the community.
“Lakeview Village presents a really unique opportunity for retailers and business owners to thrive,” he asserts. “By leveraging innovative and forward-thinking placemaking and master planning, we’ve been able to create an environment that not only provides an incredibly vibrant district to engage with residents and visitors, but one that promotes those interactions. Lakeview Square will connect to virtually everything within the community, serving as a central conduit for activity and interaction and an unbelievable mixed-use waterfront experience.”
Attracting Visitors and Patrons
Another important feature of Lakeview Square is the fact that it will also provide the setting for arts and culture within Lakeview Village. The space will include an outdoor performance area, and will incorporate multicultural programming, specialty uses, and waterfront attractions, drawing on the diverse backgrounds and experiences of residents within the City of Mississauga and beyond, attracting people of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging them to stop and spend time in Lakeview Village. And, with 1,800,000 square feet of space available near the Square for other employment uses, the community will potentially result in the creation of more than 9,000 long-term job opportunities for residents of Lakeview Village and the surrounding area. Each of these features, based on their individual merits, would add life and vigor to any neighbourhood or location. However, in concert with one another, they combine to result in LCPL’s vision of a “complete community”.
Click for interactive Google Map of Lakeview Village and surrounding area
A Place for Small Businesses to Thrive
In addition to creating the ‘place’ and planning and plotting out the placemaking of the sites, attractions, and residential and commercial spaces, LCPL has also been careful and diligent in ensuring that the right retail tenant mix is achieved to properly serve the community’s residents and visitors. The team have also conducted extensive research around the trends that are impacting retail and the drivers and levers involved in providing exceptional retail experiences. This deep understanding and comprehensive knowledge of the industry, explains Spanier, combined with learnings from the COVID-19 global pandemic, has enabled the LCPL team to make the right decisions for the future of the Square and its retail tenants.
“Lakeview Village and the unique features that it will include are all part of the vision and the understanding of LCPL concerning the differences between simple development and the creation of a community and destination that combines indoor space and outdoor space within an overall safe environment,” he says. “The impacts of COVID have made everyone innovate to find ways to allow people to continue to get together and interact and to create an environment in which retailers and restaurateurs can thrive. Our strategy is to provide smaller indoor spaces and larger, more flexible outdoor spaces that include patios and terraces. But, in the end, it’s about providing better retail experiences. The offering throughout Lakeview Square will include a curated mix of ground floor specialty retailers, handpicked non-nationals who I affectionately refer to as ‘Mom and Pop shops’ that deliver best-in-class experiences and services. It’s these small businesses that will provide the heartbeat of Lakeview Square and the community in general.”
Over 60 different retail businesses will call Lakeview Village home when it opens in just a few years. The experience and service that they each provide will individually complement the character and liveliness of the community while collectively reflecting the unique environment that LCPL hopes to create. And, with an eye on adding to and supporting the unique Lakeview Village experience even further, the development partners are currently looking ahead, considering the future of retail and mobile and digital technologies that can enable greater interaction and engagement between retailers and guests of the area, and to help deliver a seamless experience that is second-to-none.
Something for Everyone
The project, which represents a massive undertaking that’s been years in development, is quite impressive in its scope and the evidence of considerations that have been paid to just about every aspect of urban living. It’s an accomplishment by virtue of its planning and organization alone, and just might set a precedent for future community development. LCPL will be opening a Discovery Centre in late Summer 2021 where prospective residents and business owners can learn more about the community, its features and the dynamic environment it promises to create. And, as Sutherland advises, it’s an environment that will offer something for everyone, presenting an incredible opportunity for retailers to become part of something special.
“This is a project so holistic in its endeavour that everyone involved will benefit. It’s not just about the resident, the office space, the destination guest or the retailer. Lakeview Village is for everyone living within a reasonable distance of the community to experience and enjoy. It’s about living, working and playing in an active and vibrant community. And it’s a culmination of forward-thought and an approach to development that’s transformative in nature. We’re certain that when we’ve completed Lakeview Village and the framework for the future of the community, people around the world are going to be visiting to understand how to properly and effectively integrate residential accommodations, retail services, arts and cultural programming and outdoor living to create more similar communities. It’s been exciting watching it all come together, and we can’t wait to see the community and destination in action when we open to residents, visitors and retail businesses soon.”
J. Crew Shuts Remaining Canadian Stores After 10 Year Run
American fashion retailer J. Crew has shut its remaining stores in Canada after a multi-year retreat. J. Crew entered the Canadian market in 2011 and had stores in several major markets.
In September of 2020 we reported that J. Crew’s last full-priced Canadian store was still operational at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. That location has since shut permanently. We also reported that J. Crew was operating outlet stores at McArthurGlen Designer Outlets near Vancouver, Vaughan Mills near Toronto, Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills, Outlet Collection at Niagara near Niagara Falls, and at Tanger Outlets in Ottawa. Those all appear to have shuttered permanently as well.
In September, J. Crew shut two street-front flagship stores including a unit at 110 Bloor Street West in Toronto as well as at 1088 Robson Street in Vancouver. That followed a prolonged set of closures.
Listen to “The Weekly” podcast by Retail Insider where Craig, Lee and Dustin chat about the J. Crew shuttering of all remaining Canadian stores as well as Starbucks closing numerous Canadian stores.
Exterior of former J. Crew store in the CF Toronto Eaton Centre. Photo: Retail Insider
For years, J. Crew operated a small network of stores in Canada in markets including Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Ottawa. A store at West Edmonton Mall closed several years ago and in 2018, units at CF Rideau Centre and CF Chinook Centre also shuttered. Other J. Crew units that closed included at CF Fairview and CF Markville in Toronto, CF Market Mall in Calgary, and CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. A store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre shut down in early 2019 and was replaced by Lululemon in 2019.
The Yorkdale location was the first J. Crew store to open in Canada in August of 2011, and it was the last one to close. Canadians can still shop online for J. Crew clothing according to the retailer’s website. J. Crew also has stores throughout the United States.
Canada’s retail fashion landscape is changing, with competitors Banana Republic and the Gap also shutting stores across the country. More chains could go under and in the years to come, new brands will likely replace them.
J. Crew filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States in May of 2020 and exited bankruptcy in September. The filing allowed J. Crew to gain a better financial foothold by turning USD $1.6 billion into equity by putting lenders in charge of the company.
Exterior of new DUER store in Kitsilano. Photo: DUER
DUER to Relocate Vancouver Flagship from the Downtown Eastside to Kitsilano
Vancouver-based performance apparel brand DUER has announced plans to open a new flagship store at 1755 West 4th Avenue in West Vancouver. It will replace a storefront that opened at 118 West Hastings Street in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside area in the spring of 2016.
The 2100-square-foot Kitsilano store is set to open in May 2021, and will feature a modern interior and experiential elements like DUER’s signature performance lab — an area with swings and bikes where customers can test the function of DUER products through movement.
Interior of new DUER store in Kitsilano. Photo: DUER
Interior of new DUER store in Kitsilano. Photo: DUER
DUER designs performance apparel for men and women which is considered ideal for everyday wear, commuting, and adventure. Unique gusset technology in all DUER pants offers movement with minimal restriction.
DUER products are currently sold through more than 700 global retail partners including REI and Nordstrom.
In Memoriam: Saul Korman
Highly respected Toronto-based retailer Saul Korman passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. Mr. Korman, known to many as the ‘Duke of the Danforth’ was the founder of upscale menswear retailer Korry’s located in the city’s Greektown area.
Photo Provided: Saul & Shawn Korman
Korry’s was founded in 1952 and is located at 569 Danforth Avenue and the store carries a range of upscale brands. He was known for his radio ads on five stations — advertising helped drive success for the business over the years.
Longtime friend Norman Katz, VP of Sales & Marketing at Maple Leaf Displays, remembers Mr. Korman fondly over the 25 years that they knew each other. “I began my career in the men’s apparel industry,” said Mr. Katz. “Saul was a mentor to me, and his passion for the menswear industry touched many people in Toronto and well beyond. He taught me to be professional and nice to everyone while having fun with what you’re doing. He also stressed the importance of working hard…Saul would schmooze with customers, vendors and media. He did it all!”.
Norman Katz explained how Saul Korman’s radio ads would draw a significant number of people to his store from Toronto and even other parts of the province to meet the man behind the ads. “I was fortunate enough to witness this when Saul asked me if I could help out in the summer for a couple of weeks because he was short staffed. People from as far away as Oakville, Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Barrie, and other regions throughout the province came into the store and asked ‘Where is this Saul Korman guy? I want to shake his hand and say hello’…well they did that and guess what, they did not leave Korry’s without buying something. Saul would say to them you came this far to meet, let me show the latest fashion trends that would look great on you.”
“When I’d come into the store, Saul would ask ‘Norman, how are you and the family doing these days?’ Saul truly cared and was a gentlemen, and will be missed by many.
Exterior of Anytime Fitness location. Photo: Anytime Fitness
Anytime Fitness Appeals to Provincial Leaders to Permit the Reopening of Essential Businesses
As the COVID-19 lockdowns continue to ravage small businesses across Canada, owners of independently-operated Anytime Fitness locations across the country are sending letters to provincial leaders and health officials in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec — where health clubs remain closed — inviting them to work together with the health club industry to establish province-approved safety and sanitation protocols that permit these essential businesses to reopen.
“We appreciate the difficult challenges the provinces have faced when deciding whether certain industries must close or remain open,” said Stacy Anderson, president, Anytime Fitness. “However, the continued closure of gyms due to COVID-19 is an obstacle to Canadians’ ability to maintain physical and mental health. The data is clear that health clubs and fitness centres — which, unlike restaurants and retail locations, are membership-based, controlled environments not open to the general public — are safe when safety and sanitation protocols are followed.
“In fact, we know that the Anytime Fitness locations currently open across Canada — such as in British Columbia — have shown that following safety and sanitation protocols neutralizes the risk of infection in their facilities while continuing to allow them to provide essential exercise and wellness services for their members.
“So we join our Canada franchise owners in respectfully urging provincial leaders where health clubs are closed to work together with us to safely get back open as soon as possible. Come to the table and tell us what it will take.”
While all in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, it is becoming more apparent that lockdowns are having long-term and devastating effects on Canadians’ livelihoods and mental wellbeing. Many are suggesting reassessing control measures and permitting Canadians to reinstate some aspects of their old lives, with being able to attend the gym high on that list.
Spot It mapper taking photos for the site. Photo: Spot It
Spot It Launches Independent Mapper Program to Streamline In-Store Shopping
Example of Spot It app on Smartphone. Photo: Spot It
On a mission to innovate the in-store shopping experience, Waterloo Region-based retail technology company Spot It has further adapted their in-store mapping solutions to include an independent Mapper program. With proper compensation being offered based on each new store being mapped or updated, Spot It is assisting Canadians in providing a fairly compensated gig economy opportunity and expanding their store maps across the country.
In order to significantly increase the number of stores mapped across the Spot It platform, the retail tech company has opened their Mapper applications. Becoming a Mapper allows those who are able to continue in-store shopping to earn a suitable wage while helping their community.
Launched in May 2020, Spot It has designed detailed plans for one’s shopping trip before entering the store, allowing shoppers to reduce browsing time and potential points of contact with other shoppers. Additional features, such as the user-to-user sharing framework allows users to share shopping lists, checklists, recipes, and home projects. The newest update also included a checklist feature, which auto-populates a map of items needed for specific initiatives or occasions such as items in high demand for local food banks.
Currently displaying store maps of over 100 stores across Ontario, with 500 plus searchable items within each map, the Spot It platform is accessible to users through its website and new mobile app. Spot It is now focusing its attention on the Vancouver market.
For more information about the platform, mobile application, developing features, and to apply to be a Mapper, visit www.maps.spotitmapping.com.
Models wearing The Jacket of Hope designed by TH Fashion. Photo: TH Fashion
TH Fashion Launches The Jacket of Hope
With International Women’s Day coming up, Toronto-based TH Fashion is launching The Jacket of Hope as part of its 2021 capsule collection.
Produced and operated by an all-female team — the Jacket of Hope is on a mission to unite strong women worldwide and is designed to make women feel safe, powerful, and confident. Instead of looking back, the Jacket of Hope will inspire you to move forward and dress your best.
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Model wearing The Jacket of Hope designed by TH Fashion. Photo: TH Fashion
Model wearing The Jacket of Hope designed by TH Fashion. Photo: TH Fashion
The Jacket of Hope is armoured to keep you guarded through COVID-19 with a detachable mask feature and emergency gloves built into the sleeve. Additionally, owning the Jacket of Hope has other incredible benefits, including its innovative Spanflex line of recycled luxury performance fabrics and UPF protection.
A portion of proceeds from each sale will be donated directly to charitable initiatives. The Jacket of Hope retails for $398 with the option to add a $50 charity donation to the New Start Foundation for youth mental health and addiction services to bring attention to how this pandemic has affected us as a society, not just physically but also mentally.
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business logo
LNG Canada and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Support Indigenous Female Entrepreneurs
LNG Canada represents one of the largest energy investments in the history of Canada. Under construction in Kitimat, B.C., on the traditional territory of the Haisla Nation, the LNG Canada liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility is delivering substantial economic benefits to Indigenous and local communities, businesses, the province, and the country. Once complete, the facility will deliver the lowest carbon intensive LNG in the world, helping to address global climate change.
In addition to LNG Canada’s commitment to keeping safety, economic, environmental, and community interests top of mind in their business model, CCAB’s President and CEO, Tabatha Bull, acknowledges their dedication to economic reconciliation and Indigenous women’s economic empowerment.
“Securing financing is one of the biggest challenges for Indigenous women entrepreneurs who often lack access to loans and financial institutions, property for collateral, and credit. We are thrilled that LNG Canada is taking meaningful steps to support Indigenous women entrepreneurs and help grow the Indigenous economy.”
CCAB Patrons are innovators who have made the commitment to bridge the gaps between Indigenous–owned businesses, Indigenous economic development corporations, and corporate Canada.
Nominations for the 2021 Indigenous Women in Leadership Award are open until February 12th, 2021 and more information about the Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund will become available at ccab.com in the coming weeks.
This week, Craig & Lee are joined by fellow team member, Dustin Fuhs, to discuss the Canada-wide closures of all J.Crew stores as well as the significant reduction of Starbucks locations nationwide.
The Weekly podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!
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/
There have been a lot of stories of doom and gloom written during the past ten months or so, particularly when the focus of the commentary has been retail. Store closures and bankruptcies. Insolvencies and deferrals. It seems at times as though nobody within the industry has escaped the clutches of the pandemic unscathed to this point. Despite the comprehensive and indiscriminate nature of the virus’ effects, however, it’s clear that the greatest impacts have been felt by small businesses operating on Main Streets across the country. Significant challenges brought about by lockdowns and social restrictions have severely hindered their efforts, resulting in dramatically reduced footfall to their stores and a pervasive uncertainty surrounding their future. However, with every grey cloud that descends, adding to the murk of our current situation, there is also hope for brighter days to come. And, providing kindling for this hope, according to Mark Whyte, Executive Vice President, Canadian/International Sales at Silver Jeans Co., is the spirit of entrepreneurs from coast-to-coast-to-coast who refuse to give in to the challenges, and instead continue innovating to succeed during these difficult times.
“2020 was an extremely challenging year for retailers right across the country,” he recognizes. “Lockdowns and restrictions on the amount of people retailers can allow in their stores as a result of social distancing protocols have obviously put a big strain on operations for many businesses, large and small. It’s amounted to less revenue being brought in and fewer opportunities to engage with consumers. But the biggest challenge that retailers have faced is in dealing with the fact that life and business are not the same as they once were. Everything has changed dramatically, and the consequences of this change have hurt a lot of retailers along the way. What hasn’t seemed to suffer, however, is the resiliency and creativity of the small business community in Canada. Those who have survived have shown incredible ingenuity and are leveraging every means by which they can in order to continue engaging with their customers and making sales. They aren’t rolling over and dying. In fact, many are taking this opportunity to strengthen their service and offering, expanding the ways they do business.”
The Strength of Small Business
The resiliency and creativity that Whyte refers to are evident throughout the small business community, right across the country. From the development and enhancement of website and e-commerce platforms and the clever use of social media to inventive virtual personal service and private appointments, as well as many other ingenious devices in between, the innovation that’s been conjured up by small business owners during this difficult time for retail has been nothing short of remarkable and should serve as something of an inspiration for others within the industry to draw from. Their imagination and vision have allowed them to parry much of the brunt brought about by the pandemic and resulting restrictions, enjoying a bubbling of support from patrons within their local communities. And, it’s not the only support that some small businesses are receiving.
Models in Silver Jeans. Photo: Silver Jeans
Company’s like Silver Jeans Co., who recognize the value of small businesses and the importance of their strength in relation to the health and vitality of the communities in which they operate, are also doing what they can in order to aid and encourage the success of Canada’s entrepreneurs. For its part, the well-known, Winnipeg-based producer of high-quality jeans and other denim products, recently formed unique partnerships with dozens of smaller boutiques across the country, providing them with an exclusive line of jeans to sell to customers of their stores.
For Us, Not Them
The jeans, which are not available at any of the country’s larger retail mass merchants, provide independent businesses with a top-quality, limited-run product to put on their shelves. As part of the partnerships, the boutiques that Silver Jeans Co. are working with also receive significant margin from their sales. It represents a massive boost for their businesses and affords them an opportunity unlike many others. But, as far as Whyte’s concerned, the company, which has strong relationships with large department stores in the United States and does a lot of business with Mark’s, Bootlegger, and other major jean players in the country, also benefits from the partnerships it’s formed and the investments it continues to make with small businesses.
“This is a product line that’s been designed and produced specifically for our small boutique partners,” he asserts. “It’s not featured or available anywhere else. It’s a product that’s strictly and exclusively between Silver Jeans Co., the boutiques that we work with and their clientele. In fact, internally, and among our customers, we refer to the collection as ForUs. We haven’t branded the product as such. In fact, there is minimal branding included. It’s more of a codename. The creativity, inspiration, and innovation that it involves is just for us, a collaborative effort between Silver Jeans Co. and our partners. It’s not a collection or product for big business. We recognize our history and the success that the company has enjoyed through the years. We’ve evolved and have grown. But we’ve never lost track of where the company’s come from. And we saw this as an incredible opportunity for us to return to our roots and to create something specific for the specialty boutique channel.”
The Right Thing To Do
It’s a considerably generous business venture that the renowned denim producer, and its privately-held parent company, Western Glove Works, have taken on in an effort to support the tremendous innovation and endeavour of small business in Canada. It’s also a gesture that will hopefully not go unnoticed by others within the industry, one that could perhaps spark a surge of other similar retail partnerships meant to help ensure the continued health and wellbeing of independent retail in the country. But, as Whyte points out, the ForUs partnership program was simply something that Silver Jeans Co. felt compelled to initiate as a company, a quality that he says runs through the entire organization.
“2020 wasn’t the best year for retailers in Canada. Despite the vertical or category, the impacts have been immense. And for smaller businesses that are without the resources and capital of larger merchants and chains, the effects have been even more challenging and problematic. Because of everything that the industry’s experienced over the past ten months or so, we just saw ForUs as the right thing to do. It’s something that we all believe in and is a trait that has existed within the company throughout its history. We recognize that independent businesses and the smaller boutiques are the lifeblood of the Canadian communities across the country. They are critical to not only ensuring the financial health and wellbeing of the areas and neighbourhoods that they serve and operate in, but they also help to make up the fabric of the communities, lending to their character and energy. We understood the situation that we’re all currently working through as a time for retailers to pull together and to support one another. And we hope that our collaboration with our partner boutiques is helping to do that in some small way.”
Trying to escape or avoid the impacts and implications of the COVID-19 global pandemic is proving for those who might attempt to do so to be an act in utter futility. Touching just about every walk and facet of life, the effects of the virus’ spread linger demonstrably, everywhere we look, posing potentially long-lasting ramifications that are yet to be fully understood by even the most astute of experts and observers. It makes the job of providing predictions and forecasts based on market trends and analysis that much more difficult and prone to greater discrepancy and error. For grocers operating in Canada, the same uncertainty prevails. But despite the unpredictability of the current landscape, according to Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, consumer sentiment around an increasing appetite for online grocery shopping, coupled with the availability of state-of-the-art technologies, could lead to a transformative digitization of the Canadian grocery experience.
“The impacts of COVID have obviously been quite severe for many,” he says. “It doesn’t really matter which industry or sector we look at. Everyone has been affected. The landscape on which retailers and other businesses operate today has changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic. For grocers, the current situation is presenting some difficult challenges which they are all trying to figure out. With so many different considerations to make related to assortment, banner portfolios, private label offerings, and everything else, it’s nearly impossible at the moment, with so many variables at play and an underlying uncertainty about the future, for grocers operating in Canada to understand what they should commit to. However, one area that presents huge potential is around the continued development of omnichannel strategies and infrastructure which, when combined with a greater use of technology, can help to move the entire grocery experience forward.”
Sylvain Charlebois
Record Grocery E-Commerce Sales
There’s no mistaking the bluntness of the strike with which retail sales in general were hit by as an initial result of the pandemic. It helped to set an early and ominous precedent and trend that resulted in the demise of many. But, as sales continue to slowly recover, and those who have survived begin to plot out strategies for 2021 and beyond, the accelerated migration of sales from physical bricks-and-mortar retail to the online channel is a shift that is being monitored closely by all. Early reports issued by Statistics Canada reflected staggering online numbers as e-commerce sales in the country hit a record $3.9 billion in May, representing a 2.3 percent increase over April and 99.3 percent increase over February. What’s more, e-commerce sales more than doubled year over year, posting a 110.8 percent increase compared with May 2019.
As substantial as these gains have been for the industry as a whole, however, results of the shift in purchasing behaviour have perhaps been even more significant for grocers. According to a survey conducted by PayPal in early April, 2020, the number of Canadian online grocery shoppers jumped 58 percent during the four weeks that followed the government’s declaration of a pandemic. The numbers were generated based on a comparable survey that had been conducted just a month prior, translating to fully 30 percent of Canadians shopping online in order to fulfill their food needs when the crisis first hit. In addition, recent Nielsen numbers indicate that food retail online sales in Canada represented close to 3.3 percent of all sales in 2020, compared to 1.7 percent in 2019. Though these numbers have been influenced by lockdowns and physical distancing protocols, the shift in consumer behaviour and purchasing preferences may well be sustained into a post-pandemic landscape. And if it is, Charlebois suggests that it could result in an altered approach by grocers operating in the country with respect to their service and offering.
“There’s been very obvious growth in interest among Canadian consumers to shop for groceries online,” he recognizes. “It was a trend that had already started to take hold prior to the pandemic. But people across the country have become really comfortable with the notion over the course of the past ten months or so. Because of the level of comfort that’s been developed, I don’t see this behaviour reverting too drastically. In fact, it’s possible that the consumer will be encouraged to do more of their shopping online in the future. Grocers have already invested a lot of money in developing infrastructure and platforms to support their e-commerce initiatives. They’ve been focusing a lot of effort toward improving their e-commerce service and getting better at selling food online. And if this is a trend that’s sustained, the Canadian consumer can expect continued and consistent improvements in quality and the overall experience.”
Potential Digital Transformation
As the levels of quality and service increase, however, so too do consumer expectations of the experience. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, it wasn’t uncommon for grocery orders placed online to take days to be put together and readied for the customer. Today, in some parts of the country, orders are often received, packaged and made ready for curbside pick-up or delivery within hours. This enhancement alone reflects the greater emphasis that grocers put toward the development of their omnichannel offering throughout 2020. And, in order to keep up with increasing demand and heightened consumer expectations, Charlebois suggests that grocers across the country will begin leveraging the full potential of available technologies, which could result in a complete transformation of the grocery experience in Canada.
“There’s a lot of room for grocers to grow and quite a bit of work for them to do in order to truly digitize the grocery experience,” he admits. “Of course, the potential growth and amount of work that can be dedicated toward an undertaking of this magnitude depends on the capacity of the grocer to execute. But, for those with the required capacity, things from a technology point-of-view will move very quickly. There will be an embracing of the tools that can help them achieve their goals, predictive analytics and machine learning in particular. There will be an evolution from the traditional use of intuition toward more of a data-driven approach in order to understand what’s happening in the aisles and on the shelves in stores and online. It will lead to more accurate forecasting and a greater understanding of consumer needs and behaviour for the grocer, and a better, more convenient experience for the customer.”
The Sobeys Smart Cart. Phtoo: OntariCNW Group/Sobeys Inc.
Ripple Effect
Charlebois points to Sobeys’ introduction of its Smart Cart — the first intelligent grocery shopping cart — as one of the ways grocers are starting to wade in to the use of technology, exploring and discovering different means through which they can receive more pertinent consumer data that can yield insights, action and positive changes to the grocery experience. Although he also recognizes that current innovations of this sort are relatively few and far between, he suggests that the effective implementation of such technologies and tools may well revolutionize operations for grocers, informing decisions that could have a ripple effect through entire organizations.
“When you look at the amount of business that’s conducted online, it’s hard not to see how the marketplace is already overstored,” he says. “And if this grocery e-commerce upsurge continues, supported by predictive technologies, grocers across the country will look to realign their overall real estate strategies rather than simply focusing on bricks-and-mortar. They’ll also be reviewing their banner portfolios and considering store conversions to make sure they are offering the right services to the right customers in the right locations. It’s very quickly becoming more about allowing consumers to choose the way they’d like to receive services. Insights generated by predictive analytics engines will provide grocers with a more accurate and holistic understanding of their store networks and banners as well as ways to optimize them for greater success.”
Redefining the Competition
In addition to facilitating a review of store networks and banner portfolios, Charlebois believes that the digitization of the grocery operation will also result in changes to the traditional food service supply chain. He asserts that grocers in Canada are currently trying to mitigate the effects of any shocks in their supply due to COVID, and that they’re consistently exploring and reevaluating their supply chain strategies with respect to efficiencies and the vendors that they work with. But he says that the advent and growth of grocery e-commerce will require food service providers to take a much closer look at their strategies, perhaps through a slightly different lens than they’re accustomed to.
“There’s a lot more competition and noise online,” he says. “As soon as you present e-commerce as a viable way by which your consumers can shop with you and purchase product from you, you’re all of a sudden dealing with a much different competitive landscape. A lot of the grocery vendors – farmers and food processors – are moving more and more online to sell directly to consumers. When you factor in e-commerce, the supply chain becomes much more open and democratic. For grocers to succeed, they’ll need to learn how to operate in this new environment, redefining their competition and what that means for their business.”
Despite the online noise and escalated competition that will come as a result of e-commerce growth, however, predictive analytics can actually serve to strengthen grocers’ relationships with preferred vendors, helping them find the right balance within their supply. With insights that can inform decisions related to conventional grocery challenges like product assortment, the mix and placement, in-store and online, can be optimized, leading to maximized product performance, and a scenario in which the grocer, vendor and consumer all win. As Charlebois rightly notes, it may take a little while for those operating within the highly competitive sector to achieve this type of supply chain equilibrium. But, implementation of the right technologies can help them realize their goals and objectives without the need for guesswork while minimizing costly missteps along the way.
Rise of a Grocery Revolution?
Though the realization of a true digitization of grocery in Canada will require a massive amount of investment and work on the part of grocers, and consists of an inordinate number of moving parts, the benefits seem evident. And, when considering the razor-thin margins that are perpetually at play within grocery and the predominance of price as the main factor by which most consumers still base their food purchase decisions, the rollout and use of technology and tools like predictive analytics and machine learning may well be in store for 2021 and beyond. And if that’s the case, Charlebois suggests that Canadians will be set to witness the rise of a revolutionary new grocery experience.
“When looking at and developing their strategies this year, grocers in Canada are going to be looking to areas within their businesses where they can make gains in efficiencies while reducing costs. These types of predictive technologies can help grocers tighten up their operations, across their entire organizations. They can help them find those efficiencies and uncover opportunities that they may not have recognized before. But, at the end of the day, the investments and work that grocers put into their operations is all about the consumer. It’s about continuously improving their shopping experience, whether in-store or online. It’s about making sure that every interaction with them, at every touchpoint, is exceptional. And it’s about providing them with choice, with respect to service and offering, and allowing them to shop and make purchases the way they want. E-commerce and the digitization of grocery offers a means to satisfy all of these things and, if executed properly, could result in a food shopping experience unlike anything the Canadian consumer has ever seen before.”
Upscale Seattle-based retailer Nordstrom has appointed retail veteran Alix Box as the new Senior Vice President, Regional Manager for Canada. Ms. Box replaces Michelle Haggard who is retiring after 30 years of working with Nordstrom.
Alix Box
Ms. Box’s previous experience includes 10 years at Starbucks between (1997 and 2007) where she was Vice President of Canadian operations, seven years (between 2007 and 2014) in store operations and marketing at Holt Renfrew, three years as President and CEO of Second Cup Ltd. (between 2014 and 2017), and most recently as the Chief Customer Officer for LCBO, prior to being poached last month by Nordstrom.
Nordstrom’s first Canadian head was Karen McKibbin who held the role of President of Nordstrom Canada from September of 2012 until January of 2017 when she became president of Nordstrom’s off-price division, Nordstrom Rack.
Nordstrom’s first store in Canada opened in September o 2014 at CF Chinook Centre in Calgary and the retailer now operates six full-line stores in Canada as well as seven Nordstrom Rack locations. In 2015 Nordstrom opened stores at CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa and at CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver. In 2016, Nordstrom opened two stores in Toronto at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and at Yorkdale, followed by a smaller location at CF Sherway Gardens in 2017. Ms. Box will lead those stores as well as the seven Nordstrom Rack locations in Canada.
Nordstrom is struggling in Canada amid government-mandated store closures. The four Ontario full-line Nordstrom stores remain closed at least until the middle of this month, and foot traffic is down in Calgary and Vancouver. Nordstrom only launched its Canadian e-commerce site in the spring of 2020 during the pandemic and at a time when consumers were shifting online and competition was growing from retailers such as Holt Renfrew which was also beefing up its online business.
In Canada, Nordstrom will continue to compete with Holts, as well as Saks Fifth Avenue which entered Canada in 2016 and has three full-line stores. In the high-end menswear space, Harry Rosen still maintains significant market share with a strong brand matrix. As brands continue to go direct-to-consumers, retailers such as Nordstrom are vulnerable as brands look to stand on their own by opening stores and operating dedicated online shopping portals — this has led to Holt Renfrew seeing success by offering brands dedicated spaces via a leased concession model.
Exterior of Summerhill Market location in The Annex. Photo: Summerhill Market
Summerhill Market Lands Prominent Chef Ted Corrado as New Executive Chef
Gourmet grocer Summerhill Market has announced that popular Toronto-based chef, Ted Corrado, has joined the team as company Executive Chef. Best known for his work with The Drake properties and his secret cannabis dinners with ByMinistry, Chef Ted Corrado will be based out of Summerhill Market’s commissary, overseeing the more than 700 items Summerhill Market prepares daily in-house.
Ted Corrado
Having spent over two decades cooking in some of Toronto’s renowned restaurants including Rain, Luce and George, Chef Ted Corrado emerged as one of the most influential names in the Toronto food scene. He made a name for himself in the city as Head Chef at the ROM’s c5.
Corrado was the first notable culinary name to make the shift from traditional hospitality into the world of cannabistronomy. As Director of Culinary for byMinistry, he oversaw the launch of their first-of-its-kind cannabis cooking school, plant-forward food and drink menus at all byMinistry spaces, and a range of edibles lines.
Queen Street West retail stores, photo license via Alamy
Queen Street BIAs Collaborate to Remind Toronto of Importance of Shopping Local
Riverside BIA (Queen St E) and Queen Street West BIA in Toronto have teamed up to launch a month-long extravaganza of loving Queen Street businesses with 28 days of giveaways.
All in an attempt to support the street’s 400 plus local businesses during this trying time, the campaign features a daily draw for a $50 voucher from a different local business, and a $200 giveaway on Sunday between both BIAs combining prizes.
Every day at 12:00am, that day’s door on the advent-style calendar for each BIA is opened and the prize is revealed. Everyone is invited to earn entries to win in the daily giveaways by performing small acts of support, such as following local businesses on Instagram or leaving a supportive comment. The door closes at 11:59pm each day and the winner is announced at noon the next day.
Queen Street is one of Toronto’s most iconic, cultural, and economic drivers for the city, and the campaign aims to promote, highlight, and remind communities of the businesses that really need help amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Daily entry is free and participants are able to have double the fun and chances to win by entering on both BIA websites: Queen Street West and Riverside.
Winners can decide how they wish to spend their prizes, either by shopping online, arranging for a curbside pick up, or simply holding on to them until lockdown and restrictions have been lifted.
DMS Future Proof
Digital Main Street Partners with GetintheLoop to Support Local
Digital Main Street is pleased to announce that GetintheLoop has been selected to offer its mobile marketing solutions to the hundreds of businesses in Toronto’s Kensington Market BIA, Riverside BIA, Lakeshore Village BIA, the Eglinton Way BIA, the Broadview Danforth BIA, and the Beach Village BIA through the Community Collaboration Program this winter.
The program has the goal of onboarding 240 main street businesses (40 per BIA) to the GetintheLoop platform and 50 have already come online. Funding for this pilot is made available through the Digital Main Street Future Proof program.
GetintheLoop’s technology connects local shoppers to local businesses by providing real time mobile offers and promotions. Users receive push notifications and emails highlighting specials, incentives, and loyalty programs that are available from nearby small businesses. Participating businesses can feature both in store and online offers; promoting curbside pick-up, delivery, buy now use later, and other timely offers based on the current market conditions. Digital Main Street is supported through FedDev Ontario funding and in partnership with ventureLAB.
As main street businesses in Toronto face ongoing closures, they are looking for new ways to engage with their customers and to attract new ones. The Community Collaboration Program seeks to pilot projects that will help main street businesses discover innovative ways to expand their reach. The pilot runs until March 2021. We encourage interested businesses to contact their BIA to learn more.
Legends Pinball machine. Image: AtGames
AtGames and The Brick Expand Partnership With Premier Launch of Legends Pinball in Canada
AtGames, a leader in interactive entertainment products, has partnered with Canadian furniture retailer The Brick on the first-ever Canadian launch of the popular AtGames Legends Pinball machine.
The most feature-rich machine in its class, Legends Pinball will be available throughout The Brick’s more than 220 retail outlets across Canada, as well as online at www.thebrick.com.
Legends Pinball sports a large 32-inch 1080p LCD playfield, 15.6-inch 1080p LCD backglass, 8-bit precision Hall-Effect plunger, arcade-quality flippers and nudge buttons, accelerometers, tactile feedback, extensive connectivity and accessories options, Internet connectivity and downloadable apps, global leaderboards, lobby for Party Play and Team Play, and more – priced at an MSRP of just CA$999. Pre-orders are now open, with deliveries expected to begin by April 2021.
The Brick already carries a full line-up of Legends Arcade Family products from AtGames.
Sproud products. Photo: Sproud
Swedish Plant-Based Milk Brand Secures $8.2 Million Investment
Plant-based Sproud milk being poured into glasses. Photo: Sproud
Sproud, the Swedish maker of a range of innovative plant-based milks made from pea protein, has announced that it has raised $8.2 million from growth capital investor, VGC Partners. The investment will be used to accelerate the brand’s distribution and brand building activities in Canada and other core markets. This most recent injection of funding further illustrates the growing investor interest in the alternative dairy retail sector.
Sproud’s innovative product line was developed to match both the taste and nutritional profile of dairy and the business is doubly attractive to investors as the production of peas is far more sustainable than other plant proteins.
Sproud is currently available at major retailers and specialty grocers across the country and continues to pursue extensive expansion in Canada, including development of Canadian manufacturing facilities that will handle production for all North American markets.
