Mega shoe retailer the ALDO Group, with more than 850 stores in North America and more than 3,000 points of sales across 100 countries, has been focused since 2013 on setting an example for the fashion industry in battling climate change.
The company, which last year became the first fashion footwear and accessories company in the world to be certified climate neutral for its corporate stores, offices and distribution centres, is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in order to leave a positive impact on the environment.
In 2013, the ALDO Group began its sustainability journey by calculating its carbon footprint and setting itself a baseline for improvement. Since then, the company has improved the energy efficiency of its offices and stores and invested in projects to limit emissions in its own operations. From 2013 to 2018, the company said it achieved a 46 per cent reduction of its greenhouse gases in only five years.
“Online shopping is a part of our customer’s experience, so the next step is extending the climate neutral certification to include our eCommerce shipments and product transportation,” said David Bensadoun, CEO of the ALDO Group. “Not only is this part of the company’s social responsibility philosophy and purpose, which is a journey to create a world of love, confidence and belonging, it’s also our goal to make it easy for our customers to stay fashionable and to ‘choose good’. By communicating our progress about reaching ambitious new objectives, we hope to inspire other major fashion companies to follow suit.”
By 2030, the company said it plans to cut carbon emissions across its operations by 40 per cent and down per pair of shoe by 30 per cent, compared to its 2016 levels.
Here are some of the initiatives ALDO has undertaken in recent years:
A sustainable campus (recycling and composting facilities, plastic water-bottle free, electric vehicle charging stations, carpooling incentives, discounted public transit, a community garden and beehives, etc.);
A bagless initiative where their brands eliminate all single-use shopping bags, saving 10 million bags every year;
A sustainable collection made with recycled polyester and carbon neutral lake algae. The ALDO Group designers and materials teams continue to explore the latest advancements in sustainable materials to incorporate in their products;
Community days and 15 paid hours to volunteer for all office associates around the world;
A commitment to diversity and inclusion, with a focus on female leadership. Today, 69 per cent of the ALDO Group managers are women and they’ve reached parity on their executive team;
An innovative wellness program encouraging associates to stay fit, eat healthy, and reduce stress (on-site gym, optometrist appointments, mindfulness classes, chair massage services, nutritionist-approved meals, osteopaths, etc); and
Work/life integration guidelines and services in offices (telecommuting guides, flex hours, summer Fridays, subsidized daycare, car maintenance and wash, fresh take-out meals, etc.)
ALDO was created in 1972 by Aldo Bensadoun, who was born in Algeria. In his teenage years, his family moved to France. His grandfather was a shoemaker and his father owned a few footwear stores in the southern part of France. After university in the United States, Bensadoun travelled to Montreal in 1967 to visit Expo. He fell in love with the city with its perfect mix of Europe and North America. He moved to Montreal where he did his MBA studies at McGill University. Last year, The Bensadoun School of Retail Management at McGill University was created after a $25-million donation from Bensadoun.
The ALDO Group has its head office in Montreal and has international offices in Europe and in Asia.
“ALDO is no longer a retailer. We’re really an omnichannel specialist if you want because it’s not only stores that we have. It’s multi. We have wholesale, points of sales, and stores as well. Globally we have more than 3,000 points of sale,” said Valérie Martin, vice-president of communications, culture and CSR (corporate social responsibility) for the ALDO Group.
“Corporate stores. That means we own and operate these stores. All the stores in North America, all the stores in UK, Ireland and France are owned by the ALDO Group. All the rest of the stores are franchised. Franchise partners for us are important.”
She said 50 per cent of the overall sales for the company currently come from the retail stores.
Martin said the company’s sustainability initiatives began about 10 years ago when it started to look into this area.
“The values of ALDO are so ingrained in everything we do. We’re really a purpose-driven company. For the ALDO Group it was super important to do it. It took nine years for our coming out and start talking about it publicly,” said Martin.
Karine Kicak, senior sustainability manager for the company who has a background in chemical engineering, helps ALDO in its environmental footprint.
“That involves working closely with the product team and also working to find material suppliers that share values and that are able to provide all of the data that we need to just make sure that we’re doing our due diligence in that what we pick for material is truly better for the environment than what the conventional materials are in the footwear business,” said Kicak.
This year the company launched its Ripple Sneaker. The shoe consists of two innovative materials – the outsole is made from algae and the main part of the shoe is polyester made from recycled plastic.
“We’re also working to reduce and eliminate as much packaging as we can. Again this summer we made a very bold commitment and we eliminated all shopping bags from our stores. Now when a customer comes inside our store and he purchases a pair of shoes, he can walk out with the shoebox only but our shoebox is specially designed to have a rope on it so that it acts as a shopping bag as well,” said Kicak.
The reduction of emissions began with retrofitting stores to be more energy efficient by changing light bulbs and making sure to reduce energy consumption when it comes to heating and operating the stores. It has also purchased clean energy for stores.
“We’re also investing a lot of time and energy in training our associates because we feel having a huge CSR team is not our goal. It’s to make every single associate a key ambassador of our initiatives which will make a huge difference at the end,” added Martin.
“We’re also doing a lot of (research and development) to find new products, new material, that will really change the dynamic.”
Edmonton-based entrepreneur Courtney Buhler has turned a business that started as a lash lounge into a multi-million dollar global supplier and educator in the eyelash extension industry.
The founder and CEO of Sugarlash PRO is one of the finalists in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 Prairies Awards.
“Sugarlash is a professional product supply company and training academy that teaches anyone how to be an amazing lash artist. We’re basically the only company in the world that offers basically all things lashes in one company,” said Buhler.
The company has an 18,000-square-foot warehouse in Edmonton where it ships all its products from. It is also opening its new headquarters in December, another 18,000 square feet, on Whyte Avenue. It will hold all the company’s corporate staff, creative and marketing teams as well as a brick and mortar academy and storefront to show all its professional products. It will also include in-house photography and videography space.
“I started my journey in the eyelash industry when I had just turned 19 and was a single mom at the time. I just knew that I didn’t want to go back to working retail. That’s what I was doing before – managing a retail store. I knew I wanted to do something on my own and kind of be my own boss,” said Buhler.
“Eyelash extensions at that point in time were very, very new. The first years in the North American market. My mom told me there’s a thing called eyelash extensions and we should go because we had super short lashes. So we thought we’d go get eyelash extensions which we did and I completely fell in love with them. Knew I could never live without them again. An obsession with them.”
After talking to her eyelash artist at the time, she suggested Buhler should become involved with the industry. At that point in time, the only way someone could break into the eyelash extension industry is if you were a full aesthetician, or a cosmetologist or if you were a nurse or had a medical background.
“I was kind of stunted and so I had to find this kind of a backyard course to go through which I did. I began my journey as a lash artist at 19. I started my own business doing lashes. It was just intended to be part-time but very quickly it turned into full-time and turned into me hiring five staff which was all out of my basement. From there we opened commercially into a full commercial lash lounge,” explained Buhler of the journey that began in 2013.
“The idea for Sugarlash PRO came when the lash lounge was doing extremely well. It was always doing well. It was called Lash Affair.”
But Buhler’s vision for the lash industry went beyond owning her own successful lash lounge. She decided to take all her years of experience, knowledge and trade secrets, and partner with others in the industry to elevate the industry’s reputation and standards. “I wanted to be the change in the market,” she said.
In less than five years, Buhler has grown her business into a multi-million dollar beauty empire. Sugarlash PRO provides training and professional products to 89 countries. Currently 60,000 lash artists use the company’s products and more than 10,000 students have taken its courses globally.
“We have grown 40 to 50 per cent year over year since the inception of the company. Our first year sales I think was around $300,000 and this year we just closed right below $17 million. It’s been crazy,” said Buhler.
“I never, ever, ever dreamed this. It was literally just started to be a part-time lash artist out of my house, and I guess the vision has just grown every year and I just keep reaching new heights because I always get a bigger idea or a new idea on how to do stuff better.”
Buhler said the company is currently focused on business to business working with lash artists on product. But the company will be launching three initiatives. One is a consumer line to include everything to put on lashes that a consumer would need. It is launching next year.
“Our goal is to have distribution centres in each continent of the world. Australia, Asia, UK, Netherlands. And make sure it’s even easier to access professional products and training from anywhere in the world. And then the third initiative that we’re launching, hopefully by the end of next year, is going to be salons that people will get lashes in.”
Buhler said Sugarlash PRO has also just partnered with Ulta Beauty.
“We are training and bringing on all of our lash services into all the 1,400 salons and 5,000 lash artists we are going to be training on how to do all things lashes in the States,” she said.
Registration is now open for Retail Council of Canada’s 2019 Retail Flyer Forum, being held in Toronto on October 29th at The Carlu at 444 Yonge Street. The event will see many of Canada’s leading retail experts come together to discuss the future of industry flyers. The half-day event will feature an in-depth discussion on topics such as adapting to the evolution of flyer marketing, data and personalization, and complying with privacy laws.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from many well-known speakers comprised of Canada’s leading marketing industry professionals. Topics set to be covered include the current state of flyer marketing, how the General Data Protection Regulation is affecting retail in Canada, what the traditional flyer means for various departments and its impact on their decision-making processes, how to maximize your investment in data, and the role of digital marketing in this industry.
Speakers and guests, discussing the following topics, include:
Learn how the digital world is impacting the once heavily relied-upon method of marketing on the morning of October 29th, 2019 from 7.30am-11.30am. To register or to buy tickets for the Retail Council of Canada’s 2019 Retail Flyer Forum click here. Or visit the website at www.retailcouncil.org to learn more about Retail Council of Canada.
*Retail Insider has partnered with Retail Council of Canada on events. To work with Retail Insider, email: craig@retail-insider.com
Canadian Tire to Shutter Paderno Chain of Stores: Halifax ReTales reported this week that Canadian Tire will shutter standalone units for the Paderno brand. Canadian Tire acquired Padinox, the company which owns the Canadian rights to Paderno, in 2017. The Paderno brand includes a range of cookware, bakeware and kitchenware. The brand will eventually only be carried in Canadian Tire stores as an in-house brand, as well as online.
There are currently eight standalone Paderno stores in Canada. Two are in Western Canada, including units in Edmonton and Saskatoon. In Ontario, three Paderno stores are located in Ottawa, Kingston and Kitchener. In the Maritimes, Paderno has three stores with units in Halifax, Saint John NB and in Moncton NB.
PHOTO: STEVE MACKIN
Stores will begin liquidation in a few days, leading up to the Paderno chain’s Canadian store closure.
Canadian Tire has been aggressive with its expansion plans, both by acquiring exclusive brands and simultaneously opening, expanding, and renovating stores. The retailer competes with a wide range of retailers such as Walmart and Costco, as well as various other retailers carrying products ranging from sporting goods to automotive to home-related goods. In the spring, Canadian Tire opened its largest store to date in Grande Prairie, Alberta, spanning a whopping 173,000 square feet on one level. Prior to that, a two-level Canadian Tire store at South Edmonton Common was the largest with about 140,000 square feet over two levels.
Holt Renfrew Ogilvy Unveils new Prada and Tom Ford Shops: The highly anticipated completion of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy Montreal includes a roll-out of new vendor shops as construction progresses on the six-level, 250,000 square-foot store. Italian luxury brand Prada recently unveiled two stunning boutiques — a ground-floor accessory and leather goods boutique, as well as a men’s concession on the store’s 40,000 square foot menswear hall on Holt Renfrew Ogilvy’s fourth floor.
Luxury brand Tom Ford also recently unveiled a space on the men’s floor, joining almost 25 other luxury brand concessions that are part of the largest menswear department in the Holt Renfrew chain, by far. During a recent visit to Calgary, there were whispers that a Tom Ford shop may also be opening at Holt Renfrew’s flagship store in The CORE (downtown) in a space currently dedicated to Hugo Boss.
Holt Renfrew Ogilvy’s overhaul is expected to be completed in March of 2020. A 28,000 square-foot concourse-level beauty hall opened in the spring. An under-construction, ground-level luxury hall will feature leased concessions for some of the world’s biggest names — shops for Tiffany & Co., David Yurman and Bottega Veneta opened over the summer, and Chanel will join them in a large boutique on Holt Renfrew Ogilvy’s main floor in mid-November.
When completed next spring, Holt Renfrew Ogilvy will have opened a second floor housing a women’s footwear hall as well as jewellery and leather goods — the store’s expansive offerings are expected to see it become an international tourist attraction. The store’s third floor will be dedicated to women’s ready-to-wear, including an expansive roster of luxury brands in dedicated shops featuring the latest store design. The fifth floor ‘Tudor Hall’ will be restored and utilized for music and other events, and a Colette Grand Café restaurant will also be part of the mix — Holt Renfrew Ogilvy will become the most dramatic luxury department store space in North America outside of New York City.
Coinciding with the completion of the Holt Renfrew Ogilvy store at 1307 Ste-Catherine Street West in the spring of 2020, Holt Renfrew’s current store at 1300 Sherbrooke Street will shutter permanently. Rumour has it that part of the building will be converted into upscale residential condominium units as part of a redevelopment of the block.
Prada
1 of 6
Ground-floor Prada boutique . Photo: Holt Renfrew Ogilvy via Instagram
Ground-floor Prada boutique . Photo: Holt Renfrew Ogilvy via Instagram
Star Bédard Expanding: Quebec-based professional hairstyling products retailer Star Bédard is expanding its operations as it looks to open new locations. The company is known for its affordable prices, targeting salon owners with products such as hair care and beauty products, nail and aesthetics supplies, hydraulic chairs and other fixtures, and classrooms for salon training.
The company was founded in 1978 by France Bédard Bourdon and Gaétan Bourdon. Star Bédard remains family-owned to this day under the direction of the founders’ daughters—Marie-Christine and Marie-Danielle. The duo is positioning the retailer for significant expansion.
Headquartered in the Montreal suburb of Laval, Star Bédard has about 240 employees and operates 25 stores in Quebec, Northern New Brunswick, and Eastern Ontario. The hair care industry is estimated to be worth $1.42 billion and growing, according to market research firm Euromonitor.
Retail spaces are said to be ‘funky’ with interiors featuring a mix of black, white and red. Star Bédard is seeking retail spaces in the 2,000 to 3,000 square foot range in open-air centres as well as high streets, and is working with Tony Flanz of Think Retail on the Canadian expansion.
The new Indigobaby shop at Indigo CF Sherway Gardens (CNW Group/Indigo Books & Music Inc.)
Indigo Launches First ‘IndigoBaby’ In-Store Department: Canadian ‘cultural department store’ chain Indigo recently launched its first IndigoBaby department on the second level of the retailer’s CF Sherway Gardens store in Toronto. The 1,500 square foot space houses 575 different baby products.
Indigo’s CF Sherway unit was also the first in the chain to see a renovation with the company’s newest look which has since been rolled-out nationally.
PHOTO: INDIGO BOOKS & MUSIC
IndigoBaby features a range of baby-focused products such as clothing, sleep sacks, diaper bags, baby carriers, Bassinets, strollers, high chairs, car seats, nursing-related products, nursery decor, baby monitors and of course, various books for little ones as well as for parents looking to educate themselves. IndigoBay also has a dedicated website where products can be ordered online.
The IndigoBaby shop-in-store concept is expected to be rolled-out into other Indigo locations in Canada and possibly in the United States, where the retailer has launched a store expansion.
PHOTO: UNTUCKIT
UNTUCKit Launches Wayne Gretzky Shirt: Rapidly expanding New York City-based men’s casual brand UNTUCKit, known particularly for its shirts that are meant to be worn untucked, has launched a Wayne Gretzky shirt following the recent opening of the retailer’s West Edmonton Mall store. Wayne Gretzky himself was on hand at an event in the Edmonton store last week — Gretzky is a partner in the UNTUCKit business and also attended the opening of the retailer’s first-ever Canadian store which opened at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto in September 2018.
Mr. Gretzky wears UNTUCKit shirts regularly, and the company made a special-edition version of his favourite look, which is available at all five UNTUCKit stores in Canada, as well as online. The wrinkle-free shirt has his number “99” located on the sail, and retails for $145.
NEW YORKDALE STOREFRONT. PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
UNTUCKit has expanded rapidly across Canada — after opening the CF Sherway storefront last year, the retailer has since opened four more locations over the course of about three months, with the most recent opening being last month at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Over the summer, UNTUCKit also opened at CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa as well as at CF Market Mall in Calgary.
Given the success of UNTUCKit’s Canadian operations, the company will be opening more stores in the Canadian market. We recently reported that UNTUCKit’s CF Sherway unit is the top seller in the entire chain. Retail brokerage and consultancy Oberfeld Snowcap is representing UNTUCKit as it continues to expand further into Canada, under the direction of Rob Hart.
PHOTO: SPINCO
SPINCO Marks 5 Years with Classes in Unique Toronto Venues: Canada’s largest spin studio chain SPINCO is marking five years in business with two rather unusual class venues in Toronto this month. On Wednesday, October 23, SPINCO will host ’sunrise rides’ at the top of the CN Tower and that evening, classes will be held in the abandoned Lower Bay subway station in Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville area. Classes will be open to the public, with four to be held in the morning and four in the afternoon, and a portion of proceeds will benefit Right to Play.
SPINCO was recently ranked as Canada’s 30th fastest-growing company. The company has 12 studios in Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, and Kelowna. Five more are set to open before the end of the year. The company told Retail Insider last year that it could eventually operate as many as 50 studios in Canada in the coming years, depending on opportunity.
SPINCO was founded by Michelle August when she was just 22 years old in Kelowna, and the chain has grown to 12 locations facilitating more than 600,000 rides annually.
PHOTO: DRESS FOR SUCCESS TORONTO
Dress for Success Marks 10 Years with Charity Event in Toronto: Over the past decade, Dress for Success Toronto has provided a network of support to over 10,000 women in the Greater Toronto Area. By offering a personal consultation with a stylist to select professional attire, as well as career development programs that help obtain and keep employment, Dress for Success Toronto has empowered women to economic independence. More than 300 volunteers make it possible, including stylist Yana Brikker (who was also recently featured in this Retail Insider article).
On November 5th, Dress for Success Toronto is hosting Polished: Empower 10 at the Artscape Wychwood Barns at 601 Christie Street. A ‘VIP event will be held 5-7pm with the main event happening from 7pm-11pm that evening. VIP Tickets are $250 and Main Event Ticket are $150 each.
The cocktail fundraiser will feature a fireside chat with two of Canada’s most successful fashion and retail entrepreneurs, Kimberley Newport-Mimran and Joe Mimran, which will be moderated by Global Tv’s Crystal Goomansingh. The event brings together Dress for Success Clients and supporters, celebrating the organization’s own success with its endeavours.
For full event details and to buy tickets visit :
PHOTO: ZENDOG
Retailer Hosting Unique Outdoor Dog Fashion Show in Toronto’s Church St. Village on Thursday: To celebrate the launch of Fall/Winter season, Zendog Pet Services is hosting an outdoor Doggie Fashion Show on Thursday, October the 10th at 7:00pm. The front yard of Zendog’s retail space at 584 Church Street (one block north of Wellesley Street) will feature a runway with a variety of ‘Pooper Models’ strutting the latest in accessories, outerwear and even Halloween costumes.
Zendog offers a variety of services including training (puppy and adult classes), daycare, dog walking, boarding, grooming, and informative seminars. Over the last two years the company says that it has built a reputation in providing the best care and products for its clientele. The retailer also supports various rescue organizations like Save our Scruff.
Zendog has just expanded its retail square footage to include the front half of the second floor of a heritage building that, like many on the street, were homes in decades past. A colder than normal winter is said to be in the forecast for the GTA and the retailer encourages pet owners to dress their little ones accordingly.
Mississauga’s Square One to Host 1st Ever Diwali Market: The massive Square One shopping centre in Mississauga continues to engage the community with a range of events catering to the centre’s multi-cultural trade area in an effort to grow visitor traffic. From October 17th to the 20th, Square One will host a Diwali Market that will be light-filled and highly interactive on the mall’s second level across from H&M.
Visitors will be able to experience the food, fashion, beauty, dance, and traditions of Diwali as part of a Festival of Lights that is expected to attract thousands of visitors during the activation. The Diwali Market will feature vendors representing some of the most notable South Asian food, lifestyle, fashion, and beauty brands, including Vasanti, Candy Crate Events, Mani Jassal, Brars, Banglez, Served Co., and Poppy Lane. Special programming is scheduled throughout the market days, including live dance performances, henna art, and food sampling.
On the October 17 opening night, Nav Bhatia (Toronto Raptors/and 905 ambassador) will kick-off festivities with a guest appearance. DJ Andre 905, the official DJ of Raptors 905, will help kick-off Diwali festivities. Other events and guests will be held over the course of the festival, and more information is available on its website.
Attendees are asked to donate a non-perishable food item to Seva Food Bank upon entering the market to help build stock for the coming winter season. The Seva Food Bank is a not-for-profit organization in Mississauga that provides safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food to low-income families.
Events production company Culture Market Co. is hosting the event, which will be the first Diwali Market at Square One. Culture Market Co. creates culturally-inspired events and expos celebrating ethnic customs and traditions.
Canadian Design Firm figure3 Wins Award: Prominent Canadian firm figure3 was honoured with an Award of Excellence at the VODAs (Value of Design Awards) in Vancouver recently, as part of the Interior Designers of Canada 2019 Design Symposium. The Toronto-based firm was awarded for Innovation in Retail Design for its design of the Surterra Wellness dispensary in Tampa, Florida. The smart design was not only hugely successful for the Surterra, but also influenced legislation toward cannabis retail in the state of Florida.
figure3 is one of Canada’a largest independently owned interior design firms, and is behind such notable projects as the internationally acclaimed Penguin Shop, and more recently for Inscape’s new Experience Centre in Toronto as well as Virgin Mobile’s newly designed kiosks. The firm is excited to have begun work on numerous additional cannabis retail projects, to be announced soon.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Canada’s Busiest Shopping Days for 2019 Start Next Month: Sensormatic Solutions’ ShopperTrak provided Retail Insider with data on what the company predicts will be the busiest shopping days for 2019. As expected, all are either before or immediately after the busy Christmas season.
In November, ‘Black Friday’ takes place November 29 and November 30 and is also predicted to be another very busy shopping day. The momentum continues in December with Saturday, December 14th expected to see hoards of shoppers in stores across Canada. ‘Super Saturday, which is the Saturday before Christmas Day, is on December 21st and is expected to see more shoppers than any other day, until Boxing Day on December 26, which sees thousands of bargain hunters seeking out deals.
The period leading up to Christmas and other winter holiday shopping-related dates is in many cases a ‘make it or break it’ situation for retailers. Given that Forever 21 will be liquidating its Canadian stores beginning this week, some are predicting that other apparel and accessory retailers may also offer deeper discounts than usual in order to also attract shoppers. While that may be good news for consumers, it poses a challenge to retailers at a time when some are already seeing declining sales numbers.
Japanese retailer Uniqlo will open a unique storefront this month in Toronto’s Financial District. The 8,157 square foot space, which will remain open until at least October of 2020, will see a monthly rotation of different items from Uniqlo’s ‘LifeWear’ line.
Uniqlo will locate on the concourse of the retail podium of First Canadian Place, in a retail space formerly occupied by US-based fashion retailer Express. The store opens the morning of Wednesday, October 16 following a renovation of the retail space.
Uniqlo’s LifeWear line includes a range of ultra light down, seamless down, BLOCKTECH, fleece, and flannel, along with jeans and knit items. LifeWear is described by Uniqlo as being “innovative, high-quality clothing that is universal in design and comfort.”
Each month, the First Canadian Place Uniqlo store will see product shift to showcase different “key products,” according to Uniqlo. It’s the first time that Uniqlo has opened such a store in Canada.
The new First Canadian Place store will offer Uniqlo’s ‘All-Product Recycling Initiative’ where customers can drop off gently used Uniqlo clothing in bins for donation to people in need. Uniqlo’s 12 other Canadian stores also provide the opportunity for clothing donations.
Known for its white marble interiors and glossy marble and stone flooring, First Canadian Place continues to add new retailers and food & beverage concepts. In May of 2019, a Chatime Atealier opened on the concourse level, providing an elevated experience for the chain known for its bubble tea. In September, a dermatology clinic opened in the centre. This month, fashion retailer Vassi will double in size as it relocates to its new space, and a new concept Forno Cultura will join it. In the first quarter of 2020, Montreal-based women’s fashion retailer Maska Mode will also open at First Canadian Place.
PHOTO: UNIQLO
In the adjacent Exchange Tower retail concourse, an elevated Tim Hortons concept store opened to fanfare as it was a first of its kind for the company. Last month, popular food concept Mad Radish opened at the Exchange Tower and last week, a pop-up for Toronto-based women’s fashion concept Thursday’s opened as well. In December, Retail Insider reported that well known French retailer Ladurée will open a 680 square foot location in the Exchange Tower, which will become a draw with features such as grab-and-go coffee and other food items as well as catering and office delivery.
Uniqlo’s First Canadian Place storefront opens after the retailer opened its 12th permanent store at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton. That store was Uniqlo’s first outside of the greater Toronto and Vancouver markets, and marks a national expansion for Uniqlo that is also expected to soon announce its first location in Montreal.
Uniqlo opened its 10th and 11th Canadian storefronts in the Greater Toronto Area. In March of 2019, the retailer opened a 12,000 square foot store at Oshawa Centre east of Toronto, which was followed by the April opening of a 15,000 square foot location at Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket.
Oxford Properties has launched a unique initiative across its retail centres in Canada to capture a rising consumer group – tourists visiting the country.
The real estate investment, management and development company recently appointed Lesley Boughen to a newly created National Senior Manager of Tourism role to enhance the profile of its retail properties with this important consumer group.
In her new role, Boughen will identify new tourism targets to drive traffic and exposure to Oxford Properties shopping centres. Her other responsibilities will include aligning tourism memberships and partnerships under Oxford’s retail portfolio to augment memberships, expanding China Ready programs, identifying new global markets to expand the tourism program, implementing new translation support technology with guest services and digital marketing, and establishing global relationships.
“Inbound Canadian tourism is reaching unprecedented levels, year over year. So with that in mind this role was created in recognition of the economic impact of inbound tourism and specific to the retail sector,” said Boughen.
“The position essentially was designed also to enhance the profile of Oxford’s retail properties to the important tourist consumer. We recognize that for many long-haul international markets shopping is a key activity that they’re participating in when they come to Canada. So my role will really be in a position to connect with those tourist consumers when they visit Canada.”
Boughen said what’s really important to remember is that tourism is not a one-size fits all approach. In her previous role as tourism manager for two of Oxford’s premier shopping centres, Square One and Yorkdale, she gained valuable experience in reaching that tourist retail shopper through specialized programs and working with retailers.
PHOTO: OXFORD PROPERTIES (SQUARE ONE SHOPPING CENTRE)
PHOTO: OXFORD PROPERTIES (SQUARE ONE SHOPPING CENTRE)
“Given the scale of Oxford’s properties, we’re taking that knowledge from those two shopping centres and applying it across other centres in Canada,” said Boughen.
Oxford has 10 retail centres in Canada based in Ontario, Alberta and Quebec.
“Based on some recent stats from Destination Canada in Q1 of 2019, during the first quarter of this year, the top three provinces for the total international visitors’ spend were Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. So that really puts us in a great position with our key properties as well as in Quebec,” said Boughen.
“And when we look at visitors’ spending, United States spent $1.37 billion in Q1 while the rest of the world combined spent $1.64 billion.”
She said the retail tourism initiative will include identifying new tourism target markets that will drive traffic and exposure to the Oxford shopping centres across the country while continuing to target the existing markets that it has already been targeting.
“This national role is just such a great opportunity. We’ve seen the economic impact of tourism in the retail sector. We now have the ability to integrate that same approach in other Oxford retail properties but on a national level,” added Boughen.
PHOTO: OXFORD PROPERTIES (KINGSWAY MALL)
“To my knowledge, this is the only national role of its kind. I do know that other companies have local tourism positions and I actually performed that function at Yorkdale and at Square One previously to taking this role. So now it’s an opportunity to take that approach and bring that same kind of success to all of our properties.
“Part of the role is about leveraging and expanding our relationships within the tourism industry.”
THE QUEEN STREET RETAIL SPACE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT
Cruelty-free Canadian outerwear brand Wuxly Movement recently opened its first physical retail space at 505 Queen St West in Toronto, sharing a retail space also occupied by local brand Vitaly. Prior to this, Wuxly Movement was only available online as well as in a handful of multi-brand retailers in Canada and the US.
The Wuxly Movement retail space will remain open until the end of 2019, and is located on a stretch of busy Queen Street West that will help Wuxly Movement gain further brand exposure.
Wuxly Movement’s “change of season event” was recently held in the new Queen Street space in collaboration with Redemption Paws, a Canadian registered charity devoted to rescuing dogs in areas affected by disasters. The opening event showcased Wuxly Movement’s new parka collection as part of its range of tech-based, animal-friendly outerwear. The new pieces are being sold exclusively at the new Queen St pop-up, which hosts an inviting and friendly atmosphere in keeping with Wuxly Movement’s mission statement of “Live Warm”.
Born of the realization that no cruelty-free, Canadian-made, high-quality outerwear brand existed for Canadians, co-founder and former Canadian pro-football player, James Yurichuk, approached friend and third-generation master-tailor, Anthony DeBartolo in 2012, with an idea that we know today as Wuxly Movement.
PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENTWUXLY MOVEMENT CO-FOUNDERS JAMES YARICHUK (LEFT) AND ANTHONY DEBARTOLO (RIGHT) PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT
Wuxly Movement’s range of parkas, bombers, jackets, hats, and vests are all said to be sourced ethically, employing a unique production process that uses military grade and sustainable fabrics. The brand’s VeganTech Shells are sourced from a 100-year old company in Montreal which employs a ‘clean water’ policy — every ounce of water that leaves the facility is clean, after being tested and treated for any water pollution. Additionally, the brand’s manufacturing reuses the heat from the dyeing process to help power the facility.
The Wuxly Movement manufacturing facilities are also said to implement some of the highest labour standards in the world, and local production allows the company to work with, and give back to, the community. They pride themselves as being a connector brand and being inclusive for all people, regardless of lifestyle or priorities.
While dedicated to the brand’s goal of supplying Canadians with cruelty-free and sustainable outerwear, Wuxly Movement has also launched the Trade Up program. The program encourages patrons to bring in their current outerwear containing fur trims or down filling in exchange for a credit towards certain Wuxly Movement pieces. Luxury outerwear brands such as Moose Knuckles and Canada Goose are accepted as trade-ins and, depending on the item and its condition, will garner a trade-in value of $75-$275. The program then donates traded-up jackets (minus the fur trim) to partner homeless shelters such as Youth in Transition, The Mustard Seed, Brands for Canada, and Lookout Society.
OPENING EVENT IN THE NEW QUEEN STREET SPACE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT
Wuxly Movement says that it is committed to ensuring that Canadians have access to ethical and effective outerwear. Their vision? The brand says that it is enabling people to ‘Live Warm while remaining warm in practice, warm to the planet, and warm to all living beings’.
Wuxly Movement outerwear is currently available online as well as in various multi-brand stores across Canada, and is also at Moo Shoes in New York City. “We will begin the roll-out of Fall 2019 with strategic locations across Canada; a few notables include Sport Chek at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, in Collingwood Ontario, and at CF Chinook Centre in Calgary.”
The brick-and-mortar direct-to-consumer strategy is new for Wuxly Movement, and addresses a trend being seen with various other brands that have opened standalone retail stores. That includes various fashion brands including Mackage, Canada Goose, Moose Knuckles and others, which are expanding by opening stores while maintaining wholesale distribution globally.
Shop Wuxly Movement online at wuxly.ca or follow the brand on Instagram at @wuxlymovement
Toronto’s rapidly transforming Yorkville Avenue has seen some major changes in recent months, including the recent opening of unique spa service provider Majesty’s Pleasure along with various unique initiatives to draw people to the area. Considered to be a premier shopping destination, Yorkville Avenue is located in the heart of Toronto’s upscale Bloor-Yorkville district.
Landlord First Capital Realty owns much of the property in the area, with Yorkville Village consisting of the shopping centre formerly known as Hazelton Lanes, as well as an expanse of street-front boutiques on Yorkville Avenue as well as flagship retail at the iconic corner of Yonge and Bloor Street.
The entirety of Yorkville Avenue is seeing an influx of luxury brands, all committed to creating an experiential shopping experience for consumers. As the area becomes more and more populated, the innovation put forward by each new occupant is increasingly stimulating.
PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
The newest addition to the area is Majesty’s Pleasure (formerly known as Her Majesty’s Pleasure). Nestled in the pedestrian laneway between a soon-to-open Stone Island flagship and Chanel at 102-108 Yorkville Avenue, Majesty’s Pleasure has created a wholly immersive and experiential destination for anyone looking to pamper themselves while spending time in the upscale neighbourhood. Fusing the convenience of a walk-in nail and blow-dry bar with the downtown feel of a trendy cocktail bar into one hybrid concept, this space portrays luxury. With about 2,500 square feet of space, Majesty’s Pleasure Yorkville offers the brand’s signature range of services including manicures, pedicures, blow-outs, facials, massages, waxing and make-up applications. Included as well are personal lockers, and an exclusive VIP room, not to mention an 800 square foot south-facing terrace equipped with sun chairs with a view overlooking the neighbourhood.
Specific to this location as well, the Yorkville Majesty’s Pleasure offers haircuts and colour services, multi-service chairs to accommodate two services at the same time, couples massages, and a state of the art sterilization room.
“Majesty’s Pleasure is the ultimate beauty destination where our clientele can spoil themselves in the pleasure of our uniquely designed services specifically tailored to their champagne desires,” says co-founders Jeff Armstrong and Sara Kardan. “Yorkville deserves to have a destination that is just as elevated and beautiful as its neighbours. We are excited to bring our expertise and full range of luxury services to a community that indulges in wellness, beauty and superior hospitality.”
INSIDE THE NEW SPACE. PHOTO: ELAINE FANCY/MAJESTY’S PLEASURE
Open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm, Majesty’s Pleasure is committed to ensuring that the beauty needs of the growing Yorkville area are always met.
Adding to the invigorating energy on Yorkville Avenue is “Window Wars”, a new pilot digital series bringing retail window displays to life. Launched in collaborative efforts by Toronto Fashion Week and Yorkville Village, “Window Wars” aims to merge the worlds of art, fashion, and film. The pilot series, produced by Toronto Fashion Week and Yorkville Village, seeks to disrupt the traditional retail window display and change how consumers perceive the shopping experience. “WINDOW WARS challenges the traditional notions of retail displays much like how MasterChef did for chefs,” said Melissa Campisi, Director, Strategic Partnerships and Event Marketing at First Capital Realty. “This opportunity offers a unique perspective on how consumers approach the collision of fashion, art and retail – especially in the digital era. It also allows us to create an interactive community experience, engaging with those in the Yorkville neighbourhood – whether they have attended a Toronto Fashion Week event or otherwise.”
Competing to create the most compelling window displays possible, artists Tatjana Green and Krystin Leigh Smith star in the multi-micro webisodes, which premiered on tfw.to on September 19th. The series is in collaboration with Canadian fashion designers showcasing at Toronto Fashion Week. The works are being exhibited at 92 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto from September 5th until October 23rd, in a retail space recently vacated by fashion retailer Diesel.
PHOTOS: CRAIG PATTERSON
The 102-108 Yorkville Avenue block, which was recently developed by First Capital Realty, is now fully leased, and hosts many of fashion’s most notable names. Brunello Cucinelli spans approximately 8,200 square feet over three levels — the brand’s largest store in North America. Versace, which held a splashy opening party last week, also resides next to Cucinelli in a two-level, 3000 square foot retail space. Upscale fashion retailer Stone Island will open in the retail space next to Chanel in the first week of November. Majesty’s Pleasure occupies part of the top level of the 102-108 Yorkville complex, and will be joined by high-end Japanese restaurant, Hana, which will be coming soon to the lower level.
Stan Vyriotes and David Wedemire of brokerage DWSV have been instrumental in transforming the area into a luxury retail destination. They represented Chanel in the deal that saw it move into 100 Yorkville Avenue from the Colonnade at 131 Bloor Street West, and the duo also represented Brunello Cucinelli to move into retail spaces next door, as well as high-end streetwear brand CNTRBND when it relocated to 135 Yorkville Avenue last year. Hilary Kellar-Parsons of Avison Young represented Stone Island for its lease in the 102-108 Yorkville complex.
Landlord First Capital Realty also owns and operates the enclosed Yorkville Village shopping centre across from CNTRBND, which was formerly known as Hazleton Lanes. After an overhaul, the centre now boasts a roster of retailers and restaurants.
Over the next two years, Yorkville Avenue will continue to transform as First Capital Realty leases out retail spaces formerly occupied by Diesel and Anthropologie. The landlord will also redevelop 101 Yorkville Avenue into a new luxury retail development that could include a mix of other uses as well. Other landlords in the area are also redeveloping buildings that will house a range of restaurants and other uses. The redevelopment of Yorkville Avenue is part of a much larger redevelopment play for the Bloor-Yorkville area, which is being positioned as one of the world’s top luxury shopping nodes, according to a recent report by brokerage JLL.
Natural beauty and lifestyle brand Elle & Jane recently opened its doors to the public in Little Burgundy with an aim to become one of Montreal’s newest hotspots for beauty as well as fashion. Founded by best friends Casey Flanz and Gracie Olliver, Elle & Jane was born of the idea that sustainable beauty should be accessible, affordable, and fun.
Located on 2621 Notre-Dame Street West in one of Montreal’s trendiest neighbourhoods, Elle & Jane’s new two-level retail space aims to provide top-of-the-range services as well as a range of unique products, according to the company. An equal mix of ‘girl-next-door and sophisticated woman’, Gracie and Casey have honed their love of beauty and sustainability to create the space.
Co-founder Casey Flanz describes the location as “an experiential space that is approachable for all and incredibly interactive for clients.” Interior design inspiration comes straight out of New York City, with the ground floor emulating a modern city loft. The exposed brick walls are lined with artwork and black detailing gives the space a chic, edgy look. The large black granite counter top creates the centre of the room, with a couch and seating area in the corner to maintain the comfy, at-home vibe. The spa portion of Elle & Jane is situated on the second floor and is designed to relax and calm the client with minimalistic decor and a more neutral colour tone.
Photo: Matthew Parisien PHOTO CAPTURE: GOOGLE STREET VIEW (CLICK TO INTERACT WITH THE STREET)
Casey Flanz explained that when envisioning Elle & Jane, it was important that the services were not only affordable but also convenient. “Treatments are created with the working woman or the busy mom in mind. We want to provide clients with affordable, fast services that ensure they leave Elle & Jane feeling better than they did when they came in.”
Services include organic spray tans, organic teeth whitening, waxing services using all-natural hard wax, and lashes. Quickly becoming one of the most popular services at Elle & Jane is the ‘Express Facial’. Completed in under an hour and using solely Eminence Organics products, it is designed to hydrate and rejuvenate the skin.
All services are carried out on the tranquil second floor of Elle & Jane and provided by an experienced aesthetician. “We were very careful when choosing our aesthetician,” Casey says. “It was important that we found someone who is as passionate about sustainable and natural beauty and skincare as we are, and who is also incredibly knowledgable about this topic. Our aesthetician has over ten years experience in this field and we trust her to provide the most elite treatments to our beloved clientele.” Casey encourages people to pop in to Elle & Jane if they want to learn more about natural haircare, skincare, or makeup.
Photo: Google Maps/ Go360
Elle & Jane have made a conscious effort to use and retail products that are predominately Canadian and female-owned. “We want to support other women in the industry, especially those who have the same morals as us and are making an effort to ensure the public have access to natural beauty products.” In the short time that Elle & Jane have been in existence, it has been involved in many events and partnerships. The most recent being an in-store pop up with Amour Propre Beauty, a natural beauty line based in Montreal. A vintage clothing pop-up area is also in the works. “Natural beauty and sustainable fashion go hand-in-hand and we’re excited for what’s to come with this partnership”, says Casey.
The retail portion of Elle & Jane carries all-natural skincare, haircare, and makeup brands. Some of which include RMS Beauty, Eminence Organics, Li Organics, and NIU Body, and true to their word, the majority of these are Canadian-based and female-owned.
In addition to the beauty lines, Elle & Jane also carry accessories, apparel, and jewelry — making it a true lifestyle retailer. New additions to the retail space include recycled jewelry line Wolf Circus, and effortlessly chic brand Lover’s Tempo. Both brands originated on Canada’s west coast.
Elle & Jane is a family affair with Casey and Gracie attributing much of their success so far to Christine Olliver and Ken Smith, Gracies’s parents. “Without Christine’s extensive knowledge of the industry and without Ken’s vision and ability to build the location, our dream truly wouldn’t have become a reality.” Casey notes. “We are eternally grateful for their continued support and for truly believing in our ability and the potential of two young female entrepreneurs.”
As Elle & Jane continue to grow, the co-founders encourage the people of Montreal to stop in and experience all they have to offer. “We want to create a community with Elle & Jane. We want to ensure that everyone feels at home when they walk through the door and leaves feeling beautiful and a little more inspired and knowledgable about natural beauty.”
The city of Vancouver is home to several of Canada’s top retailers, with headquarters in the city or nearby suburbs. That includes homegrown chains as well as international firms that have located their Canadian headquarters in the Lower Mainland.
Well-known brands founded in the Vancouver area include names such as Aritzia, Lululemon, Article furniture, Save-on-Foods, Urban Barn, Purdy’s Chocolatier, Saje Natural Wellness, House of Knives, Rexall, Pharmasave and London Drugs.
The Vancouver area is also home to big-name retailers such as Best Buy Canada as well as beauty brand LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, which is seeing incredibly high sales as it remodels and expands stores across North America.
While Toronto may be seen as the business centre of English Canada, Vancouver-based chains have been wildly successful while at the same time being in a beautiful location with a temperate climate. What’s interesting, as well, is the number of successful national restaurant chains that were either founded or headquartered in Vancouver. Names include The Keg, Earl’s, Joey, Cactus Club, Moxies, and various others. Another well known food and beverage provider is the Donnelly Group, which has also expanded into cannabis retail.
Vancouver will also host Retail Council of Canada’s Retail West 2019 Conference being held Wednesday, October 16 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the city’s downtown core. Registration is now officially open. Many of the top retailers in the Vancouver area will be in attendance. Several will be speaking at Retail West, and there will also be ample networking opportunities available.
Retail West is the largest retail education and networking event in Western Canada. It brings together retailers, vendors, suppliers, thought leaders and decision makers from across the retail industry.
Included will be a full-day immersion into the latest trends, technologies and best practices in modern retail. The packed agenda will inspire attendees with success stories and insights about how business is thriving in the Western market and on the national scene.
In the morning, Aritizia’s SVP of Marketing, Sally Parrott, will have a conversation with Kevin Graff to discuss why in the challenging segment of fashion, Aritzia continues to delight a discerning segment of consumers.
In the afternoon, building an integrated media strategy in a profoundly digital world will be discussed. Speakers will include Save-on-Foods, Best Buy Canada, Prospect Media Group and London Drugs, the latter which recently announced that it is testing drone delivery in British Columbia for the first time.
Well known retail strategist David Ian Gray of DIG360 will host a panel with speakers from Urban Barn, House of Knives and Google Canada. The discussion will revolve around Black Friday, and what can go wrong when systems crash.
Cannabis, which is now legal in Canada (with edibles legalized on October 17) will be a topic as well. Adam Coates of Westleaf Inc. will give a talk on branding as a business strategy — something critical to all retailers as the “retail experience” becomes an ever more important differentiator and competitive advantage. As legalized recreational cannabis enters its second year, Kiaro’s Eleanor Lynch, Muse Cannabis’ Geoff Dear and Donnelly Group (Hobo)’s Harrison Stoker will discuss lessons learned and hurdles they’ve overcome, as well as new retail cannabis developments they expect over the next twelve months.
The hot topic of personalization will be discussed by executives from Vancouver-based Saje Natural Wellness, which has opened stores in Canada as well as in international markets.
Peter Higgins, Executive Vice President of Vancouver-Based LUSH North America, will also be on the stage with Retail Council of Canada’s President & CEO, Diane Brisebois, to discuss the changing face of retail decision making at a time when the industry is changing through technology as well as a shift in consumer preferences.
Tying it all together will be a discussion of the ‘Future for Western Retailers’ by Steve Mossop, President of Insights West.
Other interesting speakers from across Canada will also be at this Year’s Retail West Conference in Vancouver. For more information, see the links below.
