Archambault quitte le Complexe Les Ailes

[ErickMontreal]

Archambault quitte le Complexe Les Ailes

 

13 janvier 2009 - 06h02

La Presse

Laurier Cloutier

 

La chaîne Archambault a vidé ses locaux du Complexe Les Ailes, le 31 décembre dernier, mais pas du tout à cause de difficultés financières.

 

C'est ce qu'assure la directrice du marketing du Groupe Archambault, Diane Langlois. Par contre, elle reconnaît que la chaîne a demandé une baisse de loyer aux Ailes, il y a déjà plus de deux ans, et que, faute d'un accord, les deux parties ont conclu une entente pour mettre fin au bail.

 

Ivanhoé Cambridge n'a pas mis Archambault dehors, assure de son côté la directrice du Complexe Les Ailes, Johanne Marcotte, sans donner de détails sur le dossier «confidentiel» et la pénalité éventuelle de fin de bail. Le propriétaire ne sait pas encore qui va prendre les locaux d'Archambault. «Ce n'est pas attaché encore. C'est quand même des locaux rares sur la rue Sainte-Catherine, qu'on n'aime pas voir vides», selon Johanne Marcotte.

 

Le Complexe Les Ailes a profité d'une hausse de son affluence en 2008 et a renouvelé des baux, souligne la directrice, sans préciser si des locataires ont exigé des baisses de loyers.

 

Par ailleurs, Diane Langlois indique qu'Archambault a investi 8 millions de dollars l'an dernier dans l'ouverture d'un magasin à Sainte-Dorothée et la rénovation de quatre autres (Anjou, Laval, Saint-Georges, Saguenay).

 

À Montréal, les clients peuvent faire leurs achats dans les deux autres Archambault de la rue Sainte-Catherine, dit-elle.

[ErickMontreal]

Retailers vying for prime downtown space

 

By Mike King, Montreal GazetteJanuary 14, 2009

 

 

It should soon be revealed who will next occupy the choice chunk of downtown retail space unexpectedly and reluctantly vacated this week by the Archambault music store.

 

“There is enormous interest for that exceptional location, which is very rare downtown,” Johanne Marcotte, general manager of the Complexe Les Ailes, said yesterday of the two-storey spot in the Ste. Catherine St. shopping centre owned by Ivanhoe Cambridge. “It’s a big, very important space.”

 

Marcotte wouldn’t say whether more than one retailer is seriously vying for that property, but acknowledged “no transaction has been signed yet.”

 

Until a deal is finalized, she also won’t confirm or deny if men’s wear chain International Clothiers will be the new tenant as a reliable source has told The Gazette.

 

International Clothiers is one of several banners owned by Toronto-based mass-merchandiser Isaac Benitah. Others include Fairweather, Randy River and Mecca.

 

Known in the industry as the godfather of “cheap chic” fashion in Canada, Benitah bought the Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode Inc. in 2005.

 

Its two-level flagship store is still the biggest of the more than 60 boutiques in the Complexe Les Ailes.

 

Benitah couldn’t be reached and International Clothiers brass refused to comment.

 

Whoever is taking over must have been in a hurry, judging by how quickly Archambault was turfed after being there for six years.

 

Jean Laramée, Ivanhoe Cambridge senior vice-president for the eastern region, insisted in an email to The Gazette last week that the Archambault store closed because its lease had ended.

 

“Tenant movements are normal in the commercial shopping centre industry,” he said. “We’re concluding an agreement with a retailer that will move into the Archambault location, but since all the strings still aren’t tied up, it would be premature for me to divulge the identity of the renter,” Laramée added. “An announcement in that regard will be made soon.”

 

Diane Langlois, marketing director for the 112-year-old Archambault chain of 15 remaining stores across the province, maintains the lease wasn’t up at Les Ailes but that Ivanhoe Cambridge was exercising its right to terminate the deal at any time providing it gave 30 days notice – which it did unexpectedly on Nov. 30.

 

Although the store officially closed Dec. 31, Langlois said it stayed open a little longer to liquidate some stock. But Archambault had to be out by today to make way for the new tenant.

 

“We didn’t want to leave,” she said in an interview. “We were doing well and were very, very busy there.”

 

In a press release Friday, Langlois reassured customers the Complexe Les Ailes closing had nothing to do with the financial health of the company.

 

She pointed out Archambault invested $8 million last year to open a new store in Sainte-Dorothée and to renovate four others in Anjou, Laval, Saint-Georges de Beauce and the Saguenay.

 

mking@thegazette.canwest.com

© Copyright © The Montreal Gazette

[Habsfan]

Benitah bought the Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode Inc. in 2005.

 

QUOI?? Je croyais que les Ailes de la mode appartenait à des investiseurs québecois?

[ErickMontreal]

QUOI?? Je croyais que les Ailes de la mode appartenait à des investiseurs québecois?

 

Malheureusement non...

 

Fairweather buying Les Ailes de la Mode stores

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 9, 2005 | 4:08 PM ET

CBC News

Fairweather Group will buy four Les Ailes department stores for $6.2 million from Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode Inc., the companies said Tuesday.

 

The Quebec company (TSX:MOD) put the four stores – a Montreal flagship location and Quebec outlets in Brossard, Laval and Sainte-Foy – up for sale last month.

 

"On its own, the Les Ailes department stores would have required significant capital investments to remain viable in the long term," said David Margolis, who announced his resignation as CEO and president of Groupe Les Ailes.

 

"As part of the Fairweather Group, it will now benefit from the scale, purchasing power and relationships as well as the synergies that a large retailer can bring," he said.

 

Margolis's interim replacement as CEO of Groupe Les Ailes will be Leslie Glazerman, who will also keep his current job of interim chief financial officer.

 

Isaac Benitah, the president and CEO of Fairweather, said the Les Ailes' $75 million in revenues and 630 employees give it "a solid foundation from which we can build by leveraging the significant assets and resources of the group and further improve the profitability of the stores."

 

Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode still operates a swimwear division with 59 swimwear boutiques in Quebec and Ontario under the Bikini Village and Ocean Bikini Village banners.

 

Shares of Les Ailes were unchanged at 33 cents on the TSX.

 

Headquartered in Toronto, Fairweather has stores in every Canadian province except Prince Edward Island.

[Habsfan]

6.2 million$ pour les 4 magasin des ailes de la Mode...c'est vraiment pathétique! L'art de ne pas savoir comment faire de la business! Bravo Delage, Bravo! C'est honteux!

[WestAust]

6.2 million$ pour les 4 magasin des ailes de la Mode...c'est vraiment pathétique! L'art de ne pas savoir comment faire de la business! Bravo Delage, Bravo! C'est honteux!

 

Il faut que tu te remettes dans le contexte de la vente, les Ailes ont ouvert leur magasin au centre ville, ce qui as entrainé tout le groupe san francisco vers la faillite, ils n’avaient pas la stature financiere pour passer au travers des déficits encourus par le magasin du centre ville. Ils ont commencé par vendre certaines autres divisions (west coast, san francisco, victoire delage..) pour renflouer la compagnie, réduit la taille du magasin au centre ville, accueilli de nouveaux investisseurs dans la compagnie (tous québécois ou presque) fermé le magasin les Ailes a Ottawa, cancellé celui qui était en construction au Fairview Pointe-Claire.

 

Cela n’as pas suffit, la dette de l’entreprise, le magasin au centre ville qui ne faisais toujours pas ses frais, ils ont donc du se résoudre a vendre le fleuron soit les magasins les Ailes, pour ne garder que Bikini village/San Francisco Maillots (depuis renommé Groupe Bikini Village).

 

Les ailes quant à eux, sont devenues un gros fairweather homme/femme, plus rien du magasin qui vendait du beau stock, des annonces cheap dans le journal annoncant des coton ouatés a 10$... C’est triste comme histoire, vraiment triste, et c’est ce que Simmons a reussi a éviter pour l’instant et espéront le pour l’avenir.

[LindbergMTL]

Vous souvenez-vous, il y a plusieurs années, Delage avait même parlé d'un projet de faire rouler des Taxis Les Ailes, plus luxueux, un peu à la Virgin?

[jesseps]

Time to bump. I had no idea this was on here.

 

Forever 21 is taking over Archambault spot (old news) but felt like posting it.