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‘Cruelty Free’ Canadian Outerwear Brand ‘Wuxly Movement’ Opens 1st Retail Space

By
Jessica Finch
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THE QUEEN STREET RETAIL SPACE IN TORONTO.
THE QUEEN STREET RETAIL SPACE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT

Cruelty-free Canadian outerwear brand Wuxly Movement recently opened its first physical retail space at 505 Queen St West in Toronto, sharing a retail space also occupied by local brand Vitaly. Prior to this, Wuxly Movement was only available online as well as in a handful of multi-brand retailers in Canada and the US.

The Wuxly Movement retail space will remain open until the end of 2019, and is located on a stretch of busy Queen Street West that will help Wuxly Movement gain further brand exposure.

Wuxly Movement’s “change of season event” was recently held in the new Queen Street space in collaboration with Redemption Paws, a Canadian registered charity devoted to rescuing dogs in areas affected by disasters. The opening event showcased Wuxly Movement’s new parka collection as part of its range of tech-based, animal-friendly outerwear. The new pieces are being sold exclusively at the new Queen St pop-up, which hosts an inviting and friendly atmosphere in keeping with Wuxly Movement’s mission statement of “Live Warm”.

Born of the realization that no cruelty-free, Canadian-made, high-quality outerwear brand existed for Canadians, co-founder and former Canadian pro-football player, James Yurichuk, approached friend and third-generation master-tailor, Anthony DeBartolo in 2012, with an idea that we know today as Wuxly Movement.

PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT
WUXLY MOVEMENT CO-FOUNDERS JAMES YARICHUK (LEFT) AND ANTHONY DEBARTOLO (RIGHT) PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT

Wuxly Movement’s range of parkas, bombers, jackets, hats, and vests are all said to be sourced ethically, employing a unique production process that uses military grade and sustainable fabrics. The brand’s VeganTech Shells are sourced from a 100-year old company in Montreal which employs a ‘clean water’ policy — every ounce of water that leaves the facility is clean, after being tested and treated for any water pollution. Additionally, the brand’s manufacturing reuses the heat from the dyeing process to help power the facility.

The Wuxly Movement manufacturing facilities are also said to implement some of the highest labour standards in the world, and local production allows the company to work with, and give back to, the community. They pride themselves as being a connector brand and being inclusive for all people, regardless of lifestyle or priorities.

While dedicated to the brand’s goal of supplying Canadians with cruelty-free and sustainable outerwear, Wuxly Movement has also launched the Trade Up program. The program encourages patrons to bring in their current outerwear containing fur trims or down filling in exchange for a credit towards certain Wuxly Movement pieces. Luxury outerwear brands such as Moose Knuckles and Canada Goose are accepted as trade-ins and, depending on the item and its condition, will garner a trade-in value of $75-$275. The program then donates traded-up jackets (minus the fur trim) to partner homeless shelters such as Youth in Transition, The Mustard Seed, Brands for Canada, and Lookout Society.

OPENING EVENT IN THE NEW QUEEN STREET SPACE IN TORONTO. PHOTO: WUXLY MOVEMENT

Wuxly Movement says that it is committed to ensuring that Canadians have access to ethical and effective outerwear. Their vision? The brand says that it is enabling people to ‘Live Warm while remaining warm in practice, warm to the planet, and warm to all living beings’.

Wuxly Movement outerwear is currently available online as well as in various multi-brand stores across Canada, and is also at Moo Shoes in New York City. “We will begin the roll-out of Fall 2019 with strategic locations across Canada; a few notables include Sport Chek at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, in Collingwood Ontario, and at CF Chinook Centre in Calgary.”

The brick-and-mortar direct-to-consumer strategy is new for Wuxly Movement, and addresses a trend being seen with various other brands that have opened standalone retail stores. That includes various fashion brands including Mackage, Canada Goose, Moose Knuckles and others, which are expanding by opening stores while maintaining wholesale distribution globally.

Shop Wuxly Movement online at wuxly.ca or follow the brand on Instagram at @wuxlymovement

Yorkville Avenue Adds Unique Concept ‘Majesty’s Pleasure’ Amid Neighbourhood Transformation

By
Craig Patterson
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PHOTO: ELAINE FANCY/MAJESTY’S PLEASURE

Toronto’s rapidly transforming Yorkville Avenue has seen some major changes in recent months, including the recent opening of unique spa service provider Majesty’s Pleasure along with various unique initiatives to draw people to the area. Considered to be a premier shopping destination, Yorkville Avenue is located in the heart of Toronto’s upscale Bloor-Yorkville district.

Landlord First Capital Realty owns much of the property in the area, with Yorkville Village consisting of the shopping centre formerly known as Hazelton Lanes, as well as an expanse of street-front boutiques on Yorkville Avenue as well as flagship retail at the iconic corner of Yonge and Bloor Street.

The entirety of Yorkville Avenue is seeing an influx of luxury brands, all committed to creating an experiential shopping experience for consumers. As the area becomes more and more populated, the innovation put forward by each new occupant is increasingly stimulating. 

PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER

The newest addition to the area is Majesty’s Pleasure (formerly known as Her Majesty’s Pleasure). Nestled in the pedestrian laneway between a soon-to-open Stone Island flagship and Chanel at 102-108 Yorkville Avenue, Majesty’s Pleasure has created a wholly immersive and experiential destination for anyone looking to pamper themselves while spending time in the upscale neighbourhood. Fusing the convenience of a walk-in nail and blow-dry bar with the downtown feel of a trendy cocktail bar into one hybrid concept, this space portrays luxury. With about 2,500 square feet of space, Majesty’s Pleasure Yorkville offers the brand’s signature range of services including manicures, pedicures, blow-outs, facials, massages, waxing and make-up applications. Included as well are personal lockers, and an exclusive VIP room, not to mention an 800 square foot south-facing terrace equipped with sun chairs with a view overlooking the neighbourhood.

Specific to this location as well, the Yorkville Majesty’s Pleasure offers haircuts and colour services, multi-service chairs to accommodate two services at the same time, couples massages, and a state of the art sterilization room. 

“Majesty’s Pleasure is the ultimate beauty destination where our clientele can spoil themselves in the pleasure of our uniquely designed services specifically tailored to their champagne desires,” says co-founders Jeff Armstrong and Sara Kardan. “Yorkville deserves to have a destination that is just as elevated and beautiful as its neighbours. We are excited to bring our expertise and full range of luxury services to a community that indulges in wellness, beauty and superior hospitality.” 

  • INSIDE THE NEW SPACE. PHOTO: ELAINE FANCY/MAJESTY’S PLEASURE
  • THE 800 SQUARE FOOT OUTDOOR TERRACE OVERLOOKING YORKVILLE AVENUE. PHOTO: ELAINE FANCY/MAJESTY’S PLEASURE

Open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm, Majesty’s Pleasure is committed to ensuring that the beauty needs of the growing Yorkville area are always met. 

Adding to the invigorating energy on Yorkville Avenue is “Window Wars”, a new pilot digital series bringing retail window displays to life. Launched in collaborative efforts by Toronto Fashion Week and Yorkville Village, “Window Wars” aims to merge the worlds of art, fashion, and film. The pilot series, produced by Toronto Fashion Week and Yorkville Village, seeks to disrupt the traditional retail window display and change how consumers perceive the shopping experience. “WINDOW WARS challenges the traditional notions of retail displays much like how MasterChef did for chefs,” said Melissa Campisi, Director, Strategic Partnerships and Event Marketing at First Capital Realty. “This opportunity offers a unique perspective on how consumers approach the collision of fashion, art and retail – especially in the digital era. It also allows us to create an interactive community experience, engaging with those in the Yorkville neighbourhood – whether they have attended a Toronto Fashion Week event or otherwise.”

Competing to create the most compelling window displays possible, artists Tatjana Green and Krystin Leigh Smith star in the multi-micro webisodes, which premiered on tfw.to on September 19th. The series is in collaboration with Canadian fashion designers showcasing at Toronto Fashion Week. The works are being exhibited at 92 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto from September 5th until October 23rd, in a retail space recently vacated by fashion retailer Diesel.

  • PHOTOS: CRAIG PATTERSON

The 102-108 Yorkville Avenue block, which was recently developed by First Capital Realty, is now fully leased, and hosts many of fashion’s most notable names. Brunello Cucinelli spans approximately 8,200 square feet over three levels — the brand’s largest store in North America. Versace, which held a splashy opening party last week, also resides next to Cucinelli in a two-level, 3000 square foot retail space. Upscale fashion retailer Stone Island will open in the retail space next to Chanel in the first week of November. Majesty’s Pleasure occupies part of the top level of the 102-108 Yorkville complex, and will be joined by high-end Japanese restaurant, Hana, which will be coming soon to the lower level.

Chanel opened its store at 98 Yorkville Avenue in November of 2017. The beautiful 8,550 square foot store features a heritage facade that was once part of the Mount Sinai Hospital.

Across the street from the above block is Canada’s only standalone store for French luxury brand Christian Louboutin, which opened at 99 Yorkville Avenue in the summer of 2016. Streetwear brand Off-White opened at 83 Yorkville Avenue in early 2017, joining the likes of Kiton and Richard Mille, the latter which recently relocated to a stunning second-level space at 135 Yorkville Avenue.

  • PHOTOS: RETAIL INSIDER

Stan Vyriotes and David Wedemire of brokerage DWSV have been instrumental in transforming the area into a luxury retail destination. They represented Chanel in the deal that saw it move into 100 Yorkville Avenue from the Colonnade at 131 Bloor Street West, and the duo also represented Brunello Cucinelli to move into retail spaces next door, as well as high-end streetwear brand CNTRBND when it relocated to 135 Yorkville Avenue last year. Hilary Kellar-Parsons of Avison Young represented Stone Island for its lease in the 102-108 Yorkville complex.

Landlord First Capital Realty also owns and operates the enclosed Yorkville Village shopping centre across from CNTRBND, which was formerly known as Hazleton Lanes. After an overhaul, the centre now boasts a roster of retailers and restaurants.

Over the next two years, Yorkville Avenue will continue to transform as First Capital Realty leases out retail spaces formerly occupied by Diesel and Anthropologie. The landlord will also redevelop 101 Yorkville Avenue into a new luxury retail development that could include a mix of other uses as well. Other landlords in the area are also redeveloping buildings that will house a range of restaurants and other uses. The redevelopment of Yorkville Avenue is part of a much larger redevelopment play for the Bloor-Yorkville area, which is being positioned as one of the world’s top luxury shopping nodes, according to a recent report by brokerage JLL.

Unique Lifestyle Retailer ‘Elle & Jane’ Opens its 1st Storefront in Montreal

By
Jessica Finch
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ELLE & JANE OPENING EVENT. PHOTO: HEATHER AUGUST

Natural beauty and lifestyle brand Elle & Jane recently opened its doors to the public in Little Burgundy with an aim to become one of Montreal’s newest hotspots for beauty as well as fashion. Founded by best friends Casey Flanz and Gracie Olliver, Elle & Jane was born of the idea that sustainable beauty should be accessible, affordable, and fun.

Located on 2621 Notre-Dame Street West in one of Montreal’s trendiest neighbourhoods, Elle & Jane’s new two-level retail space aims to provide top-of-the-range services as well as a range of unique products, according to the company. An equal mix of ‘girl-next-door and sophisticated woman’, Gracie and Casey have honed their love of beauty and sustainability to create the space.

Co-founder Casey Flanz describes the location as “an experiential space that is approachable for all and incredibly interactive for clients.” Interior design inspiration comes straight out of New York City, with the ground floor emulating a modern city loft. The exposed brick walls are lined with artwork and black detailing gives the space a chic, edgy look. The large black granite counter top creates the centre of the room, with a couch and seating area in the corner to maintain the comfy, at-home vibe. The spa portion of Elle & Jane is situated on the second floor and is designed to relax and calm the client with minimalistic decor and a more neutral colour tone.

Photo: Matthew Parisien
PHOTO CAPTURE: GOOGLE STREET VIEW (CLICK TO INTERACT WITH THE STREET)

Casey Flanz explained that when envisioning Elle & Jane, it was important that the services were not only affordable but also convenient. “Treatments are created with the working woman or the busy mom in mind. We want to provide clients with affordable, fast services that ensure they leave Elle & Jane feeling better than they did when they came in.”

Services include organic spray tans, organic teeth whitening, waxing services using all-natural hard wax, and lashes. Quickly becoming one of the most popular services at Elle & Jane is the ‘Express Facial’. Completed in under an hour and using solely Eminence Organics products, it is designed to hydrate and rejuvenate the skin. 

All services are carried out on the tranquil second floor of Elle & Jane and provided by an experienced aesthetician. “We were very careful when choosing our aesthetician,” Casey says. “It was important that we found someone who is as passionate about sustainable and natural beauty and skincare as we are, and who is also incredibly knowledgable about this topic. Our aesthetician has over ten years experience in this field and we trust her to provide the most elite treatments to our beloved clientele.” Casey encourages people to pop in to Elle & Jane if they want to learn more about natural haircare, skincare, or makeup.

Photo: Google Maps/ Go360

Elle & Jane have made a conscious effort to use and retail products that are predominately Canadian and female-owned. “We want to support other women in the industry, especially those who have the same morals as us and are making an effort to ensure the public have access to natural beauty products.” In the short time that Elle & Jane have been in existence, it has been involved in many events and partnerships. The most recent being an in-store pop up with Amour Propre Beauty, a natural beauty line based in Montreal. A vintage clothing pop-up area is also in the works. “Natural beauty and sustainable fashion go hand-in-hand and we’re excited for what’s to come with this partnership”, says Casey.

The retail portion of Elle & Jane carries all-natural skincare, haircare, and makeup brands. Some of which include RMS Beauty, Eminence Organics, Li Organics, and NIU Body, and true to their word, the majority of these are Canadian-based and female-owned.

In addition to the beauty lines, Elle & Jane also carry accessories, apparel, and jewelry — making it a true lifestyle retailer. New additions to the retail space include recycled jewelry line Wolf Circus, and effortlessly chic brand Lover’s Tempo. Both brands originated on Canada’s west coast.

Elle & Jane is a family affair with Casey and Gracie attributing much of their success so far to Christine Olliver and Ken Smith, Gracies’s parents. “Without Christine’s extensive knowledge of the industry and without Ken’s vision and ability to build the location, our dream truly wouldn’t have become a reality.” Casey notes. “We are eternally grateful for their continued support and for truly believing in our ability and the potential of two young female entrepreneurs.”

As Elle & Jane continue to grow, the co-founders encourage the people of Montreal to stop in and experience all they have to offer. “We want to create a community with Elle & Jane. We want to ensure that everyone feels at home when they walk through the door and leaves feeling beautiful and a little more inspired and knowledgable about natural beauty.”

Connect with Elle & Jane at elleandjane.com or via Instagram at @elleandjane

Some of Canada’s Most Successful Retailers Headquartered in Vancouver

By
Craig Patterson
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The city of Vancouver is home to several of Canada’s top retailers, with headquarters in the city or nearby suburbs. That includes homegrown chains as well as international firms that have located their Canadian headquarters in the Lower Mainland. 

Well-known brands founded in the Vancouver area include names such as Aritzia, Lululemon, Article furniture, Save-on-Foods, Urban Barn, Purdy’s Chocolatier, Saje Natural Wellness, House of Knives, Rexall, Pharmasave and London Drugs.

The Vancouver area is also home to big-name retailers such as Best Buy Canada as well as beauty brand LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, which is seeing incredibly high sales as it remodels and expands stores across North America. 

While Toronto may be seen as the business centre of English Canada, Vancouver-based chains have been wildly successful while at the same time being in a beautiful location with a temperate climate. What’s interesting, as well, is the number of successful national restaurant chains that were either founded or headquartered in Vancouver. Names include The Keg, Earl’s, Joey, Cactus Club, Moxies, and various others. Another well known food and beverage provider is the Donnelly Group, which has also expanded into cannabis retail. 

Vancouver will also host Retail Council of Canada’s Retail West 2019 Conference being held Wednesday, October 16 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the city’s downtown core. Registration is now officially open. Many of the top retailers in the Vancouver area will be in attendance. Several will be speaking at Retail West, and there will also be ample networking opportunities available. 

Retail West is the largest retail education and networking event in Western Canada. It brings together retailers, vendors, suppliers, thought leaders and decision makers from across the retail industry.

Included will be a full-day immersion into the latest trends, technologies and best practices in modern retail. The packed agenda will inspire attendees with success stories and insights about how business is thriving in the Western market and on the national scene.

In the morning, Aritizia’s SVP of Marketing, Sally Parrott, will have a conversation with Kevin Graff to discuss why in the challenging segment of fashion, Aritzia continues to delight a discerning segment of consumers.

In the afternoon, building an integrated media strategy in a profoundly digital world will be discussed. Speakers will include Save-on-Foods, Best Buy Canada, Prospect Media Group and London Drugs, the latter which recently announced that it is testing drone delivery in British Columbia for the first time. 

Well known retail strategist David Ian Gray of DIG360 will host a panel with speakers from Urban Barn, House of Knives and Google Canada. The discussion will revolve around Black Friday, and what can go wrong when systems crash. 

Cannabis, which is now legal in Canada (with edibles legalized on October 17) will be a topic as well. Adam Coates of Westleaf Inc. will give a talk on branding as a business strategy — something critical to all retailers as the “retail experience” becomes an ever more important differentiator and competitive advantage.  As legalized recreational cannabis enters its second year, Kiaro’s Eleanor Lynch, Muse Cannabis’ Geoff Dear and Donnelly Group (Hobo)’s Harrison Stoker will discuss lessons learned and hurdles they’ve overcome, as well as new retail cannabis developments they expect over the next twelve months.

The hot topic of personalization will be discussed by executives from Vancouver-based Saje Natural Wellness, which has opened stores in Canada as well as in international markets. 

Peter Higgins, Executive Vice President of Vancouver-Based LUSH North America, will also be on the stage with Retail Council of Canada’s President & CEO, Diane Brisebois, to discuss the changing face of retail decision making at a time when the industry is changing through technology as well as a shift in consumer preferences. 

Tying it all together will be a discussion of the ‘Future for Western Retailers’ by Steve Mossop, President of Insights West. 

Other interesting speakers from across Canada will also be at this Year’s Retail West Conference in Vancouver. For more information, see the links below. 

[Full Agenda]

[Speakers]

[Conference Website]

[Register Here]

*Retail Insider has partnered with Retail Council of Canada on events. To work with Retail Insider, email: craig@retail-insider.com

Calgary Co-Op to Redevelop Stores into Mixed-Use Projects

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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OAKRIDGE CROSSING DEVELOPMENT RENDERING: QUARRY BAY INVESTMENTS VIA FACEBOOK

Calgary Co-op is investing $2.25 billion in the city with several innovative mixed-use redevelopment projects that will create 2.4 million square feet of retail, restaurant, office and residential space as well as revitalize underutilized areas in strategic urban locations.

Tony Argento, director of real estate and development for Calgary Co-op, said the total investment in the Calgary market includes about $1 billion in new centres and improvements to existing inventory and about $1.25 billion of mixed-use development.

It also involves the company looking to expand in other rural markets in the Calgary area as well as in more inner-city Calgary locations.

WINSTON ON SIXTEENTH DEVELOPMENT RENDERING: SKYRISECITIES

“We’ve got a very limited sandbox that we can play in. We have to maintain our market share. So if we don’t pick up those spots competitors will and we’re going to lose that market share to them. So our focus is to grow our business,” said Argento.

Key projects that will transform different neighbourhoods throughout the city include Mission Landing, Boulevard at Dalhousie, Oakridge Crossing, and Winston on Sixteenth.

Argento said many Co-op owned and controlled properties are under-utilized and the company realized a few years ago that there was plenty of potential for them in the future.

“And a lot of the sites are strategically located in mature communities where development has stopped for many, many years. So there’s nothing new that has been brought on the market. I saw a big opportunity for redevelopment,” he said.

“We’re differentiating ourselves from our competitors to remain viable. Technically if we were just competing on groceries probably Co-op would not exist for too long. A lot of our revenue now is coming from our real estate, from our tenants. We’re a fairly large landlord. By the time we start doing the majority of these re-developments the real estate department will be number one in terms of earnings for our members. It will exceed petroleum. It will exceed grocery.

“It’s important what we’re doing. We’re able to help the groceries to regulate itself to compete because of all the revenues we’re getting from the real estate portfolio.”

Residential developer Quarry Bay is working with Calgary Co-op on several of the innovative mixed-use redevelopments in established Calgary neighbourhoods.

“One of the advantages that we’ve got is that some of our centres are in mature communities. People are getting to the age of downsizing or rightsizing. They don’t want to leave the community. So by offering the residential components on our properties with all the amenities it’s an attraction for people,” said Argento. “There is that pent-up demand for these projects in those communities.”

MISSION LANDING DEVELOPMENT RENDERING: MISSIONLANDING.CA

The key developments, which will take up to six years to complete in some cases, include:

  • Boulevard at Dalhousie. Redevelopment will include 632,325 square feet. It will have 436 residential units in two buildings. There is also a 58,000-square-foot medical office planned. A new grocery store of 47,000 square feet will be added with a functioning greenhouse on the roof which will produce products for the store. A co-generation system will power the site. Also planned is a 5,200-square-foot liquor store, 39,500 square feet of retail space with a cannabis store and perhaps a small restaurant or coffee shop. Construction is expected to be completed in about six years;

  • Oakridge Crossing. The 438,772 square feet of new development will include a new 56,000-square-foot grocery store, 34,800 square feet of office space, 32,700 square feet of retail space and 249 residential units. Co-op is going to tender with some of the contractors to start the first phase of the project which is the professional building. The project could start in January or February 2020 with completion expected by around 2025;

  • Winston on Sixteenth (also known as North Hill). It was built in 1960, making it the company’s oldest store. The major redevelopment will include a new 44,000 square-foot grocery store, a new gas bar, a new car wash and potentially a new 4,800-square-foot Wine Spirits and Beer store. In addition it will add 8,200 square-foot of retail space and 12,500 square-foot of office space. There will be 115 residential units. It will take about five years to complete all phases of the project;

  • Mission Landing. The project is under construction with a new gas bar, car wash, and liquor store. There will also be 70 affordable apartment rental units in a five-storey building. There will be an underground parkade with about 60 stalls. The gas bar may be open spring or early summer of next year. The residential tower will open about a year after that.

“All the projects that we’re doing will have greenhouses, community gardens, co-generation. We may look at some for solar panels. So anything that we can do to reduce the carbon footprint. That will differentiate us from our competitors because none of them are doing that,” said Argento.

He said Co-op also has about six other new store locations it will be building over the next few years: Sage Hill Shopping Centre, Springbank Hill across from Aspen Landing, Silverado, Okotoks, the Eau Claire Market and Cochrane.

MISSION LANDING DEVELOPMENT RENDERING: MISSIONLANDING.CA

Argento said the company has finalized a purchase of property at Crossfield where a gas bar is planned and possibly a fast food retailer. The company is also actively looking for sites in Cochrane and Chestermere.

“We’re identifying spots there. Those are the only two rural markets that we don’t have a grocery store presence in,” he said.

Argento said Co-op has also started to partner with some local companies like Spolumbo’s and Cluck N Cleaver creating food kiosks for them in the company’s West Springs store in Calgary.

“We’re kind of looking at that model now looking to work with some small, local providers that we can create space for them and allow them to operate their businesses within our grocery store. It creates good traffic and synergies in helping the smaller businesses get a lot more exposure than they would on their own,” he said.  

Six co-gen units are now operating for the company.  

Co-op is also going to be building several new gas bars in the near future as well as several new liquor stores, and cannabis stores.

Editor’s note: Retail landlords across the country are intensifying under-utilized real estate by adding mixed uses. Learn more about the trend at Retail Council of Canada’s Brick-and-Mortar Forum, being held the morning of Tuesday, November 19th in Downtown Toronto.

Canadian Firm ‘prisma construction’ Expands Internationally

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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PHOTO: PRISMA CONSTRUCTION

Montreal-based construction firm prisma construction has developed a reputation for its experience over more than 30 years being retail construction specialists across Canada.

Now, the company is expanding its reach with a goal of building stores throughout North America and overseas after it recently completed its first store in China for client la Vie en Rose.

“We’ve been in business for over 30 years and have always prioritized our client’s deadlines,” said Alessandro Iacampo, project manager with prisma.

PRISMA CONSTRUCTION TEAM MEMBERS PHOTO: PRISMA CONSTRUCTION

“It’s about our experience. There are a lot of contractors capable of building stores, but what distinguishes us is our experience, expertise gained and dedication to each project that makes the difference. Over three decades of business in the same field speaks for itself. There is a lot of value in that,” said Diego Puente, senior project manager and business development manager with prisma.

prisma has been in business since the late 1980s.

“Our clientele, for the most part, has focused on retail… anything to do with malls. Our main clients have been Garage, Dynamite and la Vie en Rose predominantly,” explained Puente. “Today, we’re also moving towards commercial and office work but that’s fairly recent.”

The company has built retail stores for numerous retailers across Canada.

“We specialize in tenant improvements in malls or outlets,” added Puente.

GARAGE’S WEST EDMONTON MALL STORE PHOTO: PRISMA CONSTRUCTION

He said clients today want to be involved in the construction process much more than they used to be. “They want to participate in the build out. Cost is always a priority.”

“Although there’s always an inclination towards doing a project as quickly as possible, they never really want to sacrifice a store for a quicker timeline,” said Puente. “When a retailer is progressing, moving forward, evolving, they are concerned mostly with making sure the store’s overall concept and ideal is respected and ready for showcasing goods.”

“In some cases, however, because retailers have faced challenges in recent years, the main focus is maximizing return on investment while targeting fewer locations,” says Iacampo.

The Garage store on Sainte-Catherine Street in Montreal is one of the company’s biggest ever projects.

PHOTO: PRISMA CONSTRUCTION

“There were many, many elements of construction that you tend not to see in retail such as red structural steel for instance,” said Iacampo. “Two floors about 6,000 square feet. In terms of scope and complexity the Garage store was by far one of the biggest ones we have done.”

The company just finished building la Vie en Rose’s first corporate store in China in the city of Guangzhou.

“That build-out was an incredible experience,” said Puente.

The retailer’s President and CEO, François Roberge, said: “We were ready to accept the challenge of taking our first steps in China. We are looking at our first two years in the country as a real learning period. It’s very important to understand how the market works in order to build a foundation for our expansion.”

PHOTO: PRISMA CONSTRUCTION

“Over the next two years, we plan on opening several physical locations in Guangzhou and continuing our expansion in China from there,” said Aurélie Daoust-Lalande, Vice-President, Strategy and Development at la Vie en Rose. “We have the ambitious goal of doubling the size and profitability of the company by 2022, and our expansion outside of Canada will definitely play a major role in achieving this objective.”

Puente said la Vie en Rose has been prisma’s in-house client for more than a decade.

Iacampo said prisma is also looking at expanding into the United States in early January to build retail stores there.

prisma construction has two sister companies, ICM Millwork and PMB Metal, that work in concert with each other developing and manufacturing custom fixtures. They also work independently, with both sister companies focusing on their areas of expertise.

“We’re getting into hospitality and we are also expanding pretty heavily on importing goods from China to service our clients,” said Iacampo.

BONLOOK’S CF FAIRVIEW MALL LOCATION PHOTO: PRISMA CONSTRUCTION

prisma describes itself as “retail construction specialists with soul.”

“We are passionate, creative, hard-working and modest. We are experienced, intelligent and determined. We are always accessible to our clients, partners, employees and suppliers. prisma construction is a people business dedicated to deliver outstanding work. We pride ourselves in proposing retail solutions with the upmost craftsmanship which contributes to a client’s success,” it says on their website.

“prisma construction is a leading retail construction specialist. We do development, rollouts management, project management plus, coordination and follow up. We give it our best, every day. That’s prisma construction.”

106: Forever 21, Uniqlo and Sunterra Market

By
Retail Insider
-

This week Craig and Lee talk about Forever 21, Uniqlo and Sunterra Market.

The Weekly podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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.

Discussed this episode: 

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  • No Name Ad Campaign in Toronto
  • ASICS apology for offensive video playing on promotional screens

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Upscale Alberta-Based ‘Sunterra Market’ Grocery Concept Looks to Expansion with Newest Store

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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BOWER PLACE IN RED DEER, ALBERTA. RENDERING: QUADREAL

The seeds of Sunterra took root on the family farm over 40 years ago in Acme, Alberta.

And today the Sunterra Market is a popular store with seven locations in Calgary, two in Edmonton and one coming in the near future in Red Deer.

“With superior hogs and industry-leading practices, the farm grew bigger and better. To showcase the top quality meat and provide customers with a unique European-style shopping experience, Sunterra Market launched in downtown Calgary at Bankers Hall in 1990. Since then we have been working tirelessly to exceed customers’ needs in our nine markets across Alberta,” says the company on its website.

Art Price, chairman of Sunterra, said the family-owned and run company’s purpose is to nourish customers with affordable, fresh, wholesome food.

PHOTO: SUNTERRA MARKET VIA FACEBOOK

“Our retail business in Bankers Hall we are now just updating that yet again and that is really 30 years old. So we’ve been in the retail business for 30 years and it was the last arm of the business that we put together,” said Price.

“Now we have farms in Ontario, around Alberta, in Iowa and in South Dakota. The farming business is now quite diversified and spread around but it all started in Acme.”

Price said the Red Deer location is currently in the design/build stage.

The company always has a potential development list but Red Deer is the only one right now that is going forward.

CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE MAP OF RED DEER, AB
SUNTERRA WILL HAVE AN ENTRANCE FROM WITHIN BOWER PLACE, ACCORDING TO RENDERINGS. IMAGE: QUADREAL

“It all starts from the original basics where we focus on high quality fresh and chef prepared as our focus and then we price it at a number that most of our customers would say is like a premium product but for not premium prices,” said Price about why Sunterra has been successful. “It’s all about if you look at it more from the farmer’s genetics quality, fresh, clean, prepared food but in a primarily pickup mode although if you pick Bankers Hall you can both pick it up and eat there. So we have the combination. But we have no pure restaurants. We don’t go into the pure restaurant table-service model with a described menu.

“We were doing that way back 30 years ago when having a chef there or a combination of chefs and a high-end deli, and prepared, wasn’t normal in the mainstream groceries stores if you go back that far. A lot of people said you can’t do it. You can’t staff it. You can’t deliver that way and still price it in at that price. And we’ve basically proved that we can.

“Numerous people now have some level of prepared food and deli which is quite normal. When we started the business it was not normal. And we still have a higher-end selection and higher-end quality than is in the market. So we just stayed with that most fundamental business model where we wanted to be convenient, we wanted to be fast, but we don’t want to trade quality of the eating experience from a food quality point of view.”

Does the company have plans for further expansion?

“It’s a private, family-controlled business and we really don’t have sort of external drivers on scale like you would if you were a public company and you were dealing with public shareholders,” said Price. “So we’re very much quality and expand where the market opportunity is tangible to us and we know we can execute.

“We don’t literally have a grand scale strategy that we’re aspiring to. We have more maintain the customer experience as the primary driver and then what are the opportunities.”

PHOTO: SUNTERRA MARKET VIA FACEBOOK

The company does export off the farms internationally with sales of pork and Japan has been an example of that for many decades. It recently also recently opened its specialty prosciutto plant in Acme which has export credentials.

“At the retail level, our model is very much on the ground delivery to customers and so we’ve looked outside the province. But when we look at the logistics of it and the ability to maintain our service model it gets quite complicated for us. While I wouldn’t say never, I’d just say that each time we’ve looked at it we kind of thought better incremental opportunities in Alberta which is still associated to our farms and our infrastructure than if we let’s say went to Ontario,” said Price.

Sunterra also has a strong community involvement and its ROOTS program partners with several community organizations such as Inn From the Cold and Ronald McDonald House.

Canadian Fashion Retailer ‘ADDITION ELLE’ Shifts Strategy with New In-Store Brands and Sizing

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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ADDITION ELLE’S NEW CARREFOUR LAVAL FLAGSHIP PHOTO: ADDITION ELLE

Canadian retailer ADDITION ELLE has been making its mark on the national fashion industry for years and recently it has launched a new direction by offering more popular brands in store such as Levis, Champion, Birkenstock, Girlfriend Collective, Calvin Klein and Body Glove.

It has also expanded its size offerings starting at a 10 to 32 and it has launched its fall campaign that conveys the message “Fashion can be bigger.”

The retailer’s success is built on making the statement that size inclusivity should be seen across the board from different brands and styles.

“The purpose of the campaign is really to have a voice out there to tell our customers that in fact it’s about diversity and bringing her product so that it is available to her,” said Rosalba Iannuzzi, vice-president of merchandising for ADDITION ELLE. “So basically what we’ve talked about is why could designers do all these crazy things in terms of styling and being out there with styles but really they can’t do a simple thing as plus fiving.

“So to be able to give this customer a choice and to bring brands to her too that’s really the importance of our house brands but brands like Champion, Levis, and so on. To have this choice for her. That’s really the voice of the campaign.”

Iannuzzi said the message resonates with consumers, giving them an opportunity to have a one-stop shop where they have choices available.

“And choice has not been available to the plus customer for a very long time. What we want to be able to say with this campaign is that we are the ones that are allowing fashion to be bigger and to be able to give her all these choices,” she said.

“So the reason why it resonates is that they can come to us and they can find the availability of product done for them. We are a one-stop shop and we can dress her from head to toe. The availability of finding the right undergarments and the right shoes for that total outfit and head to toe is really a first on the market and something that is very dear to us because we want to be able to have this offer for her. That’s really what it is. The diversification of a woman and addressing that. And doing it through brands. Bringing brands to her.

“We’re working with these brands in order to have the right assortment and the right sizing for them. It is also a challenge. We’ve had to work with brands and in some cases we have to convince them and in some cases we work with them for the right specs. So it’s about bringing her that availability that is not offered to her especially not in one place.”

Sarah Anne, a Toronto-based plus size fashion blogger and a body positive activist, is part of supporting the ADDITION ELLE fall campaign.

“I have been a fan of ADDITION ELLE since my teens and in the recent year or so I’ve just fallen in love with them all over again because of what they’re doing with the brand. I’m involved with them not only because I’m a fashion blogger to show my audience what’s available out there for plus size clothing but as a fan who legitimately loves and wears the clothing and it’s super exciting to see what they’re doing,” said Sarah Anne.

“I was lucky enough to be asked to be involved in the campaign and also just as someone who is so excited to be a part of plus fashion that is more like now high-end fashion and to be associated with that is just a huge honour.”

She said ADDITION ELLE is filling a void in the market that needs to be filled these days.

Earlier this year, ADDITION ELLE launched a new re-imagined flagship store at the brand’s Carrefour Laval location in Montreal.

The newly redesigned Carrefour Laval store will be the first of its kind for ADDITION ELLE, which has 80 stores in Canada and the company will be looking at how it will be expanding the concept of the Montreal store to more and more people across the country.

ADDITION ELLE has also invested in its digital flagship with a redesigned ecommerce platform.

Uniqlo Opens 1st Alberta Store at West Edmonton Mall Amid Huge Crowds [Photos]

By
Christopher Lui
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UNIQLO store opening at West Edmonton Mall. Photo by Jason Franson CP Images.

The long awaited arrival of popular Japanese chain Uniqlo at West Edmonton Mall is now over. West Edmonton Mall officially welcomed Uniqlo on September 27, 2019. The store opening was first announced by Retail Insider in June 2019.

The store spans more than 15,000 square feet and is located on the upper level of the mall’s ‘Phase II’ overlooking ‘Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace’, which is the mall’s indoor National Hockey League-sized rink used for recreational skating, figure skating, hockey and special non-ice events.

Uniqlo replaces three retail spaces formerly occupied by Murale, Laura and Browns Shoes. The Uniqlo store has taken over almost the entire footprint of the three stores. The only exception is the upstairs 2,665 square foot mezzanine of the former Murale store which was not repurposed by Uniqlo. The Shoppers Drug Mart-owned beauty chain Murale closed its doors in the mall in Spring 2019. Laura and Browns Shoes have relocated to new spaces on the upper level of Phase II.

UNIQLO store opening at West Edmonton Mall. Photo by Jason Franson CP Images.
  • PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LUI
  • PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LUI

Retail Insider was fortunate to tour the West Edmonton Mall Uniqlo store prior to the grand opening. The tour was led by Uniqlo Canada’s Public Relations Team, Sehee Kim, PR Manager and Salina Shairulla PR Assistant Manager. The West Edmonton Mall store carries men’s, women’s, children’s and infant fashion, all designed with the concept of LifeWear. Uniqlo’s LifeWear concept is creating simple, high quality, everyday clothing. The fashions include tops, bottoms, outerwear, accessories, loungewear and socks and underwear.

The store carries its flagship collections including HEATTECH which features a technological innovation involving inner wear that generates heat from one’s own body temperature, Ultra Light Down which is down outerwear that is light weight and super warm and UT Graphic T-Shirt Collection which features short term collaborations with other brands. The store will also carry its signature $99.90 cashmere sweaters in 16 colours in the next few weeks. The fitting rooms are staffed with an attendant and are unisex which allows the rooms to be flexed if there is a high demand.

Uniqlo West Edmonton Mall also offers customer friendly options including an Alteration Service for hemming of bottoms. Depending on the bottom the alteration may be complimentary, or a nominal fee is charged. The alterations are completed instore and can be ready as fast as 60 minutes. The store offers an enhanced checkout process. With the use of RFID tags in the clothing, the cashier folds and places the items to be purchased on a scanning pad. The scanning pad recognizes the item and price with no manual scanning required. With a high volume store this reduces checkout time and ensures accurate supply management on the back end. The store will employ approximately 80 full and part time employees.

Opening day generated significant excitement with the first customers starting to line up at 5:00 am on Friday morning. When the store officially opened its doors at 10:00 am, the line stretched all the way to the Canada Goose store located in Phase III of the mall. Salina Shairulla, PR Assistant Manager estimated that over 800 people were in line to get a first glimpse of the store. To celebrate the grand opening the first 200 people in line received a limited edition tote bag emblazoned with cities from around the world that have Uniqlo’s store locations with Edmonton prominently displayed at the top of the bag.

Lucky shoppers were also able to receive the tote bag with a purchase of $75.00 or more. In addition, with any purchase shoppers could receive a free Women’s or Men’s HEATTECH Crew Neck Long Sleeve T-Shirt. To help promote downloads of the Uniqlo Canada App, shoppers were offered a $5.00 off coupon on their first purchase plus also a chance to win a trip to Tokyo. The prize includes airfare for two, four nights hotel stay and $500 in spending money. Throughout the store there were also numerous promotions with discounts on their popular Ultra-Light Down outerwear collection, flannel shirts and pants.

The selection of West Edmonton as the first Uniqlo location for Alberta is ideal. West Edmonton Mall attracts more than 28 million visitors annually, with nearly 50% being from out-of-town. The mall draws visitors from all over Edmonton and beyond. The visitors are a diverse cross-section of cultures. The mall even has a themed Chinatown section where visitors can experience a taste of Asian culture. Uniqlo fits perfectly into the visitor profile of West Edmonton Mall as they are multicultural and may have previously shopped Uniqlo in Canada or abroad.

  • PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LUI
  • PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LUI
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LUI

The Edmonton store marks the 12th Uniqlo store in Canada with seven stores in the Greater Toronto Area (CF Markville, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Oshawa Centre, Square One, Upper Canada Mall, Vaughn Mills and Yorkdale) and four in the Vancouver area (Coquitlam Centre, Guildford Town Centre, Metropolis at Metrotown and CF Richmond Centre) With the line ups to get into the store and the number of shoppers during the grand opening weekend, it appears that the West Edmonton Mall location will be very successful. Uniqlo’s combination of fashion essentials for the entire family along with a competitive price point will appeal to many Canadian shoppers. Uniqlo has said that it could eventually operate as many as 100 stores in Canada however no further store openings have been announced. The Montreal market is said to be next for Uniqlo, with an announcement said to be forthcoming.

Editor’s note: Jeff Berkowitz of brokerage Aurora Realty Consultants is handling Uniqlo’s search for retail space in Canada and negotiated all Canadian lease deals on behalf of the retailer.

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