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Oakridge Centre Retailers to Close Until 2024 Amid Vancouver Mall Redevelopment [Exclusive]

By
Craig Patterson
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RENDERING OF RENOVATED OAKRIDGE CENTRE: QUADREAL

Almost all of the retailers at Vancouver’s Oakridge Centre will close their doors at the end of September until 2024 to help accelerate the process of the mall’s incredible overhaul. When Oakridge reopens, the mixed-use ‘city centre’ will be unlike anything in Canada and will be the single biggest development in Vancouver’s history.

“Not only does this repositioning allow for existing and additional retailers to be in the redeveloped shopping centre sooner, it also means that the public park will come online in an earlier phase of the development,” said Andy Clydesdale, Executive Vice President of Retail for QuadReal Property Group, one of the co-developers of the new Oakridge city centre along with Westbank Corp. “We are committed to opening the reimagined Oakridge as quickly as possible and look forward to welcoming back our world-class tenants.”

Some retailers in the mall had already closed ahead of the redevelopment. That includes Harry Rosen, Michael Kors, Coach, and others.

AERIAL VIEW RENDERING OF RENOVATED OAKRIDGE CENTRE. RENDERING: QUADREAL
RENDERING OF EXTERIOR OF RENOVATED OAKRIDGE CENTRE. RENDERING: QUADREAL

A handful of retailers will stay open throughout the construction process. That includes the 182,000-square-foot Hudson’s Bay anchor store which before 1993 was the flagship location for local department store chain Woodward’s. The Crate and Barrel store at Oakridge as well as the food court and services such as medical/dental offices will also remain open during construction.

Shutting most of the mall is a bold move given the prior productivity of the shopping centre. The Retail Council of Canada Shopping Centre Study in 2018 (authored by Retail Insider’s Craig Patterson) showed that annual sales per square foot for Oakridge were approaching $1,600 and were growing quickly, particularly given the mall’s high-end stores such as Tiffany & Co. and Harry Rosen.

The original plan was to renovate the retail centre in phases while keeping most retailers open during the process.

A representative from QuadReal said that the landlord made the decision to shut most of the mall temporarily to “dramatically accelerate large portions of the development” which will allow the majority of the retail component, community amenities, international-style food hall and nine-acre park to open and serve the Vancouver community upon completion in 2024.

The new Oakridge Centre, which is envisioned as a mixed-use community in the heart of Vancouver’s affluent West Side, will be a mixed-use, transit-oriented neighbourhood hub that will offer nearly one million square feet of unique, experiential retail in addition to office space, residential towers, and a nine-acre public park and community centre, in addition to many other amenities that support the arts, seniors and the neighbouring community.

The existing 574,000-square-foot shopping centre, which sits on 28 acres of land will be transformed into a major 4.5 million square foot hub of retail, residential, workspace, parks, and civic space. Included will be a massive community centre, public library, performance facility, dance academy, daycare, culinary experiences, a park, office space, and residential towers that will house about 6,000 people in more than 2,600 homes.

Oakridge will anchor an up-zoned neighbourhood that is projected to grow by more than 50,000 people within a kilometre radius over the next two decades. QuadReal partnered with Westbank Corp. and together engaged Henriquez Partners Architects, Tokyo-based interior design firm Wonderwall, and other design partners for this initiative that will be a model for future high-density retail mixed-use redevelopments globally.

About 26 million shoppers are expected to visit the expanded centre annually, making it one of Canada’s busiest malls in terms of footfall. Oakridge’s retail component will see an overhaul that will be almost unrecognizable, with the existing retail space set to almost double in size to about 1-million square feet, including indoor retail as well as an outdoor pedestrian street.

The retail centre itself will include a collection of conceptualized streets that will house a variety of retail tenants. These are described with terms such as “luxe run”, “trend experience”, and a “high street”. The mall’s “luxe run” is expected to house more than 20 international luxury retailers, including some that currently lack a presence in the market or in Canada. Given the real estate constrictions of downtown Vancouver, Oakridge could end up housing tenants that would ultimately have the centre become a second ‘luxury zone’ for Vancouver.

Oakridge’s pedestrian-only high street will be part of the mall’s outdoor component that will run north-south along the length of the mall’s western perimeter. A new perimeter road will also run along the western edge of the property.

The updated retail centre will feature two larger anchors, as well as several junior anchors that will be part of the retail mix. Hudson’s Bay will continue to be Oakridge’s largest anchor tenant in a brand new 140,000-square-foot ‘next generation’ store which will replace the existing Bay location. Oakridge will also house a major grocery tenant, Sobeys, which will replace the centre’s existing Safeway store (both are owned by Empire Company).

JOGGERS ON A PATHWAY IN THE NEW PARK AT OAKRIDGE. RENDERING: QUADREAL
Oakridge Centre google Map – Click for Interactive Map

QuadReal said that it is is working to bring back former key retailers including Harry Rosen, Apple, and Tiffany & Co. to create unique experiential concepts that will be aligned with its future thinking for retail.*

Other future-proofing for the centre will include provisions made for e-commerce fulfillment — a trend that has already accelerated quickly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Other offerings at the new Oakridge will include ‘five-star concierges’ for shoppers with capabilities of being able to deliver packages to one’s car or residence, for example.

Approximately 6,000 parking spaces are planned for the centre, the majority of them with electric vehicle charging stations. Valet parking will be an important part of the mix. Underground bicycle silos will allow riders to quickly stow their bikes below ground in a secure 11-metre deep well. With a simple swipe of a pass, bikes will be retrieved or stored in about 13 seconds. QuadReal said that it is planning for a future where transportation will be different as self-driving cars are expected to proliferate in the coming years.

The Oakridge Centre redevelopment will be one of the most interesting in Canada to watch over the next several years. Its scale is unprecedented and its design is groundbreaking. The centre is anticipating to eventually see about 42-million visitors a year, including 26-million shoppers, five-million cultural visitors, five-million park visitors, four-million residential visitors, and two-million library patrons.

*This article has been updated to reflect updated information from the landlord.

Brief: Diamond Brand Opening 1st Permanent Store, Nordstrom Rack Announces Vancouver Opening

By
Retail Insider
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COUPLE LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS TO OPEN CANADIAN FLAGSHIP AT YORKVILLE VILLAGE

New York City-based Lab-grown diamond brand Couple Diamonds will soon be opening its first permanent store at Toronto’s Yorkville Village shopping centre. The 900-square-foot boutique will become Couple’s Canadian flagship store as part of a retail expansion for the brand.

The Couple retail space will be located on the upper level of Yorkville Village across from Myodetox which opened last year. Couple specializes in lab-grown diamonds which it claims are identical to mined diamonds down to the atom. The raw diamonds are cut and polished and graded by the International Gemological Institute before undergoing a 12-step quality control process to ensure they meet an exceptionally high standard.

MAP OF YORKVILLE VILLAGE WITH RED ARROW INDICATING LOCATION OF NEW COUPLE DIAMONDS STORE

Earlier this year Couple opened a pop-up space in The Colonnade at 131 Bloor Street West in Toronto where it operated for several months prior to the COVID-19 store shutdowns.

Eric Sherman, VP of Retail for First Capital Realty’s Yorkville real estate, said, “Couple is another incredible fit in Yorkville Village. Having a strong omnichannel retail model is extremely important in today’s retail climate and this physical flagship will compliment their extremely strong online presence perfectly. They are at the forefront of burgeoning lab-grown diamond industry with all their diamonds 100% ethically sourced and produced – again fitting with FCR’s core values of social responsibility”.

Earlier this month we reported that Polestar would be opening three Canadian showrooms, including one at Toronto’s Yorkville Village. Mr. Sherman explained that Polestar will span about 2,000 square feet over two levels. That will include frontage onto Avenue Road as well as an upstairs area, as well as space in the mall’s parking garage for new vehicle deliveries and customer pick-ups.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Polestar’s Canadian flagship to Yorkville Village. Not only is Polestar a leader in vehicular design and performance with a spectacular retail model but their core values rooted in environmental responsibility align perfectly with First Capital’s core focus on corporate responsibility and sustainability,” said Mr. Sherman in a statement.

NORDSTROM RACK ANNOUNCES 1ST VANCOUVER-AREA STORE OPENING DATE

RENDERING OF EXTERIOR OF WILLOWBROOK SHOWING NORDSTROM RACK AND WINNERS. RENDERING: WILLOWBROOK

Nordstrom’s off-price retail concept Nordstrom Rack will open on September 17 at Willowbrook Shopping Centre in Langley. It will be the first location for Nordstrom Rack in British Columbia and will serve the Vancouver area.

Nordstrom Rack will span about 30,000 square feet and will feature a full range of fashion and footwear as well as other categories such as accessories and home goods. JLL Canada represents parent company Nordstrom and negotiated the deal.

In Canada, Nordstrom Rack operates six stores and, as of September 17, seven stores in Canada. Nordstrom Rack’s first Canadian store opened at Vaughan Mills near Toronto in the spring of 2018. The retailer has since expanded to open at 1 Bloor Street East in Toronto, Heartland Town Centre near Toronto, Ottawa Train Yards in Ottawa, South Edmonton Common in Edmonton, and Deerfoot Meadows in Calgary.

Larger Nordstrom mainline stores are located in Vancouver (CF Pacific Centre), Calgary (CF Chinook Centre), Ottawa (CF Rideau Centre), as well as in three malls in Toronto (CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, CF Sherway Gardens).

CANADIAN MEN’S BRAND S. COHEN FOR SALE AMID RESTRUCTURING

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

St. Laurent Quebec-based menswear brand S. Cohen, founded in 1923, is up for sale after filing a Notice of Intention to file for creditor protection amid a restructuring. That’s according to a report this week in Insolvency Insider.

According to filing documents, S. Cohen has about $5.1 million in liabilities including about $2.1 million to TD Bank. Even prior to the COVID-19 store shutdowns, the brand was facing declining sales and reduced foot traffic to its stores. The financial hit from mandated store closures further crippled the company. The work-from-home trend again saw the company struggle with revenue and over the past few years men were already dressing more casually. Filing documents noted that men’s suits require exceptional fit and that customers usually require in-store visits to try on product.

As part of the process, S. Cohen is selling its business and assets. PWC is the proposal trustee and Kugler Kandestin is counsel to the company according to Insolvency Insider.

S. Cohen was founded in 1923 by Benjamin Cohen, who emigrated from Russia in the early 1900’s, and sold tailored clothing to locals from a horse and buggy. His son, Saul, helped him start the men’s fine tailored clothing business and guided it through the turbulent 1930’s and 1940’s. In 2017, S. Cohen became the first company in North America to ship custom made-to-measure suits within 15 days. The company grew rapidly and can be found in more than 1,000 multi-brand stores in North America.

HUDSON’S BAY AND TEAM CANADA REVEAL OFFICIAL TOKYO 2021 COLLECTION

  • MODEL WEARING TEAM CANADA COLLECTION OUTERWEAR JACKET. PHOTO: HUDSON’S BAY FACEBOOK
  • MODEL WEARING TEAM CANADA COLLECTION OUTERWEAR JACKET. PHOTO: HUDSON’S BAY FACEBOOK

Hudson’s Bay, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee have revealed the Tokyo 2021 Team Canada Collection outerwear that will be worn by the athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.

The launch supports the Team Canada Return To Sport program as athletes prepare for their extended road to the Games. The Team Canada Collection, which includes athlete outfits for Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Podium, and Athletes’ Village, is available for purchase now in-store and at thebay.com.

“As the Official Outfitter of Team Canada, Hudson’s Bay has heard firsthand the strong sense of patriotism our Canadian athletes feel when they wear their official Team Canada uniforms,” said Iain Nairn, President and CEO, Hudson’s Bay.

The 26-piece Collection seamlessly blends classic fashion pieces with a street style aesthetic for a collection that is fashionable and ‘unapologetically Canadian’. New for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Hudson’s Bay collaborated with iconic denim brand Levi’s to design key elements featured in both the Opening and Closing ceremony looks.

The Canadian Olympic Committee will be re-distributing 10% of the proceeds from the Tokyo 2021 Team Canada Collection into the Team Canada Return to Sport program which was established earlier this year.

The official Tokyo stripe backpack and red village baseball cap are also available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds supporting the Canadian Paralympic Team. This marks the first time items from an Official Paralympic Games Collection are available for purchase by the Canadian public.

NATIVE TOUCH’S AUGMENTED REALITY MOBILE CONTENT BOOSTS CONSUMER BRANDS

COUPLE WEARING CLEARLY FRAMES. PHOTO: CLEARLY

Native Touch, an advertising technology company that combines creativity and technological acumen, has created an augmented reality campaign for Clearly, a leading online Canadian eyewear retailer.

At the height of pandemic-triggered retail restrictions, Native Touch provided Cleary customers with an engaged and immersive platform that allowed them to virtually try on a variety of eyewear frames.

“There’s been interest in augmented reality in advertising before, but retail restrictions accelerated its adoption because it fills the try-before-you-buy vacuum,” said Saad Uddin, Founder and CEO, Native Touch. “The appetite for AR advertising innovation is surging as we move into the most critical retail period. Online research is now, more than ever, a key part of shopping, and augmented reality can make the difference between browsing and buying.”

Clearly featured 3 of its most popular eyewear styles in the AR campaign that was included within an ad that ran pre-dominantly in-app. Consumers were able to virtually try on eyewear using the front-facing camera on their mobile devices. The AR concept performed 2 times greater than industry benchmarks in terms of user engagement and 10 times greater in terms of post engagement activity.

Native Touch continues to be at the forefront of mobile advertising as AR mobile advertising fills a void that supports both e-commerce and in-store sales at a time when consumers rely on research and planning prior to purchasing.

CALGARY’S SOUTHCENTRE MALL CELEBRATES BEES

PHOTO OF SOUTHCENTRE’S URBAN HIVES BEING ASSEMBLED ON THE MALL’S ROOF BY HONEY MEADOW FARMS. PHOTO: SOUTHCENTRE MALL

August 17 marked World Honeybee Day and to celebrate the occasion Southcentre Mall has taken steps to help support the local bee population with their own urban hives.

While the initiative helps local beekeepers working diligently to maintain local bee populations through rural apiaries and urban hives, the Southcentre hives also give back to the Calgary community by donating more than 100 jars of harvested honey to the Meals on Wheels ‘Weekends and More’ hamper program — a program that has continued to provide food hampers to thousands of Calgary students and their families during the pandemic.

Southcentre’s urban hives were adopted as part of the shopping centre’s ongoing commitment to actively supporting the local community and promoting sustainability. The honeybees help pollinate and maintain the health of plant life throughout Willow Park, Bonavista, Haysboro, and other surrounding areas, in addition to the other countless benefits bees are known to have on local environments. Southcentre’s hives currently house a growing population of about 100,000 honeybees who gather nectar from up to 3km away each day.

The hives are maintained by Honey Meadow Farms, a family owned and operated apiary located just South of Calgary.

CADILLAC FAIRVIEW AND CANADA UNITED COLLABORATING TO SUPPORT LOCAL POST-COVID

As part of its focus to power retail recovery, Cadillac Fairview has partnered with nationwide initiative, Canada United, to encourage Canadians to shop and dine locally and help kick-start the economy after the COVID-19 shutdown. 

Canada United was created by RBC in partnership with over 60 companies and organizations to bring Canadians together to support local businesses. The movement, which is highlighted by Canada United Weekend (Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30, 2020) hopes to spark support and engage shoppers in buying local and supporting their communities. 

With this in mind, Cadillac Fairview is offering Canadians a chance to win one of 50 $5,000 prizes for a total of $250,000 going back into the retail economy. This, in addition to the $250,000 in cash prizes available to be won for shopping or dining local during Canada United weekend, provides benefits to both consumers and local businesses to stimulate spending in this vital industry.

“From local designers and businesses to national brands big and small, it’s extremely important that we continue to foster relationships and make meaningful connections between brands and shoppers across our national retail portfolio,” said Jose Ribau, Executive Vice President, Digital & Innovation, Cadillac Fairview. “The Canada United movement comes during a critical time when local businesses need our support and we’re proud to collaborate with RBC to extend our commitment and find new opportunities to help accelerate business recovery.”

Shopping local helps small business and larger Canadian retailers for future prosperity
To help get the word out about Canada United, and qualify for available shopping spree prizes, CF is encouraging Canadians to take action and spread the message of the movement by:

  • Downloading the LiVE by CF app (available in iOS and Android), or for those who already have the app, look for a contesting tile on the home screen;
  • Following their chosen CF property on Instagram and sharing a picture of themselves shopping at a CF property that tags their local CF property and uses the #CanadaUnited hashtag.

“Canada United is all about Canadian companies coming together to rally support for the small and local businesses that make up our communities,” said Mike Dobbins, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Royal Bank of Canada. “We’re thankful to have a great partner such as CF who shares our passion and dedication to helping local businesses as they focus on safely re-opening. Our collaboration is a great example of what can be done when we come together with one voice and one purpose.”

Sylvain Charlebois: Things will Never be the Same at Canadian Grocery Stores. Here is Why

By
Sylvain Charlebois
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BROWN BAG SPILLING WITH GROCERIES

More than five months into the pandemic, we can start seeing how life will look like on the other side. At the grocery store, some changes will disappear while others will stay with us for the foreseeable future.

FOOD PRICES ARE INCREASING IN CANADA DUE TO COVID-19

Food is getting more expensive everywhere, including Canada. We are expecting food prices to increase by 4%. Additional costs to do anything these days are too much to absorb for farmers, processors, and distributors. Financial results were impressive for the first few quarters, to be sure, but sunny days for food companies will not last. Many companies are pivoting and trying to reach consumers who are looking for new options. The foodservice industry is barely at 60% of what it was before COVID-19, but starting to pick up, and consumers are finding new ways to get food by adopting fresh habits.

Products like beef have gone up by as much as 20% since January. Some factors have nothing to do with the pandemic, but COVID-19 unquestionably did not make things easier for financially insecure consumers. Food security was a challenge in Canada even before COVID and the pandemic has made matters worse. The ratio of Canadians who have experienced food insecurity at least once in the last 12 months went from 1 in 8 to 1 in 7. In other words, almost 700,000 more Canadians have now experienced food insecurity. That is why organizations like Second Harvest and Food Banks Canada play such a critical role. No government programs, not even CERB, can help Canadians so quickly. And given that CERB will end in September, we desperately need food rescuing to help those in need.

Perishables are more in fashion now since we spend more time in the kitchen. Staying at home will get consumers to process their own food more often. Non-perishables were highly popular at the start of the pandemic, but consumers got more acquainted with ingredients they can cook within recent months. With more people working from home, or from anywhere but work really, we are expecting to see more consumers buying fresh more often.

This spells bad news from brand companies, the ones you find in the middle of the grocery store. You know the ones. As such, portfolios are likely to shrink, and less choice will be offered to consumers in months to come. Carrying more than 39,000 food items in one store can be expensive, so “less is more” will be our grocers’ new motto. But who needs Twinkie-flavored milk, really? And yes, it exists.

GROCERY ECOMMERCE IS THRIVING IN THE WAKE OF COVID PANDEMIC

Another massive change we are experiencing is online food purchasing. In only five months, we have seen many markets in Canada go from being severely underserved to being offered several options. Liquor stores, specialty stores, and of course mainstream grocers are out there delivering food within two hours, sometimes even faster. It is now socially normalized to let a stranger pick your food; if you live in a city of over 200,000 inhabitants in Canada now, it is very reasonable to expect your online order to be delivered within two hours, with little or no substitutions. That is the new benchmark. Instacart, Voilà by Sobeys, Longos in Ontario, all are looking at new standards and expectations. Accuracy has also changed and orders are being fulfilled with accuracy rates higher than 95%.

In 2017, grocers got their wake-up call when Amazon acquired Whole Foods, but these grocers barely committed to online delivery. We saw the timid emergence of Clicks and Collects everywhere, which was nowhere near good enough for pandemic-stricken households. Now, the online game is on. Of all food sales, online purchases were under 2% before the pandemic, but by the end of this year, online food sales could reach almost 4%. Canada will be less of a lagging country – the Unites States is at 7% while the United Kingdome is at 10%.

However, if you do order online, expect to pay more. On average, including delivery fees, consumers will pay 7% to 10% more for delivered food compared to a regular visit at the grocery store. Quite the difference, perhaps even problematic for those who are stuck home, for one reason or another. The disabled, elderly, and people in self-isolation are compelled to pay more. Optics may make things appear to be unfair, but the socioeconomics of home food delivery will evolve and likely become more competitive.

As for the plexiglass, arrows on the floor, masks, and cart-cleaning staff, they will go away. Maybe. Eventually.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Also at Dalhousie, he is Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculty of Agriculture. His current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety, and has published four books and many peer-reviewed journal articles in several publications. His research has been featured in a number of newspapers, including The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star. Follow him on twitter @scharleb.

UNIQLO Announces Opening Date for 1st Montreal Flagship Store

By
Craig Patterson
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RENDERING OF THE EXTERIOR OF NEW UNIQLO STORE IN THE MONTREAL EATON CENTRE. RENDERING: UNIQLO

Popular Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo has announced that its Montreal flagship store will open on October 23 of this year. The store will become the largest Uniqlo location in Canada and will occupy a prominent retail space at the corner of Ste-Catherine Street West and Boulevard Robert-Bourassa in the overhauled Montreal Eaton Centre.

MONTREAL UNIQLO FLAGSHIP WILL BE CANADA’S LARGEST LOCATION

The two-level Uniqlo store will feature about 32,000 square feet of retail space in a leased space spanning more than 40,000 square feet. The store will feature a ‘flagship’ design and will house Uniqlo’s fashion collections for women, men, children, and babies. Uniqlo is known for its well-priced basics including its LifeWear line.

“We are pleased to open this new store in Montreal as part of the Eaton Centre renewal, making our high-quality, functional, and thoughtfully-created LifeWear apparel accessible to more Canadians,” said Yuichiro Kaneko, CEO of Uniqlo Canada. “During these challenging times, we have seen continuous demand for Uniqlo and LifeWear by our customers, as we continue to offer products designed to fit new and emerging lifestyles.”

The LifeWear is described as “meeting the needs of everyone’s daily lifestyles to make their everyday life better and more comfortable. Whether that is to protect you against a cold winter wind, keep you dry on a rainy day or to look smart for an important occasion, LifeWear is simple, high-quality, everyday clothing with a practical sense of beauty that is always evolving. LifeWear is available in a variety of colours and styles for people of all ages.”

MAP OF STREET LEVEL OF MONTREAL EATON CENTRE SHOWING NEW UNIQLO STORE. IMAGE: MONTREAL EATON CENTRE. CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE MALL MAP
MAP OF 2ND LEVEL OF MONTREAL EATON CENTRE SHOWING NEW UNIQLO STORE. IMAGE: MONTREAL EATON CENTRE. CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE MALL MAP

When the store opens in October, Uniqlo says that it will follow public health and local guidelines. That includes physical distancing while shopping, frequent cleaning of high-traffic areas in front and back of house, hand-sanitizing stations located at the entrance of the store and at cash registers, and acrylic barriers at checkout counters and fitting room counters. All staff will be subjected to a daily temperature check and will be required to wear personal protective equipment. Such precautions have also been rolled-out in other Uniqlo stores in Canada as well as globally.

Uniqlo’s Montreal flagship is expected to be the first of multiple locations for the retailer in the province of Quebec. Uniqlo has been expanding its Canadian operations since its first store opened almost four years ago in Toronto. Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants represents Uniqlo as broker in Canada and he negotiated all of Uniqlo’s store leases in Canada.

In September of 2016, Uniqlo’s first store in Canada opened at CF Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto. It is currently the largest Uniqlo store in Canada spanning nearly 33,000 square feet over two floors. Last year the store added a 4,500 square foot mezzanine space to house a first-in-Canada ’UT’ shop-in-store showcasing the retailer’s graphic t-shirt collection.

FUTURE STORE ENTRANCE ON STE-CATHERINE STREET WEST. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
INTERIOR OF UNIQLO STORE. PHOTO: UNIQLO

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Rock our linen collection like @torontoshay! Select pieces on sale now. #Linen #UNIQLOCanada #summervibes

A post shared by UNIQLO Canada (@uniqlocanada) on

A second Uniqlo store opened in October of 2016 at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, also considered to be a flagship store in terms of size and presence with more than 30,000 square feet over two levels. Following that opening, Uniqlo began to expand further into the Greater Toronto Area as well as into the Vancouver market for the first time.

The Toronto area is now home to Uniqlo stores in Oshawa Centre east of Toronto, Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, CF Markville in Markham, Square One in Mississauga, Vaughan Mills near Toronto, and last fall a pop-up opened at First Canadian Place in Toronto’s Financial District.

In British Columbia, Uniqlo’s first store  opened in October of 2017 at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, in a 20,630-square-foot, two-level space. That was followed by the opening of a 17,900-square-foot location at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey in March of 2018, followed by stores at CF Richmond Centre in Richmond and Coquitlam Centre in Coquitlam. Uniqlo is noticeably absent from downtown Vancouver and a location is expected to be announced when a lease is finalized.

UNIQLO IS DUE TO EXPAND MORE AGGRESSIVELY INTO ALBERTA IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Uniqlo expanded beyond the Toronto and Vancouver markets in the fall of 2019 when it opened its first store in Alberta at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton. More stores in the Edmonton and Calgary markets are expected.

The Montreal area is Uniqlo’s fourth major market to see Canadian stores which could eventually number in the dozens if all goes as planned.

Landlord Ivanhoe Cambridge spent more than $200 million to merge the adjacent Complexe Les Ailes and Montreal Eaton Centre into one downtown centre that is now anchored by French sport retail behemoth Decathlon as well as a Time Out market food hall that recently reopened after COVID-19 closures. New retail additions to the Montreal Eaton Centre include a renovated Sephora store, a first-in-Canada concept for Pandora and and Quebec's first Samsung store which opened this month.

We’ll update this article in October when the Montreal flagship store officially opens.

*Thank you Maxime Frechette for providing information for this article.

Interview: Reitmans President Discusses Diversity Campaign & Company’s Restructuring Post-Filing

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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REITMANS' NEW CF CARREFOUR LAVAL SHOP PHOTO: REITMANS

Canadian mega retailer Reitmans, which continues to restructure its business under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, has launched a new ‘Wear Your Support’ campaign to celebrate diversity.

‘WEAR YOUR SUPPORT’ CAMPAIGN CELEBRATES CANADIAN WOMEN PROMOTING CHANGE WITHIN COMMUNITIES

The campaign, in collaboration with creative agency Cossette, focuses on seven Canadian women promoting profound change within their communities. Their individual stories underscore unifying threads of obstacle and grit, perseverance and triumph.

JACKIE TARDIF

“The campaign aims to empower women through these seven authentic ambassadors who speak to the Reitmans’ customer’s life and strive to build a better society for all. The goal of ‘Wear Your Support’ is to help women foster the confidence needed for self-acceptance, a powerful tool for fighting for one’s beliefs,” said Jackie Tardif, President of Reitmans, which recently announced it has obtained a revolving credit facility of up to $60 million from the Bank of Montreal. It will be used to fund the company’s operations as it reorganizes under the CCAA process and for other specific purposes.

As of early August, there were 255 Reitmans stores in Canada, 105 Penningtons and 80 RW&CO. The company is closing all 77 Addition Elle stores and all 54 Thyme Maternity stores. While maintaining its brick and mortar stores across the country for Reitmans, Penningtons, and RW&CO., it will have to optimize its physical presence.

The company said it will close a limited number of Reitmans, Penningtons, and RW&CO. stores in Canada in the coming weeks and months. It is too early to confirm how many locations will close as the company is still in the restructuring process.

While it continues in its restructuring process, the ‘Wear Your Support’ campaign is intended to propel people towards a deepened shared experience of community, empowerment, and ultimately, true acceptance.

It also highlights Reitmans’ core values: inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity.

“It’s always been at the centre of everything we do,” said Tardif.

The campaign showcases women who celebrate body, ethnic, and sexual orientation diversity. The message: when women love themselves and support each other, they can accomplish anything.

Among the personalities chosen are coach and athlete Louise Green, known for her movement Big Fit Girl; novelist and two-time Giller-Prize-winner Esi Edugyan; Cowichan Tribe entrepreneur Arianna Lauren; singer and vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ communities Jully Black; Quebec pop singer Ariane Moffatt; Paralympic snowboarder Michelle Salt and the first Canadian drag queen to participate in RuPaul’s Drag Race,”Queen of the North”, Brooke Lynn Hytes.

By launching its 2020 diversity campaign, Reitmans is just going deeper and further into its core values, said Tardif.

The female ambassadors are change makers who have overcome obstacles and have inspiring stories to share

“I think we have five million women shopping with us every year. We have a strong voice,” said Tardif, adding that Reitmans can amplify those voices to help and create a better world.

Each ambassador has designed a T-shirt that speaks to her voice, values and singular vision of Diversity; they are available in stores and online and will retail for $29.90. Reitmans is giving back $10,000 to each charity chosen by the seven ambassadors.

Recently as part of its restructuring, Reitmans announced that it was streamlining its senior leadership team by abolishing the position of President, RW&CO., held by Lora Tisi. Michael Strachan assumed the position of President of the Penningtons and RW&CO brands.

The company started the restructuring process in May. In early June, it announced the three go-forward brands for the company. It also started negotiations and discussions with landlords.

“We are quite advanced right now into our process and we’re very confident we’re making the right decisions,” said Tardif.

“We have sufficient cash available for the operation of our business and we’ll only be using the credit facility if and when it’s needed as we continue our restructuring through the CCAA process. It’s always good to have. We don’t know the future. It’s always a lot of unknowns right now. It’s a good security.”

With retail stores opening up now through the COVID-19 pandemic, Tardif said consumers remain conservative but activity is better than she anticipated. There continues to be a shift as well to online shopping.

“Business is gradually coming back to normal,” she said.

On July 30, the company released its financial results for its fiscal first quarter, the 13 weeks ending May 2, and it reported sales of $104.7 million, which was down from $185.2 million from a year ago.

It said the $80.5 million decrease was primarily due to the impact from temporary store closures due to COVID-19.

Gross profit for the first quarter decreased $70.8 million or 69.5 percent, to $31 million as compared with $101.8 million last year. Gross profit as a percentage of sales decreased to 29.6 percent from 55 percent.

“The decrease both in gross profit and as a percentage of sales is primarily attributable to an $18.3 million increase in the Company’s inventory reserves due to the announced closures of the Thyme Maternity and Addition Elle banners, the impact of inventory build up for the spring season during the temporary store closures which will require higher markdowns and higher promotional activity on e-commerce sales during COVID-19,” it said in a news release.

Net loss for the first quarter was $74.7 million ($1.53 basic and diluted loss per share) as compared with a net loss of $12.6 million ($0.20 basic and diluted loss per share) last year.

“The increase in net loss of $62.1 million is primarily attributable to the decrease in gross profit and an increase in income tax expense, partially offset by an increase in net finance income largely coming from a net unrealized gain on outstanding foreign exchange contracts that were no longer being designated as cash flow hedges,” it said.

‘Main Streets’ in Canada Seeing Success with Local Shoppers During the Pandemic: Studies

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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MAIN STREET RETAILERS IN PARIS, ONTARIO

Strong local economies have reaped a protective effect for main streets and small businesses through the pandemic, according to a report by the Canadian Urban Institute through its Bring Back Main Street initiative.

To better understand how COVID-19 has impacted main streets and businesses, Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, Vancity Community Investment Bank, and the Canadian Urban Institute conducted a series of seven Block Studies in British Columbia and Ontario.

“Generally, the blocks with more independently-owned businesses that more directly catered to the needs of the local residential population were faring better. The small businesses that had personal connections to their customers were seeing the people in their communities support them throughout the pandemic. Similarly, ethnic businesses saw their customers go out of their way to purchase their products and services, even during the lockdown phase,” said the report.

SEVEN BLOCK STUDIES IN B.C. AND ONTARIO HIGHLIGHTED IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON MAIN STREET RETAIL

Key findings include:

  • Strong local economies and connections to the community are helping businesses through COVID-19;

  • Main streets and businesses that cater to local residential populations are seeing advantages;

  • Main streets that were struggling with vacancy and rising rents pre-COVID may be at higher risk;

  • The business community is digging deep and finding innovative ways to adapt, but some are falling behind;

  • There is a need for creative ways to finance small businesses and support recovery;

  • Filling vacant storefronts and animating main streets will be necessary for main street recovery; and

  • Local business organizations are critical to the recovery and resilience of main streets.

Mary Rowe, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute, said the organization is focused on healthy urban development and how to foster connectivity that enhances communities.

“Main streets are kind of the embodiment of why a city even forms in the first place. Cities are typically formed because people wanted to gather and exchange. That’s the root of the city,” said Rowe. “In any urban environment you will see that historic pattern where people are organized around a place where they can exchange goods or services and where they can congregate and do something together that they can’t do alone.”

The Block Study looked at the following seven areas: Downtown, Victoria; Strathcona, Vancouver; Kamloops North Shore; Newton, Surrey; Downtown Hamilton, Wexford Heights, Toronto; and Beach Village, Toronto.

“We are really exploring and learning as best we can what are the ingredients to make a main street for the future and what’s that going to look like,” said Rowe.

“Main streets aren’t just about buying stuff. Main streets are about community. They’re about a sense of belonging – an attachment. They’re about your sense of wellbeing. They’re about public safety. If a street has a lot of commercial activity and a mix of activity . . . these all make a street much safer, makes it a place that you’re more attached to.”

‘BRING BACK MAIN STREET’ INITIATIVE IS FOCUSED ON MITIGATING COVID STRUGGLES EXPERIENCED BY MAIN STREET RETAIL

Bring Back Main Street is a nationally-coordinated research and advocacy campaign about finding the best solutions to ensure main streets recover from COVID-19 and emerge from the crisis more resilient than ever.

“We’re working with a growing coalition of partners on this project, including: main street business leaders, academic research partners, industry and professional associations, BIAs/BIDs across Canada, government stakeholders and municipal recovery working groups, corporate endorsers, developers, industry and professional associations, and advocacy groups across Canada,” says the initiative on its website.

“We are undertaking rapid-response research and developing a set of tools to inform shared priorities and gaps across Canada. We’re leveraging dozens of partnerships and networks across the country to develop tangible, evidence-informed, and actionable policy recommendations to inform a plan for recovery. We are building a campaign about the value of our main streets – their connection to the health of the economy, social life, and vitality of our neighbourhoods and cities – and the actions that we can all take to guarantee their survival.”

Jay-Ann Gilfoy, CEO of Vancity Community Investment Bank, said having a vibrant community is really important particularly at this time — a thriving community is a place where people collectively can succeed.

“So I can live and shop and work and have my children taken care of, have friendships and relationships, those are the healthy communities that I think we all want to live in. The small business component of a community is as important as the social services that get applied to that community, as the residents who live there who want to do things in their community together. It’s kind of an ecosystem that needs to work together,” she said.

The Latest Scoop to Open New Pop-up Store at Guildford Town Centre

By
Retail Insider
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VANCOUVER, BC, AUGUST 17, 2020 — Canadian based lifestyle concept store The Latest Scoop will open their doors to a new pop-up location in Guildford Town Centre on September 1, 2020, with a grand-opening event on September 5, 2020.

Founded in Vancouver in 2004 as a series of pop-up shops, The Latest Scoop quickly evolved into six permanent locations across Vancouver and Toronto. Customers can expect a truly unique retail experience featuring a curated selection of products across multiple categories, displayed via stunning merchandising designed to spark a sense of wonder and discovery.

“Reengaging with our roots by opening a pop-up concept store in Guildford has been an easy decision,” said owner Deb Nichol. “We receive continuous emails for us to expand into neighbourhoods outside of the downtown area, and over the years, many clients who have grown up with our brand have moved to the surrounding cities. This is our first step in reconnecting with them in tandem with our recent e-commerce launch.”

While opening a new retail store during these uncertain times may seem cause for concern, Adrien Nichol, Chief Operational Officer, offered a contrasting perspective. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly posed its challenges, it has also provided opportunities for innovative and adaptable retailers. Because we’re a lifestyle store, we have a unique mix of products ranging from fashion and accessories to home decor and gifts, and this product mix attracts a wide demographic of customers, more so than if we carried only apparel. Pop-ups also provide the opportunity for us to try out new neighbourhoods and to test new products and ideas without having a long-term commitment. That being said, we’d be happy to convert to a permanent location should we be well received!”

A media launch party, with COVID-19 protocols in place, will be held on August 30, 2020. For media inquiries contact Lisa Lethbridge at 604 355 8057 or lisa@thelatestscoop.ca. For store hours and location, please visit https://www.guildfordtowncentre.com/en/stores/womens-fashion/latest-scoop/.

Theflashsale.com becomes Canada’s phenomenon, as designer sample sales shift online amid pandemic

By
Retail Insider
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Theflashsale.com becomes Canada’s phenomenon, as designer sample sales shift online amid pandemic After ten years of physical sample sales in eight major Canadian cities, The Flash Sale online shopping is now available to brand-lovers across the country.

TORONTO, August 27, 2020 – The Sample Sale Guys, the only designer sample sale company that operates across Canada, announced the launch of their new online shopping platform, The Flash Sale. Canadians can now shop online for affordable designer apparel and accessories from the comfort of their homes.

What started as a Toronto sample sale in a small hotel ballroom, has grown into a Canada-wide travelling event, that has shoppers marking their calendars. In just a four-day sales event, The Sample Sale Guys expect onwards 15,000-20,000 customers to descend for their opportunity to grab designer goodies at discounted prices you can’t get just anywhere. Not only were the sales bringing in city locals, but also, brand-lovers eager to road trip from neighbouring cities just to attend.

“After successfully hosting over 300 physical sample sales across Canada since 2010, the launch of our online website has been a long time coming,” said Warren Goldstein, CEO of The Sample Sale Guys and The Flash Sale. “This website is more than just a flash sale site. Our direct relationships with the brands has is what makes our site so exclusive. For years, we have sold designer merchandise on sale that is extremely hard to find.”

The Flash Sale has become a Canadian phenomenon, where those in the know can buy their favourite designer brands at unbeatable prices. Offering a huge sum of luxury brands, the site never reveals the brands up until a week before the event, so only registered customers get informed.

The Sample Sale Guys’ loyal customers are familiar with the process; the early bird gets the worm. Shoppers must act fast, the events usually run for only 48 to 72 hours before the deal is gone and the best merchandise sells out first. “Just last weekend we hosted a three-day event that rushed 160,000 visitors to the website and sold 27,000 units of designer shoes. The Flash Sale has quickly taken a lead role in this industry,” said Goldstein.

The fashion industry has faced big challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Retail stores and designer brands are suffering, and theflashsale.com has presented a great opportunity during this trying time. The shopping platform is getting hundreds of factory workers back to work, and enabling brands to liquidate inventory in a fast and discreet way, while maintaining the brands integrity.

Consumers are benefiting the most by enjoying the excitement of purchasing flash sale deals each week. The Flash Sale is unique in offering Canadians limited-time savings up to 75% off retail prices on authentic merchandise for women, men and kids. All products are displayed online with customer service live chat to answer questions in real time. This makes for a very easy shopping experience.

Sign up at theflashsale.com to join the exclusive shopping club.

Luxury Brand ‘SAINT LAURENT’ to Open Standalone Store at West Edmonton Mall

By
Craig Patterson
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RENDERING OF THE NEW WEST EDMONTON MALL SAINT LAURENT STORE (EXCLUSIVE).

French luxury fashion brand Saint Laurent (formerly Yves Saint Laurent) will open its third standalone Canadian store within a few months at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton. The store is part of an effort to attract luxury shoppers to the mall after adding a Louis Vuitton store last year.

WEST EDMONTON MALL’S SAINT LAURENT STORE WILL BE CANADA’S THIRD STANDALONE LOCATION FOR THE BRAND

The Saint Laurent store will span more than 2,900 square feet on one level and will be located two doors west of Louis Vuitton on the second level of West Edmonton Mall. The Saint Laurent boutique will feature the brand’s newest retail design and will carry men’s and women’s fashions including apparel, bags, accessories, and footwear. Another luxury brand will soon be announced for a retail space between Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton as part of a clustering of brands targeting affluent locals and tourists.

Construction specialist Amachris Corporation will build the new Edmonton Saint Laurent store including general contracting work as well as interior finishings. Amachris also completed the renovation of the Saint Laurent shop-in-store at Saks Fifth Avenue in downtown Toronto and has worked with other luxury brands.

That includes building the stunning 6,000 square foot ‘world of’ Gucci concession at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre that opened last summer, and Amachris is also finishing the renovation to Gucci’s standalone flagship store at 130 Bloor Street West in Toronto.

SAINT LAURENT CONSTRUCTION HOARDING AT WEST EDMONTON MALL. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LUI
SAINT LAURENT LOCATION HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE WEST EDMONTON MALL FLOOR PLAN
CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE WEST EDMONTON MALL FLOOR PLAN

SAINT LAURENT FOCUED ON CANADIAN EXPANSION IN RECENT YEARS

Saint Laurent has been expanding its presence in Canada over the past few years. The brand opened its first standalone store in Canada in Vancouver at 746 Thurlow Street in July of 2016, spanning 4,800 square feet over two floors. A second location at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, spanning more than 3,000 square feet on one level, opened in November of 2016. In March of 2018, Saint Laurent opened a concession spanning about 3,000 square feet on the street level of Holt Renfrew at 50 Bloor Street West in Toronto, featuring its own street-facing entrance onto the Mink Mile facing Eataly. The ‘world of’ Saint Laurent boutique is so large that many who walk by consider it to be a standalone store.

In the winter of 2018, Saint Laurent opened its first outlet store in Canada at the Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills.

Concessions have become an important part of Saint Laurent’s strategy in Canada. In the spring of 2019, Saint Laurent opened a men’s concession space on the fourth floor at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy in Montreal. Over the summer, Saint Laurent opened three separate concession spaces at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy for women’s ready-to-wear, leather goods, and footwear.

  • WOMEN'S GROUND FLOOR ACCESSORIES AT VANCOUVER’S 746 THURLOW STREET LOCATION. PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK
  • WOMEN'S GROUND FLOOR ACCESSORIES AT VANCOUVER’S 746 THURLOW STREET LOCATION. PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK

Saint Laurent also has a limited wholesale presence in Canada. That includes Nordstrom in Vancouver, which houses separate Saint Laurent leather goods and women’s ready-to-wear boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue in downtown Toronto also features a leather goods boutique although a ready-to-wear boutique on the third floor closed last year. Saint Laurent fashions can also be found at Holt Renfrew at Square One in Mississauga and some pieces are available at Holt Renfrew in Calgary.

Saint Laurent operates locations globally, including more than 25 full-priced U.S. stores and several Saint Laurent outlets. In downtown Portland, Oregon, Saint Laurent recently opened a large standalone store at Pioneer Place, marking the brand’s further expansion into secondary markets. The brand is also carried in upscale department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom in the United States. Saint Laurent is owned by French luxury holding company Kering. Designer Anthony Vaccarello is the designer for Saint Laurent, having replaced Hedi Slimani in 2016.

Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent founded the brand in 1961 and in the 1980s and 90s, Yves Saint Laurent was considered to be the pinnacle of fashion globally. The company had stores around the world including a substantial number of units in the United States. Department stores were an important part of the ‘Saint Laurent Rive Gauche’ expansion strategy. Stores such as Marshall Field’s, Dayton’s, Wanamaker, Rich’s, L.S. Ayeres, Kaufman’s, Halle’s, Nan Duskin, I.Magnin, and others featured Rive Gauche shop-in-stores.

In Canada, Yves Saint Laurent boutiques once operated in Toronto at Hazelton Lanes (now Yorkville Village) as well as at 1330 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal. Department stores such as Simpson’s (now the Hudson’s Bay Company) and Morgan’s also carried the brand in decades past.

West Edmonton Mall has been adding high-end retailers over the past several years. Last year, Canada Goose opened in the mall featuring a 'cold room', joining brands such as Hugo Boss, Marc Cain, Coach, Stuart Weitzman, Mackage, and others. The first luxury brand to open at West Edmonton Mall was Tiffany & Co. in 2013. Mall landlord Triple Five is innovating with a new Toyota Experience centre that will be opening next year, with more announcements to come. West Edmonton Mall is also looking to add some of the successful brands that once were carried at Holt Renfrew in Edmonton — the downtown store closed in January of this year. Interestingly, Saint Laurent did not have a presence at Edmonton's former Holt Renfrew store.

Despite not having a Holt Renfrew store, Edmonton will have some bragging rights when the Saint Laurent store opens its doors — it will be the only standalone location in Alberta. Calgary and Edmonton have had a rivalry for years and the next luxury brand to be announced at West Edmonton Mall also does not have a standalone presence in Calgary. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and report on what’s happening at West Edmonton Mall as the centre expands its offerings to become Canada’s next luxury retail node.

GetintheLoop Partners with Cushman & Wakefield to Launch Mobile Technology Service in 21 Malls

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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BLURRED IMAGE OF SHOPPERS ON BUSY RETAIL STREET

Cushman & Wakefield Asset Services has partnered with platform GetintheLoop to launch a mobile technology service to enhance retail promotions in 21 retail centres across Canada.

GETINTHELOOP ACTS AS SINGLE SOURCE FOR ACCURATE AND RELEVANT LOCAL RETAIL INFORMATION

More than 1,500 retailers in Cushman & Wakefield properties will receive access to GetintheLoop’s mobile marketing platform to better reach local residents via their smartphones, email, and web. GetintheLoop will act as a single source for accurate and relevant local retail information, integrating data from the app onto each centre’s website, and app users will have the added benefit of receiving push notifications including dynamic offers such as gift card programs, delivery or curbside pick-up options, incentives and offers to support retail businesses now, when they need it most.

“When our guests install the GetintheLoop app on their devices, they will essentially have their local mall in their pockets,” said Molly Westbrook, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Managing Director for Canada. “Retail operations and consumer habits are rapidly evolving, and we want to support our retailer partners in this evolution, extending beyond the physical space of our centres. Partnering with GetintheLoop allows us to enhance the guest experience, giving them a direct line on new arrivals, local promotions and sales, and much more.

GETINTHELOOP

“We want to offer our shoppers an omni-channel guest experience. I think we’re missing a mobile app solution to help the tenants in the malls reach out today — because everything’s online. It’s said that more than 70 percent of shoppers research purchases online before they head into the store. So if we’re helping provide the information they want that’s accessible through GetintheLoop it’s going to help our customers make their purchases and their decisions and be informed.”

Westbrook said the app will be in 21 of the company’s largest enclosed malls from British Columbia to Halifax. September 1 is the official day that GetintheLoop launches in those centres.

“We were looking into this partnership before COVID. It wasn’t a response to COVID. We’ve been planning and researching for a while to provide a mobile platform to our tenants. We were testing the concept prior to the pandemic,” said Westbrook. “We saw strong results, so we knew there was a demand for this. We thought it was really essential to implement throughout our centres. We’re really excited to launch this and move forward.

“This is really important to us and we feel like it’s really going to help our tenants and customers throughout Canada, especially in the retail space.”

GETINTHELOOP APP AVAILABLE ON APP STORE AND GOOGLE PLAY

Consumers can download GetintheLoop for free in the App Store and Google Play store and opt-in to receive curated, local offers. Push notifications can be enabled or modified so consumers can receive timely updates from their local Cushman & Wakefield-managed shopping centre.

"We're thrilled to partner with an innovative, community-minded organization like Cushman & Wakefield,” said GetintheLoop's Founder and CEO Matt Crowell. “We want our technology to help communities stay connected and support local retail during this critical time.

“We’re a lot of things to a lot of different stakeholders but really GetintheLoop is a shop local community. We enable members to support local businesses by connecting them with rewards and offers and events. It’s really a great way to find out what’s going on and the best place to spend money in your local community. GetintheLoop for business is really a tool that helps the retailer and a local business connect to a local audience in an authentic way to help them attract new customers, offer incentives and to be able to measure that result.

“Lastly, I think a really unique value proposition is that it’s powered by entrepreneurs of local communities. We’re the fastest growing franchise in Canada and we’ve got over 150 entrepreneurs in local markets that work with local businesses and those retailers on the ground in that Cushman & Wakefield scenario.”

The Kelowna-based company, which started in 2012, has more than 40 employees. It has more than 75 franchises across the country.

“We have a unique story. We started by actually just working in the golf industry and had success there. But we really expanded that we could help a lot of small business by using mobile technology to attract customers. We became partners of media companies over time and then realized to really make an impact in each neighbourhood and community you need entrepreneurs on the ground that had skin in the game,” said Crowell.

“So we created GetintheLoop Local — the digital franchise. It’s still under two years now that we did that and it’s been gangbusters from there. We exploded across Canada and now we’re looking at international opportunities.

“What people view as customer experience is changing. Now for a shopping centre, part of that customer experience is creating the ability for a consumer to learn about a retailer and their offers first when they come into the centre. The reality is that so many people are on their phones, you need to create an experience where they could still be using their phones while in the centre to find offers and promotions and allow the retailer to create a unique experience or incentive to drive that customer. And that might be driving them to the shopping centre but it might be helping facilitate a pick up offer outside of the mall and different things.

“We’ve seen a huge change. Cushman & Wakefield is very innovative and they’re a leader in saying ‘hey we need to be a partner with our retailers, not just a landlord’. So, they're using technology as part an endeavour to achieve those goals'.

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