Toronto non-mall retail (Odds & Ends)

[adma]

Read in the Star the other day that the House of Lancaster strip club on the Queensway in Etobicoke has been purchased by a church across the street and will be converted into a community centre!

No, it isn't the House of Lancaster, it's the less illustrious Casino, in a wholly different location further west (in the industrial sprawl of Ikeaville W of Kipling; House of Lancaster is E of Royal York)

 

[samsonyuen]

Mec

From: http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NA...6&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112101662835
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Retailer set to pitch its tent in Burlington
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jun 27, 2007)

Mountain Equipment Co-op is hiking its way over to Burlington.

The Canadian outdoor retailer is opening a new location next year at Brant Street and Leighland Road, near the Burlington GO station.

"Membership for our store from the southern Ontario area and the Golden Horseshoe," said Peter Robinson, CEO of MEC, "has grown to the point that it was absolutely crazy to say we didn't have a store there."

The Burlington store will be the third Ontario store and 12th location in Canada.

"It's been a very deliberate and planned expansion of stores based on member concentration and propensity of people who practice outdoor recreation in the area," Robinson said.

The co-operative retailer, which made more than $220 million in sales last year, sells outdoor clothing and equipment for hiking, climbing and skiing.

It has a large concentration of members from the Golden Horseshoe. About 100,000 of MEC's 750,000 members in Ontario live on the west side of the GTA, near Burlington, Guelph, Hamilton or London, as well as throughout the Niagara Peninsula and in smaller southwestern Ontario communities. There is even an online project and petition called Open a MEC in Hamilton! at http://mecinhamilton.neenerneet.net.

Marvin Ryder, of McMaster University's DeGroote Business School, said areas between Hamilton and Toronto -- with its increasingly populated areas like Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington -- have been appealing for expanding retailers for some time.

"For MEC you have a win-win situation," Ryder said. "There's more people there with more income and purchasing power."

The retailer's decision to open a location in Burlington reflects how "the city's time has come as a regional centre," said Don Baxter, executive director for the Burlington Economic Development Corporation.

"Burlington is a young and growing market with lots of residential development," Baxter said. "And that's only part of (the Burlington MEC) market."

Robinson said he expects about 80 people to be employed at the 20,000-square-foot store.

While MEC is headquartered on the West Coast, Robinson said "it's safe to say that by next year you can see most of our members in Eastern Canada.

"It's been fun and exciting for us to reach all Canadians."

Design work and planning for the site is under way. Robinson said he expects to begin foundation and concrete work this fall.

The region has seen a number of new store openings in the past year with H&M at Lime Ridge, Lowe's (opening soon), Talize (on Hamilton Mountain), Hart (downtown) and Banana Republic, which opens at Mapleview Shopping Centre on July 9.

 

[samsonyuen]

From: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...982815&brand=theglobeandmail&force_login=true
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Bed Bath & Beyond to open Canadian store

MARINA STRAUSS
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., the largest U.S. home fashions chain, will open its first store in Canada in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto. Tom Balkos, vice-president of retail services at CB Richard Ellis, confirmed yesterday that the retailer has finalized plans for the outlet and is "actively pursuing opportunities in the Greater Toronto Area and across the country." The firm brokered the deal along with Metrus Properties. The store is expected to open early next year. The retailer, known for its wide selection of merchandise, stylish offerings and chic store layouts, has had a strong track record and will provide stiff competition for existing home furnishing retailers, industry observers have said. It's the chain's first foray outside of the United States, where it has more than 800 stores.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

More than any other retail outlet I'd be smokin' happy to have a "Linens N Things" outlet somewhere central. Closest one is at Eglinton & Laird in that silly faux, "Disney-esq" mall. Not convenient without a car.

 

[Skeezix]

More than any other retail outlet I'd be smokin' happy to have a "Linens N Things" outlet somewhere central. Closest one is at Eglinton & Laird in that silly faux, "Disney-esq" mall. Not convenient without a car.

Agreed. It is surprising that one of the big houseware chains have not opened up in a more central location. I would prefer Home Outfitters over Linens N Things any day, although neither chain really knocks my socks off.

 

[vistaway]

Square One is getting an Earls restaurant, which I believe is their first Ontario location. It will be part of the rebuilt main entrance (the early-90's reno 'skylight & palm tree' atrium is pretty much gone). With the new massive 'flagship' Spring Rolls opening a block away, dining options are finally looking better.

 

[unimaginative2]

Sigh... we really aren't going to have a single large-cap left on the TSX in ten years. Bye bye Bay Street.

 

[urbandreamer]

some hot new bars coming to the junction--dundas strip--finally i can get drunk in my own neighbourhood

 

[Skeezix]

Looks like Ampali at Danforth and Ferrier is to be replaced by a Mr. Greek.

Ampali closed around last November, with signs in the windows indicating that it would reopen in January after renovations.

January came and went. Around April or May, signs went up in the window indicating that the restaurant would be the new location of the Kansas City Smokehouse Grill, which the folks over at chow.com believed was not a chain.

Despite the smokehouse signage, nothing happened until a week or so ago, when signs went up promoting the new location of Mr. Greek.

Although I am never too excited to see a chain restaurant replace an independent, at least Mr. Greek originated on the Danforth. And presumably the chain will close its existing, nearby location at Carlaw and Danforth, thus freeing up a smaller space for something (hopefully) more interesting.

 

[samsonyuen]

From: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/29082007...wal-mart-country-s-first-24-hour-service.html
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Winnipeg Wal-Mart to be country's first with 24-hour service
Wed Aug 29, 11:48 AM
Bargain shoppers in Winnipeg will soon be able to indulge their search around the clock at a Wal-Mart store that is to be the first in the country to open 24 hours a day. The Arkansas-based retailing giant will open its Garden City location in the city's north end 24 hours a day - with the exception of Sundays - starting in the fall.

Kevin Groh, a spokesman for Wal-Mart in Canada, told CBC News on Wednesday that the Winnipeg market has always responded well to special events where the store has stayed open around the clock for brief periods, such as during the back-to-school or Christmas rushes.

"Winnipeg has always been one of the most enthusiastic retail markets," he said.

That popularity has prompted the company to select the Winnipeg store to test the 24-hour experiment full-time.

"We haven't actually released a concrete date, but it will be this fall," he said.

"We are currently talking to our associates - the people who work in our store - and also the customers to get a sense of what makes sense, but it will be coming soon."

The Sunday closure is a concession to local retail bylaws that restrict most shopping to certain hours on Sundays, and it will also allow the store and staff to regroup once a week, Groh said.

Concerns have not been raised over stressed or overworked staff, he added, noting that in past 24-hour events, the store had more staff volunteer to work overnight shifts than there were shifts to fill.

The company has no plans to expand 24-hour shopping at other stores, Groh said, until it's determined whether the Winnipeg store is a success.

"Ultimately, this is about serving our customers," he said.

Many of the company's stores in the United States are already open 24 hours a day.

 

[samsonyuen]

From: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070829.RLOBLAW29/TPStory/Business
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Loblaw refines superstore concept
Firm tests new name, new design and a new emphasis on back-to-basics groceries
MARINA STRAUSS
RETAILING REPORTER
August 29, 2007
One of Galen G. Weston's biggest headaches when he took over the reins at Loblaw Cos. Ltd. last year was figuring out what to do with its struggling superstores. The grocer had built a lot of them over the past few years to take on discounter Wal-Mart but they performed poorly, particularly in general merchandise.

To the surprise of many on Bay Street, Mr. Weston opted to overhaul, rather than scrap, the big-box approach for the chain's Real Canadian Superstore. Today the company opens its new pilot prototype in Milton, Ont., revealing a new push on fresh foods and groceries, and a scaling back of electronics and furniture.

It's got a new name - Loblaw Superstore - and a wide aisle at the centre of the groceries section to pitch special deals, much like in a Wal-Mart store. It's got revamped backroom operations to help ensure that goods get onto the shelves on time. That's a problem that still persists in many of its stores.

"They're rejigging what they want to sell in the store," said analyst Anil Passi at Dominion Bond Rating Service. "They're getting rid of inventory that doesn't sell, things that are a little more distant from food and the kitchen."

But the big box is clearly in the big picture under Mr. Weston's vision for Loblaw.

The bottom line? "A big step forward but no guarantees of success," is how analyst Irene Nattel put it in a report after touring the new store.

Still, as Loblaw aggressively lowers its superstore prices, one of its biggest risks is getting locked in a price war with Wal-Mart, she said. Few retailers ever win that war with the global powerhouse.

The new superstore's prices are up to 15 per cent lower than those at the Loblaw store it replaced, one analyst said.

Mr. Weston faces his steepest challenge in Ontario, where he needs to protect Loblaw's close to 45-per-cent share of the food market. Loblaw built its most recent superstores in that province.

Geoffrey Wilson, a spokesman for Loblaw, said it will test the Milton store over the next three months and, if successful, start redesigning other superstores in 2008. The chain is also piloting the name change, to Loblaw Superstore, to put more emphasis back on the familiar Loblaw banner.

While downsizing electronics, toys, books and seasonal goods, the new store puts a spotlight on Loblaw's private label Joe Fresh apparel, which now makes up all the clothing offerings and includes a new children's line. Loblaw said in a handout to analysts that it is adding more staff to the section, although it didn't say by how much. The company has targeted $1-billion of Joe sales over the next three years, which Ms. Nattel called an "aggressive" goal.

The store's home section is the most dramatically restyled in the superstore, she said. It has "artful" product displays and uses an array of fixture heights to create an interesting visual change from section to section. "The revised presentation created a 'wow' that is sorely lacking elsewhere," she wrote.

Health and beauty products take on a new prominence at the centre of the new superstore. The aim is to create the environment of a regular drugstore with 20-per-cent lower prices, Loblaw said.

It shrunk the takeout food area by about 10 per cent, dropping fried foods in favour of healthier fare such as salads. In the grocery aisles, it created shorter, wider aisles to make shopping - and restocking - easier. It added 30-per-cent more freezer space to try to cash in on the growing trend of consumers' picking up frozen meals.

There are even changes to the checkout, with a belt that provides 166-per-cent more checkout space and pegged to improve labour efficiency by 10 per cent, the company said. To speed the checkout process, the store has scrapped displays of food or general merchandise in the area.

And touting itself as being Canada's first "bagless" supermarket, it doesn't provide plastic bags but rather green cloth bags or bins.

 

[samsonyuen]

From: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071017.RCOUTU17/TPStory/Business
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Jean Coutu has new prescription for Ontario expansion
BERTRAND MAROTTE
October 17, 2007
MONTREAL -- Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc. aims to develop a new retail drugstore concept and brand identity as it prepares for greater expansion outside its Quebec home base.

In Quebec, the Jean Coutu pharmacy chain is an institution and the name is among the most easily recognized commercial brands, president and chief executive officer François Coutu said yesterday. But its image outside francophone Ontario, where the Longueuil, Que.-based chain wants to expand, doesn't enjoy a very high profile, and work is under way on a new store concept and branding initiative, he said in an interview.

"We have to do this right and find our place in the sun," he said after the annual meeting where first-quarter results revealed a profit of $8.3-million or 3 cents a share, compared with a loss of $142.5-million or 54 cents a year earlier.

He was reinstated yesterday as president and CEO after his father, founder and chairman Jean Coutu, took the titles back from him two years ago as the company struggled with the difficult Eckerd stores acquisition in the United States.

Jean Coutu's initial intention was to use its U.S. banners - Eckerd as well as Brooks - for its Canadian expansion strategy, Mr. Coutu said. But the recent sale of all of its 1,858 U.S. drugstores to Rite Aid Corp. of Camp Hill, Pa., means Jean Coutu can no longer use those names or store concepts as part of its Canadian growth efforts, he said.

Jean Coutu's goal is to become the major drugstore player in Eastern Canada, but Quebec, with the strongest sales per store, remains the "best investment opportunity" for now, Mr. Coutu told shareholders.

The dominant player in Ontario is Toronto-based Shoppers Drug Mart Corp.

Jean Coutu is on the lookout for acquisition opportunities in Ontario and New Brunswick, but they will most likely be small ones in the near term, Mr. Coutu said.

In the meantime, the company plans to invest $105-million in the coming year on 11 new outlets, 11 store relocations and 44 store expansions and renovations, Mr. Coutu said in his presentation at the meeting. Longer term, the strategic plan calls for 50 new stores by 2010.

 

[khris]

I've been hearing about Jean Coutu's expansion into Ontario for a while now, but have yet to see a store open here. At least in South Central Ontario.

I say they should forget about it... we have Swiss Chalet, they have St.Hubert's. They tried to make St.Hubert's work here, but in the end if failed. Jean Coutu should take a lesson from that.

 

[samsonyuen]

Because pharmacies from Quebec and chicken restaurants from Quebec are so similar?

 

[khris]

Because pharmacies from Quebec and chicken restaurants from Quebec are so similar?

Obviously not. Both are businesses however. And both have the whole French/English thing happening, where Jean Coutu is a Quebec-centric thing, and Shoppers Drug Mart is a "rest of Canada" thing.