Eric LaFlèche, President and Chief Executive Officer, METRO Inc., will join Retail Council of Canada’s President and CEO, Diane J. Brisebois, on Thursday May 6, 2021 at 3:00pm ET for an in-depth conversation about how METRO envisions innovation in grocery retailing, how the company has adapted to the new normal and strategies for a successful future. [Register: RCC Members $64.99 | Non-members $129.99]
Since the beginning of the pandemic, METRO has accelerated its efforts to further expand its e-commerce capabilities. An online Priority service was deployed to prioritize orders for seniors, customers with reduced mobility or shoppers needing to self-isolate in 250 METRO stores in Ontario and Quebec, and 170 METRO stores in both provinces will offer ‘click-and-collect’ service by the end of the company’s 2021 fiscal year in September. This summer, METRO will open its first dedicated online grocery store in Montreal to service the demand for online deliveries in the greater Montreal area.
This is the second of four In Conversation With Retail Leaders webinars where Canada’s most visionary retailers and industry insiders will discuss innovation in retail and provide critical insights to successfully lead businesses through disruptive times.
Other In Conversation With Retail Leaders guests this spring include:
IKEA and Second Closet co-branded five tonne EV trucks. Photo: CNW Group/IKEA Canada
IKEA Canada is partnering with Second Closet and Lion Electric for last-mile delivery in the Greater Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver markets using zero-emission electric vehicle trucks.
The IKEA and Second Closet co-branded, five-tonne EV trucks will service last-mile deliveries for IKEA locations in Boucherville, QC, Etobicoke, ON, and Richmond, BC beginning in the fall of 2021.
“Electrifying our last-mile delivery service is an important step in our journey to become climate positive by 2030, especially with the rapid acceleration of our online business over the past year,” said Michael Ward, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Canada. “We are pleased to work with Second Closet and Lion Electric, two great Canadian innovators, to support us in meeting our customers with people and planet in mind.”
Second Closet is a technology-enabled logistics and last-mile delivery provider based out of Toronto. It has submitted a purchase order to Lion Electric, a leading provider of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, for 15 Lion6 heavy-duty zero-emission trucks.
Mark Ang, CEO and Co-Founder of Second Closet, said a key area of focus for the company is ensuring both the quality and sustainability of its processes.
“We’re super excited to be taking this next step in the journey. It’s an important one and as a newer company it’s kind of on us to change the landscape. So hopefully this helps have an avalanche effect,” he said.
The company was launched in April 2017.
IKEA and Second Closet co-branded five tonne EV trucks. Photo: CNW Group/IKEA Canada
The company is focusing now on adding value to its enterprise clients where it stores and fulfills their finished goods and their business products.
“We’re a full end-to-end tech-enabled fulfilment house where we will store finished goods like a Shopify merchant, take the package and ship that product to an end-user or we will store like a large sofa and deliver it with our last-mile fleet for companies like IKEA or other larger furniture retailers,” said Ang.
“We consider ourselves to be a very young company in terms of our age and stages of business. But our team and our mindset and our energy is more youthful than the typical half-century-old logistics company. We’ve grown up in a society where we’ve seen climate change and global warming become a bigger impact on society. That’s been a topic in school. That’s something we can read about today. It’s shocking to me there’s still deniers and there’s people that are dragging their feet at acting quickly and swiftly.
“For me, as we become more successful and as our skill grows, we were on a path to just be consuming an ungodly amount of fossil fuels and emitting emissions, having greenhouse gas emissions on a daily basis and it just didn’t really feel right to be doing that. We shouldn’t consume more than we provide and I think we can probably be in a position where we are carbon neutral or carbon positive in that business. So electric vehicles were an important step in that direction in the sense that one of our core operating mechanisms are trucks and are fully electric. We wanted to be able to grow the business in a progressive manner both from a scale perspective but also from a climate and health and earth conscious perspective.”
IKEA is committed to 100 percent zero-emission deliveries by 2025. The company said its relationship with Second Closet will enable the retailer to achieve 20 percent of its ambitious zero emission delivery goals. The retailer said it is committed to reaching its 2030 goal to become a circular and climate positive business by reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than the IKEA value chain emits while growing the IKEA business at the same time.
In 2020, IKEA Canada completed over 500,000 home deliveries, a 30 percent increase from 2019.
IKEA has 14 stores in Canada. Last year, it had 22.9 million visitors to its stores and 178.4 million visitors to IKEA.ca and the IKEA app.
“Overall as a business we have a goal to be 100 percent circular and climate positive by 2030. So not just closing the loop of our business but also reducing our emissions by 80 percent as a whole operation and as part of that climate positive goal we have the aim to provide 100 per cent EV delivery and services by 2025. This announcement was the first big step in the IKEA Canada journey to be able to fulfill that commitment for our market,” said IKEA Sustainability Manager Melissa Barbosa, adding that the home furnishing retailer has a responsibility to positively impact people and the planet.
“As a global organization we feel it’s important to do what we can to reduce those emissions . . . EV is just one part of that. We are doing a lot when it comes to our actual operations in terms of building more sustainably and reducing emissions by investing in renewable energy projects as well. This is just one area. We know that more and more customers are looking for home delivery as an option for purchasing their goods. We know that this is a transition we need to make to be able to reduce those emissions and be the climate positive business that we’re aiming to be.”
She said Canadian consumers are being much more selective these days of the brands they’re choosing. They want to ensure that brands are responsible, sustainable, while maintaining affordability and that they’re having a positive impact on people and climate.
“We know it’s what our consumers want. We know that’s the right thing to do as a business. As we see these kind of purchasing habits shifting and more demand to have at home delivery, this is one of the really customer facing ways we can show that we are a responsible business by being able to provide . . . 20 per cent of our delivery and services in Canada with EV vehicles.”
Hudson’s Bay Shuts Remaining Outlet Store Near Montreal
The Hudson’s Bay Outlet store at the Montreal Premium Outlets near Montreal has shut after operating for nearly seven years. It was one of two off-price outlet store locations for the Hudson’s Bay Outlet concept.
The Montreal Hudson’s Bay Outlet opened in the fall of 2014 in a 27,000-square-foot space in the outdoor outlet centre. It followed the opening of a Hudson’s Bay Outlet at Toronto Premium Outlets in 2013 which was converted to off-price retailer Saks OFF 5TH in March of 2016.
Entrance to Montreal Premium Outlets. Photo: Montreal Premium Outlets
Saks OFF 5TH was also supposed to replace the Hudson’s Bay Outlet store at Montreal Premium Outlets. An announcement for the new store was made in late 2016 and it never came to fruition. Saks OFF 5TH was also supposed to open a 45,000-square-foot store at the Montreal Eaton Centre in downtown Montreal and that too never happened — the space is now occupied by French sports retailer Decathlon.
In Canada, Saks OFF 5TH operates 18 stores in Canada with only one of those being located in Montreal. Plans had been in place for 25 OFF 5TH locations in Canada and the expansion has been halted. Competition is fierce in the off-price space in Canada with TXJ banners Winners, Marshalls, and HomeSense continuing to open stores during the pandemic, as well as Nordstrom Rack which now has seven stores across Canada with more expected.
Retail Insider’s Montreal correspondent, Maxime Frechette, noted that liquidator Continental is currently occupying the former Hudson’s Bay Outlet space at Montreal Premium Outlets.
Exterior of Kim’s Convenience store. Photo: Google
Kim’s Convenience Store Hits Market with Hefty Price Tag
The famous Kim’s Convenience store, which has starred on the hit TV show of the same name for the last five years, is up for sale. Located at 252 Queen Street East near Sherbourne Street in Toronto’s Moss Park neighbourhood, the retail property hit the market a few weeks ago with the price tag of $198,000.
It’s the first time it’s been up for sale in 35 years, and the retail listing coincides with the final season of Kim’s Convenience — a seemingly strategic move for the current owner.
A hefty price tag, perhaps, but it has been reported that the 1,300-square-foot store brings in about $15,000-$18,000 in sales every week, plus additional income from the lottery, ATM, and parking behind the store. These higher-than-normal earnings can most likely be attributed to the popularity of the show.
Further information on the property is available only to qualified potential buyers, and interested parties are being asked not to speak about it to the owner or any employees at the store.
Exterior shot of the soon-to-shutter Kartell storefront in Montreal. Photo: Kartell
Kartell Relocating its Montreal Storefront
Italian home furnishings retailer Kartell will shut its first Canadian location in Montreal’s trendy Griffintown neighbourhood according to Retail Insider’s Montreal correspondent, Maxime Frechette. The store opened in the summer of 2016 and the showroom will be relocated to Kartell’s suburban warehouse building.
The 1,500-square-foot Kartell store opened at 1120 Wellington Street in Griffintown, alongside other home furnishing retailers such as EQ3, West Elm, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Ligne Roset, and others. Kartell featured a front terrace that will be open from May to October as well as an interior with soaring ceiling to display the store’s unique products.
Kartell was founded in 1949 and sells furniture, home furnishings, lighting and home accessories. The company collaborates with famous designers such as Philippe Starck and Eugeni Quitlet to create pieces, which are often colourful and unique. Plastic is used in innovative ways in many designs.
eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee for sneakers. Photo: eBay
eBay Canada Authenticating Sneakers in New Centre
Hot on the ‘sneaker head’ trend in Canada, online sales platform eBay has announced an ‘Authenticity Guarantee’ for sneakers being sold on the website. Select sneakers sold in the eBay Canada website exceeding $100 will be vetted and verified by an independent team of industry experts, according to the company.
eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee launches in early May with the opening of an authentication centre in Toronto dedicated to sneakers. eBay says that the collectable sneaker category on its platform increased by 325% last year. A pair of Air Jordan 1 “What The” Doernbecher was bought for more than $66,000, marking the highest sale for sneakers on eBay Canada in 2021 thus far.
Mobile Klinik at Guildford Town Centre. Photo: Lee Rivett
Mobile Klinik Offers At-Home Repairs with First Van Service of its Kind
Canadian smartphone and tablet repair company, Mobile Klinik, has recently launched Onsite Repair Units — the first van service of its kind to offer consumers and businesses the convenience of professional smartphone and tablet repair at the location of their choice.
Due to the changes in day-to-day life brought on by COVID-19, more Canadians are working and learning from home. The demand for at-home smart device repair services is on the rise and Mobile Klinik is now offering its expertise to over 100 communities nationwide from inside the Mobile Klinik service van or outside their homes or offices.
“The launch of Mobile Klinik’s Onsite Repair service is our latest initiative to make smartphone and tablet repair a more accessible, cost effective, and convenient option for Canadian consumers,” said Tim McGuire, CEO of Mobile Klinik. “Because we are spending so much time learning, working, and seeking entertainment at home, having reliable smartphones and tablets is paramount. We are proud to bring our services right to our customers’ doorsteps – at no extra charge – so they can resume using their device, often in less than an hour.”
Mobile Klinik says that it is committed to providing Canadians with flexible and affordable device repair options, servicing common issues like cracked screens, broken cameras, software updates, and battery replacements using high quality parts and state of the art diagnostics.
To further support Canadians during the pandemic, for a limited time, Mobile Klinik is waiving the $29.99 Onsite Repair Unit convenience fee. Customers in selected communities can book today either online or by phone to have a Mobile Klinik technician arrive at the location of their choice and service their repair in 60 minutes or less.
The company’s newest announcement comes less than a year after Retail Insider reported on Telus’ acquisition of Mobile Klinik, promising to bring with it an aggressive nationwide expansion.
The Brick Celebrates Earth Day by Helping to Restore the Planet, Brick by Brick
In celebration of Earth Day 2021, The Brick, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leon’s Furniture Limited, has announced the company’s latest waste diversion statistics, as well as upcoming initiatives to engage Canadians in helping to restore the earth, brick by brick.
In an effort to contribute to the sustainability movement, this month The Brick is asking Canadians to document their good green deeds with a photo or video, share them on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #TheBrickEarthDay, and comment on the Facebook or Instagram contest post to be entered to win one of four $1,000 gift cards to The Brick. Two winners will be chosen from each social platform.
Additionally, for every share on social media using the campaign hashtag, The Brick will plant a tree — up to a total of 2,500 trees — through its partnership with Tree Canada.
“At The Brick, we challenge ourselves each day to be more mindful of our environmental impact. On April 22, we‘re challenging Canadians to do the same,” said Dave Freeman, President, The Brick. “Whether a community cleanup or adopting more sustainable recycling practices, we look forward to seeing how Canadians are “going green” and showing our appreciation for the positive impacts these actions will have.”
The Brick first implemented its ‘Project Green’ in 2007, serving as the catalyst for all the company’s environmental initiatives, spearheaded by a recycling program in partnership with Waste Management. Beyond this, the company is also a partner of Tree Canada — a partnership that has resulted in planting and maintaining a total of 886 trees nationwide.
The Brick is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Though vaccines are steadily reaching more people every day, the pandemic continues. While cases were trending downward for a bit, Canadian officials have recently reinstated shutdowns and closures. This prolonged experience can be detrimental to businesses as they lose sales and potential customers. With the right tools, though, retailers can succeed during this time.
At the beginning of April, some Canadian regions are hoping to slow a third wave of COVID-19 with retail shutdowns. However, some of these new regulations don’t include paid sick leave for workers. That makes it harder to maintain business and physical safety as people are left with limited resources while trying to make a profit.
It’s unclear how long the pandemic will last or how many shutdowns the country will see in the future. Fortunately, Canadian retailers can use the following methods to continue operations. That way, they can make a profit despite lockdowns and closures.
1. Expand Purchase Methods
Canadian retailers have already had to adapt to new ways to sell their products and services. Delivery and curbside pickup are becoming the norm, especially as this third round of shutdowns comes into play.
When the pandemic began, 17% of Canadians started using curbside pickup. Any retailer that hasn’t expanded its purchase methods should start now. It offers contact-free ways for customers to get their items.
Once they pay ahead, they can pick up their orders in a hassle-free manner. This appealing process simplifies shopping as consumers don’t have to wait in lines or come near anyone.
2. Use Shipping Wisely
Shipping is invaluable for e-commerce, but retailers must know how to use it correctly. Inefficient practices can lead to losses owners can’t afford during the pandemic.
Specifically, retailers should focus on how they ship. If they mail to different parts of the country or elsewhere in the world, it may be cheaper to use freight forwarding instead of air travel. On the ground, it’s wise to get insurance for shipments so that, if a package goes missing, the retailer can get reimbursed.
In addition, it helps to have tracking numbers. That way, the retailer and customer can keep an eye on the package at all times to make sure it gets delivered.
3. Offer New Deals
A helpful way to engage new and existing customers is to offer creative deals. A discount or sale can draw people in, but consistent promotions and offers may be a more long-term solution.
Retailers can offer single or multi-use coupons for transactions, discounts, bundling, savings, and shipping. Other brands turn to a loyalty points program to keep customers coming back to buy and save. Retailers can use the method that most suits their business model to provide a more engaging approach to shopping.
From there, they can personalize deals. If a loyal customer keeps returning, the retailer can reward them with extra savings.
4. Diversify Partnerships
The pandemic is a trying time for many retailers, which means no business owner is alone with their struggles. At times, the best solution may be to partner with other companies — even ones that have historically been competitors.
A partnership can help with marketing and promotion, allowing retailers to share costs. Pooling resources can be a mutually beneficial experience as businesses share client lists or services for the public.
For instance, if two home furnishing small businesses are struggling, they may combine marketing tactics to reach more people for both stores. In some cases, a merger may even be the best idea for success.
5. Sell the Store
Any company that’s facing complete closure because of shutdowns should consider selling. Due to lower in-person shopping and with Canadian e-commerce set to surpass $33 billion in sales by 2024, offloading the store can ultimately make a profit as retailers switch to a completely online dynamic.
Retailers who don’t have a binding contract or are at the end of their lease might find selling the store immediately and focusing on e-commerce the best option. However, if a business owner does have a binding contract, they can also repurpose their store as a distribution center or sublease it.
That way, they won’t have to pay for the costs of having a store. Instead, they can focus on marketing and selling products online.
Devin Partida is a writer and blogger, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of ReHack.com
Success During the Pandemic
These five solutions can help Canadian retailers think outside the box during this new phase of shutdowns. From expanding curbside pickup and delivery to looking for new partnerships, retailers can still thrive in creative ways. Integrating these steps can help them succeed both during and after the pandemic.
South-side expansion of Square One Shopping Centre. Photo: Square One
Landlord Oxford Properties announced this week that it is launching same-day delivery from its shopping centres in an effort to gain consumer market share amid a changing world and the COVID-19 pandemic. The new ‘ShipNow’ initiative launches initially at the Square One shopping centre in Mississauga and will be rolled out to other Oxford-managed shopping centres in Canada in due course.
Oxford Properties partnered with GoFor Industries to offer ShipNow, which is descried as being a same-day delivery service that will ship goods from Square One’s retailers to almost one million customers in the shopping centre’s catchment area. The ShipNow service will be available to all of Square One’s retailers to fulfill in-store, online, and phone orders from the store to the local trade area.
Bradley Jones
“Our malls are exceptionally well-located and easily accessible to large catchment areas within a short-driving distance. This means that the reverse is also true, so goods shipped from our shopping centres can quickly and cost-effectively reach a large customer base on the same day,” said Bradley Jones, Head of Retail at Oxford Properties. “When you also consider that our malls, like Square One, have millions of square feet that currently hold merchandise and products, we already have the critical infrastructure to offer seamless same-day delivery on behalf of our retailers.
“Physical retail has become important for retailers in driving brand loyalty, customer experience, and building the top of the sales funnel. Stores have become a medium to acquire customers and we’re now providing our retailers with fulfillment strategies to transact online sales,” Jones went on to say. “Our partnership with GoFor assists us in playing a larger role in the entire customer journey and unlocking the enormous potential of shopping centre stores to play an integral part of the distribution network, particularly at a time when logistics space is in short supply.”
The ShipNow from Square One with GoFor initiative says that it enables local shoppers to access mall retailers with convenient, same-day delivery which was previously unavailable or only possible with extended delivery times. The program also allows retailers to place local inventory into the e-commerce space to get orders delivered to shoppers with same day delivery.
“Global consumer delivery patterns and shopping habits have shifted fundamentally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brad Rollo, CEO of GoFor. “We don’t expect to see customers’ desire for fast delivery to disappear and malls like Square One are leading the way and adapting to meet their customers where they are. We are excited to work with Oxford Properties to provide scalable, on-demand and same-day delivery to the retailers’ customers and look forward to assisting the retailers in owning their last mile fulfillment and keeping up with consumer demand.”
Brad Rollo
Plans are in place to roll out ShipNow to other Oxford-managed malls in Canada, including Yorkdale and Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto, Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill, Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Promenades Gatineau near Ottawa, Les Galleries de la Capitale in Quebec City, Southcentre Mall in Calgary, and Kingsway Mall in Edmonton.
Retail supply chain expert Gary Newbury, who is also a Senior “Exec On Call” at Toronto-based Retail AID, said, “This is another great collaboration bringing the mall as an entity temporally closer to the community, especially during the COVID times of lockdown. It facilitates retailers, who might be facing a closed mall with limited options to continue to grow their sales in some of the most toughest conditions faced in Canadian retailing.”
Newbury went on to say, “We can probably thank Amazon’s shift to next day, and for some items same day, in 2019, the pandemic’s effect to force partners to work together in different ways, and also the appetite to look at more risk sharing revenue models between retailers and landlords for such a development.”
“As landlords re-evaluate their revenue models and focus on added services, this will herald a new age of collaboration rather than combative relationships in this highly inter-dependant relationship. Malls were designed for retail and such moves are genuinely a step in the right direction,” Newbury went on to say, “Imagine Square One becomes the ‘everything mall’ locally and shoppers can shop across the mall and have one delivery. Imagine a 3PL such as GoFor being able to assemble high density routes driving the “delivery cost” to be a smaller part of basket spend, and for the consumer, they win by a consistent same day service, complete with tracking and courteous delivery drivers.”
ShipNow is the latest innovation form Oxford Properties. In September of 2019 the landlord launched Search. Find. ShopNOW, a platform which allows customers to see what products are offered by selected retailers in one online search. If a shopper was looking for a black dress, for example, Oxford Properties’ shopping centre websites showcase all products that fit the search, allowing consumers to contact to the store to check availability, visit the store itself, or purchase the item directly from the retailer’s online website.
Quebec-based Pür & Simple, a popular breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant, has launched its first location in Alberta at the Kingsway Mall in Edmonton with plans to continue to grow the brand across the country.
The concept is one of Canada’s fastest growing breakfast chains with its first location in September 2016 in Laval, Quebec. It introduced a franchising model in September 2017 and today has 20 locations in Canada.
The first franchise location was in Moncton, NB, which opened in March 2018.
And the company is growing despite the challenges presented by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Ritou Maloni
“We’re one of those companies that is not going to take no for an answer. We’re going to fight through it. We’re opening stores and our franchise partners are excited to open,” said Ritou Maloni, Pür & Simple Co-Founder, President, and Chief Operating Officer.
“We’re small but we’re a growing company. We’re looking at a Canada-wide expansion.”
Growth plans include the brand’s next opening in Paradise, just outside of St. John’s in Newfoundland. From there, plans are to open in Port Coquitlam, BC, then Dartmouth Crossing, just outside of Halifax, then Waterloo in June followed by Bayers Lake, outside of Halifax, Woodbridge, Ontario, Mississauga, another one in Nova Scotia and one in Calgary.
Recently the company opened in Vaughan and North York in Ontario. The plan is to open about 12 additional locations in Canada this year.
Pür & Simple is known for its modern design and unique menu, bringing a modern twist to the classic ‘diner’ experience. With strategic partners like Nespresso, Ocean Spray, and The Martini Club, Pür & Simple has elevated daytime dining and has introduced a winning combination of luxury and affordability to its customers.
“We wanted a new take on breakfast. The trend where everybody wanted things a little bit healthier but not too healthy. I think in general when people eat in a restaurant they want to indulge a little bit and have that restaurant experience. We wanted it to be simple. We wanted that mix of traditional, authentic breakfast with a little bit extravagant ‘wow’ plates,” said Maloni.
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Example of Pür & Simple menu items. Photo: Pür & Simple
Example of Pür & Simple menu items. Photo: Pür & Simple
Example of Pür & Simple menu items. Photo: Pür & Simple
Example of Pür & Simple menu items. Photo: Pür & Simple
Example of Pür & Simple menu items. Photo: Pür & Simple
Pür & Simple offers a wide variety of breakfast, brunch, and lunch items – from homemade waffles and crêpes, to savoury Benedicts and skillets, to sandwiches and burgers. With an ever-evolving menu of health-forward offerings, Pür & Simple is constantly introducing fresh new items for customers to enjoy, while ensuring fan-favourites remain in consistent rotation. In addition to a selection of fruit-filled smoothies and specialty coffees, the Pür & Simple menu also includes an array of alcoholic beverages. Customers will find a number of menu items that cater to specific dietary needs, including gluten free, dairy free, keto, and vegan alternatives.
“If you walk into one of our restaurants the decor just in itself sets us apart. It’s crisp. It’s warm. It’s very green. We have a lot of nice greenery. It feels modern but yet inviting to anybody,” said Maloni. “We definitely have a great design.
“And our food is Instagramable to say the least. When you get a plate in front of you, most people if they don’t say ‘wow’ their tongues are out and their mouth is watering. Our portion sizes are huge and we really give that value.
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Map of Kingsway Mall with red arrow indicating location of Pür & Simple restaurant.
Exterior of Kingsway Mall in Edmonton showing H&M and Marshalls. Photo: Kingsway Mall
Exterior of Kingsway Mall in Edmonton showing Homesense. Photo: Kingsway Mall
“Our menu offerings are much more varied than a diner style breakfast. We really reinvented breakfast in the sense of what it was before in a diner. If you were going to go for breakfast it was greasy, eggs, bacon. We refined breakfast. We put a finesse to it. But yet we still target everybody. It’s an affordable luxury. I think we just made breakfast sexy.”
Edmonton franchise partner, Anjum Vadia, said he quickly became a believer in everything the company does and felt strongly that the opportunity to open his own location in Edmonton was one that he could not pass up.
“Pür & Simple differentiates itself from other brands by serving up not only delicious, healthy meals, but also by creating a warm and welcoming environment that truly makes you feel at home,” he said.
“We are thrilled to welcome Alberta’s first Pür & Simple location to Kingsway Mall and look forward to introducing the Edmonton community to this one-of-a-kind restaurant experience,” said Susan Lovie, Director and General Manager at Kingsway Mall.
Exterior of Forever 21 storefront in the US. Photo: Forever 21
Los Angeles-based fast fashion retailer Forever 21 will make its return to Canada this year with physical stores after shuttering all locations as part of a bankruptcy filing in 2019. Toronto-based YM Inc. is leading the expansion after establishing a partnership last year that included announcing a new Forever 21 e-commerce site for the Canadian market.
YM Inc. acquired many of Forever 21’s leases after the retailer exited Canada. YM subsequently opened stores under various banners in the former Forever 21 locations including Urban Planet, Urban Behaviour and Stitches. Many of the Forever 21 stores saw few changes to the retail spaces following the shuttering of the original chain, possibly in anticipation of re-introducing the Forever 21 banner to the Canadian market. Now some of the former Forever 21 locations will be converted back to the original banner as the brand again re-enters Canada.
It’s not yet clear how many Forever 21 locations that YM will open in Canada, though locations are confirmed already for Metropolis at Metrotown near Vancouver, as well as Devonshire Mall in Windsor, Ontario. The Windsor store will be located in a space most recently branded as Urban Behaviour.
Forever 21 closed all of its 44 Canadian stores in November of 2019 after its US-based parent company filed for bankruptcy. In total, about 900,000 square feet was vacated, with much of it being scooped up by YM Inc. as temporary leases for its own banners.
Exterior of soon-to-open Forever 21 store at Metropolis at Metrotown. Photo courtesy of Srushti Gangdev on Twitter
YM Inc. launched Forever 21’s Canadian e-commerce website in early 2020. Forever 21 partnered with cross-border e-commerce solutions provider Global-e to launch the international offering, which included localized websites for the Canadian market as well as sites for Asia, Asia/Pacific, and Latin America.
YM Inc. owns several fashion retail banners in Canada including Urban Planet, Urban Behaviour, Sirens, Bluenotes, Suzy Shier, Stitches, West 49, and Amnesia. In 2019 Retail Insider reported that YM was bringing the Aéropostale retail banner back into the Canadian market after the US brand’s bankruptcy in 2016. YM Inc. was founded in 1975 with the opening of a Stitches store in downtown Toronto and the company has since grown rapidly with more than 650 stores across its banners and thousands of employees.
Forever 21’s re-launch in Canada comes at a time of intense competition amongst fashion retailers with various fast-fashion and value-priced retailers continuing to operate within Canada. Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M had been opening stores yearly in Canada before the pandemic in an effort to gain market share, as has Spanish chain Zara and Japanese retailer Uniqlo. At the same time, value-priced retailers such as TJX Group’s Winners and Marshalls have been expanding further into Canada, offering designer product at discounted prices.
