Page 10 - March 2020

americas news inbrief

VANS OPENS FIRST-EVER COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CALIFORNIA PIzzA kITCHEN

RETAIL AND EVENT SPACE PLANS ENTRY INTO CANADA MACY’S GEARS UP FOR REVEAL
The department store is planning to open a
new freestanding store format that will include
The new Vans outpost, the company’s first in downtown Los California Pizza Kitchen will open its first a strong beauty element. The store, which
Angeles, pays homage to the city’s skateboarding rootS, thriving art Canadian store in Edmonton, Alberta. will include a cafe, will debut in Southlake,
community and features a wide range of the brand’s footwear, apparel Partnering with Alberta restaurateur Texas. The concept will take an apothecary-
and accessories. The two-floor, 11,500sq, ft space features a mural Samira Shariff, the casual dining chain will based approach to beauty, and feautre both
by LA-based artist and designer Geoff McFetridge, who accentuated open its Edmonton location in the coming established and new emerging brands.
the raw brick and concrete walls of the building with his signature months, with five locations planned in the
colourful, minimalist work. The walls are dotted with photographs province over the next eight years. As
taken by legendary skateboarders that highlight the city’s importance part of an accelerated global growth focus, RETAILER TO OPEN - IN A GYM
in skate culture. California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) intends The Vitamin Shoppe is expanding into a new
The new Vans also houses a dedicated in-store skate shop that to further expand in Canada, including distribution channel. The retailer is partnering
stocks hard goods from assorted Los Angeles-based skateboard to Vancouver, British Columbia, and with LA Fitness to open Vitamin Shoppe shops
brands alongside the full collection of Vans Pro Skate footwear and Toronto, Ontario. inside LA Fitness health clubs. To date, nine have
apparel. It also features a selection of publications curated by the The signing of the Canada franchise opened with three of these on the East Coast
downtown gallery, store and publisher These Days rounds out the agreement kicks off CPK’s global growth and six in Florida.
retail offering. The second floor is home to a community-driven efforts in 2020 and beyond, with additional
gallery, lounge and workshop space. plans to increase its presence in Asia, the
Middle East, Australia, and Europe. kRISPY kREME GOES BIG IN NYC
The Big Apple is about to get a bit sweeter
SEPHORA PREPS FOR A as Krispy Kreme have announced they are
to open six locations in New York City this
RECORD-SETTING EXPANSION year, including its previously announced Times
Square flagship. The first one of these opened
last month in Manhattan’s Midtown area.
A specialty beauty powerhouse will open reflects Sephora’s signature look and feel.
the most North American stores in a single The retailer will utilise more cost-effective
year in its history. materials, which it said will allow deeper NEW BRAND GOES PHYSICAL
Sephora will open 100 new store investment in customer-centric experiences Elysium Health is making the leap to a brick-
locations across North America in 2020, and services, and employee development. and-mortar store. The digitally native health-
more than it has opened on the continent Additionally, all new stores will be powered and-wellness brand will open its first physical
in any prior year and more than double the by 100 per cent renewable energy, helping store this summer, at Westfield World Trade
number of openings from 2019. The stores to reduce the retailer’s energy consumption Center in Lower Manhattan after launching
will be located in street and local centres, and tying into its sustainability program. online back in 2015.
as well as a mix of new and established As part of Sephora’s expansion, the mix
shopping centres. will include a smaller, 4,000sq ft format
The retailer, owned by luxury global that is designed to allow Sephora to more 7-ELEVEN TESTS NEW STORE
giant LVMH, did not specify any of the seamlessly integrate into street and local Convenience giant 7-Eleven is piloting a 700sq
NORDSTROM IS THE LATEST DEPARTMENT STORE RETAILER TO TAP INTO ONE OF RETAIL’S FASTEST GROWING MARkETS: PREVIOUSLY OWNED CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES. NORDSTROM ft cashierless store with employees at its Irving,
HAS LAUNCHED SEE YOU TOMORROW, AN ONLINE AND IN-STORE RESALE SHOP. CURATED BY OLIVIA kIM, VP OF CREATIVE PROJECTS AT NORDSTROM, THE SHOP FEATURES AN EDITED, exact locations. But it said that the stores centre locations. The format will feature
AUTHENTICATED ASSORTMENT APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES FROM HIGHLY COVETED BRANDS. IT WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT SPECIAL BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, STARTING WITH GANNI, A will be located in more than 75 cities layout changes, including a more prominent Texas headquarters. Employees download an
COPENHAGEN-BASED FASHION BRAND. ON THE BRICk-AND-MORTAR FRONT, NORDSTROM HAS UNVEILED A SEE YOU TOMORROW IN-STORE SHOP AT ITS NEW MANHATTAN FLAGSHIP. located around local neighbourhoods and upfront location for haircare and skincare, app, sign up, check in at the store, enter the
community centres, including Charlotte, as well as a new Sephora Studio for skin store, shop and exit. A detailed receipt then
STAPLES LAUNCHES TOPGOLF kEEPS North Caroliina, Nashville, Tennessee and and beauty services. The stores will keep appears in the app automatically after the
customer exits.
San Jose, California. The stores will feature
in-store offerings such as mobile checkout,
NEW RETAIL CONCEPT CHANGING THE GAME a sleek architectural and visual design that Find Your Fragrance and Beauty on the Fly.

Staples is thinking outside the office with a reimagined store format Topgolf Entertainment Group will introduce a “backyard-style”
that spotlights coworking, podcasting and community event spaces. concept featuring an open, single-floor layout in April, at the Village
The new concept, called Staples Connect, made its official debut of Riverwatch in Augusta, Georgia. Additional locations will follow
in six redesigned stores in the Boston area (Boston, Cambridge, in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Waco, Texas.
Needham, Brighton, Danvers, and Somerville). More than a place to The “community-focused” format has a smaller footprint than
make a transaction, the format offers customer-focused solutions and Topgolf’s core concept and offers food and beverages, seating
experiences, with hands-on learning opportunities for professionals, areas with fire pits and picnic-style dining tables. Guests can play
teachers, and students. Topgolf’s signature games in climate-controlled hitting bays, as well PLACEMAKING
Among the offerings are a 500sq ft community space where as a variety of backyard-style games such as bean bag toss and life-
customers can connect and learn by hosting or attending events, sized Jenga. The open-concept venue is designed to be freestanding,
such as speaker sessions, workshops, seminars, meetings and more. with locations near retail centres and densely populated areas.
In partnership with iHeartRadio, the store also includes a dedicated “This new venue format provides our guests with the same
podcast studio where customers can schedule a recording session. Topgolf fun, but in a new and innovative environment,” said Topgolf explore...
The space features a soundproof room with professional equipment Entertainment Group CEO Dolf Berle. “Everything about these
for up to four people, with a dedicated in-house specialist available open-concept venues has been purposefully designed for energy
to assist. and entertainment.”

10 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020 MARCH 2020 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL 11