6 U.S. retailers set to invade Canada's malls

[Sonic Death Monkey]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/...il-canada.html

A recent report by real estate consultancy Colliers International found that the U.S. has 23 square feet of retail space per person. The comparable figure in Canada is 14 square feet — although Canadian malls average annual sales of $580 for every square foot of retail space available, well above the $309 seen in the U.S. (All currencies are Canadian.)

Here are six U.S. chains that are eager to take advantage of that:

• Target The discount chic chain bought the leaseholds for 189 Zellers locations from Hudson's Bay Co. in late 2010, with plans to convert most of them to Target locations in the near future. After some legal headaches surrounding the use of their name in Canada, Target is set to open as many as 135 locations across Canada later this year.
• Marshall’s The U.S. owner of outlet chain TJ Maxx quietly set up shop in Canada recently with very little fanfare. The company currently has 12 locations across Ontario, but it plans on adding to that stable in the near future. Similar to Canadian chain Winners, Marshall’s business model is to sell excess designer clothes at drastically reduced prices.
• J Crew The upmarket clothing chain launched its first Canadian location in August 2011. After weathering complaints about higher prices in Canada compared with American stores, the chain slowly expanded its footprint. In February, three new locations were added in Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto.
• Bloomingdale's The high-end department store chain has set its sights on the Canadian market and is working with Hudson’s Bay Co. to bring the brand across the border. The move would bring the chain into the Bay’s retail chain as a "store within a store" concept, an expansion that could begin as early as this fall.
• Nordstrom The luxury retail behemoth had been shopping for Canadian space for over a year, and the closure of a few Sears locations came as an opportunity to acquire prime real estate. Over the next few years, the upscale store is geared to set up shop in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary.
• Tanger Outlets In early 2011, Tanger signed a $1 billion deal with Canada's largest REIT (and mall-owner) RioCan to bring Tanger Outlet centres to Canada. While similar to outlet malls that most Canadian suburbanites would be familiar with, Tanger outlets tend to be even larger. The first glimpse of Tanger's Canadian model is the outlet mall in Cookstown, Ont., north of Toronto.

[NielCole]

Hit the upper floor menswear section of JCrew on Robson last Friday........Considering the prices on the tags I saw I think it will be best to wait until they go on sale or clearance....

A plain black military styled collared shirt with rolled up and buttoned sleeves priced at $169.00 is stupid.

I found almost the exact same style from Calvin Klein at The Bay at Southgate before I went to YVR for $49.00

Nothing was exceptional and the Jeans were outrageous in pricing.........

Two customers (including me) on the entire upper floor and the ladies section on the main level was hardly packed either.

Walked through the Sears in Pacific Centre (soon to become a Nordstrom) and the store closing sale is on and the place was packed with bargain hunters.

They reopened the 5th floor and are selling off fixtures and stuff (that has not seen the light of day in about 12 years) That I recognized since I worked there when they reopened it as "eatons" in 2000.

If you need some flat map cabinets or something like 100 very dated 1980's mannequins or a Calvin Klein underwear graphic from 2002 or the Giant Teddy Bear Christmas Guards get your out your VISA card NOW...LOL.

[ScottieA]

Tanger isn't as much a retailer than a branded outlet mall chain.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by NielCole

Hit the upper floor menswear section of JCrew on Robson last Friday........Considering the prices on the tags I saw I think it will be best to wait until they go on sale or clearance....

A plain black military styled collared shirt with rolled up and buttoned sleeves priced at $169.00 is stupid.

I found almost the exact same style from Calvin Klein at The Bay at Southgate before I went to YVR for $49.00

Nothing was exceptional and the Jeans were outrageous in pricing.........

Two customers (including me) on the entire upper floor and the ladies section on the main level was hardly packed either.

Walked through the Sears in Pacific Centre (soon to become a Nordstrom) and the store closing sale is on and the place was packed with bargain hunters.

They reopened the 5th floor and are selling off fixtures and stuff (that has not seen the light of day in about 12 years) That I recognized since I worked there when they reopened it as "eatons" in 2000.

If you need some flat map cabinets or something like 100 very dated 1980's mannequins or a Calvin Klein underwear graphic from 2002 or the Giant Teddy Bear Christmas Guards get your out your VISA card NOW...LOL.

yea j crew is expensive but thats the new j crew, they used to be much more affordable until jenna lyons or whatever her name took over and wanted to make it into a fashion brand, which she has done but with that the prices have risen, they used to be more like gap pricing now they are ridiculous, but they do have some cool stuff and special versions of things that you can't get elsewhere - love some of the new balance sneakers they carry

a lot of the stuff is very similiar and even the same as club monaco - they too have added outside brands to their inhouse line

[NielCole]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

yea j crew is expensive but thats the new j crew, they used to be much more affordable until jenna lyons or whatever her name took over and wanted to make it into a fashion brand, which she has done but with that the prices have risen, they used to be more like gap pricing now they are ridiculous, but they do have some cool stuff and special versions of things that you can't get elsewhere - love some of the new balance sneakers they carry

a lot of the stuff is very similiar and even the same as club monaco - they too have added outside brands to their inhouse line

Since they opened here in Edmonton they have dealth with the backlash of caving into not having menswear and a couple of weeks ago stated that WEM will get the mens section by the end of August.

I may consider it but to be honest forking over $300 for a pair of JCrew jeans is a tad over the wall....

(I thought it was some guy that used to run the GAP started over as the CEO of JCrew a few years ago before the Canadian formerly from Shoppers started running the GAP in about 2006, Because I met him on his initial company store cruise when I still worked at BR in Pacific Centre)

Anyways I'll wait until a sale happens...Which seem what Vancouverites are doing as I said the store was not busy at all.

[Barry N]

Originally Posted by NielCole

Since they opened here in Edmonton they have dealth with the backlash of caving into not having menswear and a couple of weeks ago stated that WEM will get the mens section by the end of August.

I may consider it but to be hones forking over $300 for a pair of JCrew jeans is a tad over the wall....

(I thought it was some guy that used to run the GAP started over as the CEO of JCrew a few years ago before the Canadian formerly from Shoppers started running the GAP in about 2006, Because I met him on his initial company store cruise when I still worked at BR in Pacific Centre)

Anyways I'll wait until a sale happens...Which seem what Vancouverites are doing as I said the store was not busy at all.

The head fromage @ J Crew is Millard Drexler. He worked for Gap/BR before moving to J Crew. In fact there was a story about him and J Crew on CNBC a few weeks ago. It will probably be repeated within the next little while as programs rotate on that channel.

[etownboarder]

Any news on Express opening in Edmonton? I love that store.

[NielCole]

Originally Posted by etownboarder

Any news on Express opening in Edmonton? I love that store.

I think (I may be wrong) they are going into the space across from Hollister in WEM because they moved the old opticians and the leather coat/jacket shop out.

There is work going on behind the walls but no signage of any nature as of yet. The size seems to be about right as Express, and ExpressMen always are adjoining spaces.

Calgary has 3 locations so far and Vancouver has 1, I'm pretty sure Edmonton is on track to get its first location in WEM since the mall is in steady flux regarding tenant shifting/elimination to get new ones in.

[NielCole]

Originally Posted by Barry N

The head fromage @ J Crew is Millard Drexler. He worked for Gap/BR before moving to J Crew. In fact there was a story about him and J Crew on CNBC a few weeks ago. It will probably be repeated within the next little while as programs rotate on that channel.

BarryN Thanks for the name (I new it was buried in the back of my head somewhere! LOL)

[SpongeG]

i went to express here in Vancouver - its so expensive - most people i know have said the same thing, seems more $$$ than the US version and not too impressed with the clothes, seems a lot like le chateau really

[NielCole]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i went to express here in Vancouver - its so expensive - most people i know have said the same thing, seems more $$$ than the US version and not too impressed with the clothes, seems a lot like le chateau really

I agree I saw the Express/ExpressMen stores in Chinook and Market Mall in Calgary and the one in Pacific Centre too and I agree the merchandise is very much like Le Chateau in style but Banana Republic in price.....

Since JCrew has said it will bring in menswear into WEM after saying the store was to "small" but after seeing the product and price in the Robson Street store I will not be running in to fast to spend my coin

Unless something really cool hits the sale racks....

[MylesC]

Having been to most of these places in LA my opinion comes down to a big ol *yawn*.

[Barry N]

I'll stick to BR or Eddie Bauer. Always liked their quality.

[moahunter]

Originally Posted by MylesC

Having been to most of these places in LA my opinion comes down to a big ol *yawn*.

I agree. For example, I went to Nordstrom in the Galleria, it was meh.

[etownboarder]

Express quality is much better than Le Chateau or H&M or Zara which are the retailers I would compare it to. Bright colours, great fits, and good quality. I have been happy with my American purchased Express clothes.

[NielCole]

Unless a company that has its brand on it maintains "stringent standards" in regards to the products manufacturing, The risk of it fitting poorly or not lasting is still quite high as almost everything in all of the above listed stores seems to be pouring out of factories in a certain large nation state that shall remain nameless......

Clothes have become far more disposable than they used to be back when I was a kid because they just do not last as long, Unless you do find some that are custom fit or handmade very well somewhere and that you have paid a lot of coin for.

Both retail stores and consumers go through product so quickly now that our grandparents if they were still around would probably take us "behind the shed and strap us" for spending so much on trendy clothes.....

Everyone bought "classic" clothing back then to last and have a look that did not look out totally of date in just 6 months. Now we don't, the look of 2006 is pretty well out of date compared to 2012 and 2012 will probably be in the heap by the time 2014 rolls around.....

There are classic looks that still live on but brands and manufacturers tinker with them not by changing the style but the colour is the main weapon now in making something "new" that we all seem to fall in love with and rush out to buy even though the old black or brown item still in the closet is 100% classic in style. We want it in Moss, Apricot or Tomato because it looks "hot"

Life in the 21st Centruy spend spend spend.

[NielCole]

Walked past the up and coming Express/ExpressMens store on my way to work today at PB and the door was open that space is huge. Since they have tacked on a roof addition above the sport chek to created more space for either the store or stock room (just like they built for PB) is should be a good store.