Holt Renfrew
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Holt Renfrew is a high end Canadian department store often compared to the United States retailers Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barneys New York. It was founded in 1837 as a hat shop in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, by Irishman William Samuel Henderson.
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[edit] Origins
With a small assortment of caps and hats, William Samuel Henderson of Derry, Ireland, arrived in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada in 1834. He joined the retailing firm of Ashton and Company in 1835. After buying controlling interest in 1837, he renamed the company after himself, and opened a store on rue Buade.
In 1849, William started selling furs, and three years later, sold the shop to his brother John. In 1860, G. R. Renfrew, who had been an employee, bought a partnership, and the firm became Henderson, Renfrew & Co.
The company built a reputation for furs that was solidified in 1886, when the firm had the honour of being appointed "Furrier-in-Ordinary to her Majesty" by Queen Victoria. The company eventually received five generations of royal warrants from Queen Victoria.
In 1867, John Holt bought out Henderson's remaining interest, although the company didn't officially change names until 1908. In 1889, a second Holt Renfrew store opened in Toronto, followed by other store openings.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the company started adding international designer lines such as Christian Dior. Many well-known upscale designers have since been added.
Headquarters for Holt Renfrew were moved to Toronto in 1979 from Montreal, and Toronto remains and will continue to remain the main corporate headquarters and primary Flagship store in the Holt Renfrew chain.
[edit] Modern history
The firm was purchased by New York financiers CIT in 1965 and resold to Carter Hawley Hale, who then owned Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. When Galen Weston bought the store in 1986. he and wife Hilary immediately brought in interior designer expert Naomi Leff to recreate the store layout, seeking the elegant intimacy of small boutiques. Bold changes in the merchandise mix were also made.
Through George Weston Ltd, Wittington Investments, and other holding companies, the Weston family owns or controls over 200 companies, including a number of retailers, such as upscale department stores Brown Thomas in Dublin and Selfridges at various locations in the UK. Also Canada's largest supermarket chain, Loblaw's. Daughter Alannah Weston replaced the much-respected Susanne Tide-Frater as head designer for Selfridges.
In September, 2004 Caryn Lerner took the reins as firm president, succeeding Andrew Jennings, who left in February to head up Saks Fifth Avenue. Lerner, 47, has held senior management positions at QVC, Jones New York, Barneys New York and Bloomingdale's. She had most recently headed Escada (USA) Inc., an upscale apparel, accessory and fragrance brand.
[edit] Today
Today Holt Renfrew has the most comprehensive collection of designer cosmetics, fragrances, accessories and fashions in Canada. It is also considered to be the 'finest department store' in each market in which it operates. Holt Renfrew includes four 'flagship' locations, including the Main Toronto Bloor Street store and smaller locations in Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. The chain has locations in Ste-Foy, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto (on Bloor Street, and in Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Sherway Gardens), Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. There are also "Last Call" end-of-the-line stores at the Vaughan Mills in Vaughan, Ontario, and in Portage Place in Winnipeg.
The Bloor Street (Toronto), Montreal, and Edmonton locations include Holt's Café, an informal diner-like restaurant concept, that features famous tartine made from the world-renowned Poilane bread that is flown in directly from Paris, France. The new Vancouver store, opening in Spring 2007, will also feature this restaurant. the Vancouver restaurant will be located on a new fourth-floor level above the intersections of Granville and Dunsmuir Streets.
Holt Renfrew was named "Store of the Year" by the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers at its 33rd annual Retail Design Awards (RDA).
The Holt Renfrew branded American Express credit card was designed by Roberto Cavalli. The store's current card is the magenta colour featured in the logo above.
Holt Renfrew's shoe contract with Browns shoes Ltd. ends in 2007. Holt Renfrew plans to expand its designer shoe selection thereafter. the Bloor Street store in Toronto will open new shoe shops for Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik.
[edit] Toronto Bloor Street Renovation
The Toronto flagship store is currently under a significant renovation, including a world-class women's designer floor on the second level and an expanded designer leathergoods department. The flagship Bloor Street store in Toronto is the largest and most comprehensively stocked Holt Renfrew store in the chain. Accessories on the ground floor, after the expansion, include the Louis Vuitton Boutique, Dior Boutique, Goyard Boutique, Gucci Boutique, Chanel Boutique, Tod's, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Hogan, Chloé, Valentino handbags, Balenciaga handbags, Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, Yves Saint Laurent, Céline, Georg Jensen, and many others. The store's second floor includes boutiques for Giorgio Armani (Black Label), AKRIS, Chanel (1,800 square feet), Gucci, Prada, Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana, as well as many other designer collections, a hair salon and an Estee Lauder Spa. The store includes two restaurants, a sushi bar, and a Burberry Home Store.
Holt's on Bloor recently took over the former Eddie Bauer store and is in the process of expanding into the premises. A further 6,000 squre feet have been added to the store's main floor for expande luxury leathergoods offerings. a 10,000 square foot expansion on the second floor will see a new staircase, escalators, and new designers added. A new women's shoe department will include many new designers and shops for Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo.
A new Polo Ralph Lauren Store opened in October, 2006 on the main floor of the Bloor Street store.
The Toronto Bloor Street flagship store is in a constant state of renovation and expansion, and this is expected to continue for the forseeable future.
[edit] New Vancouver Store
The Holt Renfrew location in Vancouver is being replaced with a new location at the North end of the Pacific Centre. The result will be a store of about 135,000 square feet, with the interior modelled on the new award-winning interiors of Holt Renfrew's flagship Toronto Bloor Street store. New store will open Summer 2007 in the former North Atrium of Pacific Centre at 777 Dunsmuir Street.
The new Vancouver store will include a spa and hair salon. It has not yet been announced who will hold the contract for the spa, but it has already been confirmed that it will NOT be Estee Lauder Spa as in the Toronto Bloor Street Store. The Vancouver Store will inlude boutiques for Tiffany & Co, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Chanel, among others. It will also include personal shopping suites similar to those in the flagship Toronto Bloor Street store.
Holt Renfrew Vancouver project description from City of Vancouver website:
The current Holt Refrew location in Vancouver will be subdivided. The basement level (currently men's wear) will become part of the new Pacific Centre Food Court. Swedish Retailer H&M is expected to take part of the current upper levels of the existing Holt Renfrew store.
[edit] Revenue Information
Revenues for the chain are forecasted to be about $500 million in 2006. Sales at the Toronto Bloor Street store are estimated at $130-$150 million per year. Sales at the Vancouver store are estimated at $90 million/year. Sales at the Montreal store are estimated at $87 million/year, and the Calgary store in excess of $67 million per year.
[edit] Holt Renfrew locations
[edit] Alberta
- Calgary, Alberta - Calgary Eaton Centre - 42,386 square feet (as of most recent expansion)
- Edmonton, Alberta - Manulife Place - 45,000 square feet (approx)
[edit] British Columbia
- Vancouver - Pacific Centre - 68,400 square feet (including space in Canaccord Tower), new store opening April 5 2007: 135,000 square feet (in the former north end of Pacific Centre)
[edit] Manitoba
- Winnipeg, Manitoba - Portage Place - 3,118 square feet, cosmetics/mail order store, plus Last Call outlet location
[edit] Ontario
- Toronto - the flagship store, 50 Bloor Street West - 191,434 square feet, including 165,615 squre feet at 50 Bloor Street West, a 16,000 square foot expansion into the former Eddie Bauer store immediately to the East, a 3,819 square foot extension into the main level of 60 Bloor Street West, and approx. 6,000 square foot new luxury personal shopping suites on the second level of 60 Bloor Street West (Above the adjacent Gap store).
- Toronto - Yorkdale Shopping Centre - 65,047 square feet
- Toronto - Sherway Gardens - 33,670 square feet
- Ottawa - 240 Sparks Street - 45,700 square feet
- Toronto - Vaughan Mills, Vaughan, Ontario - Last Call
[edit] Quebec
- Montreal - 1300 Sherbrooke Street West - Currently: Gross Square feet 131,390 square foot and 105,640 square foot of retail, expansion plan to 2008 will give 191,200 gross sq ft with 154,000 sq ft of retail space. The Montreal store is in the midst of a significant renovation and expansion. The Montreal expansion is currently delayed due to the extensive capital expansion projects in Toronto and Vancouver. Currently the main floor of the Montreal Store has been modified, and it is uncertain if this expansion will proceed as planned. Much of Holt Renfrew's store expenditures budget is currently being utilized for the more profitable Toronto and Vancouver stores.
- Ste-Foy, Quebec - 2452 boulevard Laurier - 32,943 square feet
[edit] Former locations
- Whistler, British Columbia: Chateau Whistler Resort
- Edmonton, Alberta: 10336 Jasper Avenue women's store (Looby Block) closed 1982 when Manulife Place store opened, Hotel MacDonald (men's store)
- Calgary, Alberta: Penny Lane Mall, Chinook Centre
- Winnipeg, Manitoba: Portage Place, Polo Park Shopping Centre
- Toronto, Ontario:
- 144 Bloor Street West (Closed 1979 for current 50 Bloor Street West location, that being originally 115,000 square feet)
- Fairview Mall
- Royal York Hotel
- Yorkdale Mall (replaced former Dominion grocery store in its current location)
- Ottawa, Ontario: Chateau Laurier Hotel retail promenade, Queen Street (former Simon Furs location which become Holt Renfrew in early 1940s; store was replaced with 240 Sparks location in 1978)
- Montreal, Quebec:
- Place Ville Marie (Two smaller stores)
- Fairview Pointe Claire Shopping Centre
- Centre Rockland - was 25,004 square feet, was to have been expanded to about 40,000 square feet prior to decision to close this store.
- Place D'Anjou Shopping Centre
- Les Jardins Dorval Shopping Centre
- Quebec City, Quebec: Rue Buade (free-standing store), Chateau Frontenac Hotel retail promenade
