CUSTOMER PAYS FOR COFFEE USING CONTACTLESS PAYMENT WHILE CASHIER WEARS GLOVES AND MASK
By Peter Capponi
According to global engineering consultancy GHD, reopening and maintenance of retail operations can be safely achieved with proper resiliency planning aligned to business requirements and drivers, and a high degree of management and health and safety measures. This creates an environment to operate where employees feel comfortable and safe returning to work and customers feel safe shopping.
The establishment of temporary (or long-term) screening measures and diversions to meet social distancing requirements, that are monitored and managed digitally and aligned to retail flow patterns, coupled with robust communication strategies are a cornerstone of creating and reinforcing trust with all stakeholders as part of the overall response to COVID-19.
Retail Space Audits:
Determine sites and buildings to be re-opened and desired business level and activities. Perform an audit to understand demand conditions and site criticality to assess business continuity. Rank by safety considerations and facility layout and conditions. Evaluate economic impact to “bricks and mortar” operations and consider online sales avenues.
Health and Safety Facility Guidelines:
Determine public health and governmental guidelines during COVID-19 business activities. Understand and define safety guidelines for the facility and ensure that all government guidelines are incorporated. Conduct an assessment as to what is currently in place versus what is required and then plan to close the gap. For example, secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and consider the availability of future stock and potential for supply chain disruption that could occur during an increased risk level.
Employee Health and Safety Policies:
Develop a site-specific employee safety plan with policies and protocols for health screening, social distancing and contact tracing. Conduct and document health risk assessment and develop appropriate PPE guidelines. Importantly, modelling of worker and customer movement will be critical to ensuring social distancing requirements tied to the specifics of the retail space/location. These policies and processes should be constantly reviewed and part of a continuous improvement strategy based on actual performance.
Consider Queuing Challenges:
Deploy digital technology and modelling to ensure social distancing and employee/visitor safety – specifically for queues and capacity requirements. Modelling and monitoring of movement outside and inside your facility will be critical to ensuring social distancing requirements.
Evaluate and Re-Engineer Floor Space Layouts for More Effective Physical Distancing:
Having the appropriate expertise, technology and data science to track, model, plan and implement effective social distancing in retail space is critical. Evaluate retail floor layout, product display options, and fitting room standards (eg. full doors versus curtains) that can safely accommodate people flow and contact interaction. This will lead to better health, safety and industrial hygiene protocols.
Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Decontamination:
It is important to respond to possible impacts and the needed prevention to identify and clean needed assets while maintaining retail flow, employee and customer confidence and product integrity.
HVAC Systems:
Infectious aersols can pose a high exposure risk, regardless of whether COVID is defined as airborne infectious disease. Evaluate and improve the design and operations of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems to decrease the transmission. Evaluate and develop strategies to minimize transmissions through ventilation systems including Dilution and extraction ventilation, pressurization, airflow distribution and optimization, mechanical filtration, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and humidity control.
Effective and Regular Employee Communications:
Timely, consistent, and targeted communication and engagement is critical to the successful deployment of any significant business change. This should clearly articulate how a retail store is going to operate but also be clear how workers, customers and other stakeholders should behave. Given the personal nature of health screening and the fear associated with the COVID-19 virus, a comprehensive communications and engagement program is imperative.
Disclaimer: It is recommended that business owners and organizations monitor and adhere to the guidelines released by relevant public health authorities such as Health Canada, as well as other provincial authorities. Every business and organization’s situation is different. These tips are intended to raise awareness of a few best practices, solutions and considerations.
Peter Capponi
Peter Capponi is a North American Industrial and Manufacturing Sector Leader at GHD.
Businessman Mal Coven says that his new Biway $10 Store concept will launch its first location in Toronto in November of this year, and the company has also just launched its first website featuring brands and product lines that will be carried in the store. The Biway $10 Store is a fresh take on the original Biway chain that Mr. Coven sold in the late 1990s prior to its shuttering in 2001.
THE TORONTO BIWAY STORE WILL FEATURE A VARIETY OF BRANDS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
The first Biway $10 Store will open in November on Orfus Road near the corner of Dufflaw Road, south of Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The 15,000-square-foot space will include about 10,000 square feet for the retail store according to Mr. Coven. The store will be located in an area featuring various off-price and outlet retailers including a Roots Outlet located in the same retail complex.
The new store will feature items priced at $10 each, or multiple items together costing a total of $10. Prices in the store will not be above $10 for items that in some instances would cost considerably more in full-priced retailers.
CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP
BIWAY WILL CARRY CARTER’S OSHKOSH IN STORE
Last week, Biway $10 Store’s website was unveiled to the public featuring some of the brand names that will be carried in the new Toronto store. One of the biggest brands will be kid’s brand Carter’s OshKosh, which will feature an expansive range of products in the new store. The 155-year-old Carter’s OshKosh brand is huge in the United States, with a whopping 90% of all millennial parents and 80% of boomer grandparents having shopped there over a recent 12-month period.
BIWAY ADVERTISEMENT
Other children’s goods will be carried in the new Biway $10 Store according to Mr. Coven. In total about 28% of the initial stock will be geared towards kids with a goal of attracting parents who will also shop for other categories such as adult fashion and home goods.
According to the Biway $10 Store website, other brands carried will include Puma, the Gap, Old Navy, Pinky, and Snugabye among others. Several sports-branded lines will be included as well with names including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto Blue Jays. A range of hats from Australian brand Kangol, typically priced in the $40-$80 range, will cost only $10 in the new Biway $10 Store.
The store will feature a range of men’s and women’s fashions as well, including clothing, robes, lingerie, and underwear. A well-known brand that Mr. Coven did not want publicly disclosed will be carried in the store including women’s underwear and men’s socks.
A selection of high-quality bath towels from Turkey will be stocked in the new Biway $10 Store, according to Mr. Coven. He said that the fabric will make the product compelling, and that previous business relationships allowed him to secure the line for his new store. Other home items will include kitchenware, and kids toys and books will also be carried in the store.
A range of food will be available in the store as well. That includes Kosher foods from brands such as Aurora, and Italian specialities including an assortment of olive oils. Candy and cookies will be carried in the store as well.
SLIDESHOW (Swipe)
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Screenshots of Biway Website
Screenshots of Biway Website
Screenshots of Biway Website
The new Biway $10 store website features photographs of family members who were used as models. A photo showcasing menswear includes a photo of Mal Coven himself standing next to business partner Barry Weinberg. Mr. Weinberg’s children and grandchildren are featured in the photos, and his wife coordinated the layout given her previous experience in the world of fashion. Mr. Weinberg and his sister formerly owned the rights to the Italian women’s brand Max Mara for the North American market.
BIWAY WEBSITE WILL SERVE TO DRAW CUSTOMERS TO THE PHYSICAL STORE
The website acts as a draw for consumers to come to the physical location — product will not otherwise be sold on the website itself for the time being.
Mr. Coven said that he has been building stock for his first store since 2018, and that he could open multiple locations in years to come as the retailer takes off. The new concept will utilize the guiding principles that “will be no different than the original Biway stores”. That includes choosing products that consumers are seeking while presenting them in a “non-confusing manner” with a depth of product to make visiting a store compelling.
In a previous interview, Mr. Coven said that the new chain will feature “better quality, better brands, and better layout” which will “make shopping a more enjoyable and comfortable experience for the whole family” when compared to the original Biway chain which once had about 250 stores in the Ontario market.
The shopping experience in the store will aim to be spacious, with products showcased on the perimeter walls of the store as well as on tables or racks for hanging merchandise throughout the space. As with the former Biway chain, the new store concept will feature display tables that will have “one idea and one price line to make shopping and decision making easier. The same will be true for the hanging merchandise on the racks” with “all of the sizes and classifications being well identified”, according to Mr. Coven.
BIWAY ADVERTISEMENT FEATURING MAL COVEN AND BARRY WEINBERG
BIWAY ADVERTISEMENT
BIWAY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DISRUPT VALUE-PRICED RETAILING IN CANADA
If it expands in a significant way, the Biway $10 Store concept could disrupt value-priced retailing in Canada by hitting a price-point between dollar retailers and off-price retailers such as TJX’s Winners/Marshalls/HomeSense, with a price point also lower than much of the offerings in big-box retailers such as Walmart. Given research conducted by Mr. Coven and his business associates, the Biway name is still recognizable with many consumers. Based on the lingering reputation alone, 91% of those interviewed said that they would be interested in visiting the new concept store. Survey answers indicated considerable interest from both men and women in all regions.
The former Biway chain had an overall strong brand perception on the part of consumers. According to a Goldfarb Associates survey in years past*, 96% of people in Ontario were aware of the Biway name. Of those old enough, 52% said that they shopped at Biway regularly and 32% shopped occasionally. Ninety percent of respondents said that Biway sold good quality merchandise and 95% said that the chain provided good value. The survey also found that “interest is high even among those who have never shopped there personally”, coming in at 80% of respondents.
Mr. Coven has more than 60 years of retail experience and turned 91 years old several months ago. He says that he has a lot of energy left and that he plans to make the new store concept successful. He was one of the leaders in building the discount Biway store chain, which had about 250 stores across the country over 28 years. After selling the company in the late 1990’s, the Biway chain shuttered in 2001.
The Toronto store will act as a prototype. In a previous interview, Mr. Coven said that the concept could eventually expand across the country. If an expansion does happen, new locations would ideally be in the 8,000-square-foot to 11,000-square-foot range.
*UPDATE: a Reddit thread noted that the study quoted would have been at least 15 years old, as that Goldfarb Associates is no longer in business. We apologize for any misunderstanding with the information provided.
OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING AT NEW SHAW COMMUNICATIONS STORE. PHOTO: SHAW COMMUNICATIONS
While the retail sector faces enormous challenges with many closures, Shaw Communications is going in the opposite direction as it aggressively invests in more retail locations to support the launch of Shaw Mobile in British Columbia and Alberta.
WESTERN CANADA STORE EXPANSION COMES AT THE SAME TIME AS INTRODUCTION OF ‘SHAW MOBILE’
The company recently announced the launch of Shaw Mobile — a new wireless service in Canada that leverages Shaw’s Fast LTE and Fibre+ network to provide Shaw Internet customers with an innovative wireless experience that can virtually eliminate their monthly wireless data bill.
Customers can learn more about Shaw Mobile by visiting one of 20 Shaw retail locations across Alberta and B.C., including 12 new and enhanced stores in high-traffic shopping centres to be opened by the end of the summer. Shaw Mobile will also be available at over 120 locations of the company’s largest national retail partners across B.C. and Alberta.
SHAW STORES HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED TO CREATE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
Shaw stores have been redesigned to provide customers with an immersive destination where they can explore, learn, and interact directly with the latest Shaw products and services, including Shaw’s suite of in-home technology. All stores are designed with physical distancing in mind and will continue to adhere to applicable health and safety protocols to keep customers and employees safe.
Shaw is creating 64 net new jobs as part of its retail expansion in Alberta and B.C.
INTERIOR OF SHAW COMMUNICATIONS STORE. PHOTOS: SHAW COMMUNICATIONS
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It’s interesting to note that more than 90 percent of all wireless activations occur in person at a retail setting in Canada.
“We recognize that Shaw is in a unique position being so aggressive in investing in retail in Canada and we’re very certain that’s the right strategy. As a result, landlords as partners have given us the best spots in all the best malls and we’re confident that we’re going to be driving great traffic to the Shaw stores with these new formats,” said Pat Button, Senior Vice-President, Sales and Distribution for Shaw.
“Of this new format, we’ve opened four and have another half dozen in the pipeline over the next few weeks. We just launched Shaw Mobile so we created a new format to properly position Shaw Mobile along with the wireline products and most specifically our unique value proposition. We have a Shaw Go WiFI product with 450,000 hotspots that comes with your Shaw Mobile or your Shaw internet product.
“It’s right in the middle of the store to help customers understand that it’s a value add for both products. So we built the store to actually have that flow in mind.”
The company also retrofitted eight of its existing Shaw retail locations to be able to sell a mobile product. Over the next six weeks, it will add another 10 locations.
The CF Market Mall location, which opened last week in Calgary, is about 2,500 square feet, the largest one currently for Shaw. The stores’ footprints range from about 900 square feet to about 2,500 square feet.
At the current time, the Shaw Mobile product is available only in Alberta and British Columbia.
Shaw has street locations as well as mall locations for its retail operations.
“The wireless category as a whole because of the nature of a high fraud component to it, so the nature of the credit check process and the ID verification, the majority of sales happen at retail. So right now approximately 90 percent of all activations happen at a retail store. It’s very strong and going forward it’s a very strong channel,” said Button.
“So Shaw is definitely embracing investing in retail this year and for the years going forward. We’re going to continue expanding. I can’t speak to an exact number but we’re going to be very aggressive over the next 12 months adding Shaw stores as we expand our Shaw Mobile strategy.”
BUSINESS OWNER DISPLAYS ‘CLOSED’ SIGN IN RETAIL STORE
If you think it’s bad now for the retail sector in Canada, you ain’t seen nothing yet — just wait until early 2021.
THIS MAY BE THE LAST HOLIDAY SEASON FOR MANY RETAILERS
For many, the day of reckoning could come following the holiday season.
“For many retailers, sadly, this will be their last holiday season. For those that were caught with outdated business models, weak balance sheets, less than exciting brands, short-term investors or near-sighted landlords the holiday will be their swan song,” said Bruce Winder, author of RETAIL Before, During & After COVID-19 and President of Bruce Winder Retail.
“Some will have a hard time securing inventory for the all-important fourth quarter with cash in short supply and credit tapped out. Faced with stingy consumers, fading government subsidies and in some cases mounting deferred rent due, liabilities will exceed assets and they will enter CCAA (protection from creditors) and in many cases liquidate. And what a liquidation it will be. Clearance will be everywhere putting pressure on any remaining retailers as many wind down operations in the fall and use December to generate cash from inventory blow-outs.
“Some will live to fight again. Perhaps they will be bought by private equity and the truckloads of cash they are sitting on or scooped up by a landlord who wants to save them. Some could be acquired by one of the mega retailers looking to pick up a distressed brand. They will exist in a different form come the new year. Others will scrape by with e-commerce running full tilt and store traffic lower than last year but enough to pay the bills. They will regroup for holiday 2021 which will be a better time to be a retailer.”
Winder said Amazon will be Canada’s new holiday store and that it will give Canadian Tire, Walmart, and Costco a run for their money. There will be many late packages though, arriving after December 25 as delivery capacity will be no match for online demand, he added.
John Moss, Senior Vice President of Retail Leasing and Investment for CBRE Limited in Calgary, said there will be a reckoning.
“Retailers will feel more significant hardship by the end of the year. With government programs expiring, including the provincial eviction moratorium, tenants will realize how weak their financial positions are. Sales will continue to be weak,” he said.
“Come Christmas holiday season, it is unlikely corporations will have company functions because of COVID. This will be detrimental to most hospitality tenants. Come the new year, retailers will liquidate any retail inventory and shut their doors because they can’t hold on anymore.”
EXPERT SAYS ‘CATASTROPHIC’ TREND IS UNFOLDING WITH STORE CLOSURES DUE TO COVID-19
Craig Patterson, Editor-In-Chief and Founder of Retail Insider, described the trend in store closures as “catastrophic”. He did a tally in the early part of the year that indicated more than 1,000 store locations would be closing this year in Canada. COVID-19 has simply accelerated the financial challenges retailers were already facing.
“Now we’re seeing a fairly substantial number of bankruptcy filings. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the retailers will be going away, but some will. Others are restructuring. I was told that most retailers in this country have taken on a bit of a restructuring in some form. It doesn’t mean that they’ve necessarily filed but they’re certainly looking at their operations,” said Patterson.
“Overall, what I’m thinking, having talked to brokers, landlords, retailers, we are starting to see closures in the summer here. At the same time, there are government supports which have helped keep businesses afloat at least for now.
“But when those supports go away, I think we’re going to see more closures. Into the fall, I think we’re going to see more of this. We’re going to see more bankruptcy filings. Some will be household name retailers. From there we’re going to see the December holiday shopping season which some retailers will look to hopefully recoup some losses and maybe keep operational. But depending on things like a second wave, we don’t know where that’s going to go. I think January of 2021 is going to be a blood bath. I think we’re going to see a substantial amount of store closures in Canada — probably the most we’ve seen in our lifetimes in such a short period of time.”
EXPERT SAYS 10 YEARS OF CHANGE HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST 7 MONTHS DUE TO COVID-19
Michael Kehoe, Broker/Owner of Fairfield Commercial Real Estate in Calgary and a veteran of the industry, said retail is always changing and evolving, and we have seen 10 years of change in the past seven months in this time of accelerated disruption.
“Although we are in the thick of the transformation of the consumer real estate and the retail industry, we are still in the birth canal of this process and will be well into 2021. Many retailers and building owners are struggling to cope with the changes and an unknown future that will be either terrifying or exciting as we strategize for ‘what could be’ for the retail future in Canada,” he said.
“As the structures we have come to know and rely on seem to be crumbling before us, the future can either add to the fear or it can inspire the industry with new ideas and innovative possibilities. 2021 will see stores and restaurants continue to close and new ones will open. Building owners and their lenders will adapt and governments will need to get out of the way so as not to impede or delay the transformation of retail properties as they enter a new era to better serve the consumers in the markets where they are situated.
“Shopping centres and the concept of organized retail is the greatest entrepreneurial development in human history and both sides of the tenant, landlord equation will continue to be inspired by the challenges and the unknown trajectory of the future. The consumer real estate industry was built on relationships and the major adjustment in this intense time of change and unpredictability will be centred around the reorganization of relationships throughout the consumer real estate transactional chain.”
According to the most recent Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey, one in seven Canadian small businesses (158,000) are at risk of closing. The survey said 62 percent of small businesses are fully open; 37 percent are fully staffed; and only 26 percent are making normal sales.
HOARDING AROUND NEW CANADA GOOSE STORE IN CF RIDEAU CENTRE. PHOTO: REDDIT
Toronto-based fashion brand Canada Goose, known particularly for its warm outerwear, will open its ninth standalone Canadian store at Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre in the coming month. Last week, a unit also opened at CF Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto. The brand continues to expand its base of corporate stores while at the same time reducing its wholesale accounts to increase profitability.
CANADA GOOSE AT CF RIDEAU CENTRE WILL MARK THE BRAND’S NINTH STANDALONE CANADIAN STORE
The CF Rideau Centre store in Ottawa will span about 4,100 square feet, according to lease plans from landlord Cadillac Fairview. The store will feature the full line of outerwear and fashion for men, women, and children, and will also feature a ‘cold room’ where visitors can test out jackets in a sub-zero environment.
The store will be located on the mall’s third level amongst other upscale retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Harry Rosen, Kate Spade, Marc Cain, Stuart Weitzman, Tumi, Ted Baker, and others. CF Rideau Centre’s Nordstrom store also has an entrance on the same level.
CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE CF RIDEAU CENTRE MALL FLOOR PLAN
EXTERIOR OF CANADA GOOSE STORE IN CF TORONTO EATON CENTRECLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE MALL FLOOR PLAN
THE NEW CF TORONTO EATON CENTRE CANADA GOOSE STORE IS HIGHLY IMMERSIVE
The CF Toronto Eaton Centre Canada Goose store features a cold room with real snow, a rock-face interior and shards that illuminate. Consumers will be able to test Canada Goose products in extreme temperatures as low as -25°C. It’s the second Toronto Canada Goose store to feature a cold room, following the opening of the CF Sherway Gardens unit last year.
To mark the opening of CF Toronto Eaton Centre store, Canada Goose partnered with Toronto-based illustrator and designer Alexis Eke as part of In Residence – Canada Goose’s global artist residency program – to create a window installation that captures the spirit of the city and embraces the brand’s Live in the Open ethos.
Other standalone Canada Goose stores in Canada are in Vancouver at CF Pacific Centre, Calgary at CF Chinook Centre, Banff at Cascade Plaza, West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, and in Montreal on Ste-Catherine Street which is the company’s largest store in Canada. Last year as well, Canada Goose opened a concept store at Toronto’s CF Sherway Garden where one ‘experiences’ the brand with the opportunity to try on a jacket and have it shipped to one’s home.
The Yorkdale store has moved temporarily into the mall’s CONCEPT pop-up space. The 4,500-square-foot original Canada Goose space will expand by about 2,000 square feet by taking over a retail space formerly occupied by foodservice business Nadege.
Canada Goose has also expanded globally. Its first store outside of Canada opened in the fall of 2016 in New York City’s Soho area. The company has since opened stores in the United States in Boston, Chicago, Short Hills NJ, and in suburban Minneapolis. Other international cities where Canada Goose has opened stores include London UK, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Chengdu.
The Canadian market, with nine Canada Goose stores, may be sufficiently covered. At the same time, major markets such as Winnipeg and Quebec City, both with chilly winters, do not yet have standalone Canada Goose stores. A source said last year that Canada Goose had also been speaking with Cadillac Fairview to possibly open a store at CF Carrefour Laval in suburban Montreal — the same source was correct in informing us of other locations that proved to be accurate.
RENDERING OF BINGHAM CROSSING LOCATED ALONG THE TRANSCANADA HIGHWAY BETWEEN CALGARY AND BANFF. RENDERING: BINGHAM CROSSING
The massive Bingham Crossing shopping centre, to be located along the TransCanada Highway between Calgary and Banff, received a major boost recently when Rocky View County gave its approval for Phase 2 of the project.
PHASE 2 OF BINGHAM CROSSING PROJECT APPROVED
Phase 2 of the project by Rencor Developments Inc., includes a large-format anchor building and commercial retail for the state-of-the-art, pedestrian-oriented, open-air shopping and lifestyle centre, in the heart of the Springbank area and just 3.2 kilometres west of Calgary. It is located right across the highway from the Calaway Park amusement centre.
The site has spectacular views of the majestic Rocky Mountains.
“This is a significant and exciting step forward for Bingham Crossing and its co-owners, a project that has been underway for 13 years,” said Ron Renaud, President of Rencor. “Bingham Crossing is an important project for the near communities of Springbank and Harmony, as well as the surrounding region and TransCanada Highway 1 drivers, and will bring much-needed, conveniently-located amenities into the area.”
THE PROJECT INCLUDES 175,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL SPACE
Phase 1 of the project includes 270,000 square feet and Phase 2 will accommodate up to 175,000 square feet of retail.
RENDERING OF BINGHAM CROSSING ENTERTAINMENT AND RETAIL AREA. RENDERING: BINGHAM CROSSING
That will include about 30 to 45 businesses.
The overall development also includes seniors’ housing with 190 residences. The approval is for a large campus building that would include independent living, assisted living, and a number of townhomes in future phases.
Renaud said the large anchor format could be anywhere from 110,000 square feet to 175,000 square feet.
“We’ve been dealing with a couple of food stores. We have a letter of intent out with one of the food stores now that would anchor Phase 1, but this allows us the flexibility of putting a larger anchor in. We’ve had ongoing negotiations with two of the large anchors,” he said.
Construction is expected to start in the spring of next year with an opening in 2022. Rencor is likely to build both initial phases at the same time. Renaud estimates that on total build-out the entire project, with future phases, would be about $750 million.
RENDERING OF BINGHAM CROSSING ENTERTAINMENT AND RETAIL AREA. RENDERING: BINGHAM CROSSINGRENDERING OF BINGHAM CROSSING ENTERTAINMENT AND RETAIL AREA. RENDERING: BINGHAM CROSSING
“We’re in a unique position in that we serve three different markets. One of them is let’s call it the local Springbank community including the new Harmony master-planned community which is 1,800 acres which will have about 4,500 households on its full build-out and it’s got a few phases up and running. There’s basically no services west of Canada Olympic Park (in Calgary) on the west end. So it’s grossly underserved,” explained Renaud.
“In addition to that emerging market, we’re going to serve the west Calgary shoulder market and also what I call the regional market servicing the mountain parks. A lot of traffic is generated on Highway 1 which will increase pretty significantly when the southwest Ring Road opens.
“The other thing that’s unique is that it’s a 300-acre site. So these are the first two phases of a multi-phase project. We’re not constrained by land. And one of the things this COVID-19 pandemic has really brought forward is that people don’t want to be in confined areas. They don’t want to be in let’s say multi-level retail developments with parking underground where they are in confined areas. For example the first phase is 80 acres. You would only need really about 20 acres to put what we’re putting into Phase 1. There will be a lot of expansive areas that allow for people to choose their shopping experience, parking at the front door, lots of open space, lots of landscaping.”
RED INDICATES BINGHAM CROSSING LOCATION. CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE MAP
FUTURE PLANS FOR BINGHAM CROSSING COULD INCLUDE ENTERTAINMENT AND WELLNESS USES
Future phases for Bingham Crossing could include entertainment and health and wellness uses.
“I think the days of what I call the power centre are over. I don’t think you’re going to see a lot of really big power centres developed, if any. There could be some residential uses. We’re also looking at a community centre that would enhance the Springbank experience,” said Renaud.
“If you look back at the history of real estate, a lot of the great projects were started in times like these. It’s an unserved market. Everybody sort of lights their hair on fire with the advent of internet shopping and online shopping but there will always be a need for what we call essential retail-food stores. There will always be that need for an experience. I don’t think online is going to take over the majority of retail spending.”
Volvo-Owned Polestar Announces First Three Canadian Showrooms
Automaker Volvo-owned electric performance brand Polestar will open three storefronts in Canada this fall. The first three showrooms will be in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver in high-profile downtown locations. The company will also open service centres in Victoria, BC and Waterloo, ON.
In Toronto, Polestar will open at Yorkville Village (formerly Hazelton Lanes) at 55 Avenue Road in the wealthy Yorkville area. In Montreal, Polestar’s showroom will be at 1255 boulevard René Levesque West in downtown Montreal, located at the base of a new mixed-use high-rise in a rapidly changing part of the city. In Vancouver, Polestar will open at 827 Seymour Street which is at the base of The Capitol Residences condominium building where Retail Insider was once based out of.
IMAGE OF POLESTAR VEHICLE. PHOTO: VOLVO
The three Polestar retail spaces will be similar in size to electric vehicle brands Tesla and Genesis Motors which operate several showrooms in Canada as well. “95% of Canadian Polestar owners and reservation holders live within the 240-kilometre home delivery range of these Polestar retail Spaces,” said Polestar Canada general manager Hugues Bissonnette in a press release. “With this coverage, plus the two additional service centres, we are confident that the Canadian market will be well-supported from day one.”
The Canadian Polestar stores will operate in partnerships with retail groups Grand Touring Automobiles and GAIN Group. Last year we reported that Polestar had partnered with Montreal-based Groupe Park Avenue and that plans were in place to open a first retail location in Montreal. That deal was subsequently terminated.
Prices for Polestar vehicles in Canada will start at about $70,000.
CHICO’S STOREFRONT AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE — THE STORE CLOSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. PHOTO: ADAM MCCOWN
All Chico’s and White House Black Market Stores to Close in Canada Amid Bankruptcy
Womenswear retailer Chico’s FAS Canada filed for bankruptcy last week and the company will shut all of its Canadian stores. Chico’s entered the Canadian market in 2013 and failed to expand beyond southern Ontario, despite plans to open stores across the country.
The company’s first store in Canada was a White House Black Market storefront which opened in October of 2013 at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The retail concept subsequently opened stores at Square One in Mississauga, Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Mapleview Centre in Burlington, and at the Outlet Collection at Niagara near Niagara Falls.
WHITE HOUSE BLACK MARKET STOREFRONT AT YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE. PHOTO: ADAM MCCOWN
All of the company’s Canadian stores closed in March due to COVID-19. The Canadian operations were losing money according to the company. Clearance sales will be held this month and the stores will close in the fall. Canadians will be able to continue to shop for the brands on e-commerce websites.
Canadian Bonnie Brooks, formerly head of the Hudson’s Bay Company, was President and CEO of Chico’s FAS until June of this year. Chico’s has more than 1,300 stores in North America and the company will close as many as 60 units following struggles. Last quarter, the company lost nearly US $180 million.
EXTERIOR OF MOORES CLOTHING STORE.
Moores Parent Company, Tailored Brands, Files for Bankruptcy
The parent company for mid-priced Canadian menswear retail chain Moores filed for bankruptcy on Sunday and according to filings, the 126-store retailer will remain operational for the time being. Moores operates 54 stores in Ontario, 25 stores in Quebec, 16 in BC, 15 in Alberta, five in Manitoba, four in Nova Scotia, three in New Brunswick, two in Saskatchewan, and one store in both Newfoundland and PEI.
In Canada, retailer Laura Shoppes, which operates under the Laura and Melanie Lynn banners, also filed for bankruptcy protection last week. All stores will remain open amid a restructuring. Various other retailers have filed and announced store closings — David's Tea will shut all but 18 stores in Canada, and Frank And Oak will keep only three of its 20 units open. Montreal-based retailer Reitmans is fighting for its future and will hopefully remain operational despite struggles. Sources are saying we can expect many more filings in the weeks and moths to come amid an acceleration due to COVID-19.
WOMEN’S READY-TO-WEAR BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Saint Laurent Opens Three Boutique Concessions in Montreal
Kering-owned French luxury brand Saint Laurent unveiled three boutique spaces last week in Montreal at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. They join a men's Saint Laurent boutique concession that opened in the spring of 2019.
The new Saint Laurent boutique spaces include a leather goods boutique on the ground floor luxury hall of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, a women's footwear boutique on the second level in the women's shoe department, and a women's ready-to-wear salon on the third floor of the store which features other major luxury brands. We've included photos of all four Saint Laurent concessions.
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MEN’S BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
WOMEN’S FOOTWEAR BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LEATHER GOODS BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Prior to opening these, Saint Laurent had a presence at the former Holt Renfrew store on Sherbrooke Street which closed last month to coincide with the opening of all six retail levels of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. In 1981, an Yves Saint Laurent boutique opened at 1330 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal. Owner York-Hannover also opened a Saint Laurent storefront at Hazelton Lanes in Toronto.
Thank you Maxime Frechette for taking photos used in this Brief.
VIEW OF ENTRANCE TO TORONTO PREMIUM OUTLETS. PHOTO: SIMON PROPERTY GROUP
Toronto Premium Outlets Adds Moncler and Balenciaga to the Retail Mix
The Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills is becoming one of North America's most luxury-focused outlet centres. Last week luxury brand Balenciaga opened its first Canadian outlet store at the centre and now Italian luxury fashion and outerwear brand Moncler will be joining it, making Toronto Premium Outlets by far the leading centre of its kind in Canada in terms of luxury brand offerings.
Last year, a Brunello Cucinelli outlet store opened at Toronto Premium Outlets as well, joining an already impressive roster of outlets for brands such as Saint Laurent, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Versace, Montblanc, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Ports 1961, and Movado. We toured the outlet mall's new luxury wing when the expansion opened in the fall of 2018.
It's a considerably more robust lineup of brands when compared to the McArthur Glen outlets at Vancouver International Airport, which was positioned as a luxury centre when it opened in the summer of 2015. The Montreal Premium Outlets, operated by the same landlord as Toronto Premium Outlets, features luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo — the centre formerly housed Gucci and Max Mara outlets which have closed.
Thank you again Maxime Frechette for information for this section of the Brief.
DRIVEIN TO INITIAITVE HAPPENING AT CF SHERWAY GARDENS. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
Cadillac Fairview Expands Mall Parking Lot Drive in Theatres
Cadillac Fairview has introduced its outdoor movie experience at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. Created in partnership with the City of Toronto's DriveIn TO initiative, CF Sherway Gardens is transforming its parking lot into an outdoor movie theatre for three consecutive weekends.
The initiative, which began on Thursday, July 30, will run for three weekends from Thursday to Saturday and feature two separate screenings per night — one at 6:00pm and one at 9:00pm. Each weekend will feature two different movies, including comedy blockbusters and animated films so all can enjoy. On the third weekend, CF is proudly partnering with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) to host two special nights with a rotation showcasing fantastic Canadian documentary content including, True North: Inside the Rise of Toronto Basketball and nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up.
The cost to attend is $10 per car, per movie, and all proceeds will be donated to St. Joseph's Hospital. Tickets will be available for online purchase starting Wednesday July 29 at 12pm noon. Spots are limited to 100 cars per movie screening.
The Neighbourhood Joint Launches in Toronto with Pneumatic Tube System
The Neighbourhood Joint (THJ) has announced the opening of its first cannabis retail location in Toronto’s Beaches at 1987 Queen St. E. in Toronto. The store features a pneumatic tube system allowing for quick and efficient retrieval of stock — something of a relic of the past. The Neighbourhood Joint will focus on cannabis education and offer a wide selection of products with an emphasis on organic and sustainable cannabis.
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As an ode to the mode of communication used in the 1930s between Toronto’s City Hall reporters and newspapers like The Toronto Star and The Toronto Telegram, the family-owned retailer installed the pneumatic tube system as a key design element in their store. The fast retrieval of stock due to The pneumatic tubes will allow for fast-retrieval of stock and increased efficiency, requiring less handling of product by staff. Additionally, TNJ’s focus on organic and sustainable cannabis is a key brand pillar that will play a strong role within the store.
A recycling program is set to be put in place by the company for products that are not reusable, such as pre-filled vape pens, to ensure TNJ maintains their ethos of an environmentally conscious brand. TNJ will also implement a loyalty program, free for customers to join that will allow them to receive 20% off their next purchase.
Independently and family owned the store had their soft opening on July 28, with their grand opening on August 1.
INTERIOR OF NEW SUPERETTE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: SUPERETTE INC.
Superette Expands Retail Presence into Toronto and Announces First Branded Cannabis Product
Canadian cannabis retailer Superette Inc has announced its expansion into Toronto, with a store located at 1073 Yonge Street. Expanding on its first store and overwhelming success in Ottawa, Superette is bringing its award-winning approach to cannabis retail and decades of traditional retail experience to this flagship store in the Summerhill neighbourhood.
“Opening in Toronto is an incredible milestone, and we are so excited to bring Superette to Canada’s largest market,” said Mimi Lam, CEO of Superette. “Retail is our first step in building an immersive brand experience and we are establishing the foundation for prudent expansion of Superette across Canada and beyond.”
INTERIOR OF NEW SUPERETTE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: SUPERETTE INC.
Superette is also introducing its first Superette-branded cannabis products. The Company has previously entered into definitive agreements with Fume Labs and the Blinc Group as its extraction and hardware partners, respectively, for the production and sale of cannabis vape products under the Superette brand.
The first product to be produced and sold is a 0.5 gram single-strain 510 cartridge with a unique cannabis formulation and custom hardware. Named Jumping Jack, this 510 cartridge uses CO2-extracted distillate with re-introduced natural terpenes and is a true representation of a Jack Herer, Super Silver Haze cross.
INTERIOR OF NEW SUPERETTE STORE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: SUPERETTE INC.
“At Superette, we can’t wait to roll out our portfolio of cannabis products across Canada,” said Mimi. “Fume Labs and the Blinc Group are incredible partners and we’re very fortunate to be working with them on our first product.”
Superette’s has aggressive expansion plans for the near future, with additional locations including:
49 Spadina Ave, Toronto
994 Dundas Street West, Toronto
852 Bank Street, Ottawa
Superette’s newest store will be open for in-store shopping as well as click and collect. For more information, visit Superette’s website. at www.superetteshop.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Retail Insider, in partnership with Toronto-based Best Retail Careers International Inc., recently conducted a survey of retailers and the findings were surprising. A poll allowed retailers to anonymously answer a series of questions about plans for staffing between now and into the fall and then into the December holiday shopping season.
The study indicated that the vast majority of retailers surveyed are looking to hire into the fall and winter of this year. “Headlines abound touting that retailers in demise are shedding large numbers of employees. The headlines are daily. Be prepared to reset that vision,” said Suzanne Sears, founder and CEO of Best Retail Careers International Inc. in an interview with Retail Insider on the study’s findings.
“The study found that 89% of retailers taking the survey reported that they do intend to hire. The hiring process will be spread out over the balance of 2020, with 29% of respondents saying that they’re hiring immediately, 27% plan to hire within the next three months, and the remainder of hires planned will be for seasonal holiday selling.”
Those results indicate some confidence in the retail industry at a time when some media has often focused on the negative. Some retailers are reporting stronger than anticipated sales. Some luxury brands in particular are seeing higher sales now when compared to this time last year, prompting Suzanne Sears to launch a new luxury retail industry recruiting platform which will include a job board on the Retail Insider website. During a recent visit to Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area, Ms. Sears said that some luxury brands had told her that sales in some instances had been record-breaking recently, with one recent addition to the neighbourhood saying that sales are now triple what they were last year when the brand opened its concession within Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street.
In terms of government subsidies leading to increased hiring now and into the fall, Ms. Sears said, “These staffing intentions seem quite firm. One would expect that the 75% wage subsidy program from CEWS is the factor underlying this confidence. Retailers know they will have the funds to pay staff.”
Ms. Sears noted that there is some uncertainty in the industry, however. “We can speculate that the respondents want to see real sales continue but also have in mind a potential second wave of COVID-19 that might shut them down again. They do not want to be in a high head count position if this happens again,” she said.
“So who are these people retailers intend to hire? Surprisingly, only 60% intend to recall their furloughed staff to fill the anticipated hiring sprees. Yet at the same time 70% of retailers anticipate some of their staff will not be willing to return to work. What can we interpret from this seeming conflict of retailers expecting staff to not return when called yet retailers only intend to extend offers to 60% of who they furloughed?”
Ms. Sears explained how the answer might be that many retailers surveyed must have ‘packaged out’ some of their more senior staff at higher salaries while at the same time using this transition period to evaluate the best performers. This has led to a trimming of head counts to reflect bringing back just their most valued staff, she said.
“At the same time then we must look at what categories of staff retailers intend to hire. In the study, 66% of respondents said that they were looking to hire only part time staff. About 35% said that they would hire full time staff. This is a fairly startling statistic. There are a few potential problems with this strategy.”
“First off, the CEWS funding was meant to keep staff employed at the levels they were before. Retail represents roughly 25% of the entire economy and many are not intending to use these funds this way. Rather, they intend to rehire on thinner hours, and this may conflict with the goals of the Federal Government,” Ms. Sears said.
She went on to explain some other concerns regarding government funds used to rehire staff amid store closures due to COVID-19. “The goal for CEWS was also to retain the headcount prior to COVID-19. Clearly it seems that no retailers actually intend to do that but are in fact shrinking head count by an estimated 10%. Now while not all retailers are using the federal funding, the averages suggest that many are.”
“Thus we can see the Federal government and retailers butting heads this Fall: intent versus actual use of CEWS funds.”
“Now the second matter is the actual availability of part time staff. Are they willing to trade full time jobs with benefits for insecure, seasonal part time work? Here we run into the CERB funding issue. While many think that CERB is preventing staff from taking on work, a little digging reveals that in most cases, the offers the employers have made to them are insufficient to entice them back. They are facing massive childcare decisions and problems with feeling safe.”
“If indeed people are in a position where CERB is over, it is false to believe they will thus be pushed by lack of options into accepting underemployment as their new reality. Statistics Canada already shows over half a million people have simply stopped looking for work at this time but do want to go to work at some point.”
Ms. Sears explained that retailers relying upon hiring 66% all part time workers may find themselves caught off guard for holiday sales as retail staff begin to reject the offers even without CERB funds.
“Additionally, retailers in the survey indicated a pushback on minimum wage offers and are quite concerned they will not be able to afford the demands of hiring new staff.”
Ms. Sears provided a caution to retailers noting that there may be a reluctance amongst some employees to take public transit in order to get to their jobs. “This was a hiring problem before COVID-19 but seems to be gaining more prominence in staffing obstacles now due to safety fears.”
“In the survey, our last question centred on hiring staff for luxury retailers. While luxury represents a small and unique employment sector that was difficult to staff, 55% of retailers now say it is very hard to recruit luxury staff. Luxury is a small segment of Canadian retail; no more than 15% in total sales, and results in the study appear to show that more than half of them are struggling to find the calibre of staff they need.”
Luxury retailers are different in their staffing needs according to Ms. Sears, seeking out the best talent possible who can provide high-quality service to a discerning customer. “Luxury retailers have more unique hiring criteria to meet than mainstream retail does. These brands are highly sensitive as to who they wish to represent their brands,” she said. “There are often demands to travel or relocate attached to these roles and for in-home selling visits. Overall the talent pool is small for luxury retailers and the filters to hire are set very, very high.”
“The overall conclusion of the survey is that retailers are eager to hire and intend to hire even if the hiring does not look like any hiring initiative that they have ever executed before. These are unprecedented times and retailers may need some help on boarding staff required to maintain operations.”
In early August, Best Retail Careers International Inc. will be launching a luxury staffing platform in partnership with Retail Insider, including a high-end job board that will expand across Canada. The initial focus will be on Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area and the program will subsequently expand across the country. A virtual employment fair will also be held.
For more information on the new job board and career fair, email Craig Patterson at: craig@retail-insider.com
A unique virtual reality experience has been launched at Calgary’s Southcentre Mall.
VRKADE is the newest tenant at the mall and it specializes in both educational programs and experiential entertainment for individuals and groups.
“At VRKADE, we are dedicated to curating quality virtual reality experiences for all ages in a safe and enjoyable environment,” said Jason Van Hierden, CEO of VRKADE Inc. “We believe in harnessing the power of community to connect with each of our guests on a personal level and we truly value Southcentre Mall’s shared commitment to creating community spaces where people can engage in meaningful experiences.”
SOUTHCENTRE MALL’S NEWEST TENANT, VRKADE, HOPES TO BE A SAFE SPACE TO RECONNECT IN PERSON POST-COVID SHUTDOWNS
VRKADE provides a variety of virtual experiences using cutting-edge technology. A number of unique virtual escape rooms are available as well as a big library of single and multi-player arcade games. Educational camps and field trips are also offered for children from ages 8 to 16.
“As a hub for the local community, Southcentre is excited to introduce Calgarians to VRKADE and the immersive experiences it has to offer,” said Alexandra Velosa, Marketing Manager, Southcentre Mall. “We know that families and friends are looking for safe ways to reconnect in person and we hope that as they begin to explore what their new normal looks like, they will have the opportunity to discover VRKADE’s extensive repertoire of fun and educational virtual activities.
A LOOK INSIDE VRKADE SHOWING ITS INDIVIDUAL BOOTHS
MAN USING VRKADE VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLES
MAN USING VRKADE VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLES
INTERIOR OF VRKADE
“Malls are more than just a place to go shopping. They have become a community hub and that is what we are trying to reflect with Southcentre and our unique retailers in the mall. It’s about bringing our community together and giving them opportunities to enjoy, have fun, relax and now these days in a safe way.
“For us, it was about bringing something different and unique that will not only bring people to the mall but it gives them an opportunity to experience something different and unique. Virtual reality is not something you find in every single mall in Calgary.”
Officials said people can expect to have access to their own curtained-off area to provide privacy as well as spatial guidance while using virtual reality headsets.
VRKADE is based in Calgary and has six locations — three in Calgary, one in Lethbridge (the original location), one in Nanaimo, and one in Abbotsford.
CALGARY-BASED VRKADE HAS PLANS FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
Jessica Smith, part-owner of the Southcentre Mall location and Director of Operations for VRKADE’s corporate office, said the company has plans for expansion.
“We do sell franchises and we do have current plans to continue to expand corporately. We do continue to get lots of interest and continue to grow. We do definitely have our eyes set on that,” she said.
“We’re a virtual reality company that offers entertainment and education. As a core part of our company we offer entertainment to anybody that is interested in doing a fun activity. You come into our stores. We have individually set up curtained off areas. You get your individual booth with your headset and controllers. We walk you through the set up where we explain everything to you and support you into getting into games. We can connect you with friends and family and single and multi-player games. You can actually in a multi-player game see one another and interact with each other. It’s like you’re right there next to each other but you could be at different locations. So it’s very cool.”
LOCATION OF VRKADE IN SOUTHCENTRE MALL
The Southcentre location has 17 full stations and a party room. It is in 2,730 square feet of space. The education component includes summer and spring camps and personal development days during school. There are a wide variety of programs that include things like kids building their own atoms to flying to and landing on the moon.
Southcentre Mall, which is part of Oxford Properties Group, has over 160 stores and services, including Calgary exclusives like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and western Canada’s first Sporting Life.
