In full transparency, the following is a press release
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NATICK – Showcase, recognized as “Home of the Hottest Trends,” and just named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the second consecutive year, today announced major expansion plans in the United States.
By the end of Summer 2022, the Canadian specialty retailer will have grown its brick and mortar store count to 146 – opening a record 27 trend stores in 12 states, the largest and fastest single expansion in the company’s 28-year history.
One of those new stores will be here in MetroWest at the Natick Mall.
The privately held company operates 109 Canadian trend stores in top tier malls from coast to coast and established a retail footprint in the US Northeast in 2019 opening 10 locations.
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Currently, 27 strategically located trend stores are under construction in top malls in the US Northeast: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, US Southeast: Maryland and Virginia, and the Midwest: Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, all supported by a brand new 147,000 sq. ft New York distribution centre. Additional trend store openings in 2022 will be announced in the upcoming months.
Founded in Edmonton, AB in 1994, Showcase is an award-winning retailer, product developer and marketer, specializing in new and hard-to-find consumer trends in health, beauty, home, toys, novelty candy and food. Showcase trend stores are designed to be fun, interactive, and demo-friendly environments. Customers are encouraged to “try it before you buy it” with the majority of products open and on display.
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As a data-driven, rapid retail company, Showcase’s proprietary trendspotting technology uses sophisticated techniques, powered by algorithms and AI, to understand and identify trending products. The company’s agility allows them to be first and fastest to market: on average, each trend goes from concept to shelf in 53 days, with some of the top 10 items launching in as little as 16 days.
Examples of hot viral products Showcase has introduced quickly include Dalgona Cookies inspired by Netflix’s hit Squid Game, and Hot Chocolate Bombs which dominated holiday season sales in 2020.
Current top trends at Showcase include Squishmallows, TikTok-inspired candy and beverages, trading cards, Funko pops, food-themed novelty candles, and vegan beauty products. Showcase will continue to focus on its extensive private label offerings, with exclusive in-house brands representing 70 per cent of sales.
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“Now that Showcase has saturated the Canadian market, occupying space in 93 per cent of the country’s malls, we believe there is tremendous growth potential for our unique business model in an untapped US market,” said Samir Kulkarni, CEO, Showcase. “Millions of American consumers are in for an amazing surprise when they are introduced to the Showcase brand, and discover our stores are filled with the hottest and trendiest items they won’t find anywhere else,” he added.
Showcase has invested heavily in a robust omnichannel strategy that will continue to deliver a seamless experience for customers to make shopping instant, relevant, and accessible. The company has introduced live online shopping events every 48 hours; same-day delivery service with DoorDash; mobile-first video advertising; and targeted personalized email campaigns to its two million+ loyalty Insider members.
Showcase carries all the latest TikTok-inspired trends that can’t be found elsewhere. The hashtag #ShowcaseMadeMeBuyIt currently has over 64 million views on TikTok, and Showcase is one of the most popular Canadian retailers on TikTok with 205,000 followers and growing. Other signature elements of the Showcase shopping experience include knowledgeable staff, time-sensitive promotions, flash discounts and product demos.
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“We have a long record of success, creativity and innovation in Canada, and we intend to build on this foundation in the US, integrating our physical and digital channels, growing our market share, and increasing member loyalty to solidify our position,” said Mr. Kulkarni.
Showcase was a winner of Canada’s Best Managed Companies Program in 2021 and requalified in 2022 to maintain their status as a Best Managed company. Showcase was recognized for overall business performance and sustained growth with the prestigious Canada’s Best Managed Companies designation. The 2022 Best Managed winners are amongst the best-in-class of Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues over $50 million demonstrating leadership in the areas of strategy, capabilities and innovation, culture and commitment, and financials to achieve sustainable growth.
*SHOWCASE US STORE LOCATIONS: OPENING SUMMER 2022
Westfarms, Hartford, CT
Woodfield Mall, Chicago, IL
Burlington Mall, Burlington, MA
Holyoke Mall, Holyoke, MA
Natick Mall, Natick, MA
Northshore Mall, Peabody, MA
South Shore Place, Braintree, MA
Arundel Mills, Hanover, MD
Mall in Columbia, Columbia, MD
Towson Town Center, Towson, MD
Great Lakes Crossing, Auburn Hills, MI
Twelve Oaks, Novi, MI
Mall of New Hampshire, Manchester, NH
Mall at Rockingham Park, Salem, NH
Pheasant Lane Mall, Nashua, NH
Paramus Park, Paramus, NJ
Rockaway Townsquare Mall, Rockaway, NJ
Willowbrook Mall, Wayne, NJ
Eastview Mall, Rochester, NY
Palisades Center, West Nyack, NY
Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove, NY
Walt Whitman, Huntington Station, NY
Beachwood Place, Beachwood, OH
Park City Center, Lancaster, PA
South Hills Village, Pittsburgh, PA
Providence Place, Providence, RI
Fair Oaks, Fairfax, VA
MetroWest Medical Center