Canadian Retail Thread

[Policy Wonk]

The Apple Store at Chinook is dead for the forseeable future, Cadillac Fairview sent Apple packing over some pretty unreasonable demands they were making.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

The Apple Store at Chinook is dead for the forseeable future, Cadillac Fairview sent Apple packing over some pretty unreasonable demands they were making.

FUCK. Who was making the demands, Apple or CF?

[Plus15]

It was Apple that was being unreasonable. Chinook has a long list of stores wanting in...they just moved down the list. The space Apple was anticipated to take over (Reitman's) has been leased to BEBE women's wear. Yay.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Plus15

Yay.

[malek]

Honestly i don't see the point of an apple store... its not cheaper or anything and with no value added to the consumer. ( oooh look we have fancy tables ...)

You can buy your apple stuff just elsewhere and you'd be fine.

[West_aust]

Originally Posted by malek

Honestly i don't see the point of an apple store... its not cheaper or anything and with no value added to the consumer. ( oooh look we have fancy tables ...)

You can buy your apple stuff just elsewhere and you'd be fine.

only advantage i can see is that they have pretty much everything in stock, as opposed to many stores who carry only a limited number of items or variations and the rest will be ordered if you want them to.

[Policy Wonk]

Originally Posted by West_aust

only advantage i can see is that they have pretty much everything in stock, as opposed to many stores who carry only a limited number of items or variations and the rest will be ordered if you want them to.

I guess that would be true, MyMacDealer and Westworld never have ANYTHING in stock.

[CCF]

We are getting the country's largest TIm Hortons!

Vacancy In Downtown Set To Be Filled
May 16, 2007

A brand new three storey structure will soon be built on the grounds of the old Army and Navy site.

The brand new Broad Street Crossing will be under construction almost immediately and should be up and open for business by late fall.

Regina Downtown BID Executive Director Tracy Fahlman says the 5.5. million dollar building will be home to Canada's largest Tim Horton's and to the regional office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In addition, 89 new parking stalls will be created. Fahlman adds its should create close to 100 new jobs in the area.

Cory Kolt Reporting

http://www.cjme.com/index.php?p=ntne..._story&id=8471

[Policy Wonk]

I don't understand mac users and their love for the Apple stores, the people who work there are some combination of the average mallrat type kids who work in every other store in the mall, and middle age equivilents of "Gil" from the Simpsons.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Like it or not, having an Apple store is like having an Urban Outfitters or a Sephora or a Vespa dealership. It marks a cty as "cool." Calgary getting one was a claim to having arrived. It's that simple, like it or not.

[m0nkyman]

They can actually questions with an answer different than "I don't know, I don't have a mac...." which seems to be the stock answer everywhere else.

[West_aust]

Ashley Furniture Homestore now opened in Laval (First store in Quebec)

Une première au Québec!…
Le concept Meubles Ashley
Homestore s’installe à Laval
C’est une nouvelle qui a de quoi ravir les
amateurs et les consommateurs d’ameublement
que nous sommes tous: Meubles
Ashley Homestore fait son apparition
au Québec et commence en s’installant…
à Laval!
C’est que le concept de Meubles Ashley
Homestore est tout à fait original. Adapté aux
demandes des consommateurs, celui-ci fait
un vrai malheur chez nos voisins du Sud…
et fait le vrai bonheur de tous!: en effet, déjà
300 Ashley Homestore y sont implantés! Une
évolution exponentielle qui traduit bien à quel
point ce que propose ce «super-marchand»
(il est également manufacturier) de meubles
est attrayant.
«Les meubles, l’ameublement et les accessoires
sont présentés en magasin par style,
explique Benoît Desmarteau, co-propriétaire
avec la famille Marchand de Meubles
Ashley Homestore à Laval. Que vous soyez
plutôt du style traditionnel, rustique, contemporain
(«zone-urbaine») ou transitionnel, vous
pouvez admirer d’emblée ce que donnent différents
agencements pour chacun des styles.»
De même, Meubles Ashley Homestore propose
différentes pièces d’une maison, comme
s’il s’agissait de la vôtre. Ainsi, d’un coup
d’oeil, il est possible de saisir l’ambiance que
pourrait installer l’ameublement particulier
d’une pièce dans votre résidence: croyeznous,
c’est inspirant! En plus d’un choix
exceptionnel de mobilier, Meubles Ashley
Homestore présente une «zone-sommeil» où
l’on est assuré de trouver matelas et confort!…
Et un choix impressionnant d’accessoires
variés, dont beaucoup d’exclusivités qui permettront
à votre intérieur de souligner avec
distinction toute la richesse de votre personnalité
et de votre bon goût!
Des «petits plus» qui
font toute la différence
Les conseils d’une équipe de designers d’intérieur
à votre service; une «zone-enfants»,
avec consoles PlayStation et amphithéâtrecinéma;
une «zone-café», etc… Ce ne sont
là que quelques-uns de ces «petits plus» qui
font que l’expérience de magasinage chez
Meubles Ashley Homestore est différente,
relaxante… impressionnante!
Notez que Meubles Ashley présente l’une des
plus grandes surfaces de meubles au
Québec. Nous somme habitués à ce que ce
soit des investisseurs de la métropole qui
viennent en région ouvrir des grandes surfaces…
ce qui est particulièrement intéressant
de ce côté-là c’est que la famille
Marchand, co-propriétaire avec M. Desmarteau
de Meubles Ashley Homestore Laval,
elle, réside en l’Abitibi!
Meubles Ashley Homestore saura combler
les attentes de tous les types de consommateurs.
Dès que l’on passe la porte de
Meubles Ashley Homestore… la différence
saute aux yeux! Effet de surprise garanti…
Laissez-vous donc surprendre: c’est à voir!
Meubles Ashley
3615, aut. 440 Ouest

http://www.acceslaurentides.com/imgs...bitation_7.pdf

[malek]

Ashley Homestore, ca sonne alabama pour une certaine raison.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by malek

Ashley Homestore, ca sonne alabama pour une certaine raison.

Yep. We got locations in our 4 biggest cities, including Mobile(which has a strong French influence too).

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by neilson

Yep. We got locations in our 4 biggest cities, including Mobile(which has a strong French influence too).

Mobile had a "strong French influence" about 300 years ago. Nothing about it is even remotely "French."

[neilson]

Originally Posted by furrycanuck

Mobile had a "strong French influence" about 300 years ago. Nothing about it is even remotely "French."

I beg to differ. It's no Montgomery(which represents the very best in the State of Alabama), Birmingham(which represents the very best of a city/metro in reinvention, or Huntsville(which represents the future), but Mobile is perhaps the most culturally important city in the state of Alabama of the 4 largest Metros.

[SSLL]

Speaking of Urban Outfitters, there's a second one opening on Queen St. West in Toronto

[SpongeG]

went down this evening - it was really nice - never seen the store so busy

New $50-million Holt Renfrew set to open its doors

Store will double its space and feature a spa, valet parking and concierge services
Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007
Holt Renfrew unveils its $50-million investment to Vancouver shoppers today -- a spiffy new downtown store that reflects the upscale retailer's bullish view on future sales.

With double the space of the old store (137,000 square feet) and new features like a spa, concierge services and valet parking, Holt Renfrew president Caryn Lerner said the new store takes the Vancouver shopping experience to a whole new level.

"This shows our confidence in the Vancouver market and how we feel about Canada in general," she said in an interview. "Our business in Vancouver has experienced double-digit growth for the past three years.

" . . . Now we can add a lot of new vendors we weren't able to show before and really expand the depth and breadth of preferred brands."

The store will feature the first Shu Uemura cosmetics counter in Canada and launch a new Chanel area, something it didn't have space for in the past.

Even though Tiffany & Co. opened a new Vancouver store late last year, Holt Renfrew will keep its Tiffany section -- expanding the area by more than 50 per cent to about 1,300 square feet.

Lerner said the new Vancouver store will be the second biggest in the 10-store Holt Renfrew chain, just slightly smaller than the 145,000-square-foot store on Bloor Street in Toronto.

She noted it's the first new Holt Renfrew store opening since the Yorkdale store in Toronto opened about 10 years ago.

Holt Renfrew, a private company, doesn't report annual revenues but they are estimated to be in the $500-million range.

Vancouver retail consultant David Gray said the new Holt Renfrew store will help rejuvenate Pacific Centre, which faces stiff competition from growing streetfront retail areas along the Robson and Granville corridors.

He said Holt Renfrew had tremendous sales in its old Vancouver store but feels it may have to expand its market appeal slightly to generate similar per-square-foot sales in double the space.

"It's a pretty gutsy move, considering the population of Vancouver," Gray said. "They might have to move a bit from being an exclusive store to one that appeals a bit more to middle-market consumers. It doesn't have to be a major rebranding, just a subtle approach."

Lerner feels Holt Renfrew already appeals to more than just the wealthiest of consumers.

"We carry a lot of contemporary brands, denim brands, fashion and costume jewelry -- brands like Burberry London that are not at designer or luxury price points," she said.

While many high-end Vancouver retailers operate streetfront stores in districts like south Granville, Robson and the Burrard/Alberni area, Lerner said Holt Renfrew didn't hesitate to make a major new investment in a Vancouver mall location. The store first opened in Pacific Centre in 1975.

"I think we have the best of both worlds," Lerner said. "You can enter from the mall or you can enter from Dunsmuir or Granville streets."

She said merchandise in the Vancouver store will likely feature more casual and contemporary attire than other Holt Renfrew stores but stressed the desire for designer brands is similar all across Canada.

The new Vancouver store will add 161 employees, bringing its total workforce to 512.

Lerner said Holt Renfrew recently upgraded its Bloor Street and Montreal stores and plans to expand or renovate every other store in Canada over the next three to four years.

"We've enjoyed a strong retail climate at all Holt's stores across the country," she said. "Certainly the West is outpacing the East and by all forecasts, will continue to do so. The long term prognosis is good and I think we're at a really ideal time now."

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...d-23ba517b9a0f

New Holt Renfrew store bathed in luxurious light
By Chantal Eustace, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, May 25, 2007
Gary Balaski steps over some newly-laid tiles, his designer suit out of place amongst the drilling and pounding of the surrounding construction site.

He points to the atrium overhead where triangles of light illuminate the new Holt Renfrew department store - due to open on May 31.

"It's wonderful isn't it?" says Balaski, the store's general manager, just weeks before the unveiling. "It's very open, bright and airy."

And it's big. Very, very big. At more than 137,000 square feet, the store - relocated and completely remade - has doubled in size.

"This store is a beautiful structure," says Balaski, listing off what he describes as haute couture elements like imported tile and custom cabinetry. It will also have a concierge service, valet parking and personal shopping rooms, he says.

On the top level, a rooftop restaurant is set to open in September, while the bottom level will house a fully-equipped, 6,000-square-foot spa and salon.

Holt Renfrew needed to grow, he says, since the old store just wasn't big enough to keep up with the Vancouver shopper's demands for luxury items: "People were leaving here to go somewhere else to buy those things that we couldn't supply."

And while all of this new space will be filled with things to buy, it will also be full of things to look at and explore.

From a design perspective, the space is world class, says New York designer Mark Janson, who spent 22 months working on the project.

"It's the project of a lifetime," says Janson. "It's fantastic."

The exterior, located at the corner of Dunsmuir and Granville Streets, boasts 10,000 square feet of Richmond-created, custom-designed glass by Nathan Allan. This convex glass, described as "pillowed," uses geometric patterns for a three-dimensional look - it's more akin to an art installation than a window treatment.

More than 58,000 square feet of Greek marble coats the floors, interspersed with tumbled stone from Indonesia, Italian tile and wood plank or reclaimed timber. A stone mosaic covers much of the ground floor's cosmetics area.

In creating the look and feel of the new store, the design team drew inspiration from around the world, Janson says.

"When we set out to do this project we were thinking about Vancouver, but we were also thinking about Tokyo, Paris and New York," Janson says. "The store is designed to meet or exceed the work done in any of those places."

The store's most unique feature is something intangible, he says, pointing out the use of light as a key design feature. Overhead, the massive glass atrium - familiar to locals who frequented the mall food court that used to inhabit the space - allows natural light to pour through. The effect is diffused by a white grid of triangles. The centre of the store is open, cut away by three "rotated ellipses," something that will help shoppers to see from floor to floor.

"What's very unique for a store this size is that it utilizes all this daylight. We have daylight from the facade and also from the big skylight in the centre," Janson says. "We wanted that light to travel as deep into the interior of the store and into as many spaces as possible."

The store has eight entry points, he notes, all of which needed to be worked into the design. People had to know where they were and had to get around the store easily, he says. The open plan facilitates this, he says: "All of that openness is about ease and comfort and navigation and all of those good things."

Every little detail, from the fabrics on the furniture to tiles or layout came under the designer's scrutiny, says Janson, adding everything had to be just right. Paintings, sculptures and installations of intricate tile and glass can be found throughout the entire store.

"We wanted an inspiring and dramatic space," says Janson. "It's all about being uplifting and optimistic and inspiring."

At the main entrance, a 20-foot by 30-foot light display by Vancouver-based Bocci illuminates shoppers. Light designer Omer Arbel, who launched Bocci just over a year ago, says it took four people about five weeks to create the 111-piece, cast-glass installation. The effect is powerful, he says, describing the individual lights as resembling small candles, encased in spheres of water.

"It's kind of like a phenomenological little moment," Arbel says, describing the first time you see the lights. "You just kind of understand it emotionally. Do you know what I mean?"

Being part of the new Holt's is a big deal for the little company he launched just over a year ago, he says, since it is an opportunity to display Bocci's work in a public space in his hometown.

"Most of our installations occur in Los Angeles, New York and London or Hong Kong," Arbel says. "We're delighted because this is our home turf."

Brand-focused shoppers will find their way around easily, since labels like Ralph Lauren and Gucci have their own spaces within the shop - little hives of their own that face out to the main space. These are differentiated by completely unique and distinct looks, right down to the flooring or colour schemes.

The top floor will have a walkway connecting the store to the Pacific Centre mall. The space is big enough for parties or displays. The women's clothing area, including an expanded area for new designers, is bright and colourful. A beehive of steel will house designer denims.

Unique design elements were key to the new store's look and feel, says Holt Renfrew's president, Caryn Lerner.

"We wanted to create more of a residential feel and less of a department-store type of environment," says Lerner.

It's a new approach to a retail environment, she says, one that she's confident people will respond to well.

"I'm so jazzed. I can't tell you," says Lerner. "It's a huge jump forward for the entire company."

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...e3d15e&k=15767

[SSLL]

From: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...y/robNews/home
______________

Best Buy's two-step begins to click
MARINA STRAUSS
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
June 5, 2007 at 4:19 AM EDT
TORONTO — When U.S. electronics giant Best Buy Co. Inc. [BBY-N] snapped up Future Shop in 2001, critics took shots at its decision to run with both retail banners in Canada as being an unnecessary expense.

But Best Buy has proven the naysayers wrong. The two-name strategy has worked, giving consumers yet another place to shop, company executives say. Over the past six years, the retailer has managed to almost double its market share to more than 30 per cent from 17 per cent of the domestic electronics market, they said yesterday.

In fact, the approach has worked so well that the U.S. parent is now copying the two-banner model in other countries that it is entering, said Bob Willett, chief executive officer of Best Buy International.

"It increases the choice to the consumer," Mr. Willett said after a presentation to the Retail Council of Canada annual conference. "There are whole segments of different behaviour and different customers in Canada. They don't all want the same thing. They don't all want to shop in the same boring environment."

Critics had warned that keeping two store chains would force the company to run different marketing and buying programs for the two banners, piling on costs and reducing acquisition savings.

But Mr. Willett said that the extra work has been worth it. The company has found ways to leverage its massive purchasing and distribution capabilities while still tailoring its products and services to diverse customer needs, he said. Meanwhile, Best Buy Canada's sales have soared to almost $5-billion, from $2-billion six years ago.

"You can't be all things to all men," Mr. Willett asserted.

Best Buy will soon be following a similar two-banner path in other countries it is entering or plans to enter, including Mexico, Turkey and Britain. It already has gone that route in China, where it acquired Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. about 18 months ago and is keeping that banner along with the Best Buy name.

And when Best Buy went about developing its business in China, it tapped into its Canadian team and expertise for help, he said.

Kevin Layden, president of the Canadian division, said the Future Shop chain has kept itself distinct from Best Buy in a number of ways. Future Shop has commissioned sales staff, more high-end goods and a larger immigrant shopper following.

Future Shop's commissioned sales people tend to have more dealings with customers, discussing various options available in the converging electronics world, he said. "It's very similar to the cultures they come from and their background," he said.

Future Shop also tends to attract more technically savvy consumers who want to talk about the latest gadgets and get advice on mixing and matching merchandise, he said. Best Buy customers "want a ready-made solution"-- the stores attract more women with self-serve displays and wider aisles.

The marrying of the two types of customers -- and chains -- in one company has helped achieve a market share percentage in the "low 30s" while other retailers have difficulty getting to 20 or 25 per cent share, he said.

Best Buy Canada thinks it still has room to expand. With 122 Future Shop and 47 Best Buy outlets, it plans about 135 Future Shop stores over the next couple of years, and as many as 100 or 120 Best Buys. It will soon start to test a smaller Best Buy format, which could be an engine of growth for that banner.

*****

Different strokes ...

In Canada, Future Shop and Best Buy have a combined market share of more than 30 per cent, almost double the 17-per-cent share that Future Shop alone had in 2001 when Best Buy Co. arrived, according to the company.

DISTINCTIONS

FUTURE SHOP

commissioned sales staff

more high-end home theatres

attracts more immigrant customers

attracts more tech-savvy customers

BEST BUY

more self-service, no commissioned sales staff

more ready-made electronics packages

attracts more women customers

wider aisles, more interactive displays

[SSLL]

From: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/f...1b71736&k=1167
___________

Best Buy to shrink store size
AIMS TO BROADEN REACH INTO SMALLER COMMUNITIES
Hollie Shaw, Financial Post
Published: Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Best Buy Canada, the biggest seller of electronics in the country, will explore a small-format outlet to extend its brand further into smaller communities.
The owner of the Best Buy and Future Shop chains confirmed yesterday that it will pilot a smaller store under the Best Buy banner, likely in fiscal 2008.
"We have a couple of 20,000 [-square-foot] stores in the real estate pipeline right now," Kevin Layden, president and chief operating officer of Best Buy and Future Shop in Canada, said yesterday at a Retail Council of Canada convention.
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Best Buy locations range in size from 25,000 to 36,000 square feet, while Future Shops average about 26,000.
Future Shop has 122 outlets and Best Buy 47, with a stated target of opening up to 65 stores in Canada. But extending the brand into smaller locations could expand the Best Buy Canada chain to 100 or 120 stores, Mr. Layden said.
Minneapolis-based Best Buy Co. bought Burnaby, B.C.-based Future Shop in 2001. While industry watchers speculated that the U.S. operation would eventually enlarge Future Shop stores and convert them to the Best Buy banner, executives soon saw the benefits of keeping two separate but distinct brands in the market.
Unlike the Best Buy brand, Future Shop has opened smaller stores in regional markets.
"Most brands top out at a 20% to 25% market share [in a given market], even the most successful," said Robert Willett, chief executive of Best Buy International. "With two brands you have that much more opportunity: You can't be all things to all men."
The executives said the chains have distinct personalities that tend to appeal to different sets of consumers. Best Buy has a higher percentage of female consumers and likely appeals more to women because of its wider aisles and self-service model. At Future Shop, customers are approached frequently by sales staff working on commission. At Best Buy, electronics tend to be sold in packages for a household, such as an entire home theatre system, while Future Shop is tailored more to individuals buying a single product, such as a set of speakers.
Future Shop stores also appeal more to new Canadians, Mr. Layden noted.
"There is an interaction between commission sales associates and consumers that appeals to new Canadians.... It feels familiar to them."
Combined, Best Buy and Future Shop have roughly one third of the electronics market in Canada, a vast jump from Future Shop's pre-takeover market share of 17%. Since then, annual sales have grown from $2-billion to almost $5-billion.
Having two distinct banners also appeals to a "customer-centric" philosophy that Best Buy has developed over the past couple of years, one that aims at better customer service and tailoring specific formats and stores to meet customer needs.
Best Buy has used customer research, mystery shoppers and the Geek Squad -- a fleet of employees who troubleshoot in the stores or at a customer's home on such things as computer setup, repair and wireless networking -- to improve service.
"Our industry is moving toward the service model, so when you buy your TV you can connect it with your PC," said Mr. Willett, adding the retailer's aim was "to create a connected world on behalf of the consumer."
Knowing consumer needs is also more important now that personal computers have a life cycle of seven to eight weeks before they are eclipsed by a newer, better model, he said.