UK-based household and technology ‘reinvention’ brand Dyson will open its second standalone Canadian location in Vancouver this year. It follows Dyson’s first Canadian showroom that opened in Toronto in late 2017.
The ‘Dyson Demo’ store will showcase various Dyson innovation products, including supersonic hairdryers, air purifiers, commercial hand dryers and various vacuum models. Dyson also sells LED lights which were created by by Sir James Dyson’s son, Jake. The highly experiential retail space will showcase Dyson’s latest technology courtesy of a trained team of employees, while also providing visitors the opportunity to purchase various Dyson products.
Construction hoarding recently went up for a Dyson showroom at the CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver. The retail space, formerly occupied by J. Crew, will span about 2,500 square feet on one level according to lease plans, and will be located between an Ann-Louise jewellery store and eyewear retailer BonLook on the lower retail level of the shopping centre.
CF Pacific Centre Map highlighting Dyson location
Image: Dyson at Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Dyson was said to have been looking for space in Vancouver ever since the opening of its first Canadian storefront, which opened in December of 2017 at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Sources say that Dyson had initially been looking to locate in a street-front retail space in Vancouver and ended up negotiating a deal with landlord Cadillac Fairview for the upcoming CF Pacific Centre location.
CF Pacific Centre is now Canada’s second-most productive shopping centre. According to an upcoming Retail Council of Canada Shopping Centre Study, CF pacific Centre saw sales per square foot of a whopping $1,865 for the 12 months ending June 30, 2019. The downtown Vancouver shopping centre recently added new retail locations for brands such as Canada Goose, Sandro and Maje, and new storefronts for footwear brands Geox and SoftMoc will be opening in the centre this fall. The south end of the shopping complex features the highest-selling Nordstrom store in the entire chain, and Holt Renfrew’s top-selling unit anchors the north end of CF Pacific Centre.
Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre is currently Canada’s most productive shopping centre in terms of annual sales per square foot, and the mall is also the launching pad for more first-to-Canada retailers than anywhere in the country. The Dyson Demo store at Yorkdale, which we toured on December 18 2017, measures just over 2,000 square feet according to lease plans provided by landlord Oxford Properties.
DYSON CONSTRUCTION HOARDING AT CF PACIFIC CENTRE. PHOTO: LEE RIVETT
Dyson’s first store in the world opened in Tokyo in the spring of 2015, followed by locations in Paris, Moscow, Jakarta and London. More have since opened in major centres globally. The United States is currently home to three Dyson Demo retail spaces in New York City, San Francisco, and in suburban Washington DC.
It remains to be seen if Dyson will open any more ‘Dyson Demo’ stores in Canada. Major markets could be in line and West Edmonton Mall was said to be a target, according to sources. Given Dyson’s removing itself from broker consultations in Vancouver, however, parties involved in any future discussions may want to be cautious in any dealings with the company.
Dyson’s wholesale distribution in Canada is extensive. Many major retailers across the country carry Dyson products, with big names including Canadian Tire, Best Buy, Hudson’s Bay, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Costco, Leon’s, The Brick, Lowe’s, and various others chains. Dyson recently lost a multi-store distribution network with the closure of Hudson’s Bay-owned home furnishings retail chain Home Outfitters.
While many multi-brand retailers in Canada are expressing concern as brands begin to open direct-to-consumer stores, the opening of Dyson’s ‘Demo’ showrooms is not expected to have a major impact on Canadian retailers. Hundreds of retailers in markets of all sizes carry various Dyson projects in their stores across Canada, and Dyson is unlikely to open enough Canadian showrooms to result in a significant hit to these retailers — nor is it likely that Dyson will begin to pull-out of multi-brand retailers, as is being seen in the luxury realm as some brands increasingly go direct-to-consumer.
This week Craig, Lee and Jessica talk about RI’s exclusive announcement for WEM Toyota dealership, Majesty’s Pleasure, our RI Brief (including Holt Ogilvy, SPINCO, UNTUCKit), and Wuxly Movement.
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Included will be a massive automotive experience centre unlike anything seen in Canada, along with car detailing and other services as well as valet parking for the mall for the first time. Spanning 317,000 square feet, the initiative is also said to be an endeavour to attract more big-brand retailers to North America’s largest shopping centre which has already secured Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. with other tenants to be announced as leases are signed.
Construction on the project will begin in March 2020, with completion expected for the spring of 2021.
Mayfield Toyota, which is relocating to West Edmonton Mall from its current location about 1.6 km north of the shopping centre, will open a 117,000 square foot automotive centre on the main level of West Edmonton Mall’s Phase One. The Mayfield Toyota Dealership Experience will occupy space vacated last year by a Sears store as well as several adjacent retail spaces along with common-area space in front of the former mall-facing Sears entrance. We recently reported that The Brick had opened a flagship furniture store on the second level of the former Sears space, directly above what will become the Mayfield Toyota Dealership Experience.
RENDERING: SUPPLIED
The state-of-the-art interactive automotive space will house 65 servicing bays as well as expansive display areas for new Toyota models.
In addition, a new 200,000 square foot multi-level parking structure and service detail centre will be built on the northeast corner of the West Edmonton Mall site facing both 170 Street and 90 Avenue. The service centre will house a car detailing centre, and shoppers utilizing the new valet parking may choose to utilize the service. Included will be full detailing packages, express oil changes, complete mechanical services, over-the counter parts purchases, tire sales/swaps and storage, windshields and other services.
It will become yet another draw to West Edmonton Mall, which sees 30.8 million visitors annually, according to its website.
CLICK IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE WEST EDMONTON MALL MAP
“Time is a limited commodity in today’s world and the scope of this build will allow our guests to accomplish so much more with just one convenient stop,” said David Friesen, General Manager and Managing Partner at Mayfield Toyota.
David Ghermezian, President of West Edmonton Mall Property Inc., said, “West Edmonton Mall is excited to partner with Mayfield Toyota in the development of a unique customer focused Dealer Experience at a scale which has never been seen in a shopping centre before.”
The new automotive centre and services including detailing and valet parking will no doubt help propel West Edmonton Mall’s image in the mind of shoppers as well as retailers looking to open in the centre.
Edmonton is home to affluent residents and is also expected to attract more monied tourists as the West Edmonton Mall adds new luxury retailers to the mix. Over the summer, Louis Vuitton opened a 4,500 square foot store in the mall’s up-and-coming second level ‘luxury run’, which already houses locations for brands including Tiffany & Co., Coach, Marc Cain and Rolex. Canada Goose also opened a store over the summer nearby and is often busy with shoppers who are also making big-ticket purchases. Landlord Triple Five confirms that it is in talks with other luxury brands with one big-name Italian brand having recently leased space near Louis Vuitton, and talks are ongoing to secure other luxury brands similar to what one might find at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
PHOTO: LOUIS VUITTON WEST EDMONTON MALL
Canadian department store chain Holt Renfrew will be closing its downtown Edmonton store in January of 2020. West Edmonton Mall’s leasing team is said to be targeting brands currently within Holt Renfrew to open standalone units at West Edmonton Mall to continue to serve visitors to the centre.
The addition of luxury brands to West Edmonton Mall will create a draw for international tourists who are already looking at visiting immersive experiences such as those provided at West Edmonton Mall. More than 30% of visitors to the centre are out-of-town tourists, and the centre is targeting international visitors from countries such as China who are known to spend big dollars on big-name brands.
The Mayfield Toyota partnership is an extension of an existing one where Mayfield Toyota acquired the naming rights to West Edmonton Mall’s indoor ice rink in 2012, which is currently named the ‘Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace’. Mayfield Toyota has sold vehicles on the Ice Palace with tremendous success. “We’ve seen firsthand how our customers have embraced Mayfield Toyota at West Edmonton Mall through the last five years with many successful sale events at the Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace,” Mr. Ghermezian said. “This innovative partnership supports our customer’s lifestyles by providing a level of service and convenience that is unparalleled in the industry.We’re excited to be at the forefront of this groundbreaking automotive experience.”
INSIDE CANADA GOOSE AT WEST EDMONTON MALL. PHOTO: CANADA GOOSE
Mayfield Toyota has operated its large facility at 102 Avenue and 170 Street since 1998 and has become the largest volume Toyota dealer in Western Canada. A larger facility is required to sustain future growth, according to the retailer.
West Edmonton Mall has seen an increase in foot traffic with the addition of new retailers at a wide range of price points, and landlord Triple Five continues to target new brands and concepts to draw customers from the Edmonton market and beyond. The mall’s leasing team has been reaching out to international brands in an attempt to have them open in the centre, including some names currently not in the Canadian market. Already, the ‘main run’ in the shopping centre is said to see annual sales per square foot exceeding $1,200, and brands are taking notice.
Japanese retailer Uniqlo recently opened at West Edmonton Mall to long lineups, and the centre is in discussions with various brokers and retail concepts to open in the centre which includes an assortment of retailers as well as restaurants and bars, entertainment centres and other attractions.
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the Lawrence Square Shopping Centre in Toronto. To mark the milestone, landlord RioCan has rebranded the centre which is seeing a major renovation that will be completed in the spring.
The centre is now officially called the Lawrence Allen Centre, which is fitting given its location at the northwest corner of Lawrence Avenue West and the Allen Expressway.
The reimagined shopping centre is adding dynamic new retail tenants, a modernized interior, and upgraded amenities. All are focused on ensuring that the Lawrence Allen Centre acts as a pillar within the rapidly changing Lawrence Heights neighbourhood. The renovated interior features clean lines, natural light, and an uncluttered and inviting space, intentionally creating an ideal environment for the community to shop, eat, and gather.
PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPS
John Ballantyne, senior vice president Asset Management RioCan, says that the aim of the project is to re-establish a community within the Lawrence Allen Centre.
“We wanted to ensure that the Lawrence Allen Centre was comfortable in terms of clean, accessible bathrooms, a welcoming and well-equipped food court, and an open, friendly atmosphere throughout.”
Updates to come will include more efficient parking services as well as a new glass atrium and updated roof infrastructure.
The location is said to be strategic. “It’s right beside a busy subway stop, Lawrence West station, and in the midst of a very residential community. Both create the need for a community hub. This is our main focus,” Mr. Ballantyne went on to explain.
PHOTOS: RIOCAN
Within the coming months, RioCan promises further enhancements within the Centre, with a continued focus on curating its retail mix and evolving its services to fit the growing community. “Riocan recognizes the importance of investing in our assets and communities in which we operate. Lawerence Allen Centre will serve as the hub in this important and rapidly redeveloping Toronto neighbourhood and we look forward to being part of the continued growth and prosperity here,” said Jonathan Gitlin, President and COO of Riocan. “We focused on enhancing the existing spirit of the neighbourhood, ensuring the design, service, and retail mix suit the immediate and long-term needs of the community.”
Located at 700 Lawrence Avenue West, the Lawrence Allen Centre is mere steps from Lawrence West subway station and just west of the Allen Road. It is situated within one of the most significant redevelopment projects in Toronto’s history, Lawrence Heights, which is Toronto Community Housing’s largest revitalization ever undertaken.
Over the years, Lawrence Square serviced the surrounding community with more than 80 stores, covering 657,821 square feet of both retail and office space (304,000 square feet of office space and 373,000 square feet of retail space).
PHOTOS: RIOCAN
PHOTOS: RIOCAN
Larger retailers such as Canadian Tire, Fortinos, Marshalls, HomeSense, and PetSmart have called the Centre home for some time now, with contemporary furniture store Structube being one of the most recent retail tenants to move in. Zellers was once an anchor store for the centre. However in 2013, its departure provided the opportunity for Marshalls, PetSmart, and HomeSense to move into the space. A full-service BMO will join the centre in 2020 as well.
Built in 1989, the urban mixed-use property has long been a place for the community to gather. Planning for the redevelopment of the centre began in 2017 with the hopes of enhancing the mall in many different facets. Large-scale interior and exterior refurbishments have been in the works ever since. The main goal of the renovation centred around reaffirming the Centre’s community focus with a rejuvenated and inclusive brand.
To date, the renovations have centred primarily around the food court and bathrooms. There is much more to come however, with a recladding of the building’s exterior facade underway and due for completion in Spring, 2020.
Last week, RioCan representatives were on hand and were joined by Toronto Ward 8 Councillor, Mike Colle, and MPP Robin Martin.
As the Centre’s new name was officially unveiled to the public, Councillor Mike Colle spoke about the Centre’s importance within the surrounding community, which is currently undergoing a rebuild of its own following the mixed-income community redevelopment model. He congratulated all who have been involved in the project saying, “I say to all of you who had a part in this, Mazel Tov, and here’s to another 30 years.”
Technology has had a long relationship with retailing in Canada as well as globally. It has traditionally been a tool to improve data collection and productivity. However, in the last decade it has both increased competition and become an internal transformational juggernaut to stay competitive.
All physical retail is being forced in some way to adapt to the changing technology preferences and shopping behaviours of consumers, while also combating e-commerce players who are picking away at their market share. Keeping up requires marathon skills, a great deal of financial resources, and capable talent. While some brick and mortar retailers are thriving and making money, many have been disabled by their lack of resources, the wrong strategic choices, or poor timing.
The launch of smartphones in 2007, compounded by the financial crash and followed by the Great Recession, created a pivotal moment in retail industry. Ever since, this industry has been going through a major transformation, and retailers are dropping like flies along the way.
Today’s newswires are calling for the closure of another 8,000 stores in the United States in 2019. Last week, Forever21, announced the closure of all of its 44 locations in Canada. Interestingly enough, store closures in North America are higher than stores openings. When foreign retailers close their doors in Canada, it’s quite often a result of what is happening in the US. However, as businesses are also being acquired (Toys R Us Canada by Fairfax and PartyCity by Canadian Tire), investment and consolidation is something we will likely see more of. All of these acquisitions are in need of fresh perspective and sound financial backing.
If many of these retailers were early adopters of e-commerce and technology could they have been saved or in a better market position?
PHOTO: YOUTUBE
Consumers are driving technological change
Most retailers have invested in the typical nuances of technology, such as an online platform, chatbots, and mobile payments. Some are investing in AI, Robotics, and the list goes on to augmented and virtual reality being other potential technology driven solutions to sustain customers and drive sales growth. The next evolution will be how IOT impacts the future of appliances and other everyday products. The expectations that will be set by consumers around connectivity will be a much higher when it comes to reliability, performance, warranties, and service. This promises to further complicate retailing as we know it. It seems that retailing has become a digital experiment with no real understanding of how it will sustain a brand’s relevance in the marketplace with longevity.
For brick and mortar retailers, creating a high-tech element as part of the customer experience has become the norm. However, if the intent is to turn a store into no more than a Universal Studios Attraction, retailers run the risk of creating a single event experience with a limited run and no follow up shows. The cost of such a retail performance will be impossible for many retailers, and staying relevant will become even harder. Technology proposes a lot of hope, but these consumer-driven technological advances mean higher costs and a more complex customer experience that is not sustainable. Lack of foot traffic and the negative reviews are inevitable.
Technology can’t save outdated retail models
Not all technology initiatives are viable for every retailer. In 2017, Payless Shoes announced the “acceleration and expansion of its e-commerce business.” The retailer subsequently announced the closing of all of its North American stores after what management said was intense competition with the likes of Amazon and Walmart. Even Sears Canada, before it shuttered its doors in early 2018, had previously announced investments in stores and technology.
Technology can’t fix stodgy and outdated business and consumer models without radical change. Leaders must be faster at rolling out relevant innovation, redefining service behaviours, building entrepreneurial cultures, and recruiting talent with the skillset to continuously rethink and rebuild the brand.
Technology should never get in the way of customer relationships
No one was prepared for technology to transform consumer behaviours so profoundly. The coveted customer experience that everyone is pursuing today lacks depth, and most of the ideas are easy to copy and reproduce elsewhere. This is because technology alone doesn’t work when it is leading the vision. Instead it should be one aspect of the brand’s vision. The overall customer experience includes people in the equation to help build trust.
Consumer trust is something that is established by a repetitive and reliable in-store or online behaviour. It isn’t just important for the consumer, it is also important to the organization to continuously adapt and grow. A reliable customer experience – with whatever level of integrated technology – will only be as good as the staff that work in the store and their ability to use that technology to enhance their knowledge.
It remains to be seen whether or not any retailer can really merge technology and their physical retail space into one continuous evolving experience, while still managing to alter that experience frequently enough to make a difference. If retailers wish to survive, they need to decide whether technology is their new retail platform or if it remains a competitive threat. Either way, this period of disruption is far from over.
George Minakakis is the CEO of Inception Retail Group and author of The Great Transition: The Emergence of Unconventional Leadership. He is an expert at guiding retailers through competitive transitions, leading change management initiatives, and helping to build leadership teams to future-proof lasting success. As a retail realist, he takes a unique and unvarnished view of the retail space. With over three decades of experience in the retail industry, George has managed both luxury and mainstream lifestyle brands nationally and internationally. A retail sector leader, he continues to work within the retail sector as an advisor to Private Equity Firms, CEO partner, keynote speaker, and consultant for unique, privately held brands. Email: gminakakis@inceptionretailgroup.com
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.
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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.
