General Retail News

[eternallyme]

I'm sure it will catch up to them fast enough, as Quebec still has about 8 million people (or more) which is a big market to pass up...it would be like going to the US and ignoring the entire South or Midwest...Montreal and even Quebec City (which, BTW, has the lowest unemployment by far of any large city in eastern Canada) could easily sustain those retailers.

[vanatox]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Ottawa is becoming a bigger, more attractive city for business investment and the trend will continue, while language laws in Québec keep getting tighter and tighter making Montreal more of a pain to do business.

Both the Nordstrom and Saks introduction to Canada might be the start of a new era where Ottawa attracts more new business than Montreal..

I guess new business = american chains entering the Canadian market?... I don't know... Tiffany and Co, PF Chang's, Victoria Secret's, Williams-Sonoma, West Elm, Crate and barrels and Marshalls have all set up shop around Montreal during the last year...amongs other

[S-Man]

For many American retailers that have hitherto operated only in the US (and perhaps the rest of Canada), Quebec has often been the place where they have first come to the realization that the entire world does not operate in English.

Sure. Many places outside the continent operate in English, too.

I have to imagine economics factors into any decision to open/not open a new location in Quebec.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Ottawa is becoming a bigger, more attractive city for business investment and the trend will continue, while language laws in Québec keep getting tighter and tighter making Montreal more of a pain to do business.

Both the Nordstrom and Saks introduction to Canada might be the start of a new era where Ottawa attracts more new business than Montreal. It is still early in the introduction of these stores. Nordstrom could announce more locations before the opening of the Ottawa store (although I doubt it; Cadillac Fairview likely has a monopoly on Nordstrom Canada for x number of years and they haven't kicked out any Sears locations in Québec, but they could build a new store) and we really don't know what will happen with Saks; it is nothing more than speculation at this point.

If we are strictly talking about retail, I can't see this happening more than very occasionally. À la Aéropostale going to Chicoutimi first.

There are not really going to be any significant changes to language policy as it affects retail, and language laws with respect to signage have actually been even stricter in the past (commercial signs used to have to be in French only, now it's only French predominant) and there is no indication that this type of stuff is coming back.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Sure. Many places outside the continent operate in English, too.

I have to imagine economics factors into any decision to open/not open a new location in Quebec.

Yes, I know of at least one or maybe two...

[vanatox]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There are not really going to be any significant changes to language policy as it affects retail, and language laws with respect to signage have actually been even stricter in the past (commercial signs used to have to be in French only, now it's only French predominant) and there is no indication that this type of stuff is coming back.

Even if the law says French must be predominant, most of the time the chains coming into Quebec have only French signs like in Ottawa where there are only English signs. Doesn't seems a big deal...

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by vanatox

Even if the law says French must be predominant, most of the time the chains coming into Quebec have only French signs like in Ottawa where there are only English signs. Doesn't seems a big deal...

It's a very big deal.

A good buddy of mine is a corporate lawyer with a large, well-known firm. I'll have you know that businesses such as Best Buy, Future Shop, Wal-Mart, and the like have fought (and must fight) vigorously in order to continue operating with English titles (sign on the building, titles on flyers/menus/etc. and so much more).

Those with the legal fortitude to defend their brand do exactly that; the others bend over comply.

[YOWflier]

FYI, I'm in the market for a fogless shower mirror and a quick search shows that Bed Bath & Beyond has numerous candidates. I just did a search to find the closest location to me and determined that they have no stores in Quebec.

Clearly it's a language issue.

[vanatox]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

It's a very big deal.

A good buddy of mine is a corporate lawyer with a large, well-known firm. I'll have you know that businesses such as Best Buy, Future Shop, Wal-Mart, and the like have fought (and must fight) vigorously in order to continue operating with English titles (sign on the building, titles on flyers/menus/etc. and so much more).

Those with the legal fortitude to defend their brand do exactly that; the others bend over comply.

What i am talking about are signs inside the store and in the windows... I don't care really for the name. If they change their name, i'm ok and in some case, it is good business (pharmaprix vs shoppers drugmart). Adding a description doesn't change anything I think for the chain (people know that Boutique Linen Chest and Crate and Barrel maison are Linen Chest and Crate and Barrel... You know, business are not required by law to transform their name. No nedd to transform best Buy for "Meilleur achat" or Future Shop for "Magasin du futur".

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

FYI, I'm in the market for a fogless shower mirror and a quick search shows that Bed Bath & Beyond has numerous candidates. I just did a search to find the closest location to me and determined that they have no stores in Quebec.

Clearly it's a language issue.

I know. I just can't fathom how humans can live without having a Bed Bath and Beyond in close proximity. Thanks heavens Gatineau is close to Ottawa or else I don't know what I'd do.

[vanatox]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

FYI, I'm in the market for a fogless shower mirror and a quick search shows that Bed Bath & Beyond has numerous candidates. I just did a search to find the closest location to me and determined that they have no stores in Quebec.

Clearly it's a language issue.

Poor you! You can't look at yourself in the mirror after a shower and feed your dog...sad.

[YOWflier]

double post

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

...

At least you can cross the bridge and buy as many fogless shower mirrors as you want, whenever you want. I don't have that luxury. I have to drive all the way to Ottawa to buy one.

BTW, please don't tell anyone that someone shopped in Ottawa.

Originally Posted by vanatox

...

It is sad. Life really sucks.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

It's a very big deal.

A good buddy of mine is a corporate lawyer with a large, well-known firm. I'll have you know that businesses such as Best Buy, Future Shop, Wal-Mart, and the like have fought (and must fight) vigorously in order to continue operating with English titles (sign on the building, titles on flyers/menus/etc. and so much more).

Those with the legal fortitude to defend their brand do exactly that; the others bend over comply.

This is fairly recent. Since 1977, internationally trademarked names have always been allowed however over the past year it is true that the government has begun asking them to add a French descriptor to their names. This is what they are fighting at present.

I don't feel strongly about this either way BTW. The government is splitting hairs but on the other side it's not a big deal for the retailers to adapt either.

[kevinbottawa]

Saks unlikely to check out Ottawa: retail analyst

Elizabeth Howell
Published on August 2, 2013

A glut of high-end fashion stores in Ottawa makes it unlikely that Saks will come to the capital for the foreseeable future, a local retail analyst predicts.

Earlier this week, Hudson's Bay Co. (TSX:HBC) announced it plans to open about 24 Saks locations across Canada after it completes a US$2.9-billion agreement to buy the retailer.

Ottawa, however, does not have the proportion of extremely high-income households needed to sustain another entrant into the luxury fashion market, said Barry Nabatian, director of the market research division at Shore Tanner & Associates.

“We already have Nordstrom, Target and Simons of Quebec” coming to Ottawa, Mr. Nabatian said. “These are a few levels above Canadian Tire and Walmart, and I think that for the time being – the next three or four years or so – they will serve the upscale market.”

Ottawa’s population tends to be upper middle class, and not the more luxury population that Saks target, Mr. Nabatian added. “We are still dominated by mid-quality, mid-price type of stores, and in the last 10 years a lot of discount-type stores. We have very few upscale stores.”

Mr. Nabatian noted that H&M will open at Bayshore, which the company announced in April. It will move into 22,000 square feet of space on the complex’s first floor that used to be occupied by Zellers.

The shopping centre is in the midst of a $200-million expansion, but Mr. Nabatian said he wouldn’t expect Saks to be looking for space there as most of the other stores there are not targeted at Saks’ market.

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Retail/2013-08-0...-to-check-out-Ottawa%3A-retail-analyst/1

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Retail/2013-08-0...-to-check-out-Ottawa%3A-retail-analyst/1

How is this even possible? Saks could operate its Ottawa store completely unfettered in English, so it should be a shoo-in as a prime location, non?

[kwoldtimer]

No surprise here. No way in h*ll the Ottawa market could support a Saks department store.

[J.OT13]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in terms of how up scale these stores are, Nordstrom is somewhere between Hudson's Bay and Saks, Simons is between Hudson's Bay and Nordstrom and Target is one level above Walmart, which isn't saying much.

So except maybe for Nordstrom, how would Hudson's Bay figure there is too much competition for Saks in Ottawa? If anything, the opening of Nordstrom would encourage HBC to bring in a competitor. I'm not expecting a full sized store, but I don't see how they can't open a smaller Saks or at least a Saks department within Hudson's Bay.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in terms of how up scale these stores are, Nordstrom is somewhere between Hudson's Bay and Saks, Simons is between Hudson's Bay and Nordstrom and Target is one level above Walmart, which isn't saying much.

So except maybe for Nordstrom, how would Hudson's Bay figure there is too much competition for Saks in Ottawa? If anything, the opening of Nordstrom would encourage HBC to bring in a competitor. I'm not expecting a full sized store, but I don't see how they can't open a smaller Saks or at least a Saks department within Hudson's Bay.

Saks closest Canadian competitor would be Holt Renfew. If you've ever been to the Ottawa Holt Renfrew, that would pretty much explain why Ottawa will not see a Saks. Simons should be OK, but even Nordstrom may find that it's pushing against the reality of the Ottawa consumer.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Saks closest Canadian competitor would be Holt Renfew. If you've ever been to the Ottawa Holt Renfrew, that would pretty much explain why Ottawa will not see a Saks. Simons should be OK, but even Nordstrom may find that it's pushing against the reality of the Ottawa consumer.

I would like to thin Holt Renfrew is mostly empty because of a bad location, but I might be wrong.