American Apparel

Mandate
Secure super-brand, American Apparel, with prime real estate in Canada’s top performing enclosed shopping centers.

Problem
Having established themselves as a provocative, neo-bohemian, yet ultimately sophisticated brand, many top landlords considered American Apparel’s in-store graphics and promotional campaigns too daring for mass consumption. Furthermore, landlords found the overall design of the stores to be cheap, schlocky, and not up to industry standard.

Action
  • Developed and implemented American Apparel’s real estate action plan.
  • We introduced award-winning retail designers Ruscio Studio to the client in an effort to modify the American Apparel boutique “look and feel”, while staying true to the core brand values that make the brand so special.
  • Effectively secured a series of meetings with every top-level executive and national leasing director responsible for Cadillac Fairview, Ivanhoe Cambridge, and Oxford Properties to present the new “softer” prototype.
  • We kept these decision makers up to date with all of American Apparel’s sales updates, revealing tremendous comp sale increases, thereby increasing demand for our client.
  • We blitzed the targeted landlord groups with press clippings, celebrity endorsements and news of international store openings in fashion forward countries such as France, Italy, Australia, Germany and the UK.
  • Re-socialized landlords to understand that American Apparel’s brand was aligned with high-profile premium tenants such as Armani, Burberry, Coach, Boss, Lululemon, BCBG, etc.
  • Traveled with Canadian real estate managers to Los Angeles, allowing them to see firsthand, the entire vertically integrated operation, from design to distribution.
  • Managed and negotiated all aspects of American Apparel’s lease negotiations.

Outcome
Successfully fulfilling our mandate, the strategically situated locations in top performing Canadian malls included:
  • Yorkdale (Ontario)
  • Sherway Gardens (Ontario)
  • West Edmonton Mall (Alberta)
  • Market Mall (Alberta)
  • Carrefour Laval (Quebec)
  • Vaughn Mills (Ontario)
  • Fairview Pointclair (Quebec)
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Bizou

Mandate
Expand Bizou’s already established base of stores (primarily in the regions of Quebec) in to top-performing high-profile malls in Canada.

Problem
  • The Bizou store prototype lacked the bouncy look and feel that girls and teens vibrated towards.
  • Bizou sales lagged behind leading competitors: Aldo Accessories, Arden, and Claires.
  • As Bizou stores were located primarily in the outer regions of Quebec, top Canadian landlords were unfamiliar with our client and less inclined to give them new locations.

Action
  • We recommended that Bizou re-do it's store design to access a more youthful and energized look and feel. The tenant agreed.
  • Developed Bizou’s expansion program that was quickly approved by company president Marcel Labrecque.
  • Held extensive meetings with targeted landlord groups such as Westcliff, Cadillac Fairview, and Ivanhoe Cambridge.
  • Initiated discussions with Claires—the world’s largest fashion accessories retailer—who we suspected were interested in selling all of their Quebec locations in an effort to secure the spaces for Bizou.
  • We represented Bizou in all aspects of the negotiation with Claires and successfully completed the purchase of the following locations: Montreal Eaton Centre, Carrefour Laval, Promenades St-Bruno, Galeries de la Capitale, Place Laurier, and Place Versailles.
  • A vigorous press-release campaign promoted the six acquisitions heavily.
  • Spearheaded and managed all aspects of Bizou’s next acquisition; a forty-five store seasonal winter accessories retailer, L'Hiver en Folie.
  • Managed all Bizou lease negotiations.

Outcome
The acquisition of Claires and L'hiver en Folie has greatly expanded Bizou’s real estate portfolio and built up awareness with landlords. The following list of  successfully secured locations in top-performing Canadian malls not only fulfilled our mandate, it established Bizou as a major player in the accessory market.
  • Metropolis at Metrotown (British Columbia)
  • Montreal Eaton Centre (Quebec)
  • West Edmonton Mall (Alberta)         
  • Mic Mac Mall (Nova Scotia)
  • Halifax Shopping Centre (Nova Scotia)
  • Park Royal (British Columbia)
  • Avalon Mall (Newfoundland)
  • Coquitlam Centre (British Columbia)


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Chop Crazy

Mandate
Successfully introduce a fresh fast food alternative to the Canadian market that could generate top-line sales and be easily franchised. 

Problem
The food court market was already saturated with countless concept eateries and although demand for something new was rampant, there was little innovation.

Action
  • Toured many U.S. malls to gain perspective on the cutting-edge fast food market.
  • Introduced the custom chopped salad concept to Ralph Pulice and Frank Reda of Place Tevere repute.
  • Developed a target list of potential benchmark sites.
  • Meetings with principle landlords such as Cadillac Fairview, Homburg, Magil Laurentienne, Ivanhoe Cambridge to present the new concept as an opportunity to engage a loyal, savvy, and health-conscious clientèle.
  • Managed all aspects of the lease agreement negotiations with landlords.
  • Participated in pre-launch product tastings as to provide feedback, guidance, and inspiration regarding quality and presentation.
  • Secured a feature in the Montreal Gazette food section within two weeks of opening the very first Chop Crazy.
  • Hosted a series of on-site lunch meetings for targeted landlord groups to effectively introduce the Chop Crazy difference.

Outcome
Today, Chop Crazy leads the quick service salad category in the province of Quebec, operating eight units strong in shopping centres such as Carrefour Laval, Fairview Pointe-Claire, Promenade St-Bruno, Gare Centrale (train station) effectively securing its position in the food court arena.
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Fossil

Mandate
To engineer a national leasing strategy for Fossil’s Canadian market entry, rejuvenate brand awareness and facilitate further expansion.

Problem
The Fossil brand had not evolved with the rest of the luxury retail landscape, largely due to the previous operating licensee. Essentially, with only two outdated shops in operation, top-shelf Canadian lessors carried a poor perception. And with only two stores, overall awareness was at an all time low.

Action
  • We developed and implemented the entire Fossil Canadian market-entry campaign.
  • Extensive market tours to Canadian super-regional centres in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec.
  • Secured national presentations in order to re-acquaint key landlord targets with the Fossil brand; this included Cadillac Fairview, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Oxford Properties and Triple Five.
  • Traveled with prospective landlords to tour Fossil's head office in Richardson Texas in order to meet senior level decision makers.
  • Arranged numerous face-to-face meetings with key leasing directors of target sites.
  • Managed and negotiated every aspect of Fossil’s lease negotiations.

Outcome
Our entry plan was adopted, successfully allowing Fossil to enter the Canadian retail market with gusto. The plan is still being implemented by their real estate marketers to update target lists, maintain awareness, and open new stores. The mandate was met and Fossil Canada now has store locations in the nation’s top performing malls:
  • Square One (Ontario)
  • West Edmonton Mall (Alberta)         
  • Oakridge Centre (British Columbia)
  • Toronto Eaton Centre (Ontario)
  • Metroplis at Metrotown (British Columbia)
  • Southgate Centre (Alberta)
  • South Centre (Alberta)
  • Place Montreal Trust (Quebec)
  • Sherway Gardens (Ontario)
  • Yorkdale (Ontario)
  • Cross Iron Mills (Alberta)
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Hot Fudge

Mandate
Establish and secure for fashion accessories retailer Hot Fudge with locations in all of Quebec’s top performing shopping centres.


Problem
Hot Fudge was an unknown brand with no stores operating and without any track record. The category is highly competitive and we were looking to secure real estate with landlords who are generally more conservative and tend to choose established companies


Action
  • Developed and implemented Hot Fudge’s real estate action and expansion plan
  • Effectively secured a series of meetings with every top-level executive and national leasing director responsible for Cadillac Fairview, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Westcliff, and Oxford Properties
  • Managed and contracted all aspects of Hot Fudge’s lease negotiations
  • Sent out photos and gift certificates of Hot Fudge newly opened locations to promote their openings in trade publications throughout the country


Outcome
Successfully fulfilling our mandate, the strategically situated locations in top performing Quebec malls included:
  • Carrefour Laval
  • Montreal Eaton Centre
  • Promenade St-Bruno
  • Place Laurier
  • Galerie la Capitale
  • Carrefour de l’Estrie
  • Les Rivières
  • Place du Royaumme
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Pinkberry

Mandate
Develop and implement a Canadian market entry program and secure the primary real estate targets.

Problem
The market was already inundated with countless frozen yogurt options and Pinkberry needed to stand apart from the competition. Although the brand is well known in the US, it was not as well recognized in Canada, requiring a lot of educating to win over landlords.


Action
Toured many U.S. and Canadian malls to gain perspective on the frozen yogurt marketAttended a franchisor conference in Los Angeles to become as familiar with the industry as possibleMet with principle landlords in target locations and used presentations to engage and interest, including video, celebrity endorsement and product placement on the hit TV show “Curb your Enthusiasm”Used awareness and connections to secure the locations in high profile properties at below market pricesManaged all aspects of the lease agreement negotiationsParticipated in pre-launch product tastings as to provide feedback, guidance, and inspiration regarding quality and presentationSent videos, photos and gift cards to landlords and investors to further promote the brand

Outcome
Pinkberry Canada first opened its doors in July 2011 in West Vancouver, where more than 4,500 people joined the celebration, including a number of VIP celebrities, eager to taste the new product. Today, Pinkberry is open in two Vancouver locations and has plans to branch out even further across Canada. Just last week, the company announced that they will be making their Alberta debut this summer, at West Edmonton Mall, the province’s largest mall and Pinkberry’s top target in Alberta. They already have properties secured in the following locations, all of which were top targets:
  • Metropolis
  • Park Royal
  • Richmond Center
  • High Street
  • West Edmonton Mall

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