PHOTO OF CF DRIVE IN MOVIE THEATRE CONCEPT IN ACTION. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
Shopping centre landlord Cadillac Fairview piloted a recent drive-in theatre program at its mall property in CF Markville in southern Ontario which will likely expand throughout the country to its other mall locations.
To help ring in the summer season, and to officially welcome back the community to CF Markville, the centre piloted the CF Drive In movie theatre concept in the centre’s parking lot on a Friday and Saturday evening.
Craig Flannagan, Vice-President of Marketing for Canadian shopping centre owner Cadillac Fairview, said the pilot project in Markham, Ontario, will be rolled out to some of the company’s other properties in Canada. The company has 19 shopping centres across the country.
The pop-up drive-in took place June 26-27.
DRIVE IN STAFF MEMBER WEARING MASK AND GLOVES SERVING PATRON IN THEIR CAR. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
DRIVE IN STAFF MEMBERS WEARING MASKS. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
CADILLAC FAIRVIEW DRIVE IN MOVIE NIGHT SIGNAGE. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
“It’s actually a concept that’s part of a group of things that we’re trying with safety being our top priority. Shortly followed by that we wanted to make sure that we could have some safe and enjoyable experiences for our shoppers and drive-in was one of them,” said Flannagan, adding that the company was excited by the results of the Markham project.
On the first night, people from its CF Insiders (newsletter subscribers) were invited to join and on the second night CF Markville retail clients and employees were invited. The cost was $20 per car. It was a double-feature both evenings with Smallfoot and Goonies. The centre partnered with Kernels to provide all movie-goers with popcorn. About 60 cars each night attended the event.
“Both were really good nights. It’s a pilot. You’re always going to learn things and we learned that consumers like it and our shoppers really liked it and we raised $10,000 for the Markham Stouffville Hospital. So we did some good things there too,” said Flannagan.
“We erected about a 40-foot LED screen that was on a trailer and stage. That allowed us to get really good positioning. It also allows us to be bright so we can start maybe earlier than your projector based drive-in. It was a really bright, high quality screen. The good feedback we got from customers was that the picture quality was really, really strong.
CF FACE MASK STUDIO IN PROGRESS. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
“We’ve got 19 shopping centres across the country and what we wanted to do was make sure that we could pilot at a property that was recently opened so that we could have a chance of welcoming the community back. Some of our properties in the West have been open a little bit longer. So that focused us on Ontario. It was a really great way to start to welcome that community back in a way that was socially distant and really enjoyable.”
Flannagan said 83 perent of the drive-in attendees were very satisfied with the experience.
“That was a really good indication for us that we’ve got something here,” he said. “So we are going to continue to look to roll out to more properties and we’re going to look at longer. How many days can we set up? How many people can we get through in a way that is safe and enjoyable? We’ve got nothing to announce right now in terms of when our next dates will be. But rest assured, we are planning a bit more of the rollout,” he said.
“As we continue to evolve the retail experience, as we continue to look for things that are going to not only drive enjoyment but have people think about the mall in a different way, I could absolutely see things like the CF Drive In experience becoming part of the future. It’s probably too early to say right now but there’s always things that we’re looking at and how could we add more excitement and enjoyment to the experience.”
Flannagan said the CF Drive In experience is just one of other projects Cadillac Fairview is piloting at different places across the country. CF Chinook Centre in Calgary had the CF Face Mask Studio, an opportunity for people to not only pick up a face mask but also to be able to customize and personalize it.
THE CF INSPIRATION WALL AT CF POLO PARK IN WINNIPEG. PHOTO: CADILLAC FAIRVIEW
The CF Inspiration Wall at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg involved people writing down messages of inspiration, thanks and celebration as a way to welcome back the community to the mall. A local artist then painted those messages on a wall.
“It is a really moving piece. We’re going to keep it up indefinitely. It’s a really interesting way to mark a time that the community has gone through – a really crazy, interesting time, there’s so many adjectives that people have used to describe this – but that inspiration wall is going to be kind of a marker of this time at Polo Park. And we are going to roll that out in the coming weeks to probably five to seven properties across the country and get those messages from local communities and be able to artistically display those,” added Flannagan.
Exterior of Oakville L.L.Bean store. Photo: L.L.Bean
Iconic outdoor outfitter L.L.Bean, buoyed by its successful launch a year ago in Canada, is set to aggressively expand the brand throughout the country in the coming years, starting with four new stores in Ontario by the end of 2020.
The American outdoor retailer launched its Canadian e-commerce site in the fall of 2018, followed by the launch of a Canada-specific catalog and the opening of the first Canadian store in Oakville, Ont., in August 2019.
“The success of L.L.Bean in Oakville has been encouraging, and the new stores across Ontario will widen the reach to our loyal Canadian customer base. We’re excited to work with L.L.Bean to expand the iconic brand in Canada and to encourage outdoor activities with family and friends,” said Howie Kastner, President of Toronto-based Jaytex Group, which has a long-term exclusive license for Canada for L.L.Bean wholesale and retail.
Its second store will open Friday in the Georgian Mall in Barrie. The Ottawa Train Yards store is scheduled to open in the third week in August. A small outlet store is set to open in early September in Vaughan Mills near Toronto. And toward the end of September or early October, L.L.Bean will open a store in the CF Shops at Don Mills in Toronto.
THE NEW STORE AT GEORGIAN MALL IN BARRIE, ONTARIO. PHOTO: L.L.BEAN
Each location will feature a unique store design and a curated assortment of footwear, apparel, and outdoor essentials informed by Canadian customer feedback.
The opening of the three new L.L.Bean locations reflects the company’s continued success in the Canadian market, accelerated by strong year-over-year sales and new customer growth.
“We opened Oakville in August (2019) and it was just a fantastic opening. We always knew that there was a strong, loyal L.L.Bean customer in the country and we proved that when the store opened. We had a successful opening and that continued right through the fall holiday season,” said Kastner. “We were very happy with the results, which in turn led us to start looking for other locations.”
“Of course, we had to shut down for the spring (due to COVID-19). We reopened Oakville in Phase One. It started soft but every day is getting better and now that Oakville has moved into Phase Two we’re seeing a lot more traffic and we’re obviously quite happy with sales.”
Kastner said the company plan is to have up 20 stores across the country. Next year, it is looking at opening in the Maritimes because there’s a very strong L.L. Bean customer in that region due to the proximity to the corporate base in Freeport, Maine.
“Right now, we’re looking at opportunities in the Halifax area. So we will open one next year and then after that we’ll start to look at other opportunities. We’ll start to move West. We’re going to continue the growth. It’s going to be calculated. Location has to be right. The centre has to be right. And the demographic has to be right. We’re still targeting 20 stores,” said Kastner.
L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading multichannel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. L.L.Bean is a family-owned Maine company, led by Executive Chairman, Shawn Gorman, the great grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean, and Stephen Smith, President and CEO. L.L.Bean currently operates 54 stores across the United States and 28 stores in Japan. The 220,000-square-foot L.L.Bean retail store campus in Freeport, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than three million visitors every year.
Greg Elder, Vice President of Retail and International for L.L.Bean, said the positive response to its first store opening accelerated its expansion plan for this year despite the economic downturn.
“We’re extremely grateful to our Canadian customers for welcoming us, and the continued success really speaks to the strength of the brand, the relevance of our iconic products and the kinship we share in the inherent love and care for the outdoors,” he said.
“We’re extremely mindful of how and where we grow,” said Stephen Smith, President and CEO of L.L.Bean. “We’re excited to be able to offer our Canadian neighbours more options in more locations around the country this year, and to provide them the outdoor essentials they need to enjoy the many restorative benefits of being outside. We look forward to building on that relationship with our Canadian customers for years to come.”
Kastner said Canadian consumers are familiar with the family brand which is outdoor and active. It resonates well with the Canadian consumer and there is a strong e-commerce presence.
Many stores will be closing in Canada over the summer as brands are hit hard in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it’s challenging to quantify the number of permanent closures at this time, it appears hundreds of individual store locations in Canada will be vacated before the fall.
The list of store closures include independent retailers as well as medium and larger chains which have either filed for bankruptcy protection or are simply shutting stores amid financial turmoil. Prior to COVID-19, many retail chains in Canada were struggling amid debt and the pandemic has in effect sped up the process by creating further financial challenges.
Some fashion retailers have been hit particularly hard given the purchase and delivery cycle. Spring collections saw significantly fewer sales as consumers stayed at home for much of the season, and now many retailers are considering their options as fall collections are coordinated for delivery. Some retailers have struggled with credit insurance coverage for deliveries which means that some retailers could be understocked for the fall if at all.
EXTERIOR OF ALDO STORE IN FIRST CANADIAN PLACE. PHOTO: FIRST CANADIAN PLACE
Some independent retailers are reconsidering their operations altogether, recognizing that demand for some retail categories are expected to be less in the fall of 2020. One retailer Retail Insider spoke with said that her family’s retirement plans were already in jeopardy and that it might make more sense to shut down stores rather than take the risk of restocking for the fall. Major costs including rent and staffing were part of the challenge, not to mention increased costs associated with sanitization and PPE. “Government support is simply not enough,” the retailer said.
Larger retailers are also looking to the future which for some will include fewer store locations. Many have been quietly restructuring operations which has included layoffs, and some retailers will seek creditor protection in an effort to close underperforming locations. One industry insider said that Canada may see one bankruptcy filing per week over the summer for medium and large-sized retailers. Other large retailers are making major staffing cuts. Seattle-based Nordstrom, which operates six full-line stores in Canada as well as six off-price Nordstrom Rack locations, for example, is undergoing a restructuring which has resulted in many management layoffs. Lisa Tant, formerly the Canadian Styling Sales Director at Nordstrom was let go recently according to a social media post, and others in Canada and the US are said to have been laid off as well.
International retailers with stores in Canada are also filing for bankruptcy protection and are looking to close stores in Canada. All of the store closures will have an impact on landlords who will have to find tenants to replace them, or reconsider the real estate portfolio altogether. The value of commercial properties in Canada will in many cases be reduced due to vacancies as well as unpaid rents, all of which will impact owners and shareholders.
Foodservice businesses such as restaurants will also add substantial vacancies to commercial properties in Canada. Given the thin margins that many restaurants operate with, closures and reduced capacity have impacted some that have already closed while others will struggle and eventually shutter over the summer or into the fall. When government support for rents and staffing costs is reduced or eliminated, the pace of closures will likely increase.
Independent Retailers Shuttering
Publications such as BlogTO seem to report almost daily on small businesses shutting in Toronto permanently, and it’s the same across the country. Some landlords have chosen not to participate in government rent relief funding and despite offers to defer rents, the debts incurred by small businesses are in some cases proving to be insurmountable. Adding to that are property taxes, insurance, and other expenses. One well-known broker in Toronto explained that many retailers are now seeking percentage rent lease deals, while some landlords are insisting on terms in executed leases which includes enumerated rents due. Many of these independent retailers are located on urban streets and vacancies could result in blight which will negatively affect vibrancy in some areas. If the trend continues, the future of some commercial areas could be in question, even popular areas such as Toronto’s Danforth and Beach areas for example.
EXTERIOR VIEW OF LOLE FLAGSHIP IN MONTREAL. PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
National Chains Shutting Stores
Over the past several weeks numerous national retail chains have filed for bankruptcy protection and some have either already closed stores or are in the process of doing so.
Lole: Montreal-based athleisure brand Lole, considered to be a competitor with Lululemon, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May and shut its corporate stores in Canada and globally (franchised locations are still open according to a former store manager). Lole’s filings indicated that the company has about $47 million in debt. The company had high expectations given the success of competitors such as Lululemon.
Scholar’s Choice: London Ontario-based kid’s education retailer Scholar’s Choice announced a significant restructuring this week. A total of 13 of the retailer’s 16 stores will close permanently. That includes closing nine stores in Ontario, three in Alberta and one in Nova Scotia. The three remaining physical stores will act as regional sales and distribution centres to support the shift in the business with units remaining in London, Winnipeg and Moncton NB. The company’s restructuring will allow Scholar’s Choice to remain a going concern with a strong online sales focus.
Frank And Oak: Last month Montreal-based fashion retailer Frank And Oak filed for bankruptcy protection with about $19 million in debts. The company launched as an online menswear brand in 2012 and began opening stores after that, and in 2017 launched womenswear that included some standalone women’s stores. The company has 20 stores and is reportedly looking at closing 17 of them, leaving two stores in Quebec and one in Ontario. Frank And Oak has struggled for several years and came up with creative ways to stay in business, including a partnership with Postmedia for advertising in return for an equity stake as well as with landlord Cadillac Fairview. In March of this year, Frank And Oak co-founder Ethan Song left the company.
RENDERING OF SAIL STORE EXTERIOR. RENDERING: SAIL
La Senza: While now owned by Beverly Hills-based Regent, Quebec-founded lingerie and underwear retailer La Senza will permanently close about 30 of its 100 Canadian storefronts. The future of the entire company is in question and it remains to be seen what happens with other locations in the coming months.
SAIL: We reported this month that Montreal-based sporting goods retailer SAIL had filed for bankruptcy protection and with that, all four of its Sportium banner stores will close as well as two SAIL stores in Ontario.
David’s Tea: Montreal-based David’s Tea filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday. A total of 124 of the company’s 210 North American stores will close for good, including 82 units in Canada and all 42 stores in the US. The company hadn’t paid landlords rent in months and will renegotiate remaining locations. The David’s Tea concept stores opened quickly over the past five years and the cost of real estate proved to be a challenge. The company will focus on e-commerce moving forward.
Aldo Shoes: We previously reported that Montreal-based footwear and accessory retailer Aldo had gone into creditor protection and we subsequently learned that more than 40% of its Canadian locations will either not reopen or will shutter over the next while. That will result in substantial vacancies for CRUs in the 1,000-2,000-square-foot range.
EXTERIOR VIEW OF REITMANS’ CF CARREFOUR LAVAL BOUTIQUE PHOTO: REITMANS
Nygard: The Winnipeg-based Nygard retail chain of stores is liquidating, including its Alia and Tan Jay storefronts. It’s the end of an era for the fashion company with 169 stores and an expansive wholesale arm founded by designer Peter Nygard who’s empire has gone down amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Toys Toys Toys: The Toronto-based toy retailer filed for bankruptcy this week and all product is being liquidated. The company’s stores include Vaughan Mills, Square One Shopping Centre, Erin Mills Town Centre, Scarborough Town Centre, and Oshawa Centre. A.D. Hennick & Associates and Danbury Global are handling the liquidation sale.
Comark Holdings: The parent company for Ricki’s, Cleo and Bootlegger filed for bankruptcy protection last month and with that, many stores are expected to close. While the majority of the 310 units will remain open according to filings, Comark is still expected to close at least 100 store locations in Canada in the coming weeks and months. We reported extensively on the filing last month.
Le Chateau: On Monday evening, Montreal-based Le Chateau issued a press release with its earning statement noting that the company may not survive another 12 months without outside investment. The company has 124 stores in Canada. Given the year-over-year losses and overall financial position, securing investment may be challenging and by early 2021, Le Chateau may become part of Canada’s retail history.
There are other examples not included above that we have reported on since March of this year. Several People’s Jewellers locations are said to have closed permanently and the future of the Moore’s menswear chain is in question as US parent company Tailored Brands struggles. Vancouver-based RYU Apparel has shut its mall-based stores in suburban Toronto and Vancouver as well as a unit near Robson Street, and we’re awaiting future details on the company.
International Retailers Closing Canadian Stores
EXTERIOR OF MINISO STORE. PHOTO: MINISO
The COVID-19 pandemic hastened plans for international companies to close stores in Canada and abroad. Given the number of international retailers operating in Canada, the loss of locations will have a profound effect on landlords and will result in substantial job losses.
Long Tall Sally: The women’s fashion and footwear retailer’s international business is winding down and with it, all Canadian stores have shuttered. It leaves a gap in terms of fashion for taller women and women with large feet, and some transgendered women have also commented online about the loss of the store. Long Tall Sally had stores in markets including in downtown Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, London, Edmonton, Calgary, and other markets in the past including Winnipeg and Saskatoon. The company acquired Canadian chain Tall Girl in 2009 which had nine stores at the time, and there is an opportunity for other retailers to bridge the gap in terms of stocking larger-sized clothing and footwear.
Microsoft: The Seattle-based technology company announced last month that all of its brick-and-mortar stores would close, including seven units in Canada. The seven Microsoft Canadian stores are all in high-profile malls including CF Chinook Centre in Calgary, West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Metropolis at Metrotown in suburban Vancouver, CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver, Square One in Mississauga, CF Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto, and the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto. All store locations are considered to be exceptional and landlords are likely going to be able to find strong tenants to replace Microsoft in these malls. Microsoft will continue to focus its sales efforts online.
Miniso: Chineses variety retailer Miniso, which positions itself as a Japanese brand, has been closing some stores across Canada. The company entered Canada in 2017 and had plans to open about 500 stores as part of an ambitious expansion. Trouble ensued as we reported last year amid claims of fraud, and the problems have continued since then. Many franchised Miniso locations were said to be losing money and many have closed. Some locations that are currently open, including a Miniso store on Robson Street in Vancouver, are for sublease.
GNC: The struggling health supplement chain will close 29 Canadian stores as part of a major downsizing after a US bankruptcy filing last month. The future of GNC is uncertain and more units could close in the coming months.
Lucky Brand: After a bankruptcy filing this month, denim fashion brand Lucky Brand has filed for bankruptcy and some stores will be closing. It remains to be seen how many units in Canada will ultimately close or what the future of the brand will be. On Tuesday, news reports noted that Authentic Brands Group and landlord Simon Property Group were looking to buy Lucky Brand.
EXTERIOR VIEW OF BEN SHERMAN STORE. PHOTO: THE BUSINESS OF FASHION
Ben Sherman: The UK-based men’s clothing brand Ben Sherman is closing two of its stores in the Toronto area, including a unit on Queen Street as well as at Vaughan Mills. It’s unclear what will happen to the store at Square One in Mississauga which opened in the summer of 2016 in an upscale wing anchored by Holt Renfrew.
The Gap: San Francisco-based fashion retailer The Gap has been quietly closing stores in Canada for the past several years. The company wasn’t paying rent on its stores for months during the COVID-19 shutdowns and sources are saying that several more Canadian units will be shuttering under the Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy banners. A Canadian landlord chained the doors of one Old Navy location according to a broker source.
Bestseller: The Danish retailer shut its Bestseller-branded stores in Canada in the spring (including converting a Winnipeg unit to a Jack & Jones banner) and last month, announced in a bankruptcy filing that it would be closing more stores under its Jack & Jones and Vero Moda banners in Canada. A source familiar with the proceedings told Retail Insider that all 10 Vero Moda stores will close in Canada as well as 13 of the 51 Jack & Jones locations.
EXTERIOR VIEW OF VICTORIA’S SECRET IN YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE, TORONTO. PHOTO: VICTORIA’S SECRET
Victoria’s Secret: We previously reported that lingerie and underwear retailer Victoria’s Secret had been closing some of its Canadian stores even before COVID-19, and it remains to be seen if others shutter over the summer following what is expected to be reduced retail sales in such stores. Victoria’s Secret operates massive flagship stores in downtown Vancouver and Montreal as well as stores in malls across the country.
Starbucks: Last month Seattle-based coffee retailer Starbucks announced that it was closing approximately 200 locations across Canada as the company restructures its operations and looks to the future. Some of the shuttered locations will be replaced or kiosks will be located nearby — last year Starbucks piloted a take-out concept in Toronto’s Financial District and more are expected to come.
Many other international retailers are struggling and are in the process of restructuring or filing for bankruptcy protection, which will result in even more store closures in Canada in the months to come. We’ll provide periodic updates when information becomes available with a focus on the Canadian market.
EXTERIOR VIEW OF TORONTO STARBUCKS LOCATION. PHOTO: CITYNEWS TORONTO
Other Struggles
Retailers that are still operating are also experiencing challenges at this time. Quebec City-based La Maison Simons, which lost Canada Goose as a vendor last year, has removed designer apparel from its stores for the time being. Credit insurance on deliveries is said to be an issue and all stock from brands such as Balmain have been moved online for the time being. The company says that in the fall designer brands will be moved back into Simons’ stores.
Landlords are also making changes at this time. Montreal-based Ivanhoé Cambridge laid off 60 employees last month including COO Roman Drohomirecki. In February the president of retail Claude Sirois was let go. The landlord is said to have been looking to reduce its exposure to retail in its vast portfolio for the past couple of years and that it was looking to sell off some of its retail properties. A French language report in La Presse indicated that ‘if the price is right’, Ivanhoé Cambridge could still divest some properties including its recently overhauled Montreal Eaton Centre.
Retail Insider will continue to follow what’s happening in the Canadian retail industry as businesses reopen following closures due to COVID-19. And at the same time, there is good news from some retailers worth mentioning. Besides grocery and pharmacy retailers which have seen sales spikes while being permitted to stay open during the pandemic, some strong brands are also seeing strong sales. That includes luxury brands in the Toronto and Vancouver markets, which are said to be seeing record-breaking sales numbers in some instances. Some of these brands are connecting directly with customers through apps such as WeChat and are selling out of some product categories that are being coveted by loyal brand fans.
Throwback Vault Located at 550 Queen Street West in Toronto
Digitally-native Throwback Vault has reopened its first retail store in Downtown Toronto after COVID-19 forced it to shutter days after its initial launch.
Located at 550 Queen Street West — a prime location for retail of this nature — Throwback Vault has become renowned for its high-end vintage retail offerings.
Originally the location had enjoyed its grand opening at the beginning of March, but days later the location was forced to close as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country. The modern 1000-square-foot space is home to a variety of top-tier vintage clothing, including sportswear, denim, streetwear, and accessories. The store also retails brand-new, highly-sought-after footwear, including Adidas Yeezys and Nike Air Jordans, to amplify their wide in-store assortment.
“We poured a lot into this location. We really wanted it to be perfect and a space that represented us and the brand,” said Imran Nasser, one of Throwback Vault’s founders, “we even renovated the space, adding a few hundred square feet to the front of the store to create more room for people to shop. Obviously we were incredibly concerned when we were forced to close so soon after opening.”
ARRAY OF VINTAGE DENIM AND VINTAGE SPORTS JERSEYS AVAILABLE AT THROWBACK VAULT. PHOTO: THROWBACK VAULT
ARRAY OF VINTAGE TSHIRTS AVAILABLE AT THROWBACK VAULT. PHOTO: THROWBACK VAULT
COVID HALTED PHYSICAL GROWTH WHILE DIGIAL GROWTH THRIVED
Founded in 2011, Throwback Vault is the brainchild of the four Nasser brothers — Ali, Aman, Asad, and Imran — who began their foray into vintage clothing through their passion for sports and music. In their quest to find unique pieces, the brothers availed of second-hand clothing warehouses across Ontario and succeeded in curating an assortment of vintage jerseys, t-shirts, and denim. Initially the brothers were only selling locally to friends and family, which quickly grew into selling internationally on sites like eBay. With increased market demand for sustainable clothing practices in 2017 ThrowbackVault.com was born.
“If it hadn’t been for our online presence I don’t know if we would have made it through the last few months. We were very lucky that we had previously put so much emphasis on our website and other sites like eBay and Etsy, which we also sell on, because those sales got us through the shutdown. People were shopping a lot! We saw great sales during that time.”
ThrowbackVault.com is home to over ten thousand vintage items, all of which have been carefully and thoughtfully curated by Toronto-based Nasser brothers. Most popularly, the retailer is known for its vintage sports jerseys, 80s and 90s specialty t-shirts, contemporary crewnecks and windbreakers by cult-favourite brands such as Nike and Champion and assorted denim from vintage favourites. “We sort through the masses so that you don’t have to. If people ever comment on our prices we always like to remind them that we aren’t a thrift store. We have been very selective with the pieces we’ve chosen. We’ve done the background work, we’ve sorted through all the useless stuff, trust us, this is the best on the market.”
INTERIOR SHOTS OF THROWBACK VAULT. PHOTOS: THROWBACK VAULT
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INTERIOR SHOTS OF THROWBACK VAULT. PHOTOS: THROWBACK VAULT
THROWBACK VAULT SEES EXPANSION PLANS BEYOND TORONTO
Today, the brothers are proud to bring their top-tier vintage finds to their customers in-store, in their home city of Toronto. “Throwback Vault is an incredible store that we have been so proud to develop as a team,” said Aman Nasser. “When we embarked on the journey of creating our first store, we knew that we wanted to bring our finds to our home city and create an exciting in-store experience. Toronto is such a key part of our story, and we are happy that it shows in our store design that pays homage to some of our cities’ most iconic people and moments.”
We’re also excited to potentially tap into new markets within Canada. We see a huge gap in the market in terms of vintage clothing stores in particular cities in Canada. Canada is often overlooked when it comes to vintage retail. We hope to expand in the near future and fulfill that need,” said Imran.
Customers have access to a wide assortment of sustainably sourced one-of-a-kind pieces from contemporary and luxury brands, both in-store and online. “Our online merchandise is obviously different to what you see in-store because every item is unique. If you find something online and want to pick it up in store we can always arrange for that to happen within a couple of days.”
The brothers and their respective partners have also dabbled in the emerging trend of ‘thrift flips’, which involves taking vintage clothing that might have tears or stains and altering them to increase their value. A vintage Nike sweater, for example, that has a stain on the bottom half and may be seen as valueless, we’ve cropped it and turned into a vintage Nike sweater that’s now also very much on trend.”
To learn more about Throwback Vault visit their store at 550 Queen Street West or visit ThrowbackVault.com.
Recently businesses and customers have both learned a lesson in just how critical it is for businesses to both be virtually present and fully operational. When consumers are stuck at home — no matter what the reason — they depend on the accessibility of online shopping. While the default source is often Amazon, there are several ways that smaller businesses can compete: social calls to action, quality assurance, competitive delivery timelines, unique product offerings, and ease of shopping. Most of these selling points can automatically be showcased in a business just by highlighting that the business is a local business.
Many social calls to action have emerged this year as our society tackles several dilemmas. One of them is the concern for the pandemic’s impact on the economy and our citizens’ livelihoods. It is completely understandable that our community has been asking to shop local for this very reason. Just as any time is a good time to boast about local relevance, it is important for businesses to highlight whether they are a small or local business to prompt the current community support.
Another reason to highlight locally-based businesses is that it often equates to higher quality assurance. Whether the products’ origin or the retailer itself is locally based, it often equates to higher quality, or at the very minimum, an easier return process to fall back on. The convenience of local also typically suggested shorter delivery timelines and lower fees, which is a huge competitive win during periods when many deliveries are delayed.
Product offering is a huge selling factor, particularly when setting yourself apart from large businesses with high inventory by offering a more curated experience. Sometimes consumers do not know what they need to search for. For example, they may be searching for a gift, but do not have any specific ideas in mind. Special product offerings to help inspire purchase decisions would be very beneficial in these cases. Knowing how to present these product offerings without overwhelming the consumers falls within the scope of successful merchandising.
IMAGE OF PERSON NAVIGATING SHOPIFY ON THEIR LAPTOP.
IMAGE OF AN ASSORTMENT OF ACCESSORIES.
The ease of shopping is the most important factor when strategizing how to create a positive shopping experience, beginning with sparking the temptation to shop, effective communication so that the customer can shop independently and continue adding to their carts, finalizing with a smooth experience to the cash out point. This is already directly affected by digital merchandising.
To optimize digital merchandising and leverage off e-commerce platforms, businesses need to focus on their introductory message, product adjacencies, ease of browsing, and be aware of their competitors’ online position as well.
OVERALL IMAGE: How professional does the site seem? Website design needs appear professional for a brand to also seem credible and established.
INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE: The current, most relevant collection or campaign needs to be introduced immediately. Similar to the concept of a window display, the primary reason to buy needs to be shown within the first view of the web site. This may be in regards to product relevance such as showcasing masks, comfy home wear, activities for kids etc. What needs do customers likely have in their lives at the moment? What products could they be searching for to satisfy these needs?
PRODUCT ADJACENCIES: In retail spaces, it is preferable to curate products that would be used together as a means to educate customers, and to entice more purchases per transaction. This is also applicable in e-commerce. While ease of shopping is usually based on correct product categorization (see point below), it is also important to entice product pairings in a way that only cross-merchandising can achieve. This means that when a customer is viewing one product type, their journey doesn’t end there; retailers may consider showing curated collections, as well as “recommended with….” areas.
EASE OF BROWSING: If it’s a struggle, the customer will lose interest and move on. Retailers can absolutely not depend the success of their business on their customers’ loyalty. Therefore, it is important to consider all the ways that customers will want and need to view the products: by product type? By usage? By sizing? The overarching categories should be the most expected ones. However, too much inventory can cause an overwhelming experience, which is when the filtering option is extremely helpful. For example, while shopping for furniture may easily by categorized under rooms or product types, the site may further assist higher inventory circumstances with helpful filtering options that are also based on price, colour, size, shape, and perhaps even material. Tagging products to filter appropriately can be extremely effective in creating an easy and positive shopping experience for online shoppers – this should not be taken for granted. Far too often, we see examples of e-commerce layouts where customers need to know too much of the products beforehand in order to navigate their online shopping journey.
COMPETITOR PRESENCE: When in doubt, retailers should check out their competitors. What is successful or enjoyable about the competitor sites? What disrupts the journey before cashing out? It is advisable to navigate these sites as a customer – not as a business competitor – to truly be productive with critiques. If in doubt, a third party is a good solution to honestly assess how sites compare with others.
There’s no dispute that e-commerce, bricks-and-mortar spaces and/or pop-up spaces all have different roles in serving consumers. Understanding that lighter foot traffic is expected these days, it is imperative to ensure that the e-commerce offering helps to fulfill this gap in business. After all, while other circumstances may not affect an entire society as much as a pandemic, there are various situations in life that would result in needing to stay at home, and this is why catering to an online shopper is always relevant.
Ani Nersessian
After 15+ years of industry experience with various retailers and environments such as Holt Renfrew and Adidas Group Canada, VM ID Inc. was founded by Ani Nersessian to help retailers get set-up with a VM culture that is right for them.
VM ID Inc. is a Visual Merchandising service company which provides catered support for small businesses through consulting, designing and labour services. Email: ani@vm-id.com
This week Craig & Lee talk about the opening of the massively renovated Holt Renfrew Ogilvy luxury department store in Montreal. The discussion flows through the building from main floor luxury brand concession hall through to footwear, jewellery and upstairs to the personal shopping and Tudor Hall on the fifth floor.
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Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Waterdale Bridge and Several Skyscrapers of Edmonton downtown at sunset
With increasing vacant commercial space in Canadian cities, it’s becoming even more important to find creative and useful ways to ‘activate’ those spaces so they don’t become a blight in those communities.
TURNING IDEAS ABOUT PUBLIC GOOD INTO CIVIC ACTIONS
Rob Shields and Jim Morrow, with the University of Alberta, have released the Activating Space Field Guide, which is written for individuals and community groups that need help with turning ideas about the public good into civic actions. It can also benefit city leaders and planners who need proof that the reuse of empty spaces can enrich the lives of community members.
“Activated spaces build community. They are places where people come together to provide for each other. And when people gather, they have adventures, form relationships, innovate, and build resilience. Regardless of outcome, activated spaces are creative. For many people, the biggest barrier to testing ideas or finding purpose is a lack of a place where they can engage a community-at-large. Yet cities have empty spaces ready for use,” said the report.
“All it takes is cooperation, social partnership, and a willingness from property owners and city officials to open doors. The ideal activated space is central, cheap, and flexible. But activating space is about being creative with whatever resources are available. Therefore, if a space can be made to work, then it is for the best. Finally, an activated space must always give back to the community. Everybody who activates a space must leave it better than when they found it. The same principle applies to people and neighbourhoods. Activated spaces improve well-being and, when all said and done, everybody and everything needs to be in a better place.”
Shields is HM Tory Chair and Professor, Faculty of Science – Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at the U of A. Morrow is Research Associate with the Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies at the U of A.
Shields has always been interested in abandoned spaces in cities with research on abandoned strip malls and uses in cities.
Morrow said the longer that a space is empty the more likely it is that it will never be rented again. That becomes even more of an issue today with commercial space sitting empty in many major Canadian markets. For example, the report points out that in Montreal, one in six retail units are vacant.
“My biggest problem is that the cities have largely abandoned large sections of them. You can even see it in small towns – main streets,” said Morrow.
“In addition to being places of business, which is what I’m trying to get people back to, is that they’re places for people to meet and form social connections. If they don’t have that ability to have this kind of serendipity of being together then it becomes very hard to build a culture where people will actually just stop and do a shop too.”
When communities grow and have social connections, the communities thrive and the economics will come along.
The Field Guide offers four strategies for activating space: Temporary Use; Reuse; Programming; and Counter-Programming.
“Business as usual is not an option. Shops and industrial sites have been vacated because consumerism and conventional approaches to development no longer work. So common purpose and social partnership must take the initiative,” said the report.
“For neighbourhoods to be vital, vacant spaces must be activated and put to use. Otherwise, it will be impossible to shop locally or support community needs.”
Morrow said the obvious consequence of vacant space is blight.
“Urban space has been reorganized for the benefit of rent extraction, real estate speculation and gentrification. And they’ve neglected community needs . . . It’s just not good business,” said Morrow.
“Through our research we’ve learned you have to have one third, one third, one third. So you have to have one third retail, one third business, like office space, and one third residence. That number reappears every time. And we’ve also learned that things have to be cheap, central and flexible,” said Morrow, of thriving communities.
The report said people have always made space for temporary events. In the Arab world, impromptu souqs and bazaars have been a part of urban life for more than 3,000 years. Temporary use has a variety of forms. It also has no limits on how long it can last. But there are common features. For example, temporary uses are usually cultural rather than commercial. And it works best for events to happen in large open-air venues, like recreation grounds or religious sites, added the report.
“Every city has empty shops and vacant lots. These spaces are usually abandoned because of a lack of commercial appeal or a failure to get permission to redevelop. They can also go to waste because nobody wants to make a long-term commitment,” said the Field Guide.
“High streets and urban sites can be brought back to life through reuse. It can be done by loaning a vacant space to a community organization at little or no cost. In turn, the occupants use the space for local needs, such as the arts, creative startups, or places for people to gather. Reuse only works if it has willing partners. The occupants have to acknowledge that the space is not theirs to keep. Property owners need to be flexible with leases and conditions. And city officials must grant temporary use permits and help occupants limit their financial obligations.”
It is not enough to occupy a space. A use is also necessary. Otherwise, nothing happens and there is no benefit to the community, said the Field Guide.
“Long-term use is a form of risk management. It is the reason that cities require feasibility studies and banks give developers lengthy loans. Yet, for all its benefits, risk aversion eliminates spontaneity and makes it difficult to find use for empty spaces. Programming works in the meantime. Simply put, it organises activities— such as art shows, skill-sharing classes, or markets—that are brief or changeable. And by planning for the short-term, occupants and organisers can quickly respond to local needs. In action, programming allows organisers and community members to experiment with ideas. More specifically, because they are not constrained by long-term commitments, they do not have to make decisions based on feasibility or risk. Therefore, they can get creative and learn about what is possible through trial and error,” it said.
“Many places are designed for a single use. After all, high streets were made for shopping and factories for machinery. Yet it is also possible to counter-programme a site to work around infrastructure already in place. Counter-programming thrives on adaptability and informality. Organizers who are flexible about how they use a space can accommodate different activities. Likewise, if circumstances change, a location can be quickly refit for other uses. Counter-programmed spaces work with materials at hand. They are not curated to suit a particular style. Instead, they use resources that are economical and commonly found. And this ability to scrounge makes counter-programming collaborative because organizers need to go into the community to source materials and local knowledge.”
TIME OUT MARKET MONTRÉAL ENTRANCE. PHOTO: JF GALIPEAU
After pausing operations in March to help contain the spread of COVID-19, Time Out Market Montréal is reopening its doors on Wednesday, July 8. With restrictions on restaurants gradually easing, the news is very welcome. And it’s just in time for the warmer weather and summer vacations, typically a time when patios and terraces are brimming with patrons.
“Time Out Market Montréal has 40,000 square feet for guests to social distance without losing the fun atmosphere that makes dining at Time Out Market so special,” says Time Out Market CEO, Didier Souillat.
First opened in November 2019, Time Out Montreal is part of the global media and leisure corporation, Time Out Group plc. The first Time Out Market venue launched in Lisbon, Portugal in 2014. Six markets already are operating and another four (none currently scheduled for Canada) are in the pipeline. They all feature the best of their host city under one roof: its best chefs, drinks, and cultural experiences.
In addition to following both government regulations and municipal protocols, Time Out Market Montreal is implementing precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of guests, market staff, and concessionaires. These include:
Health and safety communication vestibules will offer information and sanitizing stations for guests to have a safe and enjoyable experience at the market.
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EXAMPLE OF FOOD AT ROMANDOS. PHOTO: ROMANDOS MONTREAL
COCKTAILS AT TIME OUT MARKET. PHOTO: PATRICIA BROCHU
COUPLE DINING AT TIME OUT MARKET. PHOTO: PATRICIA BROCHU
Plexiglass partitions will be installed at concessionaire counters and bars, as well as on each table to separate dining parties safely.
Contactless ordering will be available on Apple and Android smartphones, the new Time Out Market app allows guests to order and pay without contact. Guests can search ‘Time Out Market’ via the App Store or Google Play to download the free app. Guests can track their order progress through email, text, and push notifications.
Delivery of the market menu items will be available through delivery via DoorDash.
Extra cleaning crew identifiable with their yellow shirts will consistently sanitize all surfaces.
Phased Kitchen Re-Openings
Time Out is prepared to welcome guests back who are eager to taste exceptional dishes from their local favourites and indulge in Montréal’s unique culture.
Opening day will include a lineup of six stellar concessionaires, with various global offerings from the Japanese counter experience Marusan to the famous Portuguese rotisserie chicken of Romados. As well, included in the first wave are locally-produced items at Signé Local, a cooking school, 2 mocktail and soda bars, a wine bar, beer bar, and cocktail bar — allowing guests sufficient room for ordering and dining.
As the community works hard to safely resume operations, Time Out Market Montréal and Time Out Montréal continue to support local restaurants and businesses through initiatives such as the Time Out Love Local Campaign.
They also acknowledge the hard work and support they’ve received from Ivanhoé Cambridge and their own market staff and concessionaires to get them ready for reopening.
What Makes These Markets Unique
The world’s first food and cultural market based wholly on editorial curation, Time Out Market captures local knowledge, independent reviews, and expert opinions to decide which locally renowned chefs and concepts are invited to become part of the market lineup.
In a nod to the importance of these local reviews to flavour the market’s ambiance, the social distancing partitions will be inscribed with quotes from a diverse group of Montréalers. Video screens throughout the market will also feature local content curated by Time Out editors.
EXTERIOR OF PLANET FITNESS LOCATION. PHOTO: PLANET FITNESS
For many who of you have spent the last three months navigating the exciting new world of virtual home workouts, the ability to return to the gym is an exciting prospect. Planet Fitness — the popular low-cost fitness club which operates locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Manitoba — has reopened in provinces mandated safe to do so, however not without a laundry list of safety measures in place.
While many have questioned the practicality of reopening gyms, deeming them to be potentially the least sanitary places we frequent and a possible threat for spreading COVID-19, the Fitness Industry Council of Canada released guidelines for fitness facilities across Canada to follow as provinces began reopening businesses, and so far it seems to be working.
PLANET FITNESS SAW AN INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP SIGNUPS
In B.C., Planet Fitness reopened as early as June 1 and in North Vancouver it actually saw a record-breaking increase in membership signups post-COVID. In Ontario, residents are still waiting on the provincial government to give the go-ahead for gyms to reopen.
Surveys conducted out of the UK gyms like Hampton gyms and Europe in May indicated about 60 percent of gym members willing to return within the first month of reopening, with another 30 percent returning in the second month, and seven percent in the third month. Three percent were undecided at that time.
CLEANING STATION INDICATED BY A YELLOW FLAG. PHOTO: PLANET FITNESS
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Photo of Interior of reopened planet fitness location with safety measures in place. Photo: Planet Fitness
Photo of Interior of reopened planet fitness location with safety measures in place. Photo: Planet Fitness
In general it would appear that Canadians are divided in terms of those who are comfortable returning to regularly scheduled life and those who are still apprehensive that it may be too soon. This discordance is inevitable, however the economy can’t and won’t wait for everyone to get on board, and there are many indicators to show that gyms might just be one of the most sanitary places you could find yourself post COVID-19.
PLANET FITNESS HAVE TAKEN EXTENSIVE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Planet Fitness recently spoke to Retail Insider about the array of safety measures it is taking to ensure its members can use its facilities once again. Although the precautions have altered the regular gym experience slightly, Planet Fitness is dedicated to ensuring that all members can still enjoy the perks of being a part of the “Judgement Free Zone” while simultaneously securing their health and safety.
Within the Planet Fitness locations currently in operation the following procedures have been implemented:
Planet Fitness staff have been extensively trained on COVID-19-specific cleaning protocols. Multiple times throughout the day, staff take prolonged periods of time to sanitize high-touch areas and workout equipment, using disinfectant on the EPA list effective against COVID-19.
In order to ensure a distance of six feet, certain pieces of cardio equipment will be temporality marked unavailable. The out-of-use equipment will not be removed from the space, but rather will remain in place to act as further markers of “Social Fitnessing”, as Planet Fitness likes to call it.
Known for its motivational phrases scattered across its gyms, Planet Fitness have implemented sayings such as “being cleansiderate” and “clean thumbs club” to ensure members are also doing their part to create a healthy workout environment. Encouraging members to sanitize equipment before and after use is important. This, in addition to the staffs’ thorough sanitization procedures, means that Planet Fitness locations should be cleaner than most public spaces visited on the regular.
A touchless check-in app has been implemented to limit any unnecessary human contact. It involves downloading the Planet Fitness app in advance and scanning it upon arrival at the Planet Fitness location.
Increased sanitization stations will be available throughout the gym floor, indicated by yellow flags.
PE@PF — a Planet Fitness perk that provides members with certified trainers to provide instruction if required and who also facilitate small group training sessions — will be temporarily modified to solely focus on individual “Design Your Own Program” (DYOP) sessions.
Before each shift, Planet Fitness team members will each receive temperature checks.
All Planet Fitness locations will be run at limited capacity, however due to the sizeable nature of most locations, it hasn’t been necessary for members to book or reserve time slots.
The fitness club launched the “United We Move” work-ins in the wake of COVID-19 and continue to provide its members with over 500 workout programs available through the Planet Fitness app.
Canadian-based GoodLife Fitness is quickly reopening locations across the country — with the exception of Ontario locations — and is allocating time slots for its members. So far it appears to be working well, with over 200,000 requests for visits since opening it’s first location in Prince Edward Island on June 15.
The higher-end gyms such as Orange Theory are also back in business in certain provinces, operating at reduced capacity and cutting the length of classes by 15 minutes to allocate time for cleaning. Orange Theory, being a HIIT workout that operates on a rotational structure with groups of people continuouslly moving from station to station, is taking its time in reopening across the country, making sure to get it right for the safety of its members.
Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, previously stated that he believed gyms will be some of the toughest facilities to reopen while COVID-19 is still a threat, provinces like Alberta seem to be proving that theory wrong, since bumping the reopening of indoor recreation and fitness centres forward from Stage 3 to Stage 2 at the beginning of June.
THE NEW EXTERIOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY STORE IN MONTREAL IN JUNE 2020. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
By Craig Patterson and Maxime Frechette
The massive Holt Renfrew Ogilvy store in downtown Montreal is nearly finished, with all six levels now open to the public. The 250,000-square-foot store is one of the largest multi-brand luxury stores in North America and is the largest showcase of luxury brands in the Montreal market.
The store’s second, third, and fifth floors have opened, showcasing a range of women’s fashions, shopping suites and an entertainment facility. The street level luxury hall is also nearly completed with 11 luxury brands occupying leased concession boutiques. In the spring of 2019, a basement level cosmetics hall opened to the public, as did the menswear level on the fourth floor which carries many of the world’s biggest designer brands.
The store’s planned opening date was on April 10 of this year, and that was delayed because of COVID-19. Several of the store’s luxury boutiques have yet to open and will once construction is completed.
The following is a photo tour of the new Holt Renfrew Ogilvy store in Montreal, floor-by-floor, beginning with the lower level beauty hall which spans about 23,000 square feet. Retail Insider reported on the beauty hall in the spring of 2019 when it opened, and photos of that retail level can be found in this article.
THE CONCOURSE LEVEL BEAUTY HALL. MORE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN OUR ARTICLE FROM 2019.
Main Floor Luxury Concession Hall
The street level luxury hall, with concessions that have been slowly opening over the past year, is nearly completed. Last year, boutiques for Tiffany & Co. (2,500 square feet), David Yurman (1,300 square feet), Bottega Veneta, Prada, and Chanel opened — the 3,300-square-foot, bi-level Chanel boutique carries a full range of ready-to-wear, as well as accessories, bags, and footwear. New boutique openings include Gucci, Louis Vuitton (3,342 square feet carrying bags, accessories and footwear), Hermes (2,848 square feet carrying a full range of apparel, bags, accessories and footwear), and Dior (1,938 square feet carrying women’s ready-to-wear, bags and accessories), with other bag/accessory boutiques including Saint Laurent and Fendi to soon join them. The large Louis Vuitton occupies the corner street-facing location at Rue de la Montagne, and Hermes occupies the southwest corner of the main floor. A concierge desk greets shoppers from the Rue de la Montagne entrance.
The main floor consists of 11 concessions that are operated by the luxury brands. Also included at the Ste-Catherine Street entrance is a pop-up space called L’espace Holt which acts as an incubator space featuring curated collections and limited-edition product from both local and international designers. First up is The Hat Shop, which is a nod to Holts’ heritage as the retailer began as a hat shop in 1837. The pop-up space will change each month.
Below is a slideshow of photos from the main floor of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy.
SLIDESHOW: HOLT RENFREW OGILVY MAIN FLOOR
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POP-UP RETAIL SPACE. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
GUCCI BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
TIFFANY & CO. BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
DAVID YURMAN BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: DAVID YURMAN
PRADA BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
THE 3,300-SQUARE-FOOT, BI-LEVEL CHANEL BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: CHANEL
GUCCI BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
GUCCI BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
MAIN FLOOR STAIRWAY AND LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
CONCIERGE DESK. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW OGILVY
THE CONCOURSE LEVEL BEAUTY HALL. MORE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN OUR ARTICLE FROM 2019.
THE CONCOURSE LEVEL BEAUTY HALL
Below is a slideshow with photos of the new Hermes and Louis Vuitton boutiques on the main floor of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy.
SLIDESHOW: HERMES AND LOUIS VUITTON
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LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Second Floor: Shoes, Bags, Jewellery, Contemporary Women’s Fashions, Restaurant
The newly-completed second floor features women’s footwear, bags and accessories, jewellery, contemporary fashions, and a restaurant. The footwear hall spans 4,632 square feet and includes a leased boutique concession for French luxury brand Christian Louboutin as well as boutique spaces for Gucci and Roger Vivier and a ‘wall’ for Manolo Blahnik — Prada, Dior, and Saint Laurent shops will soon join them. Other footwear brands include some of the world’s biggest names such as Valentino, Givenchy, and Jimmy Choo.
The women’s leather goods area on the second level houses brands such as Saint Laurent, Loewe, Balenciaga, Givenchy, The Row, Longchamp, and others. Various jewellery brands on the second floor include Gucci, Queelin, Anito Ko, Suzanne Kalan, Sydney Evans, Repossi, and others. A private shopping salon for guests looking at jewellery is located in the department. Despite the size of the store overall, it was deemed that more space was needed for bags and jewellery on the second floor because brands leasing on the 40,000-square-foot street-level demanded larger spaces.
Women’s contemporary brands on the second floor include Theory and Vince. Boss woman and Max Mara are also found on the second floor in boutique spaces as well as Akris Punto.
A stunning new restaurant called Café Holt is also located on the second floor. The restaurant is described as using “quality-driven ingredients, locality, and seasonality”. Service times will include brunch and lunch, as well as afternoon tea and an expanded evening dinner service.
Below are photos of the second floor of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy.
SLIDESHOW: SECOND FLOOR BAGS, ACCESSORIES, JEWELLERY
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JEWELLERY ON 2. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
HANDBAGS ON 2. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
LONGCHAMP BAGS ON 2. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
WOMEN’S APPAREL ON 2. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
WOMEN’S APPAREL ON 2. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
2ND FLOOR ACCESSORIES. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
WOMEN’S CONTEMPORARY ON 2. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
GUCCI JEWELLERY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
The photos below are of the vast women’s footwear hall at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy.
SLIDESHOW: WOMEN'S SHOES ON 2
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VALENTINO SHOE BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
GUCCI SHOE BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
ROGER VIVIER SHOE BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Below are photos of the new Café Holt. Further details including the menu can be found here.
SLIDESHOW: HOLT'S CAFE
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RESTAURANT SPACE ON 2. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
Third Floor: Women’s Designer Brand Boutiques, H Project
The newly-completed third floor is a showcase for some of the world’s biggest luxury brands for women. That includes boutique spaces for brands including Akris, Giorgio Armani, Brunello Cucinelli, Burberry, Balmain, Miu Miu, Prada, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Givenchy, Gucci, Moncler, Play/Comme des Garcons, and a Canada Goose boutique will also open soon. Other women’s apparel brands include Bottega Veneta, The Row, Isabel Marant, Alexander McQueen, Marni, Rick Owens, Dries Van Noten, Thom Browne, Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, and others. Also on the third floor is a Wolford area and more contemporary fashion brands including GANNI and ba&sh. A dedicated space for H-Project, described as “connecting consumers, causes, and communities to inspire a new generation of purposeful luxury and drive positive change in the world,” is located on the third floor with a rotating product assortment.
Below are photos from the third floor of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy.
SLIDESHOW: WOMEN'S DESIGNER FASHION ON 3
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PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE 3RD FLOOR. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
GIVENCHY BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
MONCLER BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
BURBERRY BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
VALENTINO BOUTIQUE SPACE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
BRUNELLO CUCINELLI BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
MIU MIU AND OTHER BRANDS. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
BALLMAIN BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PLAY/COMME DES GARCONS BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
WOLFORD BOUTIQUE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED LUXURY FASHION APPAREL BRANDS FOR WOMEN, SWITZERLAND-BASED AKRIS, HAS A BOUTIQUE ON THE 3RD FLOOR AT HOLT RENFREW OGILVY. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Fourth Floor Menswear
The fourth floor men’s level, which was unveiled in the spring of 2019, houses 25 boutique concessions for some of the biggest luxury brands. That includes vendor shops for brands such as Balenciaga, Brioni, Burberry, Brunello Cucinelli, Dior, Givenchy, Gucci, Moncler, Prada, Saint Laurent, The Row, Tom Ford and Valentino which are showcased along the periphery. A Fendi men’s concession will open soon. Other well-known designer brands include Thom Browne, Balmain, Junya Watanabe, Comme des Garcons, Acne, and others. Recently added brands include Berluti, Isabel Marant, Dries Van Noten, and Rick Owens among others.
The floor’s multi-brand men’s suiting area features brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Canali, Eleventy, Isaia, Paul Smith, and others.
The large men’s footwear salon on the same level includes many of the world’s leading luxury brands, as well as a Christian Louboutin concession and a dedicated Gucci area, both carrying expansive offerings.
A dedicated men’s grooming area includes shop areas for brands such as Creed, Hermés, Tom Ford, and Acqua di Parma. A dedicated men’s personal shopping suite offers styling services as well as privacy for clients.
The men’s floor includes an entrance directly into the adjacent Four Seasons Hotel (and 18 super-expensive condominiums above it) which opened last year. Photos of the men’s floor can be found in our article from the spring of 2019.
FOURTH FLOOR MEN’S LEVEL IN 2019. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
Fifth Floor Personal Shopping and Tudor Hall
The fifth floor of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy features impressive personal shopping suites in a space spanning 4,700 square feet. It’s the largest personal shopping offering in the chain according to Holt Renfrew. Included are five personal shopping suites as well as ‘The Apartment’, which is a luxurious salon featuring a seating area, dining room, salon, and dressing room. The space can be used for special events and trunk shows according to Holt Renfrew.
The fifth floor also houses the historic Tudor Hall, a 300-seat music facility built in 1928, which has been refurbished. Photos of the fifth floor are below in a slideshow.
‘THE APARTMENT’ PERSONAL SHOPPING SUITE. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
‘THE APARTMENT’ PERSONAL SHOPPING SUITE. PHOTO: HOLT RENFREW
PERSONAL SHOPPING SUITE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PERSONAL SHOPPING SUITE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
PERSONAL SHOPPING SUITE. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Opening Holt Renfrew Ogilvy at this time could be good for the company. Montreal is home to many wealthy households who are known to shop globally for fashions. Given the lack of travel at the moment, some may be tempted to visit Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, and some could become loyal customers. At the same time, potentially fewer international students in Montreal could create a problem. Much of what has been sold recently in luxury boutiques and concessions in the city have been to students with access to a lot of money from abroad (The same goes for Toronto and Vancouver’s luxury brand retail, though some brands are reporting remarkably high sales through direct-to-client mobile messaging).
THE NOW CLOSED HOLT RENFREW STORE AT 1300 SHERBROOKE STREET WEST IN MONTREAL. PHOTO: MAXIME FRECHETTE
Holt Renfrew at 1300 Sherbrooke Street West Closes Permanently
Montreal’s Holt Renfrew store, which operated nearby at 1300 Sherbrooke Street West since 1937, closed last month to coincide with the opening of the expanded Holt Renfrew Ogilvy store on Ste-Catherine Street. Selfridges Group, the parent company of Holt Renfrew, bought the 180,000-square-foot Ogilvy department store on Ste-Catherine Street in 2011 and subsequently announced that it would merge the two stores into one that would be named ‘Holt Renfrew Ogilvy’.
About a decade ago, Holt Renfrew proposed substantially expanding its Sherbrooke Street store to nearly 200,000 square feet by building upwards on the centre of the block while moving three historic townhome facades closer to the street. Ultimately the plans never came to fruition and a decision was made to relocate Holt Renfrew’s operations into the Holt Renfrew Ogilvy building down the street.
Before it closed, the Sherbrooke Street Holt Renfrew store spanned about 75,000 square feet in multiple buildings including the original store on the corner, an expansion that includes three historic townhouse facades, and a component in a former theatre building. At one time Holts in Montreal extended the entire block along Sherbrooke Street to include menswear at the base of an office tower — the menswear annex space closed several years ago. In 1975, the Montreal Holt Renfrew store was the largest in the company with 34,000 square feet of retail space — the store at 60 Bloor Street West in Toronto spanned about 32,000 square feet as did the new Vancouver store at Pacific Centre that opened that year. The large-format Holt Renfrew concept kicked off in 1979 with the opening of Holts’ 100,000 square foot three-level store in Toronto at 50 Bloor Street West. Today, Holt Renfrew’s Vancouver store spans more than 190,000 square feet, the Calgary store occupies about 150,000 square feet (including an unused 30,000 square foot fourth floor), the Square One store in Mississauga is nearly 140,000 square feet, the Yorkdale store in Toronto is about 130,000 square feet, and the Bloor Street flagship in Toronto occupies about 190,000 square feet with more than 30,000 square feet eventually earmarked for a retail expansion (coinciding with moving menswear back into the main store from its standalone 16,500 square foot location at 100 Bloor Street West).
Closing the Sherbrooke Street Holt Renfrew store marks an end of an era for the street which was once lined with luxury brands. In the 1980s, boutiques on Sherbrooke Street included names such as Cartier, Ungaro, Pratesi, Davidoff, Georg Jensen, Yves Saint Laurent, Polo Ralph Lauren, Versace, and others. Over the years Holt Renfrew itself operated boutiques facing the street including Giorgio Armani and until recently, Gucci, Hermes, and Prada boutiques had facades on Sherbrooke Street. Now, the only two remaining luxury brand stores on Sherbrooke Street include a Tiffany & Co. store at the Ritz Carlton Hotel facing the former Holt Renfrew store, as well as Escada which is located a block eastward. Given that the Sherbrooke Street Tiffany store opened in 2009 and Holt Renfrew Ogilvy now has its own boutique, Tiffany’s future on Sherbrooke Street is uncertain. Struggling Escada is said to be in a restructuring that could see some locations close — the exit of Tiffany and Escada would mark the end of Sherbrooke Street’s run as a luxury retail address after decades of being at the forefront of high-end shoppers in the region.
The Ogilvy building itself has a storied past. Ogilvy once operated several stores in the Montreal market including its 1307 Ste-Catherine Street flagship which is now renamed Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. Ogilvy was known for its bagpiper and lavish Christmas window displays, both of which are now history. In the 1980s, Ogilvy shifted gears to become something of a hybrid shopping centre with boutiques within such as Escada, Laurel, Jean Muir, Karl Lagerfeld, Mondi, Nicole Miller, Joan & David, Ports International, Irving Samuels, Adrienne Vittadini, and many others. Toronto-based Chez Catherine also operated within Holt Renfrew Ogilvy for several years including boutique spaces for Versace and Krizia, as well as a main-floor Valentino boutique at the corner of Ste-Catherine and de la Montagne where Louis Vuitton is now located. Chez Catherine founder Catherine Hill passed away last month and a memorial was featured here in Retail Insider.
Montreal’s department store luxury retail offerings have changed significantly over the years. At one time, five well known stores offered luxury apparel for women. Holt Renfrew was by far the smallest on Sherbrooke Street West, with the 180,000 square foot Ogilvy store nearby also catering to affluent customers. Three large full-line department stores lined Ste-Catherine Street until the 1980s. Simpson’s, (in the building now occupied by La Maison Simons) once housed the Salon Vendome department featuring brands such as Giorgio Armani, Sonia Rykiel, Thierry Mugler, Romeo Gigli, and others. Further east was Eaton’s which in the 1980s featured designers such as Ungaro, Kenzo, Sonia Rykiel, Tiktiner, Escada, Oscar de la Renta, Halston and others in its Signature Shop. The Hudson’s Bay store, still operating on Ste-Catherine Street, once housed a Le Salon Collections department (the equivalent of The Mirror Room in other Bay stores) featuring designers such as Gianfranco Ferre, Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique, Missoni, Krizia, Ungaro and others. Today, Holt Renfrew Ogilvy remains supreme as the only large-format retailer of its kind to carry an expansive assortment of luxury brands in Montreal.
