Canadian Retail Thread

[SpongeG]

Canada's newest apple store opened saturday in metrotown - its the biggest one in the vancouver area for sure - stopped by tonight - was quite busy

http://latestiphoneupdates.com/wp-content/plugins/rss-poster/cache/17f68_metrotownstore-110926.jpg
latestiphoneupdates.com

[Travis007]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/targets-rejected-sites-in-high-demand-by-rival-retailers/article2178609/

Target’s rejected sites in high demand by rival retailers

MARINA STRAUSS — RETAILING REPORTER
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Sep. 23, 2011 7:18PM EDT

The jockeying for Canadian retail space is heating up as U.S. discounter Target Corp. (TGT-N50.621.483.01%) named the second round of Zellers stores it’s considering for conversion, heightening the race for remaining outlets.

Target also provided another clue to how it will operate in Canada, announcing on Friday that Sobeys Inc., the country’s second-largest grocer, will supply the U.S. chain with groceries.

On the real estate front, Target’s bold foray into Canada has rival retailers scrambling to nab sites rejected by the U.S. chain. The jostling was triggered last January when Target, known for its affordably stylish fashions and home goods, said it would launch in Canada in 2013 by buying the rights to as many as 220 Zellers store leases for $1.8-billion.

Target now plans to open 125 to 135 outlets here – compared to its initial forecast of 100 to 150 outlets – leaving the rest for other merchants to pick up.

Already, archrival Wal-Mart Canada Corp. has sewn up the rights to 39 of the Zellers stores, which it will convert to its own banner. Others, such as Canadian Tire (CTC.A-T57.971.943.46%) and U.S.-based TJX Cos. (TJX-N57.881.312.32%) Marshalls, are also looking at some of the locations.

Wal-Mart chose sites – mostly in Edmonton, smaller Ontario towns, Quebec and the Maritimes – that fill holes in its network, Mr. Arifuzzaman said. And while Wal-Mart is a competitor for Target, he said it may have been willing to pay more, and take more sites, than other bidders.

On Friday, Target revealed its second tranche of Zellers lease picks – a total of 84, including the 39 being transferred to Wal-Mart. Ultimately, Target will select from just 29 of the locations. In May, it announced 105 Zellers locations that made its first cut – bringing the new total to 134. It will sell the leases it rejects to other Canadian retailers or back to landlords.

RioCan has plans for a new flagship Target outlet in Toronto, among a handful of new store sites, industry observers said.

[caltrane74]

I'm actually looking forward to target moving here.....

[yaletown_fella]

Me too. I have target storage bins for art school and they're awesome.

[SpongeG]

hopefully its the same target as the USA and not a watered down version

some of its announced locations for Vancouver are a surprise - rather the locations they don't seem to want are a surprise - such as lansdowne mall in richmond

[manny_santos]

Seems U.S. retailers are ditching self-checkouts while their Canadian counterparts are keeping them as is.

Self-checkouts: The good, the bad and the ugly
By Stefania Moretti, QMI Agency
28 September 2011
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/28/self-checkouts-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

Big retailers say self-checkout lanes aren't going anywhere in Canada, despite the growing list of American grocers canning the do-it-yourself option after studies showed most shoppers prefer real-life cashiers.

Today I personally don't care for self-checkout lanes. I first saw them in 2001 at a newly-opened Loblaws store in London, and at that time I thought they were awesome. I never thought they'd replace live cashiers, but I anticipated they would become more popular.

I only use self-checkouts if I have only one or two items, I'm in a rush, and it appears that going through self-checkout would be faster than waiting for a cashier with a lineup of people who can't remember their debit PIN. Personally I find it degrades human contact and just provide consumers another excuse to live in their own bubble.

[SpongeG]

everytime i try self checkout something goes wrong and i have to wait for the attendant who seems pretty frazzled - they have them at IKEA too and the person who attends them usually ends up scanning a lot of the stuff anyway and than stands there step by step on how to finish up - such a waste

[MolsonExport]

^it is amazing how self-checkouts are idiot-producing. There is always some kind of fuck up requiring attention. Even when you get it right, you get flagged at the exit for not demagnetizing some purchases.

As others have said, they are great for the uncomplicated, small collection of boxed purchases. Anything else, and it is just plain slow, stupid, and shitty.

[MolsonExport]

Where the hell is the Apple Store for London?

[yaletown_fella]

:previous: I second that Kitchener already has a store, one would expect London, a city with equal population, to follow suit. Obviously due to the sheer amount of time spent on the road shoppers living in the London area generally don't drive to downtown Toronto as often as Waterloo-ites would so I would think a London store wouldn't be too outrageous.

[freeweed]

There's a reason self-checkouts only work if they have a "max 5 items" type setup. Which is extremely rare. Usually what you see is some dingbat with 100 items in their cart, taking 5x as long to scan/type it all in.

Which of course only makes sense. While some may scoff at this, cashiers are trained and actually know what they're doing. Like any skill, no matter how menial, experience makes you better at it. The average person has zero clue how to efficiently scan/bag/etc and the whole thing doesn't work.

The first time I saw a self-checkout, I thought "Brilliant! They better make these Express lanes." Of course nothing of the sort happened, and it's no wonder so many are being removed.

When I see them empty and I have a few items, they're a godsend. It's great to actually be able to purchase something without having to be say "no" to each of the half dozen upsells they try (would you like to add some batteries - they're on sale, would you like to sign up for our card program, would you like to donate to charity, blah blah blah). But if even one person is in line for them, I avoid them like the plague. Let the experts handle my stuff, because random Joe in front of me is sure to take longer.

I still cannot figure out why McDonald's doesn't let me punch my own order in, and have humans make and deliver it. Until I notice just how much time it takes the average person to figure out that of the 6 sandwich options, they have to actually choose one that exists.

[MonctonRad]

Where the hell is the Apple Store for London?

Where the hell is the Apple Store for Halifax!!

You would think a regional city of 400k, provincial capital and home to six universities would have one!

[cormiermax]

Where the hell is the Apple Store for Halifax!!

You would think a regional city of 400k, provincial capital and home to six universities would have one!

Yeah an Apple Store in Halifax would do very well, there definitely overlooking a great market.

[SpongeG]

There's a reason self-checkouts only work if they have a "max 5 items" type setup. Which is extremely rare. Usually what you see is some dingbat with 100 items in their cart, taking 5x as long to scan/type it all in.

Which of course only makes sense. While some may scoff at this, cashiers are trained and actually know what they're doing. Like any skill, no matter how menial, experience makes you better at it. The average person has zero clue how to efficiently scan/bag/etc and the whole thing doesn't work.

The first time I saw a self-checkout, I thought "Brilliant! They better make these Express lanes." Of course nothing of the sort happened, and it's no wonder so many are being removed.

When I see them empty and I have a few items, they're a godsend. It's great to actually be able to purchase something without having to be say "no" to each of the half dozen upsells they try (would you like to add some batteries - they're on sale, would you like to sign up for our card program, would you like to donate to charity, blah blah blah). But if even one person is in line for them, I avoid them like the plague. Let the experts handle my stuff, because random Joe in front of me is sure to take longer.

I still cannot figure out why McDonald's doesn't let me punch my own order in, and have humans make and deliver it. Until I notice just how much time it takes the average person to figure out that of the 6 sandwich options, they have to actually choose one that exists.

A&W has self order machines at some of its new downtown locations here - seems to work well, pretty quick too

I do like to use them and when they work okay they are good, but when i have bought clearance items thats when things go wrong so if what i am buying is straight forward its not too bad

[freeweed]

A&W has self order machines at some of its new downtown locations here - seems to work well, pretty quick too

I do like to use them and when they work okay they are good, but when i have bought clearance items thats when things go wrong so if what i am buying is straight forward its not too bad

I suspect the 2 sentences aren't completely tied together, but... clearance items at A&W eh? Yummy! :haha:

[MolsonExport]

^how else do they get rid of burgers past their prime? The real meaning of the grandpa/ma burger is its age past freshness.

[SpongeG]

I suspect the 2 sentences aren't completely tied together, but... clearance items at A&W eh? Yummy! :haha:

lol yah the first one is A&W only - second one is for superstore :haha: got ahead of myself

i used the self checkout tonight at price smart with no problems, i even bought carrots but looking them up is really easy on their system

[GreatTallNorth2]

There are some strong indications that an Apple store is opening at Masonville Place in London, near UWO. These aren't pie in the sky rumours, but people that have inside info telling me this.

[eternallyme]

The retail attacks and awareness make me wonder...is it Thanksgiving again in Canada too today? They seem to have gone on the bandwagon like crazy with Black Friday...

[yaletown_fella]

There are some strong indications that an Apple store is opening at Masonville Place in London, near UWO. These aren't pie in the sky rumours, but people that have inside info telling me this.
I find that to be quite a reasonable notion and far from pie in the sky.

[Wigs]

The retail attacks and awareness make me wonder...is it Thanksgiving again in Canada too today? They seem to have gone on the bandwagon like crazy with Black Friday...

It makes sense since in provinces like BC and Ontario retailers lose out on a ton of money in sales from Canadians crossing the border for deals on electronics and clothing, etc. one day of the year

[haligonia]

Yeah an Apple Store in Halifax would do very well, there definitely overlooking a great market.

Exciting news! Apple may be coming to Halifax after all:


Halifax Shopping Centre prepares space for mystery tenant




November 28, 2011 - 5:43pm By COLLEEN COSGROVE Business Reporter

Swinging hammers at the Halifax Shopping Centre have rumours flying about which retailer will soon inhabit the 7,000-square-foot-space being prepped.

Renovations are underway near Sears to make way for the new tenant. But with negotiations still in progress, mall marketing director Linda Townsend said her lips are sealed.

She would not divulge the genre of the company, whether it’s American or Canadian, or if it already has a presence in Halifax.

“We think it’s pretty exciting, absolutely,” Townsend told The Chronicle Herald on Monday.

“We’re constantly evolving our retail mix to meet the demands of our customers.”

Gap occupies a 12,000-square-foot space, while Sephora lays claim to 5,200 square feet.

Structural renovations of the space have begun and an announcement will be made as soon as negotiations wrap up, Townsend said. She expects the new store to be fully operational next fall.

When renovations began, the local Twitter-sphere buzzed about Apple joining the ranks and setting up its first official store in the city.

“Rumour about an Apple store: Heard elevator near Sears at Halifax Shopping Centre to be removed & store with big electrical needs coming in,” a local Tweeter said.

Townsend said removing the elevator “possibly could be part of (the renovation), yes,” but noted that it’s not currently the focus of the renovations.

Employees at local authorized Apple resellers like the HalifaxMac Store and PCPC said the rumours have little credibility.

“We haven’t heard anyone talking about this in the store at all,” a PCPC employee said Monday.

Another employee at the Halifax Mac Store said he’s grown tired of the rumour that he said has been circulating regularly for “the past 10 years.”

Apple did not respond to an interview request, and a search of the Apple corporate website shows no indication of any action in Atlantic Canada.

Apple has eight stores in the Toronto area, four in Quebec, two each in Calgary and Edmonton, and one each in Ottawa and Winnipeg.

(ccosgrove@herald.ca)

Obviously nothing is set in stone, but I can't think of another retailer that has big electrical needs that would be shrouded in so much mystery. Especially after the shipbuilding contract, it would seem logical that large retailers would be attracted to the city. :tup:

[SpongeG]

Exciting news! Apple may be coming to Halifax after all:




Obviously nothing is set in stone, but I can't think of another retailer that has big electrical needs that would be shrouded in so much mystery. Especially after the shipbuilding contract, it would seem logical that large retailers would be attracted to the city. :tup:

they left out the 4 stores in Vancouver in their list

[haligonia]

they left out the 4 stores in Vancouver in their list

This was noted in the Halifax forum too. But you can't expect anything better from the Herald. :shrug:

[SpongeG]

apple stores are fun - good way to a break from shopping at least

[toaster]

Wow. Im surprised they got an Apple already. Ottawa only got one a few years ago, and has a metro well over a million. But that's great news!!

[haligonia]

Wow. Im surprised they got an Apple already. Ottawa only got one a few years ago, and has a metro well over a million. But that's great news!!

This is all just speculation... There's a HUGE chance that it's not Apple.

[eemy]

The date is fast approaching, move over Vaughn:
Ikea doing its own home reno. It’s making over its Ottawa outlet into the biggest store in Canada (http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1086316)

OTTAWA—Isabelle Auclair’s home renovations are unfolding on a grand scale.

She has less than a month to finish up the installation of dozens of kitchens and bathrooms and to decorate 55 rooms. She has bed frames to set up, mattresses to lay on them, dozens of chairs and sofas to arrange.

That is the deadline faced by Auclair as she gets the country’s largest Ikea store ready for its grand opening on Dec. 7.

“I’ve never been this busy. But it’s coming together,” said Auclair, the store’s manager, as she toured a reporter through the new store this week as it evolves from a construction zone into a retail space.

When it opens its doors next month (set in the same mall as the existing store), Ottawa will go from having Canada’s smallest Ikea store to its largest. It will ring in at 36,998 square metres — the size of five Canadian football fields and four times the size of the current store here. It will rank 30th out of Ikea’s 320 stores worldwide for size.

[more... (http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1086316)]

[Biff]

Winnipeg's will ring in at 36,696 m2.

[MolsonExport]

What amazes me is the vast volume and assortment of shitty furniture you can cram into 36,998 square metres . IKEA: Swedish, for shitty furniture.

By the way, here is the latest IKEA commmercial, featuring the lousy swedish meatballs served up in their "restaurant":
sY_Yf4zz-yo

Ying gur de skor dede hoo gedishgadoo yay born ger stare born der mm BORK BORK BORK!

[SpongeG]

have you stepped inside the brick? you wanna talk about crappy furniture...

[Wigs]

have you stepped inside the brick? you wanna talk about crappy furniture...

but how else can I get my (offbrand) 26 inch LCD TV for "free"! :haha:

[caltrane74]

There is some speculation that the $350 million dollar Atrium on Bay complex at Yonge in Dundas will soon be at the centre of a major renovation project that will also include the construction of 4 additional floors on top of the existing structure. I would also believe that the corner of the building at Yonge and Dundas will also be redeveloped, into something more befitting the most important commercial district in the city outside of Yorkville.

[MolsonExport]

have you stepped inside the brick? you wanna talk about crappy furniture...

No argument there. and plus, you get the slimiest, cheesiest douchebaggiest salesmen at the Brick. Only Leon's (and maybe WKRP's Herb Tarlek) gives the Brick a run for its money in the fast-talking-bullshit-artist category.

[Gerrard]

Shop EQ3 for furniture if you want to support Canadian made (modern) at a reasonable price point.

[osirisboy]

Shop EQ3 for furniture if you want to support Canadian made (modern) at a reasonable price point.

really, I know the stuff is designed here, specifically winnipeg but i believe its made in china not canada

[Gerrard]

Erm that used to be their claim anyway (it's not on the website anymore though). But it's a Canadian company that offers pretty nice furniture at an affordable price point.

Speaking of customer service, I've noticed that furniture salespeople in general have to be the most unengaged laissez faire bunch ever. They work on commission so I don't get it all. I know was when I was furnishing my new apt. trying to find a helpful salesperson anywhere was a rarity.

I suppose it's part of that "great" customer service tradition in Canada.

[ue]

Still amazing how EQ3 has ignored the Edmonton market since pulling the plug on their West Edmonton Mall location over 5 years ago. Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, London, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Brossard, and Quebec City. Seriously, how do you ignore this large a market when you have locations in QC, Brossard, and London? That being said, they do have some wicked pieces of furniture and decor.

[SpongeG]

its probably franchised locations - if the franchisee can't make a go they just close up or license another brand i imagine

we only have one EQ3 here, there used to be about 2 - but the bay downtown carries EQ3 furniture as well

i like some of their stuff

we really need a DWR though - love that store - even though its out of my price range

[SpongeG]

first location in north america (richmond - aberdeen centre) for this china based store with stores in asia and europe

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1273/dsc03665c.jpg
pic by me

[isaidso]

Loblaw's new flagship store at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto just opened. I actually chopped about 90% of the photos, but this store is something else so I hope you don't mind that I posted so many.


http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1727iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1733iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1735iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaw.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1748iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1763iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1788iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1794iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1802iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1804iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1818iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/FALL%202011/IMGP1874iDecember0311MapleLeafGardenLoblaws.jpg
All photos courtesy of Taller, Better

It goes on and on and on, but you get the idea. This store is a 'foodie' wet dream. Finally, Canada has a food emporium that's second to none. Loblaws needed an update and they've certainly delivered. Hopefully, this is just a template to be repeated across Canada.

[Echowinds]

That's actually one of the most impressive supermarket I have ever seen. It actually does the Maple Leaf Gardens justice, even though it is completely unrelated to hockey. I guess the rink in the same complex takes care of that though.

Certainly a lot better use of an old arena than some of the treatment found in the US.

As for Izzue, it is a brand underneath the Hong Kong fashion conglomerate I.T. First store outside of the Chinese sphere (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao).

[YYCguys]

There must have been a flurry of activity going on at Loblaws/Maple Leaf Gardens over the last few months as it seemed that NOTHING was happening over the summer at all!

[miketoronto]

I don't like the bare concrete of the Loblaws Maple Leaf store. It looks to dark and not classy at all.

[quote]It goes on and on and on, but you get the idea. This store is a 'foodie' wet dream. Finally, Canada has a food emporium that's second to none. Loblaws needed an update and they've certainly delivered. Hopefully, this is just a template to be repeated across Canada. [/img]

Toronto already has a good emporium, the St. Lawrence Market. Which is much more interesting than a supermarket.

[miketoronto]

In other retail news that does not revolve around Canadian malls or main streets opening carbon copy chain stores which really don't add anything to our retail landscape, a more exciting development happened in London, Ontario.

London Ontario's family run local downtown department store, Kingsmills, has opened another addition to their legendary downtown store.
The new addition adds a modern contemporary home section to the store, with a more urban downtown vibe.

This is Kingsmills second or third expansion within the last 10 or so years, and the store is also celebrating 145 years this year.

Who says a local downtown store can't thrive?

Kingsmills really shows what we should be seeing more of in Canada. The growth of our locally homegrown retail stores, and not the celebration of crappy chain stores we can find anywhere in the world.

Kingsmills could show the big boys how to do things better, as the big chain department stores keep downsizing.

The new Contemporary Home Section, located on an expansion of the main floor, of the four story store.
Photos thanks to Kingsmills.com
http://www.kingsmills.com/images/homestore/home-store-splash-page.jpg

http://www.kingsmills.com/images/tour/home/home_store.jpg

[haligonia]

I awoke to great retail news in the Halifax forum this morning:

According to ANS, there will be an Apple store opening soon in the Halifax Shopping Centre.

ANS is short for All Nova Scotia, a local subscription-based news website.

[SpongeG]

Target announces first 24 stores in Canada; initial openings all in Ontario

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. (NYSE:TGT) on Thursday announced the location of the first 24 of the 125 to 135 stores it plans to open in Canada beginning next year.

All of the first two dozen are at malls in various communities in Ontario.

"We are excited to announce the location of these first 24 Target stores . . . ," said Target Canada president Tony Fisher.

"In addition to providing Canadian guests with an exceptional shopping experience, Target looks forward to continuing our strong reputation of being a good neighbour in the Canadian communities in which we will do business."

Target has purchased the leasehold interests of 189 sites currently operated by Zellers Inc. and about $10 million to $11 million will be invested to remodel each facility.

Each location will employ between 150 to 200 workers, with hiring slated to being in 2012.

The announcement came on the same day that Target lowered its earnings expectations after a disappointing December in which U.S. consumers waited until the last minute to shop.

Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 1.6 per cent. That missed analyst expectations for a 3.1 per cent increase, according to Thomson Reuters.

Target's stock fell 3.4 per cent, or $1.70, to US$48.30 in afternoon trading.

Revenue at stores open at least a year is considered a key measure of a retailer's financial health because it excludes volatility from stores that open or close.

Strong grocery and beauty product sales offset weakness in electronics, movies, books and music, the company said. In addition, sales and traffic were stronger in the week before Christmas thanks to last-minute shopping.

Total revenue for the five weeks ended Dec. 31 rose 2.6 per cent to $10.14 billion.

The company now expects fourth-quarter earnings of $1.35 to $1.43 per share. That compares with prior guidance of $1.34 to $1.53 per share. Analysts had $1.48 per share.

Target Corp. said it expects revenue in stores open at least a year to rise in the low- to mid-single digit percentage range.

Following is a list of malls where the first Target stores in Canada will open, grouped by community:

...

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/target-december-sales-rise-miss-expectations-lowers-4th-192743111.html

[manny_santos]

Did anyone watch Marketplace on CBC last night? They were talking about "Canada's Worst Customer Service". They "awarded" Zellers with this dubious distinction, although this is based on the opinions of people surveyed in a Leger Marketing study - and we all know any study is prone to bias and error.

The big surprise for me was that Canadian Tire was awarded second-worst customer service. They're not perfect but I find they are better than Wal-Mart, Zellers, and Rona. Their employees at least seem to know their products better than some other retailers.

Last night's program did smack of sensationalism though. I don't think it's fair to single out Zellers for bad customer service when customer service levels can vary widely from one store location to another across Canada, and there are often local competitors, some of which can be far superior to chains, and some of which can have service far worse than any chain.

What was interesting though was how polite Canadians are when confronted with bad service. They tend to just walk out without saying anything. Personally, I usually say something without making a scene; I realize that the front-line employees are often not personally responsible for certain problems, but at the same time someone needs to know.

[bulliver]

^ Ha ha, I in fact did watch that. That is, it was on whilst I was tooling around on the computer. Pretty brutal that Zellers would not refund payment for an obviously used coffee maker sold as new.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton leads country in retail construction


BY BILL MAH, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM JANUARY 19, 2012 3:06 PM



STORYPHOTOS ( 1 )



More retail space is under construction in Edmonton than anywhere else in the nation, says a new report by commercial real estate firm CBRE.
Photograph by: Ed Kaiser, Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON - More retail space is under construction in Edmonton than anywhere else in the nation, says a new report by commercial real estate firm CBRE.

“This energy-based economy is really driving a lot of things in this city from residential construction to industrial demand and when there’s low unemployment, people are buying so retailers are strong,” said Dave Young, senior vice-president and managing director of CBRE’s Edmonton office.

“Will the other shoe fall? I don’t know, but right now and going into 2012, we’re pretty bullish on all markets and retail definitely will be strong for the coming year.”

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Edmonton+leads+country+retail+construction/6020621/story.html

[MolsonExport]

Canadian Tire deserves the Award. Terrible place, terrible service. I am amazed that anybody shops there. Prices are lousy, service is worse. the place is a messy maze. What is the attraction?

[SpongeG]

Canadian Tire is awful, its hard to find someone who works there and if you do they don't know much or say this is not my area and say go find somene over there

the newer stores are so big too you can walk forever before you find anyone only to have them look at you like they have no clue what you just asked

[jlousa]

I love CT, their service sucks but I know what I want when I head there. Think them buying Marks was a great synergy play. Always thought they should get Tim Hortons on board and have mini Tims stores inside them.

I can just picture a line of hipsters eating tidbits and pushing a shopping cart with rabbit ears/welcome mats/ and boxes of pot of gold around the store in furry hats trying to find an employee to take down a canoe from a shelf 20ft up.

[MolsonExport]

I've always been puzzled as to why people would buy chocolate (pot of gold) and/or cookies/foodstuffs from Canuckian Tire given that the place vaguely smells like rubber, iron, and motor oil.

[Black Star]

Canadian Tire is awful, its hard to find someone who works there and if you do they don't know much or say this is not my area and say go find somene over there

the newer stores are so big too you can walk forever before you find anyone only to have them look at you like they have no clue what you just asked


I have to agree with some of the assessments here. I bought a stationary bike in the fall and it took the kid 1/2 and hour to locate in the back! Just recently I bought my boys a mini bike only because it was on sale and again it took a good 1/2 hour to find the right key to open the lock to get the bike!! I do like Canadian Tire...but service there and in many retail sectors is subpar.

[Acajack]

It is comforting to see that Canadian Tire seems to have the same service standard across the country! ;)

That said, Canadian Tire's popularity in spite of it all comes from the fact that it has the most amazing variety of practical stuff that you just might need one day. If you need item X for your house, car, cottage, etc., they almost certainly have it. People from other countries I know just love Canadian Tire for this reason. They tell me: if you think of some obscure thigamajig that you need, betcha Canadian Tire will have it.

So although their customer service sucks, I'd say the purchasing division (or whatever you might call it) is top-notch.

[MolsonExport]

^I tend to go to Lowe's for Hardware and yard stuff, Costco for most everything else, and my Honda dealer for car maintenance. I just don't see a need to subject myself to the extraordinarily poor service (reaches a new low in the retail environment) of CannedTire.

If you dislike Canadian Tire, here is a site for you: http://www.canadiantiresucks.net/

[freeweed]

Canadian Tire deserves the Award. Terrible place, terrible service. I am amazed that anybody shops there. Prices are lousy, service is worse. the place is a messy maze. What is the attraction?

Nostalgia combined with ignorance of other options.

They occasionally have something no other competitor has (I got my snow thrower there, no one else locally carried the brand) but beyond that they're a vastly overpriced, horribly laid out, confusing mess of "what kind of store are we going to be this year" kind of place. Jack of all trades, master of none. They try to cram so many different things into a single store that they rarely actually have much selection for a given item, or if they do, the one you want isn't in stock. Of course this applies to much of the retail landscape today, CT just exemplifies it. And it's where everyone over 60 shops.

Disclaimer: I don't work on cars nor do I need a 850-count socket set for anything else. I get the impression that car mechanic types might find CT more useful than I, so for those people it might make sense. Otherwise, CT was great - 40 years ago. These days I really don't understand how they stay in business (other than old people).

[Winnipegger@Heart]

They are this half-ass general merchandise retailer that makes money, so people like it; I don't probably because I do not do repairs to vehicles, and for lighting, bathroom or kitchen hardware, home decor, I visit specialized shops or even Home Depot, Canadian Tires has a little bit of this, a bit of that, nothing stylish. I do think it is time for a logo update though.

[youngregina]

We are getting an Aeropostale in Regina!! haha.

[MolsonExport]

Confirmed this morning, the Apple Store coming to London. Masonville Mall.

[SpongeG]

CB2 rocks Queen West

Aging hipsters who recall Queen West as a nexus of early ’80s punk/new wave culture tend to look in wonder — and just a touch of wistfulness — at the studied hipness it’s acquired since then. In those days, it was home to small storefront art studios, some of whose upper floors played host to late-late-night speakeasies, alongside hangover-worthy greasy spoons, and “vintage” stores which back then described their wares by more pedestrian descriptions; to wit, old clothes and junk.

The latest entrant to the upwardly mobile mix is the first Canadian location of CB2 ( www.cb2.ca), a U.S. retailer that also owns Crate and Barrel ( www.crateandbarrel.ca), which landed in Canada a few years ago, and now has four locations — two in the GTA (Yorkdale and Square One) and one each in Calgary and Edmonton.

The new CB2 store is housed in what used to be the much-lamented Big Bop at Queen St. W. and Bathurst St. (aforementioned aging hipsters will remember even further back when it was the Holiday Tavern, a local watering hole with a certain picturesque, if time-ravaged, appeal.) It sits next door to the beautifully refurbished Burroughes Building, which houses the small independent Design Republic, which also offers home decor, often from local sources.

Alas, tempus fugit. But oldsters can take comfort in that the redesign of the building certainly is pretty, with a glass expanse that rises two stories on the west-facing side. The flood of natural light should make shopping there a welcome change from the fluorescent hell of the cavernous big box. Inside, the ghost of buildings past are reflected in small ways, such as concrete flooring, metal fixtures and original signage.

Beyond the fact that CB2 has re-thunk the space well, there are other reasons to like this plucky little retail chain, which is hoping to draw urbanites looking to create design looks in smaller spaces with affordable pieces.

The product offering is broad and includes furniture, kitchenware, art, bed and bath linens, lighting and accessories. I took my 19-year-old daughter with me for market testing purposes (also because she’s brilliant company). If she’s at the very low-end of their target age market, her reaction bodes well. She liked lots, starting with the high-colour graphic art, which includes both emerging and internationally recognized artists, sometimes in limited issue runs. Rumour has it that local designer Karl Lohnes will soon have a piece, inspired by the Jubilee Year, in CB2’s art collection.

There’s a decent-sized kitchen offering with fun tabletop items, such as perforated acrylic felt table runners (yes, you certainly could make one yourself. But will you?) for $23. Stainless steel semicircular snack bowls start at $13. We both liked the witty accessories — oversized chopsticks ($5) that function like giant clothes-pegs and plates ($5) with silly graphics of stale doughnuts and such by New York artist Dan Golden ( www.dangolden.com).

It’s also hard not to smile at Golden’s line of black and white accessories, partly because they so accurately reflect the anxieties and sensibilities of CB2’s young, urban shoppers in text and image. For example, a throw pillow ($35) features a “self-hating” elephant contemplating liposuction.

...

http://www.thestar.com/article/1121897--cb2-rocks-queen-west

http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/ab/35/348a7dc842e1ad616aadf2c59cfe.jpg

[LeftCoaster]

maybe this will revive this thread from the dead.

Huge news out of the US which might lead to some speculation up north of the border...

GGP to Acquire 11 Sears Anchor Pads
Portfolio Totals 1.8 million Square Feet of Gross Leasable Area

Press Release: General Growth Properties, Inc. – 3 hours ago

CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- General Growth Properties, Inc. (NYSE: GGP - News) ("GGP") today announced a definitive agreement for the acquisition of 11 Sears anchor pads within its portfolio for $270 million. The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2012 subject to customary closing conditions.
"This portfolio represents a significant opportunity to recapture valuable real estate within our portfolio," said Shobi Khan, chief operating officer, General Growth Properties. "This acquisition also enhances several expansion and redevelopment opportunities including re-tenanting the anchor space and adding new in-line GLA. Over the next several years we anticipate adding 319,000 square feet of new in-line space, the majority at Ala Moana Center, our most productive mall with sales surpassing $1,200 per square foot. In addition, we look forward to continuing to work with Sears as they represent an important anchor tenant within our portfolio."

PORTFOLIO INFORMATION
Upon closing, GGP will own the following anchor pads. GGP anticipates Sears to continue occupying each space into 2013 until the final closing dates are determined.

Mall, Location
Ala Moana Center, Honolulu, HI
Apache Mall, Rochester, MN
Bellis Fair, Bellingham, WA
Coral Ridge Mall, Coralville, IA
Fashion Place, Murray, UT
Mall of the Bluffs, Council Bluffs, IA
Market Place Shopping Center, Champaign, IL
Provo Towne Centre, Provo, UT
Quail Springs Mall, Oklahoma City, OK
West Oaks Mall, Ocoee, FL
The Woodlands Mall, Woodlands, TX

ABOUT GGP
General Growth Properties, Inc. owns or has an interest in 136 regional shopping malls comprising approximately 140 million square feet of gross leasable area in the United States. GGP is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol GGP. For further information please visit the GGP website at www.GGP.com.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/GGP-Acquire-11-Sears-Anchor-prnews-2368375398.html?x=0

[manny_santos]

maybe this will revive this thread from the dead.

Huge news out of the US which might lead to some speculation up north of the border...

It's interesting you've posted that link, as Sears Canada seems to have a long recovery ahead after years of the brand going downhill, according to reports in the Toronto Star. The most telling thing in that article was the comments. Virtually all of the 55 comments echoed a common sentiment that I agree with: customer service at Sears in Canada sucks big time.

[davidivivid]

IKEA is investing $80M to expand its Montreal megastore, which will see its surface area jump from 258 000ft² to 469 000ft² and making it IKEA's biggest store in North America.
http://www.lesaffaires.com/archives/generale/ikea--80m--pour-croitre-a-montreal/542975


Also, Harry Rosen intends to invest $20M in Montreal in order to open a new 40 000ft² flagship store.
http://www.lesaffaires.com/archives/generale/harry-rosen-prevoit-investir-20-m-a-montreal-dans-un-magasin-phare/542982

[Martin Mtl]

Ogilvy proposal 'fantastic' for downtown

Project combining shops, condos, hotel one of 10 planned developments

BY ALLISON LAMPERT, THE GAZETTE APRIL 4, 2012

If it comes to fruition, the proposal to redevelop the former Ogilvy department store downtown would transform de la Montagne St., north of Ste. Catherine St. W.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/6406904.bin?size=620x400s

Photograph by: ALLEN MCINNIS GAZETTE FILES , The Gazette

A $150-million project to reinvent the landmark Ogilvy department store in downtown Montreal as part of a hotel, residential and highend shopping complex is ambitious, even for a city undergoing an unprecedented real estate boom, real estate observers say.

The Maison Ogilvy project would expand the iconic store, which would be connected to a new development on de la Montagne St. that combines ground floor shopping and underground parking with 110 condos and a 120-room hotel, a description published Tuesday by Montreal's downtown Ville Marie borough said.

The Hotel de la Montagne would have to be demolished and a parking lot would be developed for the new construction, which would be up to 16 stories high.

"If it comes to fruition, it would be a fantastic project for downtown Montreal," said Jeffrey Berkowitz, president of Aurora Realty Consultants, a retail and real estate specialist.

The project - presented to the borough Tuesday night and is contingent on city hall approval - is the brainchild of Selfridges Group Ltd., which owns Ogilvy, along with Montreal-based partner and developer Devimco Inc. The Quebec Federation of Labour's Fonds de solidarité is a financial partner.

"It's the first step in a very long process," said Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux, a Montreal-based spokesperson for Selfridges.

The 545,000-square-foot project was at one point designed to reach all the way to de Maisonneuve Blvd.

But the owner of Wanda's strip club at the corner of de Maisonneuve refused multimillion-dollar offers to sell his building to developers, so the project is going ahead without him, sources told The Gazette.

Lamoureux would not address rumours that Selfridges-owned Holt Renfrew department store would be moved into the Ogilvy's building.

The Maison Ogilvy project is one of 10 developments - with a combined 1,600 condo units and 555,000 square feet of office space - planned by private developers for downtown Montreal, the Ville Marie borough said.

In fact, some of these 10 projects, including the transformation of the Ekers Brewery on St. Dominique St. into condos, along with plans by developer Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd. to build an office tower on Saint Antoine St. near the Bell Centre, have already been announced.

In several cases, the projects would be conditional on making adequate sales or, in the case of office space, securing tenants willing to pay the higher net rents charged by developers for new construction.

A handful of developers, have already proposed building new office space in Montreal, but have yet to announce deals with anchor tenants.

Fuelled by historically low interest rates, condos are being built in record numbers in Montreal and other Canadian cities like Toronto. The new housing market, however, is expected to soften this year in Montreal with analysts expecting starts to drop 15 to 20 per cent compared with 2011.

alampert@ montrealgazette.com Twitter@RealDealMtl



Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Ogilvy+proposal+fantastic+downtown/6406903/story.html#ixzz1rCCmQik8

[ue]

Rogers to exit video store business

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/04/17/rogers-video.html

Remaining 93 stores to be converted to wireless/tv stores like all the rest.

[MolsonExport]

^"to serve you better" Fucking Rogers. Not that I have set foot in a Rogers/Blockbuster for at least 5 years. Rogers is the master of price creep. I hate Rogers with every whole-grained fibre of my soul.

[SpongeG]

most of the rogers stores closed here months ago - only one of them seems to have become a cell store - we can't have rogers tv here so none of them would ever become that

[ue]

They still have one Rogers Video in Edmonton and two in Calgary. I'm sure there's at least one in the Lower Mainland.

[SpongeG]

there probably is i just can't think of any of the locations - the one near me and the one downtown on davie street are the only two i can recall of existing

probably one somewhere in maple ridge or surrey

[Metro-One]

:previous:I know the one downtown Maple Ridge closed, that location had been there for quite some time. The other on the west side of town I am not sure. The only video rental store left in Maple Ridge that I have seen is a local family owned one, which is now about half the size of what it use to be.

[davidivivid]

When is La Maison Simons store in Edmonton scheduled to open?

[isaidso]

Edmonton is getting a Simons? I'd like to have one in Toronto. All we have here in Sears, the Bay, and Holts. Not a lot of choice for a city this size. Chicago has about 6-7 different department stores. Would be nice to get a Simons, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Macy's.

[SpongeG]

simons is opening in WEM in 2012 - they plan to have 20 stores across canada in the coming years

Quebec's Simons set to head west (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/quebecs-simons-set-to-head-west/article1876533/)

all the WEM site says is:

Coming Soon
Here is a preview of some of the exciting new retailers coming to the Mall:
J.Crew is opening at WEM this spring! The new store will carry J.Crew’s women’s collection and, new to Canada, its highly coveted men’s collection.
Simons is one of Canada's leading fashion retailers. They carry many of the world’s hottest designers and Simons' own original labels.
Steve Madden is considered to be the fashion footwear mogul of the 21st century.
Kiehl’s has been dedicated to serving the finest quality skin and hair care formulas for more than 159 years.
XXI Forever (expansion) is doubling its current size!
http://www.wem.ca/#/shop/coming-soon

the WEM style blog says it opens August 2012

La Maison Simons – August 2012
Only location outside of Quebec
www.simons.ca
One of Canada‟s leading fashion retailers—La Maison Simons—is opening a 120,000-square-foot store along Europa Boulevard. Founded in 1840 in Quebec City, La Maison Simons has built its reputation on being passionate about fashion, a passion that transcends throughout their unparalleled selection of cutting edge, high-quality fashion merchandise. The WEM location will spotlight many of the world’s hottest designers and Simons’ own exclusive, original house labels in a revolutionary shopping environment on par with the world’s top names in fashion.
http://styleblog.wem.ca/fashion/wem-celebrates-summer-in-style-with-exciting-new-retailers/

[miketoronto]

"“I'm gambling that there are places in the country where people are ready for a more unique, less cookie-cutter experience,” Mr. Simons said."

Except with expanding into a national chain, Simons will become just another cookie-cutter store.

Simons in my opinion will lose its style and character when it becomes a national retailer. Right now it has a cache and is something special when you visit Quebec.
Also the plans to downplay the clothing at the Edmonton store will make Simons not an interesting place to shop. Part of the fun of Simons is the unique and classy clothing they sell. Downgrading it to fit a "sloppy Edmonton style" will downgrade the store.

It is a shame a store does not know when they have a good thing going and to just do well with what they have, instead of always trying to expand and make their business into just another chain that loses its personality, customer service, etc.

[Me&You]

I vote Miketoronto as the worst person to run a business on these forums.

[miketoronto]

I vote Miketoronto as the worst person to run a business on these forums.

Or maybe I would be the best!

The fact is the Simons family makes a ton of money already, and they live well. Do they really need to expand and make more money?

Second, if massive expansion was always the key, then chain stores would not be in such massive bad shape as they are now.
Chain after chain is facing financial difficulty, because expansion alone does not mean you are going to make money.

I guess Honest Eds in Toronto is the worst person to run a business, since he stated he would never operate branch stores or turn Honest Eds into a chain, because it takes away from the business when you become a national chain.

Simons had existed for well over 100 years only operating in Quebec City, and more recently with a few extra stores around Quebec.
When I have had to contact them for stuff, I have gotten personal responses from the president of Simons.

You can bet that will all be going out the window as the number of stores they have will mean no longer having that close hands on relationship with the stores.

It happens to almost every store that becomes a huge national or international chain.

Another great store that refuses to branch out is Kingsmills in London, Ontario. People keep calling for the death of department stores, and point to the huge national chain stores and their declining profits, etc.
Yet for over 120 years Kingsmills has been operating in a less stellar than vibrant downtown, and has even expanded their store in recent years.
They have amazing customer service and style that you just don't get in a chain, and they have loyal customers because of it.

Expanding your business across the nation is not always the way to make extra money. But it is a good way to put your company into financial ruin, as most of these chain stores show.

Simons really has a good thing going, and part of that success is being different and unique, and not something that can be found everywhere. As this expansion continues it will just become another H&M or GAP, etc. It will lose its cache. That is a fact.

[SpongeG]

there is nothing wrong with that - more choice for consumers is always a win win

not everyone has the jet setting budget like yourself to go clothes shopping in quebec

[miketoronto]

there is nothing wrong with that - more choice for consumers is always a win win

not everyone has the jet setting budget like yourself to go clothes shopping in quebec

Well then I guess we should just carbon copy every single store and restaurant in every city and make sure every world city has the exact same thing.
No sense in having anything unique in each city anymore.

[ue]

Mike, this is a globalized world, for better or worse. Deal with it. It isn't like there can't and still aren't unique operations in each and every city. It just isn't likely going to come from chain stores, whether they've become national/international, or are on a local or regional level. Independent and specialized and otherwise unique retailers are awash in your Toronto. Same for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and eastward.

"“I'm gambling that there are places in the country where people are ready for a more unique, less cookie-cutter experience,” Mr. Simons said."

Except with expanding into a national chain, Simons will become just another cookie-cutter store.

Simons in my opinion will lose its style and character when it becomes a national retailer. Right now it has a cache and is something special when you visit Quebec.
Also the plans to downplay the clothing at the Edmonton store will make Simons not an interesting place to shop. Part of the fun of Simons is the unique and classy clothing they sell. Downgrading it to fit a "sloppy Edmonton style" will downgrade the store.

It is a shame a store does not know when they have a good thing going and to just do well with what they have, instead of always trying to expand and make their business into just another chain that loses its personality, customer service, etc.

Yeah, cause nobody in Toronto or Montreal dresses sloppily. :koko:

[Martin Mtl]

Mike, this is a globalized world, for better or worse. Deal with it. It isn't like there can't and still aren't unique operations in each and every city. It just isn't likely going to come from chain stores, whether they've become national/international, or are on a local or regional level. Independent and specialized and otherwise unique retailers are awash in your Toronto. Same for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and eastward.



Yeah, cause nobody in Toronto or Montreal dresses sloppily. :koko:

Of course they do, but they don't shop at Simons.

[casper]

Well then I guess we should just carbon copy every single store and restaurant in every city and make sure every world city has the exact same thing.
No sense in having anything unique in each city anymore.

If the owners of the brand thought their product was unique to Quebec shoppers and did not see an opportunity to make some money in Edmonton they would not be expanding there. The reality is they obviously see a market in the nationals largest shopping centre.

Many Canadian retails have tried and failed going into the US. We are not going to see carbon copies of everything in every city.

[gm_scott]

Canada needs some more unique retailers anyways. I rather see some Canadian stores expand than be completely saturated by American department stores. We already know they are coming, so I would love to see the Canadian stores prosper. If things continue the way they are going, not only will each Canadian city be carbon copies of each other, they'll look a lot like American cities. So at the very least, if Simons wants to expand, it will add a very Canadian flavour to the retail scene which is better than the alternative.

[miketoronto]

Canada needs some more unique retailers anyways. I rather see some Canadian stores expand than be completely saturated by American department stores.

You would never know that reading these forums.

You guys on here are the ones who get the most excited the minute an American chain announces they will open in Canada.

Simons can open all they want. But they are going to start their downfall, because once they turn into this big national chain, they just will not be able to keep their high standards and personal touch going, and it will just turn into yet another chain.

[Nouvellecosse]

But a lot of department stores have become large chains without it leading to their downfall. Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Les Galleries Lafayette, etc. Why should we assume a Canadian store cannot do the same. It may become different than it is now, but there's more than one way to survive.

[SpongeG]

You would never know that reading these forums.

You guys on here are the ones who get the most excited the minute an American chain announces they will open in Canada.

Simons can open all they want. But they are going to start their downfall, because once they turn into this big national chain, they just will not be able to keep their high standards and personal touch going, and it will just turn into yet another chain.


they are already a chain - they have multiple stores in Quebec already which would make them a chain :shrug:

it's freaking clothes, clothes, nothing to stress about

as coco chanel said - fashion passes, style remains

i've shopped in a lot of places and the average persons clothes that they can buy are the same a black t-shirt is a black t-shirt no matter where you buy it

its not like there is anything unique in fashion anymore unless you count thom browne

but i really don't see his stuff catching on

http://www.style.com/slideshows/2011/fashionshows/F2011MEN/TBROWNE/RUNWAY/00030f.jpg

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/WashingtonPost/Content/Blogs/arts-post/Images/France_Fashion_Tom_Browne_09e4c.jpg?uuid=GrNmWkYMEeGygAGnPX9LkA

[ue]

But a lot of department stores have become large chains without it leading to their downfall. Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Les Galleries Lafayette, etc. Why should we assume a Canadian store cannot do the same. It may become different than it is now, but there's more than one way to survive.

Not to mention the Bay as a Canadian example. Not too long ago it was boring like Sears, but the Bay seems to really have upped its merchandise over the past 3-4 years. And now they're probably the only department store considered "cool" enough for youth to shop at. Simons will probably be the same once it hits the Anglosphere this summer.

[Acajack]

The biggest risk for Simons is flopping out if they don't fully understand the market they are going into, and the fact that the definition of fashion (and attitudes toward it) is pretty different than what they are accustomed to. If they go in there thinking they will turn Albertans or Manitobans onto the Quebec version of fashion then they will crash and burn.

A huge factor in the demise of the Les Ailes de la Mode chain failed and costly foray into the west end of Ottawa (incidentally not exactly 3000 km away from Quebec).

Ultimately, Simons would have been on safer ground had they expanded to parts of Quebec where they do not yet have stores (Trois-Rivières, Gatineau-Ottawa) but this is not what they chose to do.

Good luck to them in the West. They will ignore the lay of the land there at their peril.

[SpongeG]

i always found edmonton and calgary to be quite fashion conscience and very trendy, edmonton more so than calgary, simons will do well there

Vancouver on the other hand... as long as simons sells yoga pants, black puffy jackets and ugg boots they will do well here if not vancouver might turn their back on them

[MolsonExport]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/WashingtonPost/Content/Blogs/arts-post/Images/France_Fashion_Tom_Browne_09e4c.jpg?uuid=GrNmWkYMEeGygAGnPX9LkA

What the hell is that? Something out of some contemporary remake of "The Warriors"?

[SHOFEAR]

Here's the actual image


http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8273/newroughriderjersey.jpg

[SpongeG]

haha its thom browne's fall 2012 collection

6OUGKFEZr9o

[West_aust]

A huge factor in the demise of the Les Ailes de la Mode chain failed and costly foray into the west end of Ottawa (incidentally not exactly 3000 km away from Quebec).

The final nail in the coffin for Les Ailes de la Mode was their Downtown Montreal store which put the company under huge financial stress due to the cost of opening that store. It had everything of a flagship store and then some.

Simons was way more careful when opening their downtown store, they went much closer to what they are selling in their suburban and quebec city stores, and now many years later, they are still alive and kicking.

[Gerrard]

Take away the football padding and lengthen the pants and maybe alter the palette somewhat and it's all very wearable. The buyers will request alterations before his stuff hit the stores.

Runway is a show and you have to see beyond the theatrics. It's just rare to see it done by American menswear designers. DSquared do this sort of thing all the time but what you actually see at retail level is pretty tame, except maybe the prices!

[LeftCoaster]

This wasn't supposed to be public yet but oh well...

HBC in talks to bring Bloomingdale’s to Canada
MARINA STRAUSS — RETAILING REPORTER
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, May. 01, 2012 6:00AM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, May. 01, 2012 8:20AM EDT


Hudson’s Bay Co. is in talks with New York-based Bloomingdale’s to bring the luxury department store to Canada.

The move to provide space to Bloomingdale's as a “store within a store” would represent a pre-emptive strike on the part of HBC chief executive officer Richard Baker, who is aiming to grab a bigger piece of the high-end fashion retail market before other foreign players arrive, industry sources said.

U.S. upscale department store chain Nordstrom Inc. (JWN-N55.86----%) is speaking to landlords in Canada to find space for its first stores in this country. But attractive retail space is at a premium and a bevy of merchants are chasing a limited number of choice locations, putting pressure on incumbents such as the Bay to move quickly to raise their profile and fight off rising competition.

“It’s the Bay’s way to fight fire with fire,” said Jeffrey Berkowitz, president of Aurora Realty Consultants, which advises retailers on picking real estate space. “It’s part defensive, and it’s part offensive. Nobody wants to be the one left behind.”

Mr. Baker, who would not comment, has already had a hand in reshaping the Canadian retail landscape since acquiring HBC in July of 2008. In a landmark $1.8-billion deal last year, the CEO sold most of the company’s discount Zellers store leases to U.S. rival Target Corp. The purveyor of cheap chic will open its first stores in Canada starting early next year, raising the stakes for a wide range of domestic retailers.

At the same time, the U.S. real estate magnate is racing to improve the ailing Bay under the leadership of seasoned merchant Bonnie Brooks, and the efforts are starting to pay off. She’s added an array of higher-end lines to the Bay, dropped poor sellers and introduced affordably fashionable TopShop boutiques in a licensing agreement with its British parent.

Now sources say Mr. Baker is in discussions to seal a similar deal with Bloomingdale’s, which is owned by Macy’s Inc. (M-N41.02----%) While the Bay has moved more upscale, it’s not generally as pricey as Bloomingdale’s, which is closer to Nordstrom in its price positioning. HBC’s U.S. department-store chain Lord & Taylor also doesn’t have as expensive an offering as Bloomingdale’s.

Bloomingdale’s, which doesn’t break out its results, has outperformed its parent’s namesake stores, holding on to its well-off customers with contemporary and stylish lines, said Mark Cohen, marketing professor at the Columbia Business School in New York and a former chief executive at Sears Canada Inc.

He said the Bay, along with Sears, Canadian Tire Corp. and others, is feeling the heat to fortify itself against anticipated stresses from the arrival of both Target and Nordstrom, if the latter comes here.

“I think Bloomingdale’s would be a welcome brand in Canada in select markets,” Prof. Cohen said.

The Bay is contemplating putting Bloomingdale’s shops within its Toronto store on Bloor Street West as well as inside one store apiece in Vancouver and Calgary, the sources said. Bloomingdale’s could begin rolling out in-store boutiques in Canada as early as the fall, they said.

The move would help Mr. Baker to fill space productively at his massive downtown Bay stores, Prof. Cohen said. “He’s got way too much space.”

Bloomingdale’s, which launched an e-commerce site in Canada last year, has benefited from a pattern of high-end North American retailers faring better than their mid-priced counterparts as affluent shoppers recovered faster from the recession than others, said Ian Thomas of retail specialist Thomas Consultants in Vancouver.

“Canadians are wealthier and healthier now on a per-capita basis than Americans,” he said. “Canadians have a greater appetite now for luxury goods.”

And foreign retailers have an appetite for Canada. Its shopping malls outperform their U.S. counterparts by almost 50 per cent in sales per square foot, Colliers International reported last week. While the average mall performance in the U.S. in 2011 was just above $400 (U.S.) per square foot, Canadian malls generated an average of almost $600, it found.

Nordstrom executives have said they’re looking for store locations in Canada but finding it tough to find them. The company is believed to be in negotiations with mall owner Cadillac Fairview over three outlets whose leases it recently bought back from Sears in Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/hbc-in-talks-to-bring-bloomingdales-to-canada/article2418504/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Home&utm_content=2418504

[LeftCoaster]

Also there will be big news coming regarding Nordstrom in mid June.

[Gerrard]

Also there will be big news coming regarding Nordstrom in mid June.

Nordstrom has been buying up Sears locations in Canada. I have a feeling that they're going into Sherway in Etobicoke.

[LeftCoaster]

Nordstrom has not bought a single Sears lease...

[Coldrsx]

Apple Store in West Edmonton Mall is doubling in size.