Winnipeg Retail

[JayM]

Originally Posted by Biff

I have seen the plans for that location in Polo Park. Give it a week.

Never heard of the company but it looks pretty nifty by the looks of the website.

[dsim249]

^ Ya it's a good store. My sister used to work at the one here. They move a lot of merchandise for such a physically small store. Pretty much the place to go for young-ish people to buy name brand sunglasses, watches, hats and belts.

[1ajs]

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Bay flagship of revitalized Zellers chain

Most city stores get facelift

By: Geoff Kirbyson
23/04/2010 1:00 AM



KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image
Zellers store in downtown Bay part of revitalized chain.


It's no longer just about saving the downtown Bay store, it's also about revitalizing the presence of its sister company.
Zellers will move into the basement of the historic Portage Avenue landmark later this year, the first time the two iconic retailers have shared the same address.


The move is part of a $15-million to $20-million renovation planned for seven Zellers stores in Winnipeg this year. Phase one calls for construction to begin on overhauls at five stores -- Polo Park Shopping Centre, Kildonan Place, Northgate Shopping Centre, Southdale Mall and Grant Park Shopping Centre -- in May.
They will all remain open during the renovations and have their grand reopenings in August. Construction downtown and at the Fort Richmond store will start in the summer with the ribbon cuttings scheduled for Nov. 4.
Mark Foote, president and CEO of Zellers Inc., said the overriding goal is to make the stores easier to shop at for consumers. That means considerably wider aisles, a streamlining of items on the shelves, a more prominent placement for pharmacy and a renewed focus on departments for mothers and children, toys, bed and bath and kitchens.
Chief among changes will be the introduction of a "full-convenience food market," which will feature fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, breads, meats and dry goods such as cereals, cookies and granola bars. There will be a significant candy department in each store, too.
Not every location is being renovated, however. Its Henderson Highway store in the River East Plaza, even though it was profitable, will close next January.
"It's a lease termination. The site is being redeveloped by the landlord. It was quite a good store for us," he said, noting the 80 employees will not be laid off and will instead be redeployed at other stores in the city.
With its high ceilings, large floor plate and less-than-optimal value of merchandise per square foot of retail space, the Bay isn't done looking for tenants. Company officials have said for several years it would prefer to move all of its goods into the lower couple of floors while leasing out the top four.
"It's an incredibly historic building for us. It's important that we put our best foot forward," Foote said.
Sandy Shindleman, president and CEO of real estate developer Shindico Inc., which has been tasked with filling the space with other retailers, said it's "great news" Zellers is moving into the basement. Not only will downtown residents continue to have access to food and pharmacy, staples of the basement space for many years, but its arrival will also kick off a much-needed renovation to the building.
"We're at a stage now where we have suspects identified to use a couple of floors and we need to find tenants for a couple of more. Pricing is being pursued now. Hopefully, we'll be able to come up with the financial (situation) required for everyone to succeed and see new tenants go into the Bay," he said.
The 67,000-square-foot basement is about 13,000 square feet smaller than a small Zellers store. It also has fewer access points, which Foote said will be partially alleviated by the installation of another escalator.
He said he doesn't believe either store will cannibalize the business of the other as they don't share price points or many products on the shelves.
"Zellers focuses on high-frequency goods at a relatively low price. That's not an area the Bay intends to focus on," he said.
geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

[RTD]

^ So does this mean that we will FINALLY see renovations to the floors that The Bay currently occupies, thereby sprucing up the store by making it more appealing for shoppers and thwarting the relocation of the store altogether????

[RTD]

Apparently, they are in the process of hiring for the new Winnipeg store, another good sign of the retail sector in the city:

http://ca.indeed.com/job/Store-Manag...1f2157edfb5190

http://www.workopolis.com/EN/job/11367676

[RTD]

No H&M store in Winnipeg until 'perfect location' found
By: Martin Cash

H&M is not building a store in Polo Park after all.A few months ago we raised the spirits of many Winnipeggers with a report that, at the time, seemed all but certain that the Swedish fashion retailer was opening its first store in Winnipeg.

But alas, it is not true... yet.

Emily Scarlett, a spokeswoman for H&M in Canada, said she'd heard all the rumours -- at least partially coming from the fact the company was advertising for positions in Winnipeg on its website -- but said the company has still has not found the right location.

"Winnipeg is at the top of our wish list," she said. "But especially when it is the first store in a city we want to be patient and find the perfect location."

The company no longer has Winnipeg positions posted and Scarlett said it had previously been testing the water to see what kind of interest and staffing availability there might be if and when they do open a store.

The rumour mill was churning also because of the reconfiguration of the space at the eastern end of the mall where the Safeway store used to be. About five other stores contiguous to the former Safeway location have been relocated and major demolition work is just about complete on the 40,000 square feet of space that is now empty.

"We never did have a lease with H&M and we do not have any tenants lined up yet for the space," said Deborah Green, Polo Park's manager.

H&M typically builds 18,000-square-foot stores.

Scarlett said the company believes there is "great interest" in Winnipeg for an H&M store, both in terms of potential employees and customers.

But she said they are still looking for the "perfect location" for first-time stores in Winnipeg and Ottawa.

H&M is famous for its huge selection with women's, men's, teens' and children's lines refreshed daily with new items and low prices.

There are close to 1,800 H&M stores in 34 countries, including 51 stores in Canada -- but none between southern Ontario and Alberta.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 10, 2010 B7




http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...-83998097.html

[waffler]

theyre opening a pizza hotline/cafe 22 at the corner of hargrave and broadway where the creol restaraunt is looks pretty snazzy inside i must say

[1ajs]

a what now?

[ihatesquirrels]

^You know, "two two two twenty two twenty two..."

Go on a Monday and $6.99 buys you a pretty decent pie.

[JustinL]

Originally Posted by waffler

theyre opening a pizza hotline/cafe 22 at the corner of hargrave and broadway where the creol restaraunt is looks pretty snazzy inside i must say

MMM just down the street. I'll admit, their whole wheat thin crust pizza isn't half bad. I'll go check it out on a walk tomorrow, but any word on an opening date?

Edit: looks pretty good. They've got a notice that they've applied for a liquor license for indoor and outdoor serving of alcohol. Patio?

[cslusarc]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

....Not every location is being renovated, however. Its Henderson Highway store in the River East Plaza, even though it was profitable, will close next January. "It's a lease termination. The site is being redeveloped by the landlord. It was quite a good store for us," he said, noting the 80 employees will not be laid off and will instead be redeployed at other stores in the city....

....The 67,000-square-foot basement is about 13,000 square feet smaller than a small Zellers store.....

1. I wonder how River East Plaza will be redeveloped? Canada Safeway has always wanted its store to face Chief Peguis Trail.

2. The Zellers in the Bay's basement is a good thing. Too Bad they couldn't try a new store concept and have Zellers and The Bay merchandise scattered thought the store by department.

[Jeff]

cafe 22 is exactly what broadway needs!

the one on provencher is nice, but i will most certainly go to this new location a lot more.

broadway should be complete residential focus! no more offices/parking should be allowed at all.. only more high-density condo/residential.

ie: the empty lot across from the fort garry hotel @ the keg = a 20-storey condo!

ie: the lot at edmonton beside the subway = mixed use 20+ storey condo!

this city needs it but wiould it will sell?

[pegcity]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

2. The Zellers in the Bay's basement is a good thing. Too Bad they couldn't try a new store concept and have Zellers and The Bay merchandise scattered thought the store by department.

I was thinking that too, they could call it Bellers, or the Zay.

[RAFS]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

1. I wonder how River East Plaza will be redeveloped? Canada Safeway has always wanted its store to face Chief Peguis Trail.

I heard, from another business in that area, that the Zellers is to become a Giant Tiger. I cannot vouch for the source, so please take this information with a huge grain of salt.

[Biff]

^^^ The whole existing dumpy building will be torn down and Safeway will build a stand alone store just like the new Madison Square store. There will be a couple of other stand alone buildings on site but no Zellers.

[RTD]

Originally Posted by RAFS

I heard, from another business in that area, that the Zellers is to become a Giant Tiger. I cannot vouch for the source, so please take this information with a huge grain of salt.

Good Lord, I hope not. There are enough bargain bin stores in this town.

[cslusarc]

Originally Posted by Biff

^^^ The whole existing dumpy building will be torn down and Safeway will build a stand alone store just like the new Madison Square store. There will be a couple of other stand alone buildings on site but no Zellers.

What River East Plaza really needs is some medium density mixed-use development. How about a residential High Rise tower above the new Stand Alone Safeway Store?

[The Jabroni]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

What River East Plaza really needs is some medium density mixed-use development. How about a residential High Rise tower above the new Stand Alone Safeway Store?

That's going to be difficult, since CPT is going to be built adjacent to the location, and then you have a CIBC and other strip malls across from River East Plaza. Then you have the other apartment complexes across Donwood, and the highrises all around.

It may be possible, but it will require a lot of careful planning with that idea in mind.

[flatlander]

Cake-ology has opened up in the exchange district, on arthur in the Mariaggi Hotel building. Looks tasty!

www.cake-ology.ca/

[newflyer]

I have heard that there has now been an expression of interest of around 1.5 million square feet of space for the Elms development, which is double the amount of space available. Looking very promising consider the remaining weak state of the global economy.

With the constrcution timing issue now put aside Creswin is now working to complete various lease transactions. I am really looking forward to seeing this development deliver many new retailers to our city.