Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 34

MYSTORE INDIE PROFILE

"Retailers need to have a really clear
picture of why they want to move into
another distribution channel, and have
a really clear idea of how they want to
pursue that distribution channel."
- AARON SLADE
Snakes and Lattes
The Toronto location had evolved from a coffeehouse with board games into a local board
game retailer that operates a board game café
with alcohol service. They couldn't reproduce
their business online because-right now, at
least-you can't rent tables and board games to
people or sell drinks online.
So when the coffeehouse decided to go online, they chose to treat it as an entirely separate business-no coffeehouse ambiance, no
local retailing, just board games.
Aaron Slade, Business Development Manager at Snakes and Lattes, says the decision to
halve the business-the coffeehouse as one half
of the business, the online store as the other-

34 |

canadian retailer | spring 2014 | www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer

plays to the strengths of each distribution channel as much as it works with the limitations.
"They are different channels, they are completely different business propositions," says Slade.
He says that retailers considering a move online need to dispense with the idea of replicating their physical business in a virtual space.
Customer interactions are divergent, marketing requires more work and a different skillset,
and the business goals are different.
"Retailers need to have a really clear picture of
why they want to move into another distribution
channel, and have an idea of how they want to
pursue that distribution channel," says Slade.
The success Snakes and Lattes has had with its
online store germinated in the coffeehouse. The
games that customers play in the coffeehouse
and buy at the coffeehouse's retail boutique are
the games that sell well online. The coffeehouse
is like a place for market research before the
store pushes the games hard online.
The coffeehouse is expanding. The business
recently opened Snakes and Lagers, a licensed
café down the road from its first location,
which will reopen after renovations with a full
bar and seating for 150 people.


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Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014

Publisher’s Desk
Retail Currents
Retail: At Issue
Understanding the Channels
Reversal of Flow
Omnichannel Retail—Everywhere All the Time
At Home Online
A Space to Grow
Blocking and Tackling With a Canadian Marketing Legend
Advertiser's Index
Retail Quick Tips
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - cover1
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - cover2
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 3
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Publisher’s Desk
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 5
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 6
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 7
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Retail Currents
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 9
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 10
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 11
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Retail: At Issue
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 13
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Understanding the Channels
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 15
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Reversal of Flow
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 17
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 18
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 19
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 20
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 21
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Omnichannel Retail—Everywhere All the Time
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 23
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 24
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 25
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 26
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - At Home Online
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 28
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 29
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 30
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 31
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - A Space to Grow
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 33
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 34
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 35
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Blocking and Tackling With a Canadian Marketing Legend
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 37
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 38
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 39
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 40
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 41
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 42
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 43
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 44
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 45
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 46
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 47
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 48
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Advertiser's Index
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - Retail Quick Tips
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - cover3
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - cover4
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - outsert1
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - outsert2
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 51
Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 52
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