Top Canadian Retailers by Sales-Per-Square-Foot 
On a sales-per-square-foot basis nobody can beat Apple Inc. stores in Canada, a distinction that makes it one of the most sought-after retailers by landlords, according to a new survey. At the bottom of the list of the top 35 retailers in 2013 is Target Canada, although the now-bankrupt retailer was at a disadvantage because it was only in Canada for part of that year. Using data from Ryerson University's Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity, real estate research company CBRE Canada looked at the Top 100 retailers in Canada by gross sales for 2013 and then ranked them based on sales per square foot, establishing how effective they are in their space and how much malls owners will vie to get them to locate on their property. financialpost.com

Loblaw averts strike at 60 Ontario stores, 12,000 employees, with amended agreement  All active full-time and part-time employees on the payroll as of the date of ratification will receive a lump sum bonus of $1,500 and $750, respectively, according to the documents. All other active part-time employees on the payroll as of the date of ratification will receive a lump sum of $350. The other major change is in wage progression. Among the changes - employees will make 40 cents on year six, as compared to 30 cents in the rejected offer, the Globe reports. sartech.ca

Opening of new McArthurGlen Designer Outlet mall causes major traffic problems at Vancouver Airport - Poor Security Planning  Significant traffic problems for passengers trying to make their flights at YVR were caused by a shopping frenzy at a newly opened mall. People lined up early, waiting for the 10 a.m. opening of the new McArthurGlen Designer Outlet near the Vancouver Airport. But the crush of shoppers created such a traffic nightmare along Grant McConachie Way that people trying to get to YVR were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Security and additional barricades had to be put in place to corral the hordes of shoppers. globalnews.ca

Closure of landmark Mills department store in Halifax blamed on 'street people' by former owner/entrepreneur  The previous owner of Mills department store in Halifax says homeless people make it difficult to succeed on the "dangerous" street. "The street people down there are getting aggressive," said Mickey MacDonald, who owned the landmark store from 2007 to 2012. MacDonald, a successful entrepreneur and president of Micco Companies, said people shopping downtown risk threats and aggressive behaviour. "It used to be a place where people would go and hang out down there and used to feel safe. Now it's becoming more dangerous, especially at certain times of the day," he said. "People are getting a little bit fearful of some of the people who are down there." MacDonald, who owns several pieces of property downtown including the building that used to house Mills, wants to see more police officers downtown, and said construction is taking up prime parking spots. cbc.ca

Nine West stores caught in bankruptcy protection
One of Canada's largest shoe sellers has filed for bankruptcy protection as the slumping dollar nips at the heels of Canadian retailers. Sherson Group Inc., which owns 48 Nine West shoe stores, and holds the Canadian rights to brands such as Anne Klein, Bandolino, Easy Spirit and Enzo Angiolini, sought protection from creditors as it tries to restructure the business. theglobeandmail.com

Beer sales to hit Toronto grocery shelves by December - But wine lags behind
A report in the Toronto Star indicates that Clark's recommendations for changes to wine sales in Ontario won't be complete until November, which would mean that it's unlikely wine would get onto grocery store shelves until mid 2016 or later. Trade regulations are one of the chief obstacles delaying reform of wine sales, which means it's still unclear what exactly will happen to the existing 268 licences to sell Canadian wine outside of the LCBO. blogto.com

N.B. convenience stores call for crackdown on illegal smoke sales - claims 24% sold are illegal - want tougher penalties

Save-On-Foods to open 40 new stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan - LP Jobs!

Ashley Furniture HomeStores to open 16 locations in Ontario & Alberta

Manulife Bank to Install 830 ATMs in Canadian Stores
 

Promenades St-Bruno jewelry store heist caught on video
Five men were being sought after a robbery at a Longueuil jewelry store and security cameras recorded it all. Longueuil police said four of the men broke into the Monaco shop Wednesday night at the Promenades St Bruno shortly after closing time. They smashed display cases, took jewelry and took off in a vehicle driven by a 5th person. Two employees were attacked with pepper spray. cbc.ca

Police looking for suspect in Quebec after fatal shooting in Vaughan café
Two weeks after a double homicide at a Vaughan café, police are looking for the suspect in Quebec, saying a man clearly shown in surveillance video may have come from out of province before the unusual rush-hour killing. Police also said Moka Espresso Bar and Gelato, where the man opened fire on June 24, was home to a gambling operation. theglobeandmail.com

Stolen one-of-a-kind, $13,000 Custom-made Bike Returned to shop by Port Coquitlam RCMP  It's a one-of-a-kind, carbon-fibre road bicycle and hope was fading that it wouldn't be recovered after it disappeared in a June 17 break-in at the Cap's Westwood Cycle store in Port Coquitlam. But last weekend, the $13,000 bike that was mysteriously taken from the showroom of the store was handed back to the business by the Coquitlam RCMP. theprovince.com

Prepaid Credit Card Scams On Rise, Canadians Losing Millions
Fraudsters have found a quick, convenient, and easy-to-disguise way to swindle cash out of unsuspecting Canadians: they demand their victims pay up using prepaid credit cards. "The [financial] loss is just incredible. There's just so much of this happening," says Robert Rochefort with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. ​Sometimes scammers call saying you owe money to the tax man and if you don't pay now, you're going to jail.. Then they instruct their victims to pay via prepaid cards, a type of credit card with a set amount of funds that are purchased in stores and used for transactions like buying goods online and paying bills. Fraudsters direct victims to give them the numbered codes on the cards, giving them access and - poof - the money is gone. huffingtonpost.ca

Montrealers are Worried that the New STM Opus Card Reader can be Hacked
Montrealers are rejoicing this morning after finding out that you can buy a device which will allow you to reload your opus cards from home. It's no wonder people are happy, reloading a card can be a nightmare. No more running to the nearest station in a panic and no more waiting in seemingly endless lines. Sounds pretty good right? Or does it? Well as it turns out, you have voiced your concerns and it's worth exploring the value of this new "convenience". mtlblog.com