NEW BODY ENERGY CLUB LOCATION AT 1198 W PENDER, VANCOUVER. PHOTO: BODY ENERGY CLUB FACEBOOK
Health food and supplement store Body Energy Club has opened four new locations in British Columbia despite the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to be a challenge for the retail industry overall.
Three stores have opened in Vancouver and one in Burnaby bringing the chain’s total store count to 15 in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland with two in Los Angeles in Hollywood and in West Hollywood.
The company was founded in 2002 by Dominick Tousignant, who is originally from Shawinigan, Quebec. When he moved to Vancouver, he opened the first Body Energy Club store there. In 2015, the two stores in the United States opened.
“The first step is to give people what they want in these times and that’s catering to ‘every body’ and everybody, as we embrace all diet restrictions or food preferences,” said Tousignant.
BODY ENERGY CLUB CUSTOMER SHOWING AVAILABLE PRODUCTS. PHOTO: BODY ENERGY CLUB FACEBOOK
INTERIOR OF BODY ENERGY CLUB SHOWING FOOD PREP COUNTER. PHOTO: YELP.CA
PRODUCT SHELVES IN BODY ENERGY CLUB STORE. PHOTO: YELP.CA
He said the second step is to bank on the fact that people will frequent stores when assured of safe and happy experiences.
“We’ve seen it! Our customers appreciate that we didn’t change our prices to profit on essential immune supplements during the pandemic while other retailers did. We’re creating jobs, providing places to drop/call, and consult with in-store nutrition experts,” he added.
“We are a one-stop shop. When you come to our store you have the opportunity to buy a healthy smoothie packed with nutrients and protein, you can also buy cold-pressed juice, you can also buy healthy meals, wraps, snacks, nutritionally-balanced foods, and you can also buy vitamins and sports supplements.”
Tousignant said a wide range of demographics shop at the store from bodybuilders and fitness models to people who don’t regularly work out. And all ages.
“We’ve been growing quite fast,” he said. “We believe in the industry. We know now more than ever and in time people will realize even more you need to have your health, you need to look after yourself even more. So we took a leap of faith and opened up all these new stores we had committed to the previous year.”
The plan is to continue expansion within B.C. and then look at other provinces such as Alberta and Ontario.
“I think what people like about our stores is we are open seven days a week, every day of the year, every stat holiday. We only close on Christmas some locations but every other day we are open and we are open late. For example, our downtown stores open at 7 a.m. and they close at 10 p.m. People love the convenience.
“They’re not big stores. Usually about 1,100 square feet. The idea is we wanted to have convenient locations that are easy to access. Close to a gym. Close to other busy businesses.”
Montreal-based leading provider of cloud-based, omnichannel commerce platforms Lightspeed POSInc. has announced its entry into a definitive agreement to acquire ShopKeepInc., a leading cloud commerce platform provider based in New York City.
This acquisition reinforces Lightspeed’s status as a category leader for complex retailers and restaurateurs seeking to modernize their operations as the global economy undergoes unprecedented digital acceleration.
The scale achieved by the combination of Lightspeed and ShopKeep presents retail and restaurant business owners in the United States with enhanced resources to pivot their operations. Lightspeed’s Analytics, Loyalty, eCommerce, and Payments modules — in addition to its multi-location solution — will offer ShopKeep’s customer base the opportunity to enhance their capabilities.
The acquisition immediately expands Lightspeed’s U.S. market share, allowing for increased investment in sales, marketing, and research and development to capitalize on the increasing demand for modern, cloud-based, omnichannel commerce solutions. Following the closing of the acquisition, Lightspeed will serve over 100,000 customer locations worldwide, generating approximately US $33 billion in gross transaction volume.
“ShopKeep’s commitment to enabling independent businesses to dream big and rise above industry and economic challenges is deeply aligned with our own mission to power the future of commerce,” said Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO of Lightspeed. “This acquisition will bring ShopKeep merchants, small and medium-sized businesses that make up the backbone of the U.S economy, into the Lightspeed family, providing them even more crucial product innovation and world-class support as they drive the reinvention of American commerce.”
The acquisition will generate strong expected synergies resulting from increased gross transaction volume, the ability to leverage integrated go-to-market resources and a combined payments opportunity. Once closed, Lightspeed’s acquisition of ShopKeep will follow the successful integration of multiple premier platforms that experienced accelerated growth following their acquisitions by Lightspeed, including that of Montréal-based Chronogolf, Sydney-based Kounta and Berlin-based Gastrofix.
“We believe uniting with Lightspeed highlights and amplifies our shared vision to deliver industry leading commerce enablement for small and medium-sized businesses,” said Michael DeSimone, CEO of ShopKeep. “Our partnership sets the stage to help business owners navigate through challenging times, keep pace with rapid change and adapt quickly to meet the rising demands of today’s customers.”
Lightspeed has also released its financial results for the three-and six-month period that ended September 30, 2020.
Read More Lightspeed Articles From Retail Insider:
(All comparisons are relative to the three-month period ended September 30, 2019 unless otherwise stated):
• Total revenue of $45.5 million, an increase of 62%
• Recurring software and payments revenue of $41.1 million, an increase of 62%
• Gross margin of 60%, with gross profit up by 42% versus the prior year quarter
• Net loss of ($19.5) million as compared to a net loss of ($10.1) million largely reflecting increases in non-cash expenses
• Adjusted EBITDA improved by $2.3 million to ($2.8) million
• At September 30, 2020, Lightspeed had $513.1 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents
Lightspeed delivered results for the quarter ahead of previously established guidance, characterized by a growing customer base, increased adoption of software modules, strong gross transaction volume growth, and increased payments penetration as small and medium-sized businesses continue to choose Lightspeed’s modern cloud-based omnichannel solutions.
PARIS JEWELLERS CO-FOUNDERS, CHAU & TRANG LUI. PHOTO: PARIS JEWELLERS
The owners of Paris Jewellers have had their eyes on one specific location at the Kingsway Mall in their hometown of Edmonton for 15 years.
And now the retail chain is opening its latest store at that ideal location.
“This location in Kingsway is absolutely a dream come true for us,” said Chau Lui, Co-owner and Director of Operations, Paris Jewellers, who owns the retailer with sister Trang. “We signed this lease prior to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The past six months have been without a doubt the most challenging for our business careers, but also at the same time we have experienced the most growth, learning and felt the most amount of support from our team members and customers.
“It’s a smaller location for us but we’re really happy with the location. It’s right on a corner spot, right by the main entrance. To be honest, this is a location in Kingsway that has been on our dream list for over 15 years. So we’re so thrilled to be in it. I believe it’s around a little over 700 square feet. For us going in it will be our new concept look just like West Edmonton Mall and we’re going to have a really great feeling in it and a very curated assortment of products.”
MAP OF KINGSWAY MALL WITH NEW PARIS JEWELLERS LOCATION HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. IMAGE: KINGSWAY MALL
Lui said of course every business owner has fears and concerns during this time because of the uncertainty and living through an experience that no one has experienced before.
“My sister and I regrouped and we just want to focus on the things that we can control and we’ve always believed that our faith is always bigger than our fear and we are going to choose to have faith. And we believe opening a store in Edmonton is vibrant, it’s resilient and there’s a spirit of community here. So we’re very excited for it. We just truly believe that this is a market where it will be great for us to have representation and serve our customers.”
The store’s grand opening is set for November 14. The first 10 purchases per day from November 14-20 will receive a free jewelry gift. Paris Jewellers has also launched its Holiday Collection, which is a curated gift guide for the upcoming Holiday Season. A portion of proceeds from each item purchased from the collection to December 31 will be donated to Make A Wish Canada. It has also partnered with Make A Wish on its baby jewellery line, Precious Forever, which is an ongoing collection, where five per cent of all profits are donated.
A few years ago, Paris Jewellers was operating in Kingsway Mall for over five years but decided to close down that location. They waited to see if their dream location would become available which it eventually did.
PARIS JEWELLERS AT WEST EDMONTON MALL. PHOTO: PARIS JEWELLERS
30-Year-Old Paris Jewellers Operates 22 Stores Across Canada
Paris Jewellers, which has been in operation for more than 30 years, has 22 stores in four provinces and more than 200 employees.
“Edmonton’s our hometown. It’s in this province that we started our business. So for us this location (at Kingsway) is really prime. We’re very excited about it. We’ve had a lot of customers ask us over the years, and we have to listen to our customers, that they would love to see us in Kingsway. A lot of our decision-making is driven of course by what our customers want.
“The energy of this location is just so vibrant and that’s why we’ve always been drawn to it.”
Lui said one of the hardest things the retailer has ever done was temporarily closing its stores a few months ago due to the pandemic.
“That’s something we never planned for. So during that time of course business was hard for everybody because they were closed. Our company took that time to really refocus and be intentional and go through all of the things we did and all of the things that we needed to do to ensure that when we did reopen it would be a safe environment for our employees,” she said.
“Overall, business for us we find it positive but because we’re in so many cities and so many provinces it really varies on what area of the country that we’re in.”
Lui said the company is absolutely open to expanding but it will be smart and strategic with all of its decision-making in opening new doors.
“We’re really excited about Kingsway and we don’t have any more plans for the rest of the year. When it comes to next year, we may have something coming out on the pipeline. If it’s the right location, the right mall, the right market, absolutely we would do it. We are still on the table when it comes to expanding our company.”
The company also has a very charitable focus.
“When we were first starting out, we opened our very first store, we weren’t a big company, we were a tiny company. And our community, they took a chance on us and they gave us the opportunity to have a business and then continue to grow our business. For us it is truly so important that we give back to the communities that have supported us over the years,” added Lui.
Read More Paris Jewellers Related Articles From Retail Insider:
Montreal-based fashion brand jeane & jax, by entrepreneur Silvia Gallo, has launched a new luxury outerwear jacket made entirely from repurposed materials, using excess car interior textiles donated by Ultrafabrics.
The zero-waste initiative is focused on luxury fashion and environmental sustainability, showcasing how fashion and a respect for the planet can produce high-quality, high-end items.
The Zero-Waste Initiative Focuses on Luxury Fashion & Environmental Sustainability
The company, which was founded in 2014, is dedicated to sustainable style and fashion. It designs luxury vegan handbags, footwear, and has now expanded its collection to outerwear with a limited edition moto jacket.
Prior to starting the retailer, Gallo worked in the fashion industry for many years.
JEANE & JAX LOGO
“My background role was brand management. So I was always managing, selling, promoting, marketing other brands and everyone else’s product and vision,” she said. “I really wanted to push my message and push my products and vision. So I decided to start a company where I also want to do something where I could make kind of an impact.
“At that time, there wasn’t very many options for vegan and ethical fashion. That’s why I decided to go into that.
“Basically we started with handbags. Everything is vegan and ethically sourced. We are now even pushing more so beyond the vegan products but on the sustainability side. So even if we are using non-animal leather materials we’re using more materials that have been recycled. The majority of my products are handbags and we launched footwear in spring and for this project we wanted to get together and collaborate with Ultrafabrics who are one of the biggest, if not the biggest, vegan automotive industry material provider. It’s not only automotive. They also do aeronautics. They have other divisions and they have beautiful fabrics. When they produce for companies, for these brands, a lot of times there’s extra yardage. They can’t resell it because it’s specifically made for that brand and because it’s not enough to yield any other purpose for that automotive industry. So obviously neither of us want this to end up in the landfill or to get thrown away.”
jeane & jax designs luxury vegan handbags and footwear crafted from the highest quality polyurethane or recycled materials — all ethically sourced, with low environmental impact, and free of hazardous chemicals.
The company’s products are sold in various fashion boutiques and stores across Canada and the U.S. as well as selling online throughout North America. There are more than 150 locations in Canada that carry jeane & jax’s products.
SILVIA GALLO WEARING LIMITED-EDITION JACKET MADE FROM UPCYCLED CAR INTERIORS. PHOTO: JEANE & JAX
“Most entrepreneurial ventures don’t make it past the first year and we are still here and going steady despite taking a bit of a hit due to the economic impacts from the pandemic. This can be attributed to the brand’s loyal client base and solid relationships with our vendors,” said Gallo, who started working in the fashion industry as a brand manager for international brands such as Michael Kors and Puma.
“I started the company with the desire to make a positive impact and shift the future of fashion, redefining what luxury can be by designing something that was missing from the industry – high-end fashion pieces using sustainable materials that are meant for everyone.”
Gallo said it will continue to do some more outerwear pieces with Ultrafabrics.
“We’re working on some products for the future together,” she said.
“I think with the millennials and the next generation they don’t always buy a product for the product itself but for what the company stands for. They’re very much involved in the planet and carbon footprint. They’re more educated on that side in the sense that there’s also a lot more material out there that we can have as consumers where we can make an informed decision. It’s not only about the fashion side of it. It’s also about the carbon footprint on the planet.
“Also people are going vegan and vegetarian and they see also whether it’s the cattle industry, the dairy industry, the leather industry, how it impacts water usage and other things. . . It’s information that is more available to the consumer nowadays. It’s the newer generation that really wants to help the planet for future years because they’re the ones that are going to be here and further generations where we need to start thinking more sustainable. We need to start thinking more cleaner energy. What will help us save the planet if you will. With that extra information that’s available, I think consumers are making the shift towards more vegan products, sustainable products and the ethically-sourced side too.”
Jeane & Jax Focused on Ecommerce Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
When asked if Gallo envisions opening up her own retail store in the future, she replied that it’s hard to say right now because physical retail stores are challenged these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For sure online is becoming more and more of a focus for us as a retail point,” said Gallo. “We’re going to have a lot of our energy focusing on our own online retail. Perhaps in the near future not a physical retail store but maybe in the form of a pop up.
“I know that a lot of retail locations in Montreal we have major shopping streets that have empty locations. And with the cost of rents and how the economy’s been hit with COVID we see a lot of empty pockets and it would be really nice for the city to refresh those locations and actually have people and product there.”
AVON MAKE UP COUNTER SHOWCASING A RANGE OF COSMETICS. PHOTO: AVON
Beauty brand Avon has officially launched a Canadian retail expansion with an initial plan to open three storefronts. The first of these recently opened in Montreal and locations in Toronto and Vancouver are also in the works. It’s part of an effort by Avon to create an immersive experience for consumers in dedicated spaces for the first time.
The 3,200-square-foot Montreal ‘Studio 1886’ Avon location is at 5500 Trans-Canada Highway in suburban Pointe-Claire. The highly interactive retail space is contained within Avon’s Canadian headquarters on a busy stretch of road across from a Costco store. The open concept Avon space is a place where Avon’s independent sales representatives can meet with customers to showcase the latest products. It’s part of a multi-channel shift from Avon’s door-to-door sales which has been a core sales channel for the brand for over 100 years.
AVON’S NEW SPACE PART OF BRAND’S MULTI-CHANNEL SHIFT FROM TRADITIONAL DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES
The Montreal Avon flagship features a reception area, café and lounge space (with complimentary snacks and beverages), product displays, ordering stations, a ‘mini spa experience’, training area, and a conference room. The space encourages trial, sampling and discovery through product knowledge training and beauty advice. Avon’s full range of skincare, colour cosmetics, fragrances, personal care items, and health and wellness items are carried along with Avon-owned brands such as ANEW, Avon True Color, Espira, and Skin So Soft. Household and home ambiance products are also carried in the new Montreal location.
AVON LOUNGE AREA IN MONTREAL’S AVON STUDIO. PHOTO: AVONINTERIOR OF AVON STUDIO IN MONTREAL WITH INTERACTIVE IPADS. PHOTO: AVONINTERIOR OF AVON STUDIO WITH SHELVES SHOWCASING A RANGE OF PRODUCTS. PHOTO: AVON
In-store iPads allow visitors to order product online to have shipped to their homes or to their Avon Representative, and visitors can also sign up to become a Representative. One perk to being an Avon Representative is a 25% discount on all beauty purchases for the first three months.
The operating hours of the Montreal Avon storefront are 11:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.
The goal of Avon’s Studio 1886 is to enhance customer experience and product knowledge through Avon Independent Representatives who in theory stand to see sales gains through the new retail space. Another goal is for more representatives to join the Avon brand with the brick-and-mortar initiative. Events such as makeup masterclasses, skincare demonstrations, and new product launches can be had in the space (for now, gatherings are limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
INTERIOR IMAGES OF MONTREAL'S AVON STUDIO. PHOTOS: AVON
1 of 5
RENDERING OF INTERIOR OF MONTREAL'S NEW AVON STUDIO. RENDERING: AVON
AVON MAKE UP COUNTER SHOWCASING A RANGE OF COSMETICS. PHOTO: AVON
AVON MAKE UP COUNTER SHOWCASING A RANGE OF COSMETICS. PHOTO: AVON
INTERIOR OF AVON STUDIO WITH SHELVES SHOWCASING A RANGE OF PRODUCTS. PHOTO: AVON
AVON MAKE UP COUNTER SHOWCASING A RANGE OF COSMETICS. PHOTO: AVON
Daniel Park – Linkedin
“Our dedicated Representatives and loyal customers are the foundation to Avon’s success and longevity,” says Daniel Park, President, Avon Canada. “We wanted to create an environment that would allow for a more tangible and well-rounded education for both Representatives and customers, a community of sorts where long-lasting relationships can be formed and where people can truly experience everything Avon has to offer.”
Avon says that it is planning to open similar Studio 1886 storefronts in the Toronto and Vancouver markets. An Avon representative told Retail Insider that Avon’s focus is on markets where the brand has the greatest density of representatives who could benefit from the space. Other Canadian markets could be considered for Avon Studio 1886 locations depending on the density of its salespeople. Given the non-traditional location of the first Avon Studio 1886 location, it’s difficult to anticipate where in the Toronto and Vancouver will open.
Montreal’s Avon Studio 1886 is the second in the world for the brand. Last month Avon opened a 19,000-square-foot Studio 1886 in Los Angeles, and more storefronts in the United States are planned.
EXTERIOR OF AVON STUDIO AT 5500 TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY IN MONTREAL. PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPSCLICK FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP OF 5500 TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY AND SURROUNDING AREA
Avon Canada Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Face Shop Co., Ltd., and ultimately LG Household & Health Care Ltd., and is the leading social selling beauty company in Canada with Independent Sales Representatives throughout the country. The 105-year old Avon brand’s history includes empowering women through economic opportunity and supporting important causes. That includes the Avon Foundation for Women which has contributed over $26 million in Canada for breast cancer research as well as funding for various women’s empowerment programs.
The Face Shop is a Korean beauty retailer with stores in Canada, most of which have recently been rebranded as ‘Nature Collection’. In Quebec the brand has maintained the Fruits & Passion nameplate. Avon products are also available in shop-in-shops at Nature Collection and Fruits & Passion stores as well as through Representatives and at avon.ca.
Upscale French biscuit, confectionery and chocolate shop La Cure Gourmande has exited Canada after a six-year run in the Montreal area. Plans were in place to grow the business in other parts of Canada via Montreal-based franchisee Nazar Najarian.
La Cure Gourmande’s first Canadian storefront opened at the Place Montreal Trust in downtown Montreal in 2014. In 2017 two kiosks opened at CF Carrefour Laval in Montreal as well as at CF Fairview Pointe-Claire near Montreal. In 2015 Mr. Najarian explained to Retail Insider how Montreal was used as the brand’s North American gateway and that sales were already strong. The initial focus was on opening more stores in the province of Quebec followed by Ontario. The province of Ontario was expected to eventually see 12 to 15 locations, with as many as 30 to 35 Canadian locations planned La Cure Gourmande for the long-term.
EXTERIOR OF LA CURE GOURMANDE STORE. PHOTO: LA CURE GOURMANDE
Founded in Balaruc-Les-Bains, France, in 1989, La Cure Gourmande uses traditional techniques to create a variety of edible sweet and savoury traditional biscuits, Berlandises (fruit pulp candies) Choupettes (old fashioned lollipops), chocolates, caramels, calissons, nougats mixed with strawberry paste or candied orange zest, and chocolate ‘olives’ (roasted almonds covered in dark chocolate). Product is made in the South of France. The retailer continues to operate storefronts in Europe with most being in the southern part of France.
EXTERIOR OF A DOWNTOWN TORONTO STARBUCKS COFFEE SHOP. PHOTO: STARBUCKS
Starbucks to Close An Additional 100 Canadian Locations on Top of 200 Already Announced
Seattle-based coffee chain Starbucks says that it will be closing 100 more locations in Canada in addition to the 200 locations that were announced for closure/relocation in June. Kevin Johnson, President and CEO of Starbucks, says that the retailer is examining its physical footprint in light of changing traffic pattern due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our team has started the process of repositioning the portfolio over the course of the summer, accelerating the strategic plans”, said Johnson. “We already had in place, what we’ve learned is that we’ve been able to manage the closures much more efficiently than we had originally anticipated and that’s largely about the average lease exit costs.”
In June Starbucks said that it would shut or relocate about 600 locations in North America with about 200 of those being in Canada. Now Starbucks is looking to close an additional 200 units with half of those being in Canada. Canada is currently home to about 1,400 Starbucks locations.
EXTERIOR OF PET VALU STORE. PHOTO: PET VALU
Canadian Retailer Pet Valu Closing All 358 US Stores
Canadian pet food retailer Pet Valu will shut all 358 of its US stores. Pet Valu says that operations are shutting down “due to severe impact from COVID-19”. The company’s warehouses in the US Northeast and midwest will also close along with a country office in Chester County near Philadelphia. Closing sales began Thursday of this week and will be ongoing.
Pet Value entered the US market over 25 years ago. Pet Valu Canada will continue to operate its more than 600 stores across Canada.
EXTERIOR OF CANADA GOOSE STORE AT YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE. PHOTO: JM
Canada Goose Unveils Yorkdale Store Expansion
Toronto-based outerwear and fashion brand Canada Goose has expanded its store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The store now spans 6,500 square feet and boasts the deepest assortment of Canada Goose products in Canada including hundreds of styles and colourways in jackets, apparel, premium accessories, and youth, kids, and baby styles. A cold room allows visitors to try jackets in sub-zero temperature. The store also features several ‘firsts’ for Canada Goose.
That includes being the first Canada Goose store in the world to feature product personalization. Seven design options are available for personalization and can be applied to almost 60 items permanently via a heat-sealer laser. The artwork choices are:
■ Monogram: 2-3 characters that designate it as yours
■ Coordinates: the longitude and latitude of a location
■ Monogram and Coordinates: a combination of the two
■ Box: a box outlining the monogram or coordinates
■ This Jacket Belongs To: an ownership label that is applied to the parka’s interior pocket
■ Made in Canada: a tribute to Canada Goose’s commitment to Canadian manufacturing, this is the application of “Made in Canada”
■ Manufacturing Label: aligned to the interior label, this details the style name, style number, size, colour and cut number, a unique identifier used in production
For outerwear ($75), placement can be on the shoulder, collar, sleeve, and interior and exterior pockets. For accessories ($25), either the top or wrist of the glove and the side of the mask. The unveiling of personalization coincides with Canada Goose’s launch of customized hood trims, which are available as an interchangeable accessory to outerwear or as a pre-attached element to select pinnacle pieces. Personalization is currently an in-store offering with customers able to book a personalization appointment online.
INTERIOR IMAGES OF YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE CANADA GOOSE STORE. PHOTOS: CANADA GOOSE
1 of 7
The store also features a 15-foot tall ‘Story Tree’ described as being “a meeting place where North and South come together telling the story of harmonization between nature, human, animal, and plant life. Story Tree is a southern symbol of ancestry, knowledge and enduring strength”. Toronto artist Alex Fisher created the tree which is based on a drawing by Inuk Artist Qavavau Manumie. The tree is made of hand-painted waterjet cut aluminum with layered Baltic birch cylinder seating. An Inuk figure clad in traditional parka and mukluks ‘breathes life into the canopy of the tree furnishing the branches with whales, elk, octopuses, squid, chargeese, and figures from Inuit myth – representing the harmony of human, animal and plant life.
The Canada Goose expansion at Yorkdale was made possibly by annexing a retail space formerly occupied by foodservice concept Nadege, which occupied about 2,000 square feet next to the world’s first Canada Goose store which opened at Yorkdale in 2016.
Canada Goose recently opened stores at CF Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto and at CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa. Canada Goose also operates stores in markets including Vancouver, Calgary, Banff, Edmonton, and Montreal as well as in major global hubs.
EXTERIOR OF PROVINCE APOTHECARY STORE. PHOTO: COSMETICS
District Ventures Capital Invests in Canadian Clean Beauty Brand Province Apothecary
The organic beauty brand was founded in 2012 by Julie Clark, and was created with the intent of producing natural beauty products suitable for all skin types. Using only high quality, certified organic ingredients sourced from each Canadian province, the Province Apothercary product line remains committed to innovation, sustainability, and small-batch skin care, and includes ingredients such as organic seaweed from Nova Scotia, maple syrup from Quebec, organic sunflower oil from Ontario, and organic beeswax from Alberta.
INTERIOR OF PROVINCE APOTHECARY STORE. PHOTO: COSMETICS
“After learning about Province Apothecary and their organic product line, we were excited to learn more about the formulation process and company mission,” said Arlene Dickinson, General Partner, District Ventures Capital. “We came to discover a product that not only provided incredible skincare results for consumers, but a Canadian company that supported an array of sustainable practices and provided a fresh perspective into the beauty industry.”
Regarded as a leader in the clean beauty space, Province Apothecary’s product line is free from petroleum, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and toxins of any kind. In addition to an array of products, the clean beauty brand offers a variety of services from their Toronto clinic including Naturopathic Consultations, Facial Rejuvination Acupuncture and Eyebrow Shaping and Tinting. In Q4 2020, Province Apothecary will also be revealing new innovations. “We’re delighted to partner with District Ventures Capital and to continue growing the Province Apothecary brand with their knowledge and expertise,” said Julie Clark.
The deal marks District Ventures Capital’s second investment in clean beauty – a category which is estimated to generate over $22 billion annually by 2024.
DR. BONNIE HENRY WEARING BEE NECKLACE IN HONOUR OF THE BONNIE BEES FUNDRAISER. PHOTO: MELISSA CARON
THE BONNIE BEES NECKLACE. PHOTO: MELISSA CARON
BC Jewelry Designer and Dr. Bonnie Henry Collaborate to Support Those Suffering in Vancouver Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
BC-based jewelry designer Melissa Caron has partnered with Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s Chief Medical Officer, to create The Bonnie Bees Fundraiser in an attempt to support local charity the WISH Drop-in Centre Society amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Providing relief to vulnerable women during this challenging time — especially those living and working in the Downtown Eastside — every Bonnie Bee pendant purchased will help provide food, essential supplies such as clothing and toiletries, access to sanitation such as showers and toilets, educational programs, and essential support to those in need.
“The bee symbolizes life, community, and personal power. My hope is people will wear this bee in solidarity with one another as a representation of kindness and compassion for their neighbour and community,” said Melissa Caron.
CATHERINE O’HARA AND ANNIE MURPHY IN HUDSON’S BAY 2020 HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN A CALL TO JOY. PHOTO: HUDSON’S BAY
CATHERINE O’HARA AND ANNIE MURPHY IN HUDSON’S BAY 2020 HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN A CALL TO JOY. PHOTO: HUDSON’S BAY
Hudson’s Bay Celebrates the Holiday Season with Stars from Popular Canadian Sitcom Schitt’s Creek
This holiday season Hudson’s Bay is collaborating with 2020 Emmy Award winners and Schitt’s Creek stars, Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy, to bring Canadians ‘A Call to Joy’ — a 2020 Holiday Campaign.
Hudson’s Bay’s first-ever Holiday Hub showcases inspirational content that makes shopping easier than ever with an immersive mobile and desktop experience. Whether it’s through thoughtfully exchanged gifts, a stylishly decorated virtual meal with family and friends, or finding merriment in wellness and self-care, Hudson’s Bay’s Holiday Hub and A Call to Joy Holiday Gift Guide were designed with busy customers in mind to make shopping for everyone on your list more colourful.
“Growing up with my big family in Toronto, I was excited every year to see the beautiful holiday window display at Hudson’s Bay. I was also thrilled knowing my Mom and Dad would be buying our Christmas presents there! So I’m very happy to join this festive campaign celebrating Canadians and our colourful holiday season,” says Catherine O’Hara.
The extensive holiday gift guide features categories ranging from ‘Merry Modernista’, ‘Yuletide Uniter’, and ‘Holiday Traditionalist’.
To view all of Hudson’s Bay’s holiday services, visit here.
Toronto, Ontario – November 2nd, 2020 – NEAR Technology Group announces its first major expansion of services with new platform support for small and medium-sized retailers in Canada and the United States.
“This is an exciting step towards our goal of restoring brick and mortar retailers to being the first choice for consumers shopping online,” said Matthew Smith, co-founder of the Canadian start-up. “We’re passionate about making it easier for shoppers to support local businesses, and making it easier for those same businesses to compete against e-commerce giants like Amazon.”
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic near the end of the first quarter hastened the trend by consumers towards spending more online. Though many retailers made heroic efforts to quickly build their own e-commerce presence, this shift ultimately benefited the largest internet retailers, each of which has notched up double-digit growth in 2020.
“The success of these e-commerce sites has come at the expense of retailers who have long been employers, tax payers and good corporate citizens in our communities. By comparison, most of these e-commerce companies have contributed very little to the cities and towns they’re mining for wealth.” Smith concludes.
NEAR Technology Group produces tools that alert online shoppers when the products they’re browsing are available from a local source. The software combines pricing and inventory information to help consumers make confident purchasing decisions when comparing online retailers with their brick and mortar counterparts. NEAR’s high-precision advertising tools for retailers help them connect to shoppers who are searching for exactly the products they sell, instead of broad campaigns with poor returns on advertising investment. The latest version of NEAR’s tools help retailers reach online shoppers – even when traditional internet advertising can’t.
Shoppers and retailers alike can learn more about NEAR by visiting https://near.shop/.
T.KETTLE LOCATION IN INTERCITY MALL IN THUNDER BAY ONTARIO. PHOTO: T.KETTLE
Canadian entrepreneur Doug Putman has a history of resurrecting struggling retail concepts with new ideas and new initiatives, including T.Kettle.
He is best known for converting HMV music stores to Sunrise Records a few years ago.
CANADIAN ENTREPRENEUR DOUG PUTMAN CONVERTS DAVIDSTEA LOCATIONS INTO T.KETTLE
Now, he has another project in the retail space as Doug Putman has taken 45 shuttered DAVIDsTea locations and transformed them into a new brand T.Kettle with the goal to expand the concept further in Canada.
DOUG PUTMAN HEADSHOT
“I think in any tough times – and this is certainly one of them – there’s opportunities that present themselves. Back four or five years ago, Sunrise Records presented an opportunity for us when HMV left the market and I think this is an exact example of that where it’s in an industry I really like, which is tea. I think people who are into tea are very passionate about it and it’s part of their ritual and routine,” said Putman.
“So obviously when DAVIDs decided to leave the market to a large extent – they have a few stores left – it just signalled to us that this could be one of those opportunities worth looking into. The further we looked into it the more we liked the business model, the more we liked the business itself. Very quickly it was just a check mark for us to say okay we’ve got to do this.”
T.Kettle stores will feature certified vegan, kosher, organic blends, with all products ethically sourced and sustainable.
INTERIOR OF T.KETTLE STORE. PHOTOS: T.KETTLE
1 of 4
INTERIOR OF T.KETTLE STORE. PHOTO: T.KETTLE
INTERIOR OF T.KETTLE STORE. PHOTO: T.KETTLE
INTERIOR OF T.KETTLE STORE SHOWING SALES ASSOCIATES AT WORK. PHOTO: T.KETTLE
INTERIOR OF T.KETTLE STORE SHOWING SALES ASSOCIATES AT WORK. PHOTO: T.KETTLE
“The store is going to look a little different. Obviously a different name but our products are different. There’s many different kinds of Earl Grey tea as an example and there’s different qualities. So we feel that we offer the best quality of loose leaf tea in the market. We’re really appealing to people who really want to taste and have the best quality tea out there.”
CANADIAN TEA MARKET IS GROWING
Putman said the tea market in Canada has been growing for years and continues to grow.
“Of course, it’s nowhere near the size of coffee but that’s okay. Businesses can be different sizes and they can grow. And so we just really like tea. We like the health benefits of tea. We like the enjoyment of drinking tea. I mean it is similar to listening to vinyl in our other business. There’s an experience there with it so we really enjoy that. We think there’s something great about it. Although it’s ‘niche’ it’s still a very big business. We’re at 45 stores right now but every day we’re signing more stores. I still believe in Canada we can get up to 100 stores in the next six months.”
T.Kettle stores will be in malls in provinces across Canada, with six US stores in California, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
“We always believed there would be a return to the purity and authenticity of music on vinyl and the record shop experience, and we were right, said Putman. “We believe that loose-leaf tea is poised for a similar comeback, and we’re merging our expertise in retail operations with our passion for tea to bring T. Kettle to cities across Canada and the US.”
When asked what lifts his optimism in these challenging times and an economic downturn caused by COVID, Putman replied:
“We understand retail well. We now own retail in three different countries and I think if you can get partnership from your suppliers, your landlords, you can be fiscally responsible, you can listen to your customers and really provide something that they actually want and enjoy, I think you’re going to be successful.
“Is COVID the best time for us to be doing this? No, but I think without it we wouldn’t have been presented with this opportunity and for us we think about everything longer term. At some point, this will be behind us. We will get back to some form of normal and so again a long-term thing where the opportunity just happened to present itself today.
AN ARRAY OF LOOSE LEAF TEA FLAVOURS FROM T.KETTLE. PHOTOS: T.KETTLE FACEBOOK
1 of 4
CARIBBEAN COCKTAIL LOOSE LEAF TEA
BIRTHDAY PARTY LOOSE LEAF TEA
FLAPJACKS & FLANNEL LOOSE LEAF TEA
RESTFUL NIGHT LOOSE LEAF TEA
“I always believe you’re presented with lots of opportunities in life. Everyone is. Some you take. Some you don’t. This is one we just felt was too good to pass up.”
Will T.Kettle be Putman’s last retail resurrection?
“I hope not. From my end, we’re looking to acquire more businesses. It could be retail, it could not be retail. Of course, we’d always like to get someone before there’s a bankruptcy. We always like talking to retailers who are struggling right now and try and find a solution for them to help them through it, however if that’s not the case we’re always good to resurrect as well. I hope it’s not our last. I hope we do a few more.
“Personally I just love it. I love retail. I think it’s a great industry. I hope to stick with it.”
EXTERIOR OF WALMART SUPERCENTRE. PHOTO: SUPERMARKET NEWS
Walmart Canada is investing $110 million in store renovations and technology to enhance the omnichannel experience for consumers as more and more Canadians are shopping online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The strategy by the retail giant includes the piloting of 10 hybrid locations where supercentres have expanded fulfillment space within their stores to increase the speed of fulfillment for pickup and delivery.
130 WALMART STORES SET TO UNDERGO RENOVATION TO BETTER ACCOMMODATE ECOMMERCE
Also more than 130 stores are being renovated over the next few years to make new space for ecommerce including about 19 this year.
The multi-million-dollar investment also includes:
Expanding Walmart Grocery Pickup to about 270 stores – or 70 percent of locations – by the end of 2020;
Rolling out mobile check-in across the country so customers can check-in for their grocery orders while on route, making the pickup speed quicker;
Reducing the minimum order value from $50 to $35 for free Grocery Pickup and Walmart Grocery Delivery ($9.97 fee);
Expanding availability of third-party partners, such as Instacart and Cornershop, to be offered in more stores across the country; and
Thousands of new people are also currently being hired for omnichannel related roles to meet customer demand.
“In these busy and challenging times, we know customers want choice and convenience more than ever,” said Horacio Barbeito, President and CEO, Walmart Canada, in a statement. “This is a very exciting time at Walmart Canada, as we invest in the business, accelerate our omnichannel efforts and make the shopping experience easy and simple for our customers.”
“The speed of change is being dictated by customer demand and we are deepening our investments in our digital footprint and omnichannel offering more than ever,” added Alexis Lanternier, Executive Vice President eCommerce, Walmart Canada.
Jean-Francois Proulx, Director – Omnichannel Operations at Walmart Canada, said customers are looking for choice and convenience now more than ever.
“Saving time, saving money is always something that Walmart has had as a top priority. And this is why right now we’re accelerating our offering in the omnichannel world,” he said.
“It brings a lot of value to the customer having the ability to place a grocery (order) online and we’ve added more and more general merchandise type of orders so it’s really convenient for the customers to either come in and try the store and shop but also for this part here shop online and come and pick it up in one of our numerous pick up locations.
“It’s really transforming our stores into mini warehouses in order to fulfill the demand that we’re seeing.”
The investment is part of Walmart’s overall $3.5 billion investment in all aspects of the business.
The hybrid locations will increase capacity in stores by giving Walmart more space. The crown jewel, he said, is Walmart’s new hybrid concept store, a relocated store in Vaughan, Ontario (670 Applewood Crescent), which is the most modern omnichannel store in its network. Also, the hybrid store will serve as an incubator to test future omnichannel features. The new store features:
A 10,000-square-foot omnichannel fulfilment space within the store – the largest of any Walmart in Canada;
Will fulfil as many as eight times the online orders of an average Walmart store;
A large drive-up pickup area, where customers can conveniently park and have their order loaded into their vehicle; and
More efficient and modern technology to support associates.
“We definitely have more space to stage orders but also now what we’ve done in these hybrid locations is we’re actually also picking some of our top selling or fastest moving items in this hybrid area of the stock room so it enables us to keep a better in stock, also train in a back room setting off of the sales floor. So it offers us a lot of value for our customers and also for our associates,” said Proulx, adding the company will be looking to expand the concept in the future to more locations.
For some stores in the country, some space is being transformed where dedicated space, normally at the front of the store, is reserved for customers to pick up orders they have bought online.
“We’re going to continue evolving over these next couple of years as we see how customer behaviour changes,” added Proulx.
Retail Council of Canada is hosting a brand new online event on November 10, 2020, the Retail Loss Prevention Forum. This timely educational event will bring together retail loss prevention professionals and industry thought leaders to present the latest strategies and best practices.
“The retail landscape has adapted quickly to recent global events and it’s more important than ever to share knowledge and learn from our peers. This is why RCC, in cooperation with the Loss Prevention Task Force, has built an incredible agenda.” Rita Estwick, Director, Security Fusion Centre, Canada Post and RCC Loss Prevention Advisory Council Member.
Session topics include, Keeping up with Frauds and Scams in Canada, Protecting Against Cyber Threats, De-escalating Hostility in the Workplace, and more.
The powerful lineup of presenters includes Rita Estick, Director, Security Fusion Centre, Canada Post; Clint Mahlman, President & CEO, London Drugs Limited; Gord Jamieson, Senior Business Leader, Canada Risk Services, Visa Inc.; Patrick Jandard, Country Security Manager, H&M; Paul Trickett, National Director of Asset Protection, Staples Canada; Rui Rodrigues, Divisional Vice President, Loss Prevention & Risk Management, Holt Renfrew; among others.
