Returning CEO Heather Reisman wants Indigo to be your ‘happy place’
globalnews.caStrolling between rows of books and a seemingly endless array of other wares at Indigo Books and Music Inc.’s newest store in Toronto’s The Well building on Thursday, Heather Reisman is in her element.
She admires art from local customers that hangs atop the store’s stationery section, toggles a jukebox to play Bette Midler’s 1990 hit “From a Distance” and fantasizes about dedicating space in the kids’ section for arts and crafts.
“We’re going to get a big tarp and put it over this,” she said, motioning staff toward a giant wood table during a media tour the day before the location is set to open.
“So kids can paint and do stuff on here. That’s what I do at home.”
Having operated 171 stores in her company’s 27 years in business, the jaunt around the Well location may seem unremarkable but for Reisman, it’s the first stage of a comeback — for herself and her beloved empire.
It wasn’t long ago that Reisman gave up control of the Toronto-based bookstore she started in 1996, which she expanded into a lifestyle retailer where you can buy sex toys, wooden bed frames, cast iron dutch ovens and collagen powder.
Reisman had served as chief executive of Indigo until last year, when Peter Ruis, a retail executive with experience at John Lewis, Anthropologie and Jigsaw, took over. Reisman left the business’s board in August, calling the move to retire “one of the toughest decisions a founder must make.”
Her departure followed a February cyberattack that downed Indigo’s website and hampered sales for weeks.
Four of Indigo’s 10 directors later left the board, with Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa attributing her resignation to a “loss of confidence in board leadership” and “mistreatment.” Indigo never elaborated on Oriuwa’s allegations.
The
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