Retailers: unlock your competitive advantage at Retail West on October 16th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
On October 16, Retail Council of Canada will present Retail West conference at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver. Don’t miss this full-day immersion into the latest trends, technologies and best practices in modern retail.
As Western Canada’s largest retail conference, Retail West will bring together more than 200 retailers, vendors, suppliers, thought leaders and decision makers from across Canada. The Full Agendawill inspire attendees with success stories and insights about how business is thriving in the Western market and on the national scene.
Retail West 2019
You’ll hear from companies such as Artizia, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Best Buy Canada, Kiaro, Muse Cannabis, Save-on-Foods, Westleaf Inc., Saje Natural Wellness, London Drugs, Urban Barn, House of Knives, Donnelly Group (Hobo), Rexall Pharmacy Group and Google Canada. Notable session topics will include:
Aritzia’s Sally Parrott provides the inside scoop on how Aritzia continues to defy the fashion industry and stay relevant with its customers.
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics’ Peter Higgins discusses how today’s successful retail executives are changing their decision-making processes to design better business models.
Westleaf Inc.’s Adam Coates discusses how to create effective, emotionally driven brand experiences to increase retail sales.
Rexall Pharmacy Group’s Frank Monteleone presents the newest recruitment and retention strategies for retailers.
Saje Natural Wellness’s Janelle Shiplett and Christa Hull delve into what it takes to create personalized experiences in brick-and-mortar stores and digital platforms.
As part of a panel discussion, Save-On-Foods’ Dan Howe, Best Buy Canada’s James Pelletier, London Drugs’ Yvonne Anyon and Prospect Media Group’s Dave Mathews will chat about the flyer and essential integrated strategies to entice today’s consumer.
This conference will also feature an exhibitor floor, and ample opportunities for attendees to connect with vendors and suppliers between sessions and meal breaks.
The Tremblant Pedestrian Village is presenting a unique opportunity for retailers and restaurateurs to take advantage of a world-class, four-season resort that attracts 2.6 million visitors each year.
Tremblant Pedestrian Village, which is located in the heart of the Laurentian Mountains about a 90-minute drive from Montreal and Ottawa, is working with commercial real estate firm ’s leasing team for the resort, seeking to seize the opportunity to lease with world-class concepts to meet pent-up consumer demand and further unlock the village retail potential.
Tremblant is offering companies an excellent opportunity to position their brand at the footstep of an “immense opportunity.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to collaborate on a project of Tremblant’s scale and quality. The prime leasing opportunities, the level of client choice and the performance of its boutiques and restaurants make the Tremblant Pedestrian Village a privileged market,” said Manon Larose, Senior Vice President, Retail and the lead JLL broker on this project.
“There are opportunities for different restaurants, maybe some vegan offerings and some breakfast concepts. There are also some opportunities for new retail components. Boutiques. Well-known banners. Pop-up stores. To complete the entertainment component and add to what’s existing.”
Currently, there are about 75 boutiques, bars and restaurants at Tremblant with a casino, an on-site convention centre and 1,900 on-site accommodation units.
With the recent acquisition of the resort by Alterra Mountain Co. – one of America’s leading ski resort owners and operators – and the commercial portion of the resort by LaSalle Investment – a leading institutional investment management firm – the new ownership sees value in the optimization of the resort merchandising mix. Tremblant’s Pedestrian Village is a proven retail experience that has best-in-class property management and a track record of retail and restaurant success, said Larose.
What’s the appeal for a restaurant or retailer to set up shop in Tremblant?
“The quality of the site, which is exceptional,” explained Larose. “When people are visiting Tremblant, they are relaxing. They love to shop and experience the benefits of the fine dining and try the local activities. The quality of the site and the mood of the clientele that is over there. The exposure to some people who are coming from some worldwide destinations.”
Currently, the tenant mix in the pedestrian village is 46 per cent retail, 29 per cent food and beverage and 25 per cent hotel and accommodation.
“It is really appealing for tourists, families and locals as well as professionals because there’s a convention centre there. The diversity of activities is incredible – visitors can go skiing, water skiing, cycling, golfing all year long. The destination remains attractive during all four seasons as there are a lot of indoor activity offerings as well. So, in terms of retail, there are even some artificial intelligence components and craft activities. It’s really, really complete in terms of the offering,” said Larose.
Tremblant Pedestrian Village has several opportunities currently for businesses to move into the popular resort.
“I’m always open to different concepts because some people may have ideas I haven’t thought about,” said Larose about leasing the properties. “What I know I want to have is a vegan concept. A sit-down restaurant or a fast-casual vegan concept as a quick service restaurant because we know nowadays people are healthier and healthier, so this is something they are looking for.
“A breakfast offering is also something we do not have over there, so that’s another option. There is also room for two other restaurants. In terms of fashion, it could be well-known banners that you would find in other resorts like Whistler (B.C.) as an example. We are also thinking of having one location that could be a pop-up where you can welcome different retailers and rotate them throughout the year. Incubate some businesses as well. Those are some of the things we are looking for.”
After three years of anticipation, LVMH-owned French luxury brand Christian Dior has opened a massive flagship store on Toronto’s Mink Mile. It is now the largest Dior store in North America, by far, and is the first in the Western Hemisphere to feature the Dior home furnishings collection.
THE GROUND FLOOR WOMEN’S HANDBAG AND ACCESSORY AREA IN DIOR’S NEW FLAGSHIP AT THE COLONNADE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: KRISTEN PELOU
MAIN FLOOR, LOOKING TOWARDS A FRAGRANCE AREA. PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
MAIN FLOOR FRAGRANCE AREA. PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
Dior’s Colonnade flagship spans more than 13,300 square feet over two levels. The store initially appears unassuming when one enters the store from its Bloor Street entrance — the main floor of the store is 3,117 square feet, according to Morguard lease plans. The second level is something completely different, featuring soaring ceilings that include natural light from third-level windows that were incorporated into the flagship’s design. The second level spans 10,194 square feet according to lease plans, which means ascending up the store’s grand staircase is a must for anyone visiting the new store.
The stairwell itself is a showpiece, featuring a three-storey commissioned work by artist Ian Davenport that appears to be paint cascading from the walls down onto the floor, creating a puddle-like appearance. On the second floor, several of Dior’s handbags, placed near the artwork, also feature a similar design.
COMMISSIONED WORK BY ARTIST IAN DAVENPORT. PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
TOURING THE NEW BLOOR STREET DIOR FLAGSHIP WITH MIKE KEHOE, BROKER/OWNER OF CALGARY-BASED FAIRFIELD COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER
The store’s main floor includes a range of handbags and accessories from the Dior brand, displayed in an open concept space. At the back of the first floor is a fragrance section with bottles displayed on metal shelving.
The sprawling second floor is divided into several departments, with a central atrium looking downwards toward the store’s main floor. Included are open-concept rooms for women’s ready to wear, women’s footwear salon, men’s ready-to-wear areas and a men’s footwear boutique. A selection of Dior jewellery can be found in a boutique area accessed from the women’s ready-to-wear area — the jewellery area faces windows overlooking busy Bloor Street, as well as the atrium overlooking the store’s main level.
WOMEN’S AREA. PHOTO: KRISTEN PELOU
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The new Bloor Street Dior is the first in the Western Hemisphere to also feature Dior’s home furnishings collection, and is one of only a handful of stores in the world to feature the line. A table set in the centre of the Dior Home department sets the tone, with home accessories along the walls.
Staff in the store said that a new personal shopping suite, with windows facing onto Bloor Street, will also open soon.
MEN’S AREA. PHOTO: KRISTEN PELOU
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The Colonnade was the first mixed-use building in Canada when it was erected in 1963. The building’s design by architect Gerald Robinson was influenced by the popular Brutalist movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and features large areas of exposed concrete and a mix of block patterns and sweeping Gothic curves. Other retailers in The Colonnade include Coach, Mulberry, a Prada flagship, Cartier, Black Goat Cashmere, Escada and Moncler. Toronto-based tabletop retailer William Ashley operates an impressive store in The Colonnade that includes a 1,077 square foot main level with a Teuscher of Switzerland chocolate boutique on its main level, with an additional 11,304 square feet upstairs. At one time The Colonnade was an enclosed shopping centre but has since morphed into a Bloor Street-facing retail building housing flagships for various high-end brands.
Dior is taking the Toronto market seriously with the opening of its impressive Bloor Street flagship, as well as two other boutiques in the city. Earlier this month, a Dior accessories boutique concession, spanning more than 1,000 square feet, opened inside Holt Renfrew’s flagship at 50 Bloor Street West. In October, Dior will also unveil a ‘World of Dior’ concession boutique at Holt Renfrew’s Yorkdale store, spanning about 3,800 square feet on one level. The Yorkdale Dior store, which will stand alongside recently opened ‘world of’ Fendi and Gucci storefronts, will carry Dior’s ready-to-wear for men and women as well as accessories and handbags. Holt Renfrew has also opened boutiques for Dior women’s footwear in its Bloor Street and Yorkdale stores.
[Above (2 slides): Construction plans for Dior’s Toronto flagship, obtained from a source involved in the project]
Construction plans for Dior’s Toronto flagship, obtained from a source involved in the projectConstruction plans for Dior’s Toronto flagship, obtained from a source involved in the project
Dior’s first standalone Canadian store, which spans 9,600 square feet over two levels, opened in the summer of 2015 in the historic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The store occupies the prominent corner space of the hotel’s retail podium with frontage on both West Georgia Street as well as on Burrard Street. The Vancouver flagship was the largest Dior store in North America for more than four years, prior to the opening of the new Toronto flagship.
Inside Dior’s Vancouver flagship that opened in 2015. Photos: Dior
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Dior is also expanding its presence in the Montreal market as it prepares to open a boutique at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy in Montreal. Montreal’s Dior will span about 2,000 square feet on the street level of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, joining a roster of world-renowned luxury brands that are opening one-by-one as an overhaul on the 250,000 square foot Holt Renfrew Ogilvy continues. In the spring of this year, Holt Renfrew Ogilvy unveiled a 25,000 square foot concourse-level beauty hall, as well as a 40,000 square foot men’s floor that houses 25 luxury brand concessions for some of the world’s most prestigious brands. Included on the men’s floor is a soon-to-open Dior men’s boutique that carries ready-to-wear as well as footwear and accessories. A women’s ready-to-wear boutique is said to be opening on the store’s third floor in several months.
Dior also operates concessions at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver, as well as at Saks Fifth Avenue in downtown Toronto. The ground-floor Dior concession at Holts Vancouver is expansive and includes a street-facing feature wall. In Toronto, the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship at CF Toronto Eaton Centre features a main floor Dior accessory boutique concession that we featured in Retail Insider when it opened in the spring of 2016, as well as a women’s ready-to-wear boutique on Saks’ third floor that stands alongside several other luxury brand boutiques.
DIOR’S CONCESSION AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: DIOR
DIOR READY-TO-WEAR BOUTIQUE AT SAKS TORONTO. PHOTO: DIOR
DIOR’S ACCESSORY CONCESSION AT HOLT RENFREW IN VANCOUVER. PHOTO: LEE RIVETT
Toronto’s ‘Mink Mile’, which spans from Yonge Street to the east and Avenue Road to the west, is seeing a transformation that places it amongst some of the world’s top luxury addresses. East of Dior, the Holt Renfrew flagship at 50 Bloor Street West is undergoing a transformation that includes renovated interiors, the addition of new luxury brand concessions, and a new facade for the first time since the store opened in 1978. Eataly, the Italian grocerant concept, is opening across the street in a couple of months at the overhauled Manulife Centre at 55 Bloor Street West. The southwest corner of Yonge and Bloor will see a tower spanning more than 1000 feet, courtesy of Mizrahi developments, that will include a flagship store for a soon-to-be-named retailer as well as a new Andaz hotel with more than 500 luxury condominium apartments above it. Landlord Morguard is updating its 60 Bloor Street West and 77 Bloor Street West office towers, both housing retail at the base. Menswear retailer Harry Rosen has been renovating its flagship at 82 Bloor Street West to include new shop-in-stores for luxury brands.
Other luxury brand flagships on the Mink Mile include a stunning Hermes flagship that opened in the fall of 2017, as well as flagships for Prada, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, MCM and others. The clustering of boutiques are expected to draw affluent locals as well as an ever increasing number of tourists visiting Toronto. Yorkville Avenue, a short walk north of Bloor Street West, is also seeing a transformation that includes new flagships for brands including Chanel, Brunello Cucinelli (its largest in North America), Versace, Off-White and, soon, Stone Island. Landlord First Capital Realty is in talks with several luxury brands, according to sources, to open storefronts on Yorkville Avenue as the street continues to see redevelopment. Dior was said to have been considering a retail space next to Chanel that once housed a Diesel flagship store before Dior secured its current space at The Colonnade on Bloor.
While Toronto currently boasts Dior’s largest flagship store in North America, the brand’s flagship on 57th Street in New York City will grow to become much larger next year. The current two-level store spans 8,000 square feet. A source at Dior says that the store will add three more levels by annexing space from the LVMH tower above — the expanded store will span a whopping 23,000 square feet when completed in 2020. Included will be departments for women’s and men’s ready-to-wear as well as a home furnishings department, a Dior high jewellery salon, and a Dior Café.
CONSTRUCTION HOARDING AT THE EXCHANGE TOWER IN TORONTO’S FINANCIAL DISTRICT. PHOTO: LADURÉE
Upscale French bakery and sweets maker Ladurée will open its second Toronto location in November this year in the heart of the city’s Financial District. It will be the fourth Ladurée location in Canada, after the company entered the country by opening a storefront in Vancouver about three and a half years ago.
Ladurée’s second Toronto location will be in the retail component of The Exchange Tower, part of a commercial centre that includes several skyscrapers that soar above the iconic King and Bay intersection. Ladurée will be located across from a Starbucks in a busy part of Toronto’s underground PATH pedestrian network.
The Exchange Tower Ladurée will measure about 680 square feet, according to Ladurée’s Canadian licensee Olesya Krakhmalyova. A signature macaron display will draw customers in, with a selection of about 14 flavours of macarons (including classic as well as seasonal varieties). An intimate seating area for 16 patrons will be found within, and several more seats will be included in a ‘macaron bar’ within the new retail space.
PHOTO: LADURÉE
PHOTO: LADURÉE
CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER PDF OF TORONTO’S ‘PATH’ PEDESTRIAN NETWORK.
Ms. Krakhmalyova explained that the new space was designed with a ‘contemporary touch’ to the classic Ladurée look. Given its location in a busy corporate setting, visitors to the new Exchange Tower Ladurée will be able to enjoy a business coffee break and consume other Ladurée items, including coffees/teas ‘to go’ — the retailer won’t divulge all of the details as to how the location will look, though we were told that the space’s Macaron Bar will be serving macarons, small sweet and savoury items and drinks.
Besides Ladurée’s signature macarons, the new Exchange Tower location will include a range of madeleines, financiers, loaf cakes, ice creams, Ladurée savoury quiches and salads ‘to go’, as well as coffees and teas ‘to go’, chocolates and a selection of Ladurée accessories for gift options. Given the location in the Financial District, Ladurée will be available for corporate orders and will provide a delivery service, according to Ms. Krakhmalyova.
YORKDALE MACARON BAR. PHOTO: LADURÉE
PHOTO: LADURÉE
PHOTO: LADURÉE
LADURÉE’S FIRST CANADIAN LOCATION ON ROBSON STREET IN VANCOUVER. PHOTO: LADURÉE
The contractor building out the space will be Elevate Build Inc., which is a new company that was founded by industry professional Paul M. Bélanger.
Ladurée entered Canada in March of 2016 when it opened a 1,100 square foot boutique and 23-seat tea salon at 1141 Robson Street in Vancouver. That was followed by a second Vancouver location in March of 2017 with the opening of a 500 square foot Ladurée concession (including an 18-seat tea salon) at Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew flagship, adjacent to the store’s overhauled 8,500 square foot women’s designer footwear salon. The Holt Renfrew location has since been converted to a ‘Ladurée carriage’ with the former location having made way for new footwear boutiques for luxury brands Chanel and Dior.
In December of 2018, Ladurée opened its first Toronto location at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The 1,185 square foot storefront is located across from luxury brands including Chloé, Mr. and Mrs. Italy and Saint Laurent. Ladurée’s Yorkdale storefront features a retail area as well as a 26-seat tea salon. Claudia Ravnbo designed the Yorkdale Ladurée, which was the first in the world to reflect a new design aesthetic with an interior inspired by the colonial style of the 18th century.
LADURÉE YORKDALE. PHOTO: LADURÉE
The pastel pink tea room is decorated with a white marble sales counter that is accentuated with gold lattice details and gold Lattice is also present on the walls of the salon. A Classic crystal chandelier contrasts with contemporary madeleine lights hanging from the ceilings, as well as the geometric marble tile flooring and velvet-accented furniture. The store’s soaring ceilings are dramatic with plaster ceiling treatments.
Ladurée opened a dedicated bakery space in Vancouver in the summer of 2018 to provide Ladurée’s Vancouver locations with fresh baked pastries. Chef Mickael de Monte relocated from Paris to Vancouver to run it. Ms. Krakhmalyova explained that bringing Chef Mickael to Canada was the next step in the progression of Ladurée’s Canadian operations.
A Toronto pastry laboratory is expected to open at some point as well, though there isn’t a specific timeline, according to Ms. Krakhmalyova. Thus, the new Toronto location will not yet offer croissants and other viennoiseries (baked goods), though that is expected to change at some point next year when a location is secured and operational.
Founded in Paris in 1862, Ladurée is best known for its double-decker macarons, selling over 15,000 of them daily. Many Ladurée locations also sell ice cream, sorbets, jams, chocolate and candy, as well as branded accessories. Ladurée was purchased by French business group Groupe Holder in 1993, expanding Ladurée from a handful of locations to dozens of boutiques in 27 countries, including several in the United States.
We’ll update this article with photos of the new Toronto Financial District Ladurée when it opens in November.
New York City-based men’s casual brand UNTUCKit, known particularly for its shirts that are meant to be worn untucked, has opened its fifth Canadian store in just 12 months as the retailer rapidly expands its operation across Canada. UNTUCKit operates stores in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton, and last week a second Toronto location opened at the highly productive Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
The Canadian expansion has already been a success — UNTUCKit’s top-selling store in the entire chain is at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens, which was its first to open in Canada in September of 2018 in a 1,565 square foot space. Hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky, who is an investor in UNTUCKit, attended the CF Sherway Gardens opening. Next month, Gretzky will also visit the West Edmonton Mall store — in the 1980’s he led the Edmonton Oilers to win four Stanley Cup championships.
After opening the CF Sherway Gardens store in September of 2018, UNTUCKit took time to observe the Canadian market before rapidly opening three other stores in the summer of 2019. That included stores at Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre (June 2019), at West Edmonton Mall (July 2019), and at Calgary’s CF Market Mall (July 2019).
UNTUCKIT’S NEW YORKDALE STORE
UNTUCKit opened its Yorkdale Shopping Centre location last week in a 1,693 square space in a central corridor of the mall that will eventually include a first-in-the-world entertainment concept up the hall. The UNTUCKit store carries the full line of the brand’s men’s apparel. Over the past eight years, the brand says that it has expanded to offering 50 fit combinations and 13 product categories—ranging from T-shirts and polos to sports jackets, outerwear and pants.
Yorkdale Shopping Centre is Canada’s most productive shopping centre in terms of annual sales per square foot, according to Retail Council of Canada’s Canadian Shopping Centre Study. A 2019 Shopping Centre study will be released this fall, authored by Retail Insider’s Craig Patterson [Details Here].
Retail brokerage and consultancy Oberfeld Snowcap is representing UNTUCKit as it continues to expand further into Canada, under the direction of Rob Hart. Oberfeld Snowcap will be at the ICSC Toronto Conference this week in booth 1407 in the Main Hall of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
UNTUCKIT’S NEW YORKDALE STORE
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Last year, UNTUCKit launched an e-commerce platform for the Canadian market as well as a product fulfilment centre that is based in Toronto. Both were launched in anticipation of a cross-Canada expansion that will see numerous UNTUCKit stores open in various markets.
Oberfeld Snowcap is said to be in talks with landlords to open more UNTUCKit stores in Canada. The Vancouver market is one of the targets, and the Montreal region is also expected to see at least one location as the retailer moves into new provinces. Secondary markets such as Kitchener/Waterloo are also said to be targets for UNTUCKit, recognizing male demographics with a casual style and spending power. The Greater Toronto Area, boasting a population in excess of six million people, is expected to see at least one or two more store announcements as part of the expansion.
UNTUCKit’s expansion via direct-to-consumer storefronts is a trend becoming more common among brands of all price points. As a result, shoppers interact directly with the brand store that includes curated product and dedicated staff with specific product knowledge.
UNTUCKIT’S NEW YORKDALE STORE
Canada was UNTUCKit’s first market outside of the United States. In November of this year, the retailer will begin expanding into the United Kingdom where it will open two stores in London.
According to UNTUCKit’s website, the retailer currently has 75 stores in the United States and Canada, and the retailer is rapidly opening its direct-to-consumer stores in the United States, as well.
“You want to look good but these days everyone’s dressing casual. There isn’t a better way to do that than our product. People wear them to work because they look so neat. They don’t look sloppy,” said Chris Riccobono, one of the retailer’s founders and executive chairman, in an earlier interview with Retail Insider.
We’ll continue to report on UNTUCKit’s Canadian expansion as the retailer continues to open more stores.
The Midtown shopping centre (formerly ‘Midtown Plaza’) in the heart of Saskatoon has seen a significant impact following the launch of its new Midtown Common food hall in July.
The new food hall is unique with its location on the second floor of the mall in previous vacated space by retailer Sears.
Midtown is about 650,000 square feet anchored by Hudson’s Bay on one end and it used to be anchored by Sears at the other end. But Sears left in January 2018.
CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP
PHOTO: LEE RIVETT
“We had an old food court. It had been there 25 years. We decided we would move it into Sears on the second level. It’s completely changed the shopping centre. People from downtown are the customers,” said Terry Napper, Regional Manager of Saskatchewan and Northern Alberta for Cushman Wakefield Asset Services which operates and manages Midtown.
“The sales are going through the roof. It’s extremely strong. We are just getting sales for August, they’re really good. For Saskatoon, it’s really, really positive.”
The old food court was on the lower level and Midtown has leased that space to Mountain Equipment Co-op, which will open a store next May.
INSIDE MIDTOWN’S NEW “MIDTOWN COMMON” ALL PHOTOS: LEE RIVETT
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INSIDE MIDTOWN’S NEW “MIDTOWN COMMON” ALL PHOTOS: LEE RIVETT
The new food hall is about 50,000 square feet with 16 vendors.
“The old food court used to do $1,700 a square foot (per year) and the new food hall will do somewhere between $2,200 and $2,400 a square foot. So quite an improvement really,” explained Napper, adding that the new food hall fills the previous empty space with a contemporary and welcoming gathering space illuminated by natural light, with comfortable seating, an inviting fireplace, and new and familiar food vendors.
“We believe that this beautiful new food hall will get the people of Saskatoon and surrounding areas excited about visiting Midtown,” he said.
The new food hall also includes 320 feet of floor-to-ceiling windows with views towards Riversdale and the South Saskatchewan River, 25 per cent more seating than the previous food court, a natural gas fireplace and communal tables that foster large gatherings as well as provide a space for smaller, intimate groups.
New tenants include Pi Co., KFC, MIA PASTA, Bourbon Street Grill and TCBY. Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M will open a 23,000 square foot store at Midtown in the summer of 2020.
PHOTO: LEE RIVETT
PHOTO: LEE RIVETT
Napper said Midtown has recently opened The Shoe Company in about 4,500 square feet. A deal has been done with Bellissima Fashions which will open in early October. Another deal has been done with Shoppers Drug Mart which is currently in 8,000 square feet but will expand to 15,000 square feet to include its Beauty Boutique concept. That will open in November.
“Saskatchewan is the same as Alberta. The retail industry is tough right now. But sales were up in August. That’s a positive thing. But sales have been down most of the year,” said Napper.
“But I think we’ve turned the corner now in terms of sales. I’m expecting sales to increase between now and the end of the year. It depends on how we can continue to lease space and go forward.”
Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms with approximately 51,000 employees in 400 offices and 70 countries. In 2018, the firm had revenue of $8.2 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, valuation and other services.
This week Craig and Lee talk about Hermès Vancouver, The Brick and Cadillac Fairview Mall Investment.
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Sponsored by Oberfeld Snowcap: Founded 40 years ago, Oberfeld Snowcap is a full-service real estate and retail advisory firm that focuses on retail tenant representation, strategic planning, property and project leasing, as well as real estate investment sales.
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Decathlon the world’s largest sporting goods retail chain that is headquartered in France, will open two first-to-market stores in the fall of 2020 in two Ivanhoé Cambridge shopping centres. It’s part of an aggressive expansion on the part of the value-priced retailer that will eventually see stores open across the country, disrupting the industry as Decathlon competes against homegrown sporting goods retailers as well as other stores carrying sports equipment.
Retail brokerage and consultancy Oberfeld Snowcap is leading Decathlon’s expansion in Canada under the direction of Sylvain Charron, Robert Weinberg and Darren Quayle. Decathlon’s latest store announcements are for stores to open in Dartmouth in suburban Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as in Burlington, Ontario.
The Burlington Decathlon location will be at Mapleview Centre and will span 54,800 square feet on the lower level space in the mall that was once occupied by Sears. It will be the second Ontario location for Decathlon, following the opening of an Ottawa store next Monday, September 23. The Mapleview Decathlon store will kick off an expansion for the chain in southern Ontario that is also expected to include multiple locations in the Greater Toronto Area.
DECATHLON’S NEW MAPLEVIEW CENTRE STORE RENDERING: IVANHOE CAMBRIDGE
CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE MAP OF MAPLEVIEW CENTRE
DECATHLON’S NEW MAPLEVIEW CENTRE STORE RENDERING: IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE
Decathlon will also open a 23,080 square foot store at Mic Mac Mall in suburban Halifax in the fall of 2020. According to landlord Ivanhoé Cambridge, the store will be located in space that was once occupied by a Target store in the mall. Decathlon will be a key component to the mall’s $55 million redevelopment that is nearly completed — the centre has seen upgrades to its common areas, store expansions, and the arrival of several other new retailers. Mic Mac Mall is anchored by a Hudson’s Bay department store and also houses retailers including H&M and Forever 21.
Decathlon’s first Canadian store opened in the Montreal suburb of Brossard at Mail Champlain in April of 2018. The retailer opened its second Canadian location, also in suburban Montreal, in Boisbriand in April of 2019. On Tuesday of this week (September 17), Decathlon opened a store in the Quebec City suburb of Ste-Foy, and on Monday (September 23) the retailer will open its first store in Ottawa. Decathlon will also open a store this fall at the overhauled Montreal Eaton Centre, which will be the retailer’s first downtown store in a Canadian city.
More stores will open as Decathlon establishes itself in the Canadian market. In an interview in August of this year, Rob French, Chief of Digital Commerce & Communication with Decathlon Canada, said that the retailer was also looking to open stores in the Calgary and Vancouver markets as it establishes itself in English-speaking markets in Canada. Mr. French explained that Decathlon’s expansion will be rapid with more stores set to open in 2020 and beyond.
CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE MAP OF MIC MAC MALL
MIC MAC MALL. RENDERING VIA IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE
Plans are also to open the company’s ecommerce business in Canada this year. The company will start gradually by optimizing its warehouse and speed of delivery for customers.
Decathlon stores are highly experiential, with areas dedicated to testing out different products. Included are aisles to test bikes and skateboards, climbing walls, badminton courts, a basketball court to test your vertical leap, putting greens, gyms, and even pools of water to test fishing rods and lures, as well as a mini-pool to try out paddle boards, for example.
“The average time people stay is approximately 45 minutes or more,” said Mr. French.
Decathlon is connecting with the community as it has launched its community app where people can find new activities and places for sports for people. They can access coaches, events and venues, for example.
PHOTO: DECATHLON VIA LINKEDIN
“Currently in Canada there is no lower price option on the market. There’s not much accessibility to try and experience sports before buying,” Mr. French said in an earlier interview with Retail Insider.
Decathlon’s value proposition, which includes an expansive offering of good quality private-label products, will go head-to-head with homegrown retailers that, in many instances, offer pricier goods in related categories. “Decathlon is recognized as formidable, vertically integrated retailer that will force other sporting good retailers to up their game,” said Montreal-based retail strategy consultant Carl Boutet in an earlier interview.
Some refer to Decathlon as being the ‘Aldi of sports retailers’ — Aldi is an efficient German grocery chain known for its inexpensive private-label products, which is expanding rapidly around the globe. Some also refer to Decathlon as being the ‘Ikea of sports retailers’ for similar reasons.
PHOTO: DECATHLON BOISBRIAND VIA FACEBOOK
Each of Decathlon’s ‘passion brands’ is tested in real-world conditions, and customer feedback is integrated into further product design and development. Work is further guided by Decathlon’s research and development centre which is called ‘SportsLab’. Every year, the company creates more than 2,800 new products.
Economies of scale help keep costs down, and Decathlon has created efficiencies across the company that allows it to pass on savings to consumers. Return policies are liberal, as the company seeks to maintain customers for life. Decathlon also says that it pays its employees fair wages, provides excellent benefits and provides ‘a clear path for growth’. “People matter the most. People are our most valuable resource,” says the company’s US website.
Decathlon even has an eco-focus, noting that it aims to reduce packaging, and that its stores are ideally accessible by public transit. Energy efficiency is a goal for its stores, as is storage optimization, logistics and environmental labelling.
For more than a decade, The Decathlon Foundation has worked to improve access to education, training and employment. Initiatives vary widely, ranging from renovating or building new sports grounds to helping train coaches and teachers. The company empowers employees to go into the community to partner on various initiatives.
Decathlon, with its extensive range of value-priced sporting goods, could significantly disrupt an industry that already includes some exceptional retailers. FGL Sports (operating under multiple banners including Sport Chek, Atmosphere and Sports Experts) has stores across the country in a range of sizes, including a handful of flagships that include innovative technological installations. Outdoor retailer SAIL, with stores in Quebec and Ontario, could see some market share loss in several of its product categories. Laval-based Sportium (part of the SAIL Plein Air umbrella), which operates three large store locations in Quebec, has said that it plans to open as many as seven more locations in the province over the next three years. Vancouver-based MEC, aka ‘Mountain Equipment Co-op’, has been expanding aggressively across Canada and given its value product and selection, might be considered to be the closest competitor to Decathlon in Canada.
Retailers in Canada that carry sporting goods are also at threat of losing market share to Decathlon — Canadian Tire, Walmart and other similar retailers that include sporting goods departments in their stores. Decathlon’s value proposition and experiential stores could be advantageous in taking market share from such retailers.
Founded in France in 1976, Decathlon Group is the world’s largest sporting good retailer with more than 1,100 stores in more than 30 countries. It employs more than 78,000 people and boasts annual revenue of about C$15 billion. Decathlon designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of sports-related equipment and accessories, with over 20 in-house ‘passion brands’ dedicated to different sports, and each with its own design team. Decathlon aims to make sports more accessible by offering a wide range of quality products at affordable prices. The retailer also endeavours to cater to a range of customers from beginners to professionals.
The McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Mall at the Vancouver Airport has been a smashing success since it first opened in 2015 and the shopping destination just keeps getting better.
It continues to open new stores this fall in the newly expanded centre solidifying it as Vancouver’s hub for designer and premier fashion.
“One of our main goals is to make sure we’re providing something new for our dedicated shoppers and new guests throughout the year, both from the greater Vancouver area and the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit us each year,” said Robert Thurlow, General Manager of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver. “We are extremely proud to welcome these brands as the centre continues to provide a full program of unique events and promotions ensuring our guests enjoy an exceptional day out.”
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PHOTO: MCARTHUR GLEN VANCOUVER VIA FACEBOOK
Recently, the centre welcomed big-name brands including Jimmy Choo, Stuart Weitzman, All Saints, Movado and the North Face.
The new wave of openings, from the fall to the end of this year, also include popular lifestyle brands like adidas, Jack & Jones and Starbucks, complementing its impressive existing offer, including Hugo Boss, Armani, Kate Spade, Coach, Michael Kors, Ted Baker, Nike, and more.
“Despite the centre only being four years old, we always want to improve the customer experience and we wanted to make sure that we’re always raising our game, always trying to add whatever we can to the centre to make it more enjoyable to our consumers,” said Thurlow. “We actually did a lot of centre upgrades this year in the existing phase one part of the centre. We’re not a very old centre but we’re still deploying large amounts of capital expenditure into the existing centre.”
PHOTO: MCARTHUR GLEN VANCOUVER VIA FACEBOOK
Phase two of the development mirrors the European design of the first phase, expanding on its open-air village style, with luxury piazzas, cobblestone walkways and a variety of facades. The expansion also follows a whole host of recent upgrades, including a covered walkway to the main entrance, heated patio umbrellas and outdoor lounge areas, heated covered seating areas, making the centre the ultimate shopping destination, come rain or shine, and allowing visitors to enjoy open-air shopping and dining all year round. The guest services area has also been tripled in size.
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport is a joint venture between McArthurGlen, Europe’s leading owner, developer and manager of designer outlets, and the Vancouver Airport Authority, a community-based, not-for-profit organization that operates the Vancouver International Airport.
McArthurGlen Vancouver is one of the 24 designer outlets managed by McArthurGlen Group.
The Vancouver centre opened in July 2015 with 241,000 square feet in its first phase. The second phase, and latest phase, has added an additional 84,000 square feet.
photo: David Ian Gray
photo: David Ian Gray
“We also have room for phase three that will eventually come online probably within the next two to three years is kind of our normal development cycle when we add new phases. That’s an additional 65,000 square feet which will bring us to almost 400,000 square feet when completed,” said Thurlow.
“It will probably be around 2022. That typically would be our time frame. Normally what we want to do when we build a new phase we let that phase kind of bed in for a year or two. We monitor performance, make sure we are where we want to be, start leasing up already behind the scenes prior to the phase even breaking ground and then we would pull the trigger on the next phase.”
The first phase of the centre had 77 stores and by the end of this year there will be about 100 stores.
Last year, it surpassed four million shoppers and is one of the top performing shopping centres in Canada.
PHOTO: MCARTHUR GLEN VANCOUVER VIA FACEBOOK
“This year we’re looking at a significant increase. We’ll probably be around the 4.5 million range this year which is a significant increase over last year. Since we opened the phase two of the property on August 29 this year, our footfall has grown 19 per cent over last year. We anticipated a 10 per cent increase and we’re sitting at 19. I’m really pleased because the footfall from just prior to Labour Day weekend through until now has been holding at about 19 per cent over prior year,” said Thurlow.
“So the opening of phase two certainly had a lot of positive traction in both the local and the tourist environment.”
Thurlow said one of the appeals of the shopping centre for the consumers is the brand mix. It has a wide appeal to many consumers.
“You have brands at the top luxury end, but we also have a lot of very accessible brands. So we do have a very wide appeal and I think that’s part of the success. Consumers can come here and if you want to buy something for yourself, something very fancy for a night out and you want to spend $700 on a pair of shoes you can go ahead but you can also go into Oshkosh or Carter’s for your child and buy something for $15,” said Thurlow.
PHOTO: MCARTHUR GLEN VANCOUVER VIA FACEBOOK
“The physical architecture of the centre is also really appealing. We have a beautiful outdoor centre. It does feel like you’re walking down cobblestone streets in Europe. We’ve paid a lot of attention to detail and architecture is really part of the brand standard of McArthurGlen. The centres are beautiful. And when somebody comes here and says to me ‘oh I love this place, it feels like I’m in Disneyland’ I think I’ve done my job because it should be an escape for you to come here. It should be something that is out of the ordinary day to day.”
Vancouver is the only property outside of Europe for McArthurGlen.
“We’re a European-based developer. We’re based in London. This was a great opportunity for McArthurGlen to come into the North American market and we’ve been incredibly successful. We’re actually the number one performing outlet centre in Canada with sales of over $1,200 sales per square foot, which tops any other outlet in the country.”
Poliform Furniture, in partnership with Aeon Group, has launched a 5,000-square-foot two-storey mono-store in downtown Vancouver. Poliform Vancouver joins a vibrant downtown retail area between the Financial District and Downtown and is seeing 20-30 people coming in daily.
Located at 779 West Pender Street, in the former FedEx depot (closed 2017) and across from the popular Starbucks Reserve in CF Pacific Centre, Poliform Vancouver is in an ideal high-traffic location. The new location employs six full-time persons and affords the brand access to more resources, designers, architects, builders, developers and homeowners on the west coast than ever before.
Reflecting the global retail concept of the ‘Poliform home,’ the brand has created a space which is designed to inspire where visitors experience ‘home’ within a chic and sophisticated environment. The collection is set out as a wide diversified choice and includes systems and furnishing accessories for the whole house: bookcases, complements, wardrobes, beds, kitchens, sofas, and armchairs.
Space is spread over two levels with an open, contemporary layout, an abundance of glass partitions, and dark wood and natural stone used on floors and walls. As visitors move through the space, they will discover rooms dedicated to all aspects of living, entirely furnished and styled with Poliform systems and furniture collections.
In addition to housing Poliform’s comprehensive product range, Poliform Vancouver will offer design services to help guide clients through all stages of their projects.
Poliform is a leading player in the international furniture scene with 30 locations in China, 3 in Mexico, and 11 in United States. The highly successful result of adventurous enterprise, the company has always based its vision on the search for quality by updating its lines in keeping with all that is good in contemporary lifestyle trends.
