Recently, the new Cleo store concept was opened at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg as the retailer continues expanding its brand.
It’s also expanding its combination stores which highlight both the Cleo and Ricki’s brands.
Dave Nerada, President of both brands owned by Parian Logistics, said at the end of April, there were 214 total stores in the chain, including 109 Ricki’s locations across Canada and Cleo had 75.
“We’re in the process of opening eight locations over eight weeks. We opened the Coquitlam store. We just did the new beautiful Cleo concept store. We’ve got Oakville Place then Eastgate Square, The Core, King’s Crossing, Londonderry, Windsor Crossing, Seaway and ending with Avalon. We’re calling it our eight in eight plan,” said Nerada.
“We continue to look for more markets to grow. Right now everybody is uncertain about retail. There’s a lot of retailers that are pulling back. What I’m looking for is how do I move forward? How do I continue to make a presence inside of the market? How do I continue to re-engage a customer? Because it’s customer acquisition.
“There’s the old format where we focus digitally but we also focus physically. And for me brand awareness and connection to brand is through a person that stands with you in a store. I can go out in the world and say anything I want digitally. I can take the best pictures in the world, I can craft all the best stories but at the end of the day the best way for me to connect with you as a customer is physically through a person who stands in a box. Having the two things work perfectly together.”
Nerada said many retailers over the last few years moved away from brick and mortar and focused on digital implementation and online business.
“And they’re starting to revert back because what they’re realizing is the customer wants both. She wants to understand who you are online to make her life a lot easier but she wants to stand in the store and physically connect with you as a brand,” he said.
“To me the future is about creating more continuity and consistency between the physical and the digital shopping experience because I do think there’s some great markets in some smaller markets in small towns that have a great customer base that want to be able to interact with you as a brand. Yes they like online shopping but they also want to be able to experience who you are as a brand.
“While a lot of retailers have moved away from some of these markets, I want to go full force into some of these markets and continue to connect with people.”
The expansion includes three new Cleo stores, not including the Polo Park location. Two are combination stores of both Ricki’s and Cleo.
Currently there are 17 combination stores in Canada. There’s also 17 Ricki’s and Bootlegger combinations for the parent company.
“One side of the stores is one of the brands and the other side of the store is the other side of the brand. We do this when we see we have a good complement of customers within a specific centre and if you have a larger square footage footprint and you can’t get a secondary store then it becomes a great opportunity for us just to give the customer the opportunity of the assortment,” said Nerada.
There’s one entrance to the combination stores but it depends on the location how that footprint is utilized. It’s a way for the companies to continue to grow the store base.
“Ricki’s is very much a younger demographic that is a wear to work. We focus in on a lot of career-focused work with an elevated version of casual. The way that we describe Ricki’s is very much an approachable fashion for customers at a really great value,” explained Nerada. “So if you look at the assortment collection we’ve got great dresses, we’ve got great blazers, beautiful blouses, some wovens and knits, really focusing on that customer that is 25 to 45, 50. We have a huge program for educators. Teachers. It’s very much that career focused customer. We don’t believe you have to offer a product to a customer for an incredible amount of money. If you look at giving somebody a great first price point on great product that’s the basis in which we’ve focused our strategy for Ricki’s and especially after the pandemic.
“I’ve been with the business for two years now and I’ve known Ricki’s in the retail industry because Ricki’s just celebrated 85 years and it’s always been a wear to work destination. It’s always been career focused.
“Cleo is a little more of a mature customer. For her, she’s probably 50 and above who is fashion minded. She understands who she is and what she is as a fashionable person. So for Cleo it’s really about curation of little pieces to complement your current wardrobe. Very similar in the sense that we see the customer moving from Ricki’s to Cleo as she progresses through her journey of life. The fits are different. But Cleo does a really great business in petites. Petites in Canada is a really great under-serviced market because it’s any woman that is five foot four. They do a good job of framing the fit.”
Nerada said that when the new Cleo was designed, the retailer focused on creating miniature boutiques so the customer could see how the collection would come together instead of a commodity base.
Some retailers today have areas with all specific clothing together.
“We really wanted the customer to feel like it was their own little mini shop and like a boutique within the store itself,” added Nerada.
Store Openings (Dates subject to change)
- April 13th – Ricki’s at Coquitlam Centre in Coquitlam, BC
- April 27th – Ricki’s / Cleo at Oakville Place in Oakville, ON
- May 4th – Ricki’s / Cleo at Eastgate Square in Stoney Creek, ON
- May 17th – Cleo at The Core in Calgary, AB
- May 25th – Cleo at King’s Crossing in Kingston, ON
- June 1st – Bootlegger / Ricki’s at Londonderry in Edmonton, AB
- June 1st – Bootlegger at Windsor Crossing in Windsor, ON
- June 8th – Ricki’s Cleo at Seaway Mall in Welland, ON
- July 20th – Cleo at Avalon Mall in St. John’s NL
The Cleo site reminds me of stuff my mother used to wear – she’d be 102 if she were alive today. . No one I know over 50 dresses like that.
Ricki’s has some nice pieces for reasonable prices, but with a website with no way to order online and not a single store in Quebec, 20% of the Canadian population can’t shop there. It’s annoying that, since moving to Montreal, I have to wait until the next time I’m in Ottawa to visit stores I could shop at regularly in Vancouver.
Petite sizing doesn’t always work for those under 5’4”. While inseam measurements and length are important, you can often take something too long to the tailor, but you cannot fix a pair of jeans with a rise that’s too short or too long.
This is a business that needs to reflect the realities of shopping in the 21st century.
Cleo and Ricki’s please come back to Halifax as I know so many that miss shopping there and I am reluctant to order as there is no close stores to make a return. Mic Mac Mall is too far away. Thanks for listening.
I’m so excited to see Cleo expanding with their new concept store at CF Polo Park! The design looks fresh and inviting, and I can’t wait to visit. It’s great to see Canadian brands growing and embracing new ideas. Looking forward to seeing what other locations will feature!