Winmark Corp., the resale specialist and franchisor of five resale brands, Play It Again Sports, Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closet, Music Go Round and Style Encore, has been named to Fortune’s 2023 Change the World List, a global ranking of the top 59 companies making an important social or environmental impact through their profit-making strategy and operations this year. Winmark’s inclusion on the list is based on the company’s mission to provide Resale for Everyone and the positive things that Winmark’s franchisees are doing for their local communities. Since 2010, Winmark’s network of locally owned buying centers have extended the life of over 1.6 billion articles of clothing, sporting goods and musical instruments. In 2022, that number exceeded 169 million items. As of July 1, 2023, there were 1,303 franchises in operation and over 2,800 available territories (Winmark Corp – www.winmarkcorporation.com)……….
Nick Iozzo and Tony Manni at The Ancillary Agency, on behalf of an unnamed Canadian entertainment company, are conducting a search for space for two experiential entertainment concepts to start in the second half of 2024. Both concepts require a minimum of 25,000 square feet over one floor and with 16-foot ceiling heights. The first entertainment concept is seeking space in the Ottawa-Montreal-Trois Rivieres-Quebec City markets from August 2024 to January 2025 and the second concept is seeking space in the Toronto-Montreal-Eastern US markets, also from August 2024 to January 2025, before traveling across North America for the balance of 2025 and 2026. (The Ancillary Agency – Nick Iozzo – 416/618-0672 [email protected]) & (Tony Manni -416/856-8701 [email protected])…………
Late in the week, Chico’s FAS, Inc. reported that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity firm specializing in retail, consumer and distribution-related investments, for $1-billion(US). Upon completion of the transaction, Chico’s FAS will become a privately held company. The transaction, which was approved unanimously by the Chico’s FAS Board of Directors, is expected to close by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2024. At the end of July 2023, Chico’s FSA operated 1,258 stores in the U.S. under the Chico’s, White House Black Market and Soma brands and sold merchandise through 58 international franchise locations in Mexico and through two domestic franchise locations in airports as well as online. (Chico’s FSA Inc. – www.chicos.com) & (Sycamore Partners – www.sycamorepartners.com)………..
High Tide Inc., the retail-forward cannabis company announced that it has placed No. 38 on the 2023 Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies. Canada’s Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. High Tide earned its spot with a three-year growth of 1,040 percent. This follows the company’s 2022 ranking of 21st out of 430 companies, with a three-year growth rate of 1,970 percent. In addition, Neighbourly Pharmacy Inc., Canada’s largest and fastest growing network of independent pharmacies, was also recognized as one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies for the fourth year in a row. Neighbourly earned its spot by driving revenue growth of 176 percent over the three-year period, ending in fiscal 2022. Neighbourly has propelled its growth by seamlessly acquiring and integrating pharmacies across Canada, growing from a single location in 2016 to the country’s largest network of 292 independent pharmacies. (High Tide Inc. – www.hightideinc.com) & (Neighbourly Pharmacy Inc. – www.neighbourlypharmacy.ca)………….
Specialty sleep retailer, Sleep Country Canada Holdings Inc. opened a new store in Windermere, a suburb market just southwest of Edmonton. Opened over the weekend in the Windermere Pointe location, adjacent to the Currents of Windermere in southwest Edmonton, brings Sleep Country’s national store count to 296 locations. (Sleep Country Canada Holdings Inc. – www.sleepcountry.ca)…………..
Okay, it’s Day One of ICSC@Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Front St in downtown Toronto. You can register and get your badge at the lobby in the North Building, starting at 12:00 pm and there will be lots of networking in the lobby. There is a Next Generation gathering at The Rec Room Main Hall at 255 Bremner Blvd from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm followed by the Opening Reception where you can meet up with the industry pros that you haven’t seen for a year or more. That’s also at The Rec Room. And don’t forget to pace yourself, the conference kicks off in earnest at 8:30 am tomorrow morning. Tomorrow you will have to back up all those claims you made at the Opening Reception when you were having cocktails. Have a great conference and stay safe………..