Asides

Bell to renovate The Source stores from “pocket-protector” to “tech savvy”

Bell recently got the official go ahead to take over all 750 locations of The Source. Once the current contract with Rogers expires on December 31th, 2009 Bell stated they’ll start selling Virgin Mobile devices in January 2010.

AR Communications analyst Carmi Levy said The Source  is “still very much perceived as the store of the pocket-protector wearing set… It has to be seen as the store that any teenager wouldn’t be mortified to go into”. This brand image and a combined purchase of $277 million ($142 million for Virgin and $135 million for The Source) has led Bell to start planning a complete redesign to reach a younger audience.

Wade Oosterman, president of Bell Mobility said “The idea is to make it super convenient for people to actually buy those products and services. The Source has products already today that create traffic from youth and The Source will give additional reasons for youth to come and visit coming January 2010. Virgin has a particularly fine focus on youth. This is an environment that is a comfortable environment for tech savvy clients.”

[Source]