Canadian Retail Thread

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I understand. And so you guys started the Black Friday thing long ago and now it's probably just coming here because it's already everywhere else on the mainland?

It's also big in San Salavdor, El Salvador so go figure...

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I understand. And so you guys started the Black Friday thing long ago and now it's probably just coming here because it's already everywhere else on the mainland?

2009 was the watershed year - that was when retailers in Canada noticed they were being destroyed. They made a feeble and quiet effort in 2010, and intensified last year. But this year the difference is hardly noticeable.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by vid

Boxing Day is our Black Friday. Always has been. And Sponge is correct about our mentality toward Christmas things before Remembrance Day. October is all about Hallowe'en, so it is too early for Christmas stuff, and the first 11 days of November are solemn. November 12th might work but that is both fairly close to Black Friday and too soon after Remembrance Day. It also chances which day of the week it is on so what would we call it?

I just think Black Tuesday wouldn't be a bad idea, at least for 1 year. Thanksgiving Monday, Black Tuesday, and you can still keep Halloween and Remembrance Day. After all, we do shopping before Veteran's Day, and we begin to look ahead toward Christmas now after Columbus Day(same day as Canadian Thanksgiving) anyway, so why not ya'll.

[memememe76]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

They talked about it on the local news and interviewed people who said they prefer having the sales before Christmas then on Boxing Day.

This confuses me. At least for most Americans, Black Friday is a holiday, as it is part of Thanksgiving festivities (I guess? I have no idea why their Thanksgiving doesn't fall on a Friday or Monday). As is Boxing Day. No one has to take a day off from work to shop til they drop. I just do not seeing Canadians en masse taking a day off from work so they can get a great deal. I certainly don't see a Canadian govt calling a certain day an official holiday so people can shop.

And Black Tuesday sounds dreadful and totally disrespectful.

I don't see why Boxing Day can't just be what it is. Don't people get gift cards these days, anyway?

[SpongeG]

in vancouver a lot of people go across for black friday because the shops are so close and you can get some shopping in and be back home for work, if you work later in the morning or start afternoon - i went across a few times and we were in lines which were mostly canadians, the group of women in front of us do it every year they go down and get a hotel room and stay the day shopping, but recent years the stores have been opening thursday night so a lot of people would go down after work thursday shop all night and be at work friday morning

i like boxing day too but its not very good when you need or are wanting to buy gifts for christmas - its great for personal shopping though

[Biff]

....is a restaurant retail related? First one in Canada - Yay!


Brandon lands first Qdoba - Timing crucial to inking deal with U.S. chain

By: Murray McNeill

Colin Corneau / Brandon Sun Laird Lidster has opened a Qdoba Mexican Grill outlet in Brandon. He snagged the deal because he had a location picked.

Winnipeg isn't always the first place U.S. retail chains land when they jump into Manitoba.

Qdoba Mexican Grill, a chain with 630 outlets in the U.S., opened its first Manitoba outlet on Monday -- in Brandon. In fact, it's the first franchise in Canada.

The same thing happened in 2010 when the Five Guys Burgers and Fries chain made its Manitoba debut with a franchise outlet in Brandon. It was more than 18 months later before the first Five Guys eatery opened in Winnipeg.

The owners of the Qdoba franchise -- Brandon's Laird Lidster and his wife, Tracy -- and Qdoba spokesman Bill Nelsen said timing is the reason Brandon landed the first outlet in Canada.

READ MORE.......
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...182139441.html


Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 5, 2012 B3

[thmx]

Here is a promotional video for Hamilton's new downtown supermarket. This will be the flagship store.

• Video Link

[SpongeG]

west elm is opening its new store concept - west elm market in vancouver on dec 20th just a few doors down from the west elm store

First Canadian West Elm Market to Open in Vancouver this December

BROOKLYN, NY, Dec. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - Home furnishings retailer West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM - News) portfolio of brands, announced today the opening of its first West Elm Market store in Canada on December 20, 2012. Following the opening of West Elm Market's inaugural store in Brooklyn, this second store is slated for 2951 Granville Street, in the same block as the brand's décor store.

West Elm Market Vancouver will focus on functional design with a collection of genuine and useful household goods, offering customers a total home toolkit in four key categories: Kitchen, Garden, Care & Repair and Personal Care. The store will feature a café in collaboration with neo-traditional coffee roasters La Colombe Torrefaction. There will be community-driven events and classes held at a communal table in the center of the store.

"Following the opening of our West Elm store in September we knew Granville Street was the right neighbourhood for the first West Elm Market in Canada," said Jim Brett, President of West Elm. "The Market store is designed to be a place to gather and learn, with the idea of sharing and connecting with the community."
"West Elm Market is a natural extension of the West Elm brand," added Laura Alber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. "We are thrilled to introduce this new assortment of expertly curated products in an innovative community store."

...

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/wes...140000525.html


http://blog.westelm.com/

http://blog.westelm.com/2012/12/10/w...y-december-20/

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

Here is a promotional video for Hamilton's new downtown supermarket. This will be the flagship store.

• Video Link

Looks nice. Wish we had something like that in Downtown Kitcener.

[SpongeG]

from facebook:

Bath & Body Works Canada
We are excited to announce the following Spring 2013 new store openings!

March 2013
Cornwall Centre – Regina, Saskatchewan

April 2013
McAllister Place – St John, New Brunswick

May 2013
Medicine Hat Mall – Medicine Hat, Alberta
Park Place Mall - Lethbridge, Alberta

[craneSpotter]

Amazon extends unlimited 2-day shipping Prime plan to Canada

LINDA NGUYEN
Toronto — The Canadian Press - The Globe and Mail
Tuesday, Jan. 08 2013

Amazon is bringing its unlimited, two-day shipping service to Canada.

The world’s largest online retailer says starting today, Amazon Prime will be on offer to Canadian customers for an annual fee of $79.

The service is already available in the U.S. and six other countries.

Amazon says the two-day shipping guarantee will be offered in most of Canada. Customers in rural areas, particularly in the North or the Maritimes, can get unlimited shipping but without the two-day guarantee.

He says the company was ready to bring Amazon Prime to Canada once its second fulfillment facility was opened in Delta, B.C., south of Vancouver in the fall.

It also operates a similar facility in Mississauga, Ont., west of Toronto that assists with filling Canadian customer orders.

Amazon.ca sells millions of items including English and French books, CDs, DVDs, electronics, sports and outdoors products, as well as baby, home and garden products.

[SpongeG]

nice, i've just placed an order with amazon - been doing a lot more online shopping since i've moved to such a remote place - i just wish amazon.ca had as much to offer as amazon.com does

[vid]

Every time I have ordered from Amazon, they usually give a deadline of 3 to 5 weeks after the order day but I get it usually within a week.

[Jimby]

The world's first Canon store is opening soon in Eighth Avenue Place. Called Image Square.

http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/categoryH...=2&catid=20494

[davidivivid]

Three different sources have confirmed that IKEA will make a comeback in Quebec City after closing its store back in 1996. One source is adamant that the decision has already been made and that the opening could be as soon as late 2013, early 2014.

http://www.fm93.com/regional/nouvell...ec-202842.html

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by davidivivid

Three different sources have confirmed that IKEA will make a comeback in Quebec City after closing its store back in 1996. One source is adamant that the decision has already been made and that the opening could be as soon as late 2013, early 2014.

http://www.fm93.com/regional/nouvell...ec-202842.html

I've never understood why they left in the first place.

[SpongeG]

IKEA is in expansion mode again after slowing down a few years, they want to open as lot more stores until 2015 (i think) i read somewhere about more north american stores

[Ramako]

Halifax (and in fact the Maritimes as a whole) could use an Ikea in the worst way. The town is rife with college students who love this stuff. Before I left Halifax I was able to sell all of my used Ikea furniture on kijiji for almost what I paid. Demand is high.

[eternallyme]

They could also use one in Southwestern Ontario (probably London or Kitchener?).

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

They could also use one in Southwestern Ontario (probably London or Kitchener?).

Perhaps in the Woodstock area on the 401? That would catch both London and K-C-W.