Here's what local news sources are reporting about retail property in Canada:
• Canada embraces Black Friday — Huffington Post When it comes to Black Friday's spending frenzy, Canadians are gaining on Americans, a new survey reports. About 22 per cent of Canadians surveyed say they'll participate in Black Friday on Nov. 27 this year, compared to 39 per cent of U.S. survey respondents.
• Shoes.com opening physical stores — The Vancouver Sun Online retailer Shoes.com wants to expand offline. The Vancouver-based multibrand retailer will open a pop-up shop on Toronto's Queen Sreet later this month. Shoes.com plans to open more bricks-and-mortar stores in Vancouver and the U.S.
• Canadian landlords invest in experience to succeed — Urban Land Online competition and closing chains will continue to keep Canadian retail landlords busy in 2016, predicts a new report from the Urban Land Institute. Landlords such as Oxford Properties are winning customers with rewarding experiences, says the firm's president and CEO Blake Hutcheson. “The people [who] are coming to our assets want an experience, and we are increasingly investing money to get them there as a competitive advantage," he said.
• Sears Canada raises funds with sale-leasebacks — CBC News Sears Canada has arranged to sell two distribution warehouses for about $128 million, and lease them back.
• Canadian Tire reports strong Q3 sales — The Globe and Mail Surging sales in Ontario, British Columbia and Québec helped offset weakness at retail conglomerate Canadian Tire's Alberta stores in the third quarter.
• St. John redevelopment lands unique food tenants — CBC News Picaroons General Store has joined Real Food Connection and Buckland Merrifield Gallery as tenants at Historica Developments' Park Place Development in Saint John's uptown. The project involves the rehab of a former car park and furniture store.
• Toronto mall upgrades food court — Inside Toronto Scarborough Towne Centre is getting a $35 million food-court upgrade that will include 27 new restaurants. The two-phase renovation is scheduled for completion in August 2016.
• Canadian chains woo Boomers — The Globe and Mail Home Depot, Edition Elle, Londons Drugs, Penningtons and other Canadian chains cater to a growing Baby Boomer population with special services and products.
• Illbury + Goose wants to be Canada's homegrown brand — The London Free Press Illbury + Goose, which specializes in Canadian-made goods, wants to become a national brand. The retailer currently operates a web site and a store in downtown London, Ontario, but wants to expand into Toronto and Vancouver, where many online orders originate.