“Rising consumer real estate vacancy levels in the age of COVID-19 are providing opportunities for retailers and foodservice professionals to test-drive new product and menu offerings on a short-term basis in a low-risk commercial environment. Proactive and creative landlords and building owners are seeking out pop-up tenants to keep their storefronts activated and incubate new long-term tenants. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ once said Thomas Edison,” said Kehoe.
EXPERT SAYS THERE IS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH FOR POP-UP RETAIL STORES AND RESTAURANTS
Linda Farha, Founder and Chief Connector at Toronto-based pop-up go, said when the initiative started close to four years ago it was about people who wanted to do activations to either get business intelligence, test a specific location for a long-term opportunity, or maybe even to test a product or a new concept. It was experiential.
“That process or that rationale for doing a pop-up versus today’s rationale is very different. And also I would say back then, and over time, and up until pre-pandemic, the tendency was to do a pop-up in many cases in a mall and sometimes street locations. But it wasn’t like specifically one or the other,” said Farha.
“We’re seeing a shift and we started seeing it beforehand. A lot of the things that are happening today COVID exponentially made those things happen faster. We were already starting to see a tendency toward pop-ups that were non-fashion related, non-mall related. But now we’re seeing exactly that. A lot of the pop-ups are food, accessories, things that fall into the categories of what people are actually purchasing now because of COVID. So if you’re buying lounge wear and pajamas and sweat pants and whatever else people are doing pop-ups in those particular categories that follow that trend.
“Of course, they’re doing it to get visibility in a brick and mortar environment to supplement their visibility online. And they’re also doing it to just create brand awareness but really in most cases not with the intentions of being a permanent store. Secondly, we’re seeing a lot more of a transition from interest in mall locations to outdoor and/or storefront locations.”
For example, parking lots are being used for pop-up locations. Restaurants are also creating outdoor pop-up locations.
Whether it is for a few hours or a few months, pop-up go provides organizations across North America with a range of available spaces for pop-up activations. The initiative helps make the connection by providing an online ‘meeting place’ that brings together diverse organizations who want to host or execute pop-ups and locate appropriate spaces for them. The concept connects a landlord and a seeker of space.
“About 30 percent of the inquiries I’m getting are from Alberta and I don’t know why that is,” said Farha. “It’s really strange. In the past month or so, Alberta seems to be where people are trying to do pop-ups.
“In some cases people are coming to us for tech-related. They’re not as much experiential as they had been in the past because of COVID. Malls have always been difficult with pop-ups. They never really wanted to do it. Then they started focusing on it. And now I think they’re realizing we need to. But I’m getting push back from a lot of people who are saying ‘you know we’re concerned about having a pop-up for a short-term in our mall because we want to make sure they comply with COVID regulations and it’s too complicated so it’s not worth it. So we’d rather have vacancies than have to worry about a non-compliant tenant who is going to mess things up basically for our mall’.”
POP UP GO LAUNCHES ONLINE MARKETPLACE ‘PROJEX’ DUE TO COVID-19
The concept is creating a new initiative called projeX which is an online marketplace for people who want to do pop-ups or experiential type things.
“The projeX website is going to be for those who want to start off with an online experiential pop-up and then transfer it to a physical one when they’re ready,” explained Farha.
In this day and age with the challenges of COVID and the struggling economy, retailers are looking for shorter leases to make sure they can test out their concepts and survive.
“Five years in the world that we live in today is so long. The world changes so rapidly and demand changes so rapidly and consumers are so fickle. What’s really hot today is not hot tomorrow, and it happens extremely quickly,” said Farha. “There is a lot of concern for these brands that are doing these pop-ups that may have the intention of being in a permanent scenario to kind of commit for that long. And that long being maybe even more than a year.
“What this has created is that the landlord community has to kind of change, pivot tremendously. This trend is getting more tight or more restricted. They had to shift from 10 years to five years. Now they have to shift to potentially one year leases. It makes it more complicated for them and obviously more work for them but it’s also a little shift in terms of the mindset.”
With hockey season upon us across the country, North America’s largest hockey specialty goods retailer, Source for Sports, has been busy meeting the consumer demand for equipment even in a pandemic world.
The retailer was obviously impacted at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis like everyone else as stores were shut down and certain sports activities were initially restricted.
SOURCE FOR SPORTS SEES SHIFT IN CONSUMER DEMAND AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC
But as stores opened up, Source For Sports President, Brad Hause, said the retailer noticed a shift in consumer demand as people were buying at home training aids, running footwear, and inline skates.
“People were looking to get out and get active,” he said. “We started selling mostly through online in the early stages and as we were able to reopen our stores. We were very well prepared to reopen with the proper signage, the proper cleaning protocols, and the proper equipment for the local staff and the customer to be able to have a safe experience. Some of which was being done through appointments. There was also a virtual sell where you could do a FaceTime kind of walk through the store helping people.”
CLEVE’S SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK. PHOTO: YELP
As time went on, the retailer saw a big surge in bicycles.
“We’ve gotten a little bit more into our traditional stuff now. We’re now in the thick of hockey selling season. So that’s been relatively normal. It was delayed as far as when the peak started because there was still a lot of uncertainty. There’s been a lot of pent-up excitement to get back to normalcy. So we’ve seen a strong interest in hockey for sure,” said Hause.
“We’ve re-merchandised the store to create better flow or more openness to make sure that people have space. That’s the first thing we did. That continued on. Now when somebody’s coming in for skate fitting, the sales person who is helping them will be wearing usually a protective mask or a protective shield. There’s one customer on the bench at one time. Make sure we obviously have distancing. So there’s a lot of appointments being made in order to ensure we have proper spacing because the skate fitting process is pretty involved from both the assessment of the foot, the fitting of the skate, the moulding of the skate, the blade contouring. All of that takes time.
“In order to have a proper experience and to make sure you don’t have a surge of people at one time we are doing a lot of appointments.”
The retailer, which launched in 1972, is headquartered in Burlington, Ontario with 194 locations coast to coast in Canada and 65 in the United States.
“We’re in essence a member owned buying group. All of the stores are independently owned businesses. They’re not franchisees. They’re independent stores that became part of this group. So collectively we buy together and we market together,” said Hause.
“So every store is hyper local. Very much tuned into the needs of their local market. So the mix can vary. You can have stores that can be purely 100 per cent hockey only or you can have stores in smaller communities that would carry a very broad selection of sports because then they can service the market as they could be the only game in town if you will.
“The common thread is we’re all about very good service because all of our store owners have been at this for decades. And most of their staff have been at it for decades. You get exceptional service within our stores. We’d like to say that we fit your game which is really making sure that we tailor the right products for what you need for your level of game whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, advanced level of play we’ve got the right product and know how to fit it better than anyone else.”
SOURCE FOR SPORTS IS ADAPTING AMID PANDEMIC & LOOKING AT U.S. EXPANSION
The industry has also adapted product to meet the challenges of today’s pandemic world. New hockey masks, for example, have been developed that are designed to help contain the moisture, so there are less droplets being released from people, and to mitigate the problem of fogging.
From a store count, Hause said the retailer isn’t really in expansion mode in Canada but definitely it is looking to grow further in the U.S. market.
“In Canada we’re saturated, candidly. But in the U.S. we’re much younger there. We only went down there five years ago and so therefore we’ve had lots of opportunity to bring on stores, existing stores, into our group,” he said.
An off-schedule podcast touring the Oakridge Shopping Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, in September 2020, prior to its shutdown for an incredible redevelopment. Craig and Lee discuss what’s happening at Oakridge in a tour showcasing what’s open and what has closed recently in preparation for the construction.
Shopping Centre Video Tour:
The Weekly podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
(Note: Hudson’s Bay announced that it had closed this location permanently on November 30, 2020)
The Hudson’s Bay Company will shutter its downtown Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay flagship store early next year, marking the end of an era for the city. The Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay store was the company’s Canadian flagship between 1926 and 1974, and the loss of the store will mark the last department store for downtown Winnipeg.
The store will be shutting in February of 2021 and when it closes, about 60 employees will be out of work. In decades past when the store operated on all seven retail levels, more than thirty times that number of people would have worked there. Over the past decade, the 675,000 square foot store has been downsized to just two floors of retail space and in 2013 a Zellers store operating in the basement shuttered.
For years, the Hudson’s Bay Company has been trying to determine what to do with the massive 675,000 building in downtown Winnipeg. In 2013 the retailer attempted to transfer ownership to the Manitoba government for tax benefits, and more recently the University of Manitoba was approached to take over the building. Last year the building was assessed at $0, and even less given a tax bill of more than $300,000 annually. The cost of renovating the massive complex was said to be cost-prohibitive — each floor plate spans more than 80,000 square feet with no interior light well, creating challenges to convert the building to office space for example.
THE WINNIPEG STORE TODAY. IMAGE: GOOGLE MAPSCLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP
Downtown Winnipeg’s first Hudson’s Bay store opened in 1881 at the corner of Main Street and York Avenue. In 1911 a larger fireproof store opened across the street where the general offices of the Hudson’s Bay Company were located as well as the wholesale, land and fur trade departments — the building was called Hudson’s Bay House.
HUDSON’S BAY HOUSE IN WINNIPEG IN 1925 BEFORE THE NEW STORE OPENING. PHOTO: HBC ARCHIVES
When the commercial centre of Winnipeg shifted to Portage Avenue, Hudson’s Bay sought out a new location where in 1926, the gigantic new flagship store was constructed. The current Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay store opened November 18, 1926, and cost about $5 million to build. About 50,000 people visited the store on the first day despite just the ground floor, second level and basement being open at that time. A whopping 2,000 people worked in the building. When it opened, some women’s dresses were priced as high as $125, which translates into about $1,900 in today’s dollars.
THE STORE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN 1925. MANITOBA ARCHIVES
Construction of the new Winnipeg Bay store took over a year with 1,000 workers needed to complete the project. About 300 workers, 120 teams of horses, 20 trucks and two steam shovels were needed to excavate about 150,000 tons of earth to lay the foundation for the store. A total of 151 concrete pillars were driven by hand down 52 feet to the bedrock to support the building. Two million feet of lumber, 100,000 tons of concrete, and 125,000 cubic feet of Tyndall limestone were used in the building’s construction. At the time it was the largest reinforced concrete building in Canada spanning about 15 acres of floor space.
The modern structure utilized three massive coal-powered boilers in a power plant located 45 feet below street level to provide steam heat and hot water. Steam was diverted to turbines to generate electricity for lighting and elevators in the store. Three air conditioning units processed over 68,000 cubic feet of air per minute each. More than 32 km of pipes and 8,000 sprinkler heads provided fire protection. A 600 foot deep well, the deepest in Canada, was used for air conditioning and water for toilets. Gigantic refrigeration rooms held food for public sale as well as for in-store restaurants. The largest fur storage in Westin Canada housed 12,000 garments.
Twelve elevators were installed in two banks of six each facing each other in a concave arrangement with lobbies decrorated with immense murals depicting the early history of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Escalators were eventually installed in the store and some elevators and murals were eventually removed.
The store featured a wide range of services including a beauty parlour, public telephones, a post office, and a library. Later additions included an auditorium with its own orchestra and in 1930, the first of a series of aerial navigation beacons installed in western Canada. Previous in-store restaurants included the Jolly Canuck café in the basement, the Georgian Room, which opened in August of 1926 and the popular Paddlewheel, which opened in 1954 and was closed in January of 2013.
INSIDE THE WINNIPEG HUDSON’S BAY STORE IN 1926. PHOTO: HBC ARCHIVES
The first liquor outlet in a department store opened on the store’s mezzanine in 1971 and in 1975, a CIBC branch opened where it remained until 1978.
A $4 million renovation between 1986 and 1987 saw updates to the main, second and third floors. An additional $200,000 was invested to update the sixth floor and $700,000 for the basement and fourth floor. The basement was converted to a 67,000 square foot Zellers store (then owned by Hudson’s Bay) which shut in March of 2013.
The Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay store was the company’s flagship between 1926 and 1974. Technically the headquarters of Hudson’s Bay was in London UK until 1970. In 1974, the company shifted the flagship status to a new 340,000 square foot Bay store at the northeast corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets. The 935,000 square foot Simpson’s building in downtown Toronto replaced the Bloor Street store as the company’s flagship in 1991 — prior to that, the Winnipeg store was the largest in the chain.
The downtown Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay store was one of the company’s original downtown flagships. Other downtown Bay flagships in the early 1900s included the 650,000 square foot Vancouver Hudson’s Bay store which was built in phases beginning in 1893, the 500,000 square foot downtown Calgary Hudson’s Bay store which was built in phases starting in 1891, and the downtown Edmonton store (no longer occupied by Hudson’s Bay) which spanned 470,000 square feet and was finished in 1939. Smaller downtown stores were also located in Victoria, Regina and Saskatoon. Hudson’s Bay acquired Montreal-based Morgan’s in 1968 and converted the 655,000 square foot Montreal flagship store to the Bay banner in 1972. The large Freiman’s store in Ottawa was converted to the Bay in 1973, and the Simpson’s store on Queen Street in Toronto was converted to the Hudson’s Bay’s flagship in 1991.
INSIDE THE WINNIPEG HUDSON’S BAY STORE IN 2017. IMAGE VIA GOOGLE MAPSA RECENT PHOTO OF THE STORE’S ELEVATORS AND MURALS VIA GOOGLE IMAGES
In decades past, the Winnipeg store was profitable and was one of three department stores in Winnipeg’s downtown core. Remarkably, the store once even had luxury brands. A newspaper article from 1973 noted that a Givenchy Nouvelle boutique was being added to ‘The Mirror Room’ department of the Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay as well as to Bay flagships in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and in 1974, in the new downtown Toronto store on Bloor Street.
Despite recent developments, downtown Winnipeg has been on the decline for years from a retail perspective. Eaton’s once operated an 885,000 square foot store nearby (demolished in 2003 and replaced by a stadium), while Holt Renfrew operated a 40,000 square foot store on Portage Avenue which relocated within the Portage Place shopping complex in 1987. Eaton’s shuttered the massive Winnipeg store in 1999 and Holt Renfrew exited Winnipeg in 2013.
The suburbanization of Winnipeg is partly to blame for the demise of the Hudson’s Bay store. The CF Polo Park shopping centre, located about 3.5 km west of the downtown Bay store, is one of the most productive malls in Canada in terms of annual sales per square foot. It also has free and ample parking. The CF Polo Park Hudson’s Bay store, which opened in the mall in 2003, is one of the company’s top performers. Hudson’s Bay also operates a store at the St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg and the retailer also once had a store at the suburban Kildonan Place which opened in 1980 as well as the former Unicity Mall which opened in 1975 and shuttered in 2000.
INSIDE THE WINNIPEG HUDSON’S BAY STORE IN 2018. IMAGE VIA GOOGLE MAPSEXTERIOR OF THE WINNIPEG HUDSON’S BAY STORE IN 2019. WITH THE MANITOBA LEGISLATURE IN THE BACKGROUND. IMAGE VIA GOOGLE MAPS
Parking and a perceived lack of safety are said to be blamed for challenges downtown. At the same time, downtown Winnipeg is seeing positive growth including the addition of the True North Square project which includes a food hall and gourmet grocery store.
Nevertheless, Winnipeg joins Edmonton as the second major city in Canada to have no downtown department stores. The 168,000 square foot downtown Edmonton Hudson’s Bay store, located in the Edmonton Centre shopping complex, will be closing soon as was announced several months ago.
It’s likely that the heritage-protected Hudson’s Bay building will sit vacant for years, creating a blight in downtown Winnipeg. This became an issue in Vancouver when the 700,000 square foot downtown Woodward’s store shut in 1993. The building became home to squatters until it was demolished for a redevelopment in 2006.
Montreal-based La Presse reported last month that the downtown Montreal Hudson’s Bay store is for sale and that its retail space could be reduced to just 250,000 square feet on three levels, with the remaining 400,000 square feet being repurposed into office space with a proposed 300-foot tower also potentially part of the plans. The downtown Vancouver Bay flagship store is also said to be for sale again. Hudson’s Bay is also said to be looking to convert departments to a concession model to be run by other providers.
We’ll follow up on this story when the Winnipeg store closes next February.
UK Fashion Brand ‘Ben Sherman’ Exiting Canadian Retail Operations
UK-based mid-priced men’s fashion brand Ben Sherman is clearing out its remaining Canadian store in Toronto after closing two other units following the spring COVID-19 store shutdowns.
The remaining store at 734 Queen Street West in Toronto is set to close in October after it clears out merchandise. Stock in the store is from the shuttered Vaughan Mills Ben Sherman store near Toronto as well as from the former Square One Ben Sherman store. The Vaughan Mills store opened in the spring of 2015 and the Square One store opened in the summer of 2016.
BEN SHERMAN STORE ON QUEEN STREET WEST IN TORONTO.
The Queen Street store in Toronto was the first for Ben Sherman in Canada when it opened in the fall of 2011. Much of the product in the store is 50% off as of last weekend.
A local licensee who has had rights to the brand since 2005 decided to shut the operations down in Canada amid challenging times for retail. Several other international brands are also in the process of pulling out of Canada.
EXTERIOR OF NEW TUDOR LOCATION IN YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
1st Tudor Storefront in Canada to Open in Toronto
Swiss Luxury watch brand Tudor will see its first Canadian storefront open this fall at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The space will be connected to the mall’s Raffi Jewellers store which also features several other branded spaces.
The Tudor space will face directly onto the mall towards another luxury brand store, Breitling, which opened its first Canadian storefront in partnership with jeweller European Boutique in the summer of 2017.
Tudor was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex. Tudor continues to be the ‘sister’ company to Rolex with both companies being owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. The watches, which from afar could be mistaken for Rolex, are generally priced in the $3,000-$7,000 range depending on the style.
Raffi Jewellers, which is the licensee for the new Tudor boutique, operates storefronts at Yorkdale as well as at Square One in Mississauga. The Yorkdale store spans nearly 4,400 square feet. Tudor will replace a Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique that relocated down the hall into a standalone space that is now corporately owned.
Yorkdale is home to the biggest clustering of luxury brands in Canada, and sources say that more announcements are on the way for this year as well as into 2021.
EXTERIOR OF OVO STORE AT CF RIDEAU CENTRE IN OTTAWA. PHOTO: CHRIS CANUEL
OVO Opens at CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa
World-renowned Canadian musical performer Drake’s fashion retail concept October’s Very Own (OVO) opened its first Ottawa storefront last week at the CF Rideau Centre. Its the sixth location for the brand in Canada and the 12th globally.
The 2,250-square-foot Ottawa store is located on Level 2 of CF Rideau Centre in a retail space located between the mall’s Apple Store and Aritzia stores. Chris Canuel of JLL Canada negotiated the lease on behalf of OVO. Cadillac Fairview is the landlord for CF Rideau Centre and CF Chinook Centre.
EXTERIOR OF OVO STORE AT CF RIDEAU CENTRE IN OTTAWA. PHOTO: CHRIS CANUEL
OVO’s first store in the world opened at 899 Dundas Street in Toronto in December of 2014. The small boutique was the brainchild of OVO’s co-founder Oliver El-Khatib, and it followed a summer of 2014 pop-up that was held in the same retail space. In December of 2015, OVO opened its second store location at 130 N. La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, spanning about 2,400 square feet. In December of 2016, OVO’s third store location opened at 54 Bond Street in New York City. A store in London UK opened at 30 Berwick Street in the city’s Soho area in 2017. The OVO brand then turned its sights back to Canada. In August of 2017, OVO opened at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre and in 2018, at Square One in Mississauga which was the first to include a children’s fashion collection. In October of 2018 OVO opened at 1044 Robson Street in Vancouver and in October of 2019, a store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre opened on the mall’s third level.
According to a floor plan on the CF Chinook Centre website, OVO will be opening a store soon at CF Chinook Centre. That location will span about 2,300 square feet according to lease plans.
EXTERIOR OF SWAROVSKI’S NEW CANADAIAN CRYSTAL STUDIO AT CF SHERWAY GARDENS. PHOTO: SWAROVSKI
Swarovski Unveils First Canadian Crystal Studio Retail Location at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto
On September 25th, Swarovski announced the opening of it first Canadian Crystal Studio retail location at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. This announcement marks the continuation of the brand’s global rollout of digital concept stores. The heritage retailer’s global initiative will combine brick-and-mortar retail and virtual components for a modernized and interactive shopping experience.
Conceived as a dynamic and creative space, Swarovski’s latest retail offering elevates the in-store experience by providing a memorable, highly interactive, and socially-focused environment. Interactive, digital touch points throughout the store aim to enhance the purchase process, but also create an inviting space in which customers can immerse themselves into the sparkling world of Swarovski. The heart of the shopping experience is at the Crystal Bar, an immersive jewelry station where consumers can spend time discovering new products, curating looks with styling consultations from Swarovski’s in-store experts, and exploring product ranges virtually.
“When developing the concept, we really tried to learn from our consumers and address their needs,” Robert Buchbauer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO Consumer Goods Business commented. “From augmented reality screens catering to shoppers who want to quickly select products, to the Sparkle Bar where people can enjoy trying on products for as long as they like, we believe we have created a memorable in-store experience for everyone.”
The series of openings will represent the fourth generation of Swarovski stores and the latest iteration of the brand’s retail approach over the past 125 years.
LONGO’S DONATION TO THE PRINCES MARGARET CANCER CENTRE. IMAGE: LONGO’S
Longo’s & The Longo’s Family Charitable Foundation Pledges Largest Donation in Company History to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets and the Longo’s Family Charitable Foundation have announced a breakthrough donation of $2.5 million to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation — marking the largest single philanthropic gift ever made by the Longo family.
The legacy donation will be distributed between two major areas of impact for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation; the Tumour Immunotherapy Program and the Space Transformation Campaign, supported through direct philanthropy, and the ongoing sponsorship of Scotiabank Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer. The donation complements Longo’s corporate areas of focus, which include disease prevention and education, child and youth leadership initiatives, and nutrition and food aid programs.
Longo’s donation to the Tumour Immunotherapy Program will directly support the program’s research and its scientists, who are helping to prolong and save lives through their ground-breaking initiatives.
As part of the donation, the new Longo’s Family Lounge in the Blood Lab will be part of the Space Transformation Campaign and will provide comfort and privacy to the nearly 2,000 patients who visit the lab each week.
Made in Alberta Awards Supporting Local Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Sustaining the vibrant small enterprises and entrepreneurs who create the backbone of local retail landscapes is imperative at this time and the Made in Alberta Awards have returned for a second year to celebrate and share the stories of Alberta’s most inspiring producers, makers and creators.
Held in Calgary last month on September 26th and 27th at Southcentre Mall and this month in Edmonton on October 3rd and 4th at Kingsway Mall, a special Made in Alberta Marketplace will be taking place to celebrate winners, runners up and finalists from this year’s Made in Alberta Awards at a curated pop up market. These two-day events will invite Calgarians and Edmontonians to experience the very best that Alberta creatives and entrepreneurs have to offer in one convenient location. The markets will be safely socially distanced throughout the malls and will feature more than a dozen local businesses from across the province.
The Made in Alberta Awards celebrate great Alberta products, businesses and ingenuity. By highlighting Alberta-made products through a variety of channels, including digital, in print and in person, the Made in Alberta Awards program supports and promotes local businesses and encourages people to shop local.
DUER STORE IN VANCOUVER. PHOTO: DUER
DUER Announces Expansion into the US Retail Market
Canadian retailer DUER — a Vancouver-based company that specializes in the design of technical performance wear — has announced the opening of its first-ever U.S. retail location in Denver, Colorado.
Set to officially open in early October, 2020, Duer’s first US location will be in the RiNo district. Spanning over 1600 square feet and featuring top-sellers across all collections, including—performance denim and the No Sweat and Live Lite collections — the Denver location will be the brand’s first international store.
Co-Founder Gary Lenett is confident in the quality and differentiation of DUER’s offerings, and steadfast in his belief that the brand’s designs will resonate with customers across geographies despite the recent economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lenett believes the brand offers consumers a combination of comfort, quality, and functional versatility that is currently unmet by competing offerings in the market.
“Denver has been on our radar for quite some time – we chose to not let the current retail climate cloud our eagerness to expand within the U.S despite the tough year. We have a strong base of DUER fans already in the Colorado region thanks to our Wholesale network of retailers including our latest partnership with Mountain Standard in Boulder,” said Lenett.
In the face of COVID-19, DUER has adapted its strategy in favour of smaller format stores featuring the brand’s best-selling designs, to ensure they mitigate the risks associated with entering a new retail market without sacrificing the DUER shopping experience. The Denver location will incorporate the experiential elements present in the Canadian stores, inclusive of a denim playground complete with swings and performance rubber flooring.
For more information on the brand, please visit: duer.ca
PARTICIPATING DESIGNER ‘ENARMOURED’
PARTICIPATING DESIGNER ‘ANNE MULAIRE’
Hudson’s Bay and Inland Partner to Support BIPOC Brands
As part of Hudson’s Bay continued commitment to its support of Canadian and BIPOC brands, the company has announced its new partnership with Canadian designer platform INLAND to offer customers some of Canada’s most exciting emerging brands in apparel and accessories.
This expanded product offering will be available across the country through the newly launched INLAND online shop, available through thebay.com beginning October 2, running through to December 31, 2020.
“Hudson’s Bay is committed to delivering customers an exciting product assortment that represents ALL Canadians, and ensuring a diverse representation of brands are included in our matrix is an integral part of our strategy,” says Wayne Drummond, Chief Merchant, Hudson’s Bay. “Through this partnership with INLAND, we’re excited to work with and put a spotlight on these Canadian brands that we know our shoppers are looking for, and that complement the existing Canadian brand offering we have at Hudson’s Bay.”
PARTICIPATING DESIGNER ‘PARTEOM’
PARTICIPATING DESIGNER ‘PRETTY DENIM’
“INLAND is a community where customers, designers and makers come together to celebrate the fabric of Canada through incredible design,” says Sarah Power, Founder and Creative Director of INLAND. “We are committed to putting locally created pieces into every wardrobe and are very excited to be partnering with Hudson’s Bay to help make that a reality. By promoting sustainable collections, advocating for diverse representation and empowering local voices, we make it easy for Canadians to feel good about everyday wardrobe choices.”
Anne Mulaire, an ethically manufactured designer apparel brand with all merchandise made sustainably with organically sourced fabric, founded by Winnipeg-based Ojibwe/French designer Andréanne Mulaire Dandeneau.
Omi Woods, a Toronto brand founded by Ashley Alexis McFarlane, which represents her Afro-Canadian heritage with each of her poignant, everyday jewelry pieces ethically handmade with fair trade African gold and globally sourced conflict-free fine metals.
Pretty Denim, a premium women’s denim brand producing in-season small batch quantities, founded by Toronto-based stylist Tahnee Lloyd-Smith. Pretty Denim uses distinct silhouettes to create a cohesive wardrobe that pairs the durability of traditional denim with timeless tailoring. Pretty Denim maintains a slow and ethical fashion position. All of the garments are made in Canada in a non-factory setting.
EXTERIOR OF NEW KLEINBURG BALZAC’S LOCATION. PHOTO: BALZAC’S
Balzac’s Coffee Roasters Expands with First Cafés in York Region
Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, a boutique coffee chain which offers artisanal café experiences, has officially announced the opening of two new cafés in York Region – Kleinburg and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC).
Known for its freshly roasted coffee, beautiful café designs and attention to detail, the brand’s new cafés are the first in the region, bringing the total number of Balzac’s locations in Ontario to 16.
INTERIOR OF NEW KLEINBURG BALZAC’S LOCATION. PHOTO: BALZAC’S
INTERIOR OF NEW KLEINBURG BALZAC’S LOCATION. PHOTO: BALZAC’S
A proudly Canadian brand, Balzac’s was established in 1993 with the first café opening three years later in Stratford, Ontario. Balzac’s cafés serve as a community focused gathering place, with each unique location embodying the culture and historical significance of its surroundings. Both new locations compliment this focus, with the Kleinburg location housed in the newly restored Arthur McNeil House and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre location situated in the heart of this burgeoning community, with soaring ceilings and an airy modern aesthetic.
“We couldn’t be more excited to open the doors to our new cafés and introduce more Ontarians to Balzac’s Coffee,” said Diana Olsen, President and Founder. “It’s a bit of good news in otherwise challenging times and reminds us that even with social distancing and new safety enhancements, people still love to connect through great coffee. We are also in a position to quickly adapt to further government and health regulations – should there be a need.”
INTERIOR OF NEW VMC BALZAC’S LOCATION. PHOTO: BALZAC’S
INTERIOR OF NEW VMC BALZAC’S LOCATION. PHOTO: BALZAC’S
While there has been a shift in consumer behaviour amidst the pandemic, Balzac’s focus continues to be on providing their customers with a safe and enjoyable café experience – whether in café or at home. To that end, the brand has strengthened their digital offering over the last six months, providing customers with an order ahead option through their App, a coffee subscription service, a contactless delivery option and same day shipping for online orders in the GTA. The shift has proven to be successful with a record number of e-commerce sales and continued brand loyalty.
In addition to carrying a variety of locally roasted blends, espresso-based drinks, baked goods and food, Balzac’s is also excited to share the launch of several new menu items in the cafés. Their limited-edition Café Harvest beverage will be available until November 1, boasting locally sourced ingredients like pumpkin puree, Canadian maple syrup and their organic Fairtrade espresso. Other items include their newly designed ground coffee in a can, and merchandise unique to their respective locations.
THE OUTSIDE OF A MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP IS SEEN IN NORTH VANCOUVER. THE CANADIAN PRESS/JONATHAN HAYWARD
By Marc-Andre Pigeon
When news broke about Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) being sold to an investor in the United States, the reaction among many of its 5.4 million member-owners was surprise, anger and disappointment.
More than 130,000 members have so far signed a petition to reverse the sale, while a group of members has raised more than $100,000 to give members a voice at MEC’s Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) proceedings.
Unfortunately, these efforts are too little, too late. MEC began eroding its membership’s democratic voice years ago, which put in motion the process that’s led to its demise as a co-operative. It was all sadly predictable.
MEC made all the classic mistakes. It built a leadership team that lacked any obvious understanding of co-operatives and fostered a culture that started to see member involvement as a problem rather than a strength.
There is also evidence of management hubris, over-investment and lax board oversight — three more troubling signs, according to the same research on the failure of big co-operatives.
MEC’s slide arguably started in 2012, when it dropped the word “co-op” from its marketing and adopted a rule to disqualify board of director candidates that the board felt weren’t up to the job. Today, only one of the bios for MEC’s board makes an implicit reference to co-operative experience.
In justifying these changes, the board said it needed board members with experience running companies as big and complicated as MEC to face off against online competitors like Amazon or big outdoor retailers like Sail in eastern Canada or Cabela’s in western Canada. The assumption was that the average board member just wouldn’t be able to cut it, even if they had ample experience on boards and in business.
Diversity of Perspectives
This shift is peculiar because boards of big co-operatives like MEC can hire the advice they need. There’s also compelling research showing that a diversity of perspectives can improve board decision-making. Recruiting people from the same professional background is misguided.
And as other researchers have emphasized, co-operative governance is mostly about setting the organization’s direction, maintaining legitimacy with members and ensuring the organization has a strong workplace culture and good relationships with the community. Experience at a big private company provides no obvious advantage when it comes to these assets.
MEC’s demise as a co-operative business seems to correlate with these governance shifts away from democratic input. Consider the graph below:
It shows the evolution of MEC’s leverage ratio, a measure of risk that we calculate as the ratio of the money owed by MEC (total liabilities) relative to how much money members had accumulated in the business (member equity). Until MEC started making big governance changes in 2012, the ratio was low and stable. Then it started climbing, settling near 100 percent in 2018-19.
Expansion to Blame for Debt?
There is reason to believe that the debt resulted from MEC’s expansion strategy.
In 2012, MEC announced it was adding 1,400 new products to its stores. In subsequent years, MEC opened a “stunning” new headquarters in Vancouver and expanded into smaller Canadian markets like North York, Kelowna, Kitchener and Laval while expanding its presence in places like Edmonton and Calgary. Plans were also underway to open a store in Saskatoon.
In analyzing the sale of MEC to U.S.-based Kingswood Capital Management, one observer concluded that the new owners will almost certainly close several MEC stores to make the business viable and suggests, as a result, that the sale is a bad and unnecessary deal.
Could the MEC board have also closed stores? It wouldn’t have been easy. Some members would have objected.
But a more determined and democratically selected board might have had the legitimacy to make tough decisions and in the process, retain the loyalty and good will of a big group of upset members.
The Loss of Legitimacy
After news of the sale, MEC’s board chairwoman explained the decision to sell the business.
If anything, her message underlines the board’s disinterest in what remained of MEC’s democratic process. Judi Richardson wrote that “things will look a little different” after the sale, for example, as if democratic control is trivial. The letter also dismisses the possibility that members might have helped to recapitalize the co-op.
The recent petition and fund-raising efforts suggest MEC could have tapped into a reservoir of good will. But the board’s skepticism about this solution is probably justified, because any such effort would have signalled to creditors that MEC was in trouble. That’s not something any board wants to do.
More fundamentally, the good will we see today is probably not deep enough to raise millions of dollars in capital, especially in the midst of CCAA proceedings. It’s easy to sign a petition or give a few dollars to a GoFundMe campaign, but it’s another thing to put big money into an organization that won’t give you any real democratic voice.
And maybe that’s the ultimate price that co-operatives pay when they make it harder for ordinary members to have a say. They lose their membership’s voice, loyalty — and ultimately, their business.
This piece was co-authored by Anthony Piscitelli, a professor for the Conestoga College Public Service Program.
INTERIOR OF MOOSE KNUCKLES STORE AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE SHOWCASING OUTERWEAR. PHOTO: MOOSE KNUCKLES
Popular Montreal-based fashion and outerwear brand Moose Knuckles announced this week that it is launching a significant store expansion within Canada and also globally. Included will be two permanent storefronts in Canada, two experiential pop-ups in Western Canada, a hard shop in Holt Renfrew, and international pop-ups in some of the world’s leading cities.
MOOSE KNUCKLES SET TO OPEN PERMANENT LOCATIONS IN VANCOUVER AND CALGARY
In Canada, Moose Knuckles will open two more permanent storefronts in Vancouver and Calgary this fall. Both stores are being designed by O’Neil Langan Architects, an award-winning New York based agency specializing in retail design.
The Vancouver Moose Knuckles location will open in October on the lower level of CF Pacific Centre in a 2,580-square-foot space next to Marc Cain and across from Sandro and Browns Shoes. The Moose Knuckles store will feature a layout revolving around a patterned iced glass structure.
LED technology will provide a ‘blizzard effect’ on loop making it appear as if one is walking through a storm into the store where jackets hang from fixtures descending from the ceiling. CF Pacific Centre is the leading shopping centre in downtown Vancouver and is anchored by Nordstrom and Holt Renfrew. Moose Knuckles competitor Canada Goose operates a store upstairs in the same mall.
In Calgary, Moose Knuckles will open a 2,280-square-foot location at CF Chinook Centre near the entrance to the mall’s Nordstrom location. The Moose Knuckles store will feature an expansive 45-foot facade with an interior featuring a central structure of gold scaffolding that “reflects industrial Calgary and merges high and low culture achieving a laid-back luxury,” according to the company. CF Chinook Centre is considered to be the leading mall in the Calgary area and is anchored by Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Hudson’s Bay. Other notable retailers include Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Canada Goose, and Burberry.
EXTERIOR OF MOOSE KNUCKLES STORE AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE. PHOTO: MOOSE KNUCKLES
Earlier this month, Moose Knuckles opened a hard shop at Holt Renfrew Square One in Mississauga. It joins other boutique spaces in the store including Tiffany & Co., Moncler, and Gucci and others. The 140,000-square-foot Holt Renfrew store opened at Square One in the summer of 2016.
In Western Canada, Moose Knuckles will open two experiential pop-ups this fall. That includes a location on the second level of West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton in a 2,340-square-foot space between Swatch and Morphe, as well as at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg. Both stores are described as being “beautiful, immersive digital concepts” conceived by design firm Bureau Betak and brought to life by O’Neil Langan Architects.
The free-standing structures will feature functionality and design elements that hang from a framed structure, with each element dipped in a chameleon metallic gold. Both pop-ups will include a centrally located “chaotic” screen installation that features a clash of colourful images and animations illustrating the “uncompromising world of Moose Knuckles”.
MOOSE KNUCKLES SET TO OPEN EXPERIENTIAL POP-UPS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND ASIA
Moose Knuckles is also opening experiential pop-up retail spaces in global centres including London, Milan, Dusseldorf, Stockholm, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Liverpool, Beijing, Shanghai, Philadelphia, and New York City. Bureau Betak developed a beautiful, digitally immersive concept for the European pop-ups and O’Neil Langan Architects created unique framed structures fully dipped in a chameleon metallic gold for North America and select Asia locations. Each pop-up includes a centrally located chaotic screen installation that features a clash of colourful images and animations illustrating the ‘world of Moose Knuckles’.
INTERIOR OF MOOSE KNUCKLES STORE AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE SHOWCASING OUTERWEAR. PHOTO: MOOSE KNUCKLESINTERIOR OF MOOSE KNUCKLES STORE AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE . PHOTO: MOOSE KNUCKLES
All Moose Knuckles stores and pop-ups will feature products from the Fall/Winter 2020 collection, including Power Puff, a new line of reversible, machine-washable puffers. Moose Knuckles is known for its exceptionally warm parkas and the brand has expanded to other fashion categories in ready-to-wear. The company is also known for its edgy marketing.
“While many companies have focused the lion’s share of their attention on the digital landscape, we have strayed from the pack, bolstering our efforts with a smart plan to provide what so many people need right now: space to connect with others,” said Noah Stern, Co-CEO of Moose Knuckles. “Whether it’s our bricks-and-mortar or pop-up environments, creating physical spaces is a bold choice that aligns with our company’s pioneering attitude.”
“Moose Knuckles’ goal is to continue to bring the luxury experience to its customers with the opening of new flagship locations and pop-ups to smaller, more local communities,” said seasoned retail veteran Andrea Elliott, Executive VP, Direct to Consumer at Moose Knuckles. “In both environments, customers will experience the Moose Knuckles product designed with meticulous construction that doesn’t sacrifice style for function.”
INTERIOR OF MOOSE KNUCKLES STORE AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE SHOWCASING OUTERWEAR. PHOTO: MOOSE KNUCKLES
Moose Knuckles was founded by Canadian Will Poho as his master’s thesis at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City in 2007. Mr. Poho said that he brought in Mark Peros as a partner in 2009 for less than a year before releasing him from the company. Mr. Poho is now CEO of Toronto-based outerwear brand Woodpecker Coats.
In Canada, Moose Knuckles products are made in the province of Quebec. Select sportswear and additional items are made in Ontario and British Columbia. The company endeavours to make “the leanest, toughest and most luxurious sportswear in the world,” and its product lines include a range of jackets including parkas, bombers, mid-weight, lightweight down, apparel and accessories. The company is now run by co-CEOs Noah Stern and Ayal Twik who have been instrumental in expanding the brand globally.
Moose Knuckles is also carried in various multi-brand retailers across Canada as well as globally. The retail expansion for Moose Knuckles is taking a page from competitor Canada Goose, which is also opening experiential stores around the world with several locations in Canada. Another competitor, Mackage, has opened its own direct-to-consumer stores in major markets as well. Toronto-based Nobis operates two stores in Toronto and last week, Montreal-based Quartz Co. unveiled its first-ever store in Montreal.
Harry Rosen. Simply hearing or reading the name is often enough to evoke feelings of respect, gratitude and even adoration from a legion of customers and fans of the brand that has, through the years, managed to cultivate a unique position for itself in the Canadian market, becoming synonymous with top-quality tailoring and exceptional personal service.
Providing a remarkable product as well as an unparalleled brand experience for its clients through its execution, incredible attention to detail and the development of meaningful, high-touch relationships was all part of Harry Rosen’s vision when he founded the company in 1954. They are the pillars on which the company was built and the principles that have helped propel the brand forward, allowing it the privilege of carrying the mantle as Canada’s leading luxury menswear retailer. They are strengths of the company that Harry’s son, Larry, has helped personify and accentuate, seeing out the expansion and growth of the brand, since joining the business 35 years ago. And it’s as a result of a continued commitment to these operating fundamentals, combined with a clear strategy for the future, that’s allowed a third generation within the business, Ian Rosen, to elevate the company further, supported by the launch of a new brand platform and enhanced Harry Rosen digital experience.
The bold decision, which includes a significant change to the brand’s look and feel, is meant to help modernize it, reinforce its relevance and underscore the innovation and creativity with which Harry Rosen continues to move forward and lead at the forefront of style in the country. It’s a decision that’s also come as the result of a broader strategic business transformation that’s included changes to the company’s internal structure, changes most notable in the appointments of Trinh Tham as Chief Marketing Officer and Ian Rosen as Vice President of Digital and Strategy. And it’s one that the company feels will help it not only enhance the Harry Rosen experience for its current clients, but will also enable it to increase its breadth of clientele by appealing to and engaging with a wider audience.
SCREENSHOT OF HARRY ROSEN WEBSITE
New Brand Platform and Digital Experience
Working alongside Toronto-based creative agency, Zulu Alpha Kilo, the company established its refreshed brand optics as part of the development of its fully integrated campaign ‘Set The Tone’. The campaign, which was launched on September 22, has been executed across a multitude of channels, both traditional and digital, and is intended to support the evolution of the brand and to help write a new chapter to add to its already illustrious history. With a focus on Canadian role models who are leading by example within the communities they live, the campaign provides a platform for their inspirational stories and serves to illuminate the Harry Rosen message of leadership, creativity, inclusivity and passion. It all adds up to a bit of a reimagining of the brand while remaining true to the philosophies that have helped it grow to become a Canadian icon. And, with the underpinning of a completely retooled and revamped digital strategy and experience for the customer driving the transformation, Ian Rosen is confident that the company has only just scratched the surface with respect to the possibilities that it can help unleash for the brand.
“We’re really excited about what’s to come,” says Rosen. “What we’ve done is lay the foundation for a new era of the brand. And that’s all about supporting and elevating the customer experience across all of the channels that our clients shop and engage with us in, and ensuring that their journey is consistent and seamless between channels. The amount of work and focus that everyone’s put toward this digital transformation, complemented by the development of a supercharged message in market, has already allowed us to achieve this. And I feel like we’re only getting started.”
The transformation, which includes a new and fully optimized Harry Rosen website, was developed with the help of Toronto-based software developer and integrated digital experience expert, Myplanet, with a focus on improving the digital experience for customers through increased ease of use and upgraded functionality. Some of the enhancements to the digital experience include greater speed and optimized loading times across a range of mobile devices, desktops and browsers; improved navigation and a strengthened search engine performance; a new and simplified account creation and login process, and appointment booking capability integrated across devices that enable existing and prospective clients to easily connect with Harry Rosen clothing advisors
Modernizing the Brand
Deliberate in its focus and objective, the advancement of the work being done by the company on the digital side is not only helping to improve the experience for its customers, it’s also quickly serving to modernize the brand, positioning it as one of the leaders in integrated digital engagement in the men’s fashion space. It’s an impressive endeavour, both in terms of scope and the potential outcomes of the transformation. And though these things are not lost on Rosen, he’s quick to suggest that the timing of the launch, and the work required by those within the company to support it, was even more impressive.
“We were obviously hit with a real challenge, as everyone was, when the impacts of COVID-19 started to emerge on the retail landscape,” he explains. “In March and April our website was being bombarded with ‘Black Friday’-like traffic. We were right in the middle of architecting our digital solution when we were presented with a decision to make: continue investing in our current website and digital infrastructure to keep it running through this period, or fast-track our transformation to meet the sudden increased demand and capitalize on a real growth opportunity for the brand. In the end, the decision was an easy one for us to make. Everyone in the company was on board with plans to advance our timelines and the work we were doing in order to launch sooner than expected. Everyone at the company just pulled together to make it happen, resulting in an incredible combined effort and amazing transformation.”
The ‘combined effort’ as Rosen puts it, allowed the company to quickly pivot during a time of challenge and accelerate the launch of its new brand platform and refreshed digital experience months ahead of schedule. In doing so, their work provides yet another example of the innovation and resilience that exists within the industry, and should ensure that the brand comes out of this difficult pandemic-period even stronger than before. And, although the brunt of COVID-19 on the industry may have prompted the escalation of its digital shift, the enhancements that are included are also meant to connect the overall Harry Rosen experience with the evolving preferences and behaviours of today’s tech-savvy consumer.
“It’s really all about delivering on the experience that today’s consumer expects,” he says. “And we want to deliver that same consistent, first-class experience within every interaction across all touchpoints in the customer’s journey with us, removing friction from the experience and creating seamless transitions between channels. An extremely personalized level of service has always set Harry Rosen apart. With our new digital capabilities and the foundation that we’ve set, we have the opportunity to reinforce our client relationships with even greater personalization and the offer of a much more dynamic experience with the brand.”
More to Come
As Rosen proudly and confidently asserts, however, the launch of ‘Set The Tone’ and the refreshed Harry Rosen digital experience is just the beginning for the company that has plans to continue investing in these types of technological and digital developments. They are plans that are hyper-focused on the customer with the ultimate objective to create the most intuitive and personalized client experiences possible. And, according to Ian Rosen, it’s a focus and an objective that will only intensify going forward.
“The customer has always been in the driver’s seat. But, as technology advances and we continue to introduce these digital tools to enhance experiences with our brand, the customer will be in more control than ever before. That’s our ‘North Star’. We call it ‘the customer’s in the cockpit’. They will decide when they shop with us and how they shop with us. And we need to support their journey, whenever and wherever they choose to engage with us, with the same excellent level of service and attention. We’re always listening to our clients to understand their needs and desires. Our job is to offer the best product and experience possible in order to satisfy them.”
EXTERIOR OF FIRST PHYSICAL QUARTZ CO. STORE IN THE MILE END AREA OF MONTREAL. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
By Craig Patterson and Maxime Frechette
Upscale Montreal-based outerwear brand Quartz Co. has opened its first physical retail space in the ‘Mile End’ area of Montreal. The location acts as a brand activation and test space for Quartz Co., and the company’s President says that more locations could be on the way.
The Montreal space, located at 5445 Avenue de Gaspé, spans more than 5,300 square feet. Natural materials were used with a mixture of wood, aluminum and concrete throughout. Design firm Rainville Sangaré conceptualized the space which is intended to have a “pure” design to showcase Quartz Co.’s expansive selection of outerwear as well as other categories.
INTERIOR OF QUARTZ CO. STORE IN MONTREAL SHOWCASING OUTERWEAR PRODUCTS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
NEW QUARTZ CO. LOCATION INCLUDES SHOWROOM, RETAIL SPACE, DESIGN STUDIO, AND EVENT SPACE
Included is a showroom area, retail space, design studio, and a space to host events and pop-ups. “We have succeeded in creating a unique destination based on minimalism, timelessness and innovation to present our coat collections and get closer to our customers. We decided to pursue this project, despite the COVID-19 context, because of our commitment to offering our customers a complete brand experience,” said Jean-Philippe Robert, President of Quartz Co.
For the first time, the entire selection of Quartz’s winter coats and other products can be found under one roof. “Customers will also have continuous access to exclusives and new releases to encourage them to visit us regularly. This is where we will unveil our Quartz Co. product line, including masks, sweaters, t-shirts and accessories. Pop-up collections of books, artworks and household items will contribute to a warm and friendly atmosphere,” Mr. Robert said. The retail space currently features a selection of items such as FRAMA brand candles, books and other basic accessories such as socks and mittens. Montreal correspondent Maxime Frechette said that the retail space houses t-shirts for $49 and hoodies priced at $149 — a bargain compared to the jackets that are priced between $700 and almost $1,500 depending on the style.
QUARTZ CO. OUTERWEAR PRODUCTS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTEQUARTZ CO. OUTERWEAR PRODUCTS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Part of the new space includes a design studio, where customers can see the manufacturing process live. That includes sewing machines, sewing tables and other instruments that are intended to give the location a “special feel” by showcasing Quartz Co.’s made-in-Canada design. The space is also designed to be able to host events.
There’s also an office area where teams can meet, and the showroom where wholesale customers can check out the latest Quartz Co. products. “Wholesale will remain an important part of the business,” said Mr. Robert, with the new retail space helping generate brand awareness while also showcasing the brand to wholesalers. The retail space also acts as a “lab” to test products and processes. New accessories, tote bags, hats and the like will be launched in the space and if they perform well, products will be distributed in Quartz Co.’s wholesale partners as Quartz transitions from jackets into an expanded lifestyle brand.
WHOLESALE CONTINUES TO BE IMPORTANT MODE OF DISTRIBUTION FOR QUARTZ CO.
Mr. Robert explained that unlike some brands, wholesale will continue to be an important mode of distribution for the brand which is available in more than 300 multi-brand retailers in 20 countries globally. More than 100 people are employed by the company and that number is growing.
Wholesale partners in Canada include retailers such as Holt Renfrew, La Maison Simons, Altitude Sports, gravitypope, Atmosphere, SAIL and other major retailers, as well as exceptional independent stores. Internationally, retailers such as Isetan in Tokyo, Le Bon Marché in Paris and Breuninger in Germany carry the line. The biggest markets for Quartz Co. globally include Canada, the United States, Germany, France, Japan, Norway, and Greenland.
INTERIOR OF QUARTZ CO. STORE IN MONTREAL SHOWCASING OUTERWEAR PRODUCTS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTEQUARTZ CO. OUTERWEAR PRODUCTS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTEQUARTZ CO. OUTERWEAR PRODUCTS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
The new Montreal retail space is located in an industrial area that was once home to a robust garment manufacturing trade, and continues to be home to design workshops including Quartz Co.’s headquarters. Mr. Robert explained how the the new store is a destination within the heart of the community, noting that the purchase of a pricey winter coat is a high-involvement purchase investment for most. Customers can make an appointment online at quartzco.com or by phone. At no cost, staff in the store can prepare a preselection before the customer’s visit.
Quartz Co.’s new FORWARD parka line is described as a “responsible winter coat line for women and men” that is completely designed and manufactured in Québec. High-tech materials used include fabric woven from recycled fibre. The water-resistant, breathable fabric offering effective wind protection is made from plastic bottles and dyed according to a Bluesign certified process. The new line is offered in a range of classic colours inspired by nature including black, graphite, navy blue, bottle green and sand. All the coats come with a lifetime warranty and repair service if needed.
“Every detail has a function to it,” explained Mr. Robert. “There’s no bling, big fur trim. We use fur only for its functional purpose,” he explained. Down used in parkas is ethically sourced and has a high warmth factor.
The company is also expanding. Last year Quartz Co. acquired Confections Stroma, allowing Quartz Co. to doube its production capacity in Québec. The company says that it is keeping up the momentum in 2020 by expanding its factory in Montréal’s St-Michel borough. New equipment was purchased to produce thousands of gowns for front-line medical staff.
Quartz Co. was founded in 1997 by entrepreneur Yves Trudeau under the name ‘Quartz Nature’. The company’s simplistic design and warm jackets targeted expedition teams, airline staff and the Canadian Police Corp. with one of its most popular styles, the Vostok, still being part of the collection today. In 2015 Mr. Trudeau retired and sold Quartz to brothers Jean-Philippe, Guillaume and François-Xavier Robert who are taking the business to the next level. In 2016 the company innovated by creating an exclusive line of parkas insulated with Milkweed which is said to be breathable, warm, ultra-light, ecological, hypoallergenic and antibacterial. It also contributes to the survival of the monarch butterfly. New lines continue to be developed and are manufactured in two factories in Victoriaville and Montréal as well as at the design studio within the new Mile End storefront.
In terms of future retail spaces, Jean-Philippe Robert said that Quartz Co. could open “a couple more doors in the next year” either in Canada or even globally. The company will test out the Montreal space first and since its recent opening, customers are already visiting and shopping.
Altitude Sports, Canada’s online leader in technical apparel, activewear and gear, recently launched same-day shipping in Montreal as the retailer experiences significant growth during the current pandemic.
Since 2019, the company has been solely an online retailer.
Alexandre Guimond, a co-CEO, said the Montreal-based retailer has seen on average 30 to 35 percent annual growth.
“Of course, the pandemic has accelerated that a lot. A lot of customers came online with the isolation rules and so on. So since April we’ve seen about 80-85 percent growth which is incredible,” said Guimond.
In late August, the company announced it is offering a same-day delivery option to customers in Montreal and next-day delivery in Toronto (launching October 5) for as low as $3.99. It said it will honour the commitment on all orders placed by 1 p.m. every day in Montreal, weekends included.
PHOTOS OF ALTITUDE SPORTS WAREHOUSE. PHOTOS: ALTITUDE SPORTS
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SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN WEB TRAFFIC DURING COVID-19 IGNITED SAME-DAY DELIVERY INITIATIVE
With substantial growth in web traffic and online sales since March, Altitude Sports wanted to go one step further to ensure customers never have to think twice about delivery times. Same-Day Delivery allows consumers the comfort of shopping from home and the freedom and ability to plan last-minute outdoor activities and getaways, explained Guimond.
“Technology and customer service are as important to our success as the quality and style of the apparel and gear that we carry,” he said. “As a leader in the Canadian eCommerce industry, we need to continue to improve our fulfillment capabilities and our Same-Day Delivery commitments allow us to stay competitive in the global economy.”
The company is leveraging the advanced fulfillment capabilities at its state-of-the-art distribution centre, which opened in May 2019. The space houses inventory from over 400 brands, with the capacity to triple over the next five years, and its location near transportation carriers streamlines operations.
“In the last two weeks, we had 2,000 orders through that service and we see that the customers are really enjoying it and actually we see a lift. Our customers using the same delivery day feature they tend to order back again faster. So they are a repeat customer faster because they really enjoyed the experience,” said Guimond.
“And for us it’s the best way to achieve some kind of instant gratification. When people are shopping in their brick and mortar store, the biggest advantage is that you can actually leave with the products . . . Online people always had to be patient. There was a time you would wait for a few weeks, then a few days. Now it’s pretty conventional that you’ll get your items next day or a few days later depending on where you are in Canada. But getting it the same day is really great for our customers and we’re looking at launching in Toronto as well. That’s another big market for us.”
In Toronto, next day shipping will be available on Monday October 5.
The company was originally founded in 1984. It curates high-quality, durable goods for outdoor adventures and urban pursuits. Standout brands include Arc’teryx, Canada Goose, The North Face, Smartwool, Osprey, and Fjällräven. The company has 440 brands online.
Altitude Sports is gearing up for a busy season in the coming months with Black Friday first then followed by Christmas.
“During summer we saw people more interested in local activities. It feels like Canadians are becoming even more Canadian because they’re re-discovering what it is to travel within Canada – camping, hiking, enjoying sports that you can do at the cottage because of the pandemic. We expect the same to happen this coming winter. People will find a renewed enjoyment in the winter sports. They will be active snowshoeing, skiing, cross country skiing, skating and all the sports we can practice in Canada,” said Guimond.
“Of course Black Friday is the biggest moment of the year for us. There was a time when Boxing Day was busier but over the last three, four years we’ve seen the shift come. That’s going to be our biggest retail period for sure.”
