[St. John's] Retail Thread

[wmemeadusjr]

It would be nice to see Lowe's set up shop there for sure. I'm sure there will be a grocery store as well....most likely Coleman's, as both Sobey's and Dominion are nearby. Besides, Coleman's were planning a Southland's location a couple of years back. It would be nice to see Whole Foods Market come here. They are slowly expanding their Canadian presence, however, I don't think that expansion has even made it to Atlantic Canada yet, so I doubt it.

[wmemeadusjr]

I think Galway would have been the ideal spot for another Target store, and the rumour was even the case awhile back. Unfortunately, I don't believe Target is doing well enough to warrant another store right now. It's even rumoured that they may reduce their presence in Canada or even pull out completely. They've been plagued with problems at all their stores from day one....all self inflicted in my opinion.

[Horsell]

Some very good speculation..I think you guys have the place pretty much full now! Let's see what happens.

[Arrakis]

WOW. I thought they would give Target a bit more of a chance. They are pulling out of Canada after only one year.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/targe...sion-1.2189973

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

WOW. I thought they would give Target a bit more of a chance. They are pulling out of Canada after only one year.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/targe...sion-1.2189973

Too bad, I actually liked going to Target.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by wmemeadusjr

I don't believe Target is doing well enough to warrant another store right now. It's even rumoured that they may reduce their presence in Canada or even pull out completely. They've been plagued with problems at all their stores from day one....all self inflicted in my opinion.

Wow! Are you an oracle or something? A tarot card reader at least.

I agree, definitely self-inflicted. It seems like executives got together and said, "Let's sell products similar to those at Walmart but for a little more and make sure the shelves are never stocked". What a great business model!

The strange thing is that Target stores in the US are awesome, I don't understand why they decided to set up a 'slightly' better Zellers in Canada. I had high hopes for Target, but a year later and stock issues (i.e. empty shelves), something had to give.

I have a funny feeling about Best Buy as well. The company has not been doing very well in the past couple years and have closed multiple locations in North America. It's been here for a couple years now and the place still has empty shelves.... what gives??? I hope they prove me wrong.

[J_Murphy]

A local business manager calls it a terrible loss, but says he is not at all surprised by Target's announcement that it is pulling out of Canada.


Terry Hussey is the CEO of Vigilant Management and is a per course instructor at MUN's business school. He says the US company has been haemorrhaging red ink since opening over 120 stores across the country less than 2 years ago.

He says in their latest quarter they posted a $200 million dollar loss, and have lost $2 billion since coming to Canada.

Hussey says he is impressed with the company's 'progressive' severance, but says it will be tough for their 17 thousand employees to find work at this time of year.


He says staff are being offered 16 weeks severance pay, and it's too bad that a company with those kind of values can't get more support here.



He calls it a tremendous loss for Canada.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?...52062&latest=1

[statbass]

VOCM
Jan 21, 2015

The retail exodus in Canada isn't limited to Target.

Last week Target Canada announced it was shutting down all 133 locations and leaving the country after less than two years. While many speculated on the missteps the company may have taken, the economic slump isn't limited to one chain. VOCM's Andrew Hawthorn Reports.

Last week Sony also announced it was closing all of its Canadian stores, while clothing retailers Mexx and Smart Set said they would be closing their doors as well.

All this following on an announcement in August that the Bombay Company and locally founded Bowring & Co. were filing for bankruptcy protection.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?...52158&latest=1

[Horsell]

I didn’t realize that Bombay Co. and Bowring were looking for bankruptcy protection, if they shut down that means a couple of more empty store fronts in the Stavanger Dr. area. Add to that the incomplete strip where Golf Town is and it doesn’t bode well for retail in that area. What does all this mean for Glencrest? That could throw a spanner in the works.

For a population of our size, even if the drawing area is 250,000 to 300,000, can we really support that much retail spread over multiple sites (Stavanger, Kelsey, Mt. Pearl and Glencrest). It would be sad if this signals a shakedown in the industry, I have been to places in recent years (Florida for one) where the sight of empty strip malls and even a full enclosed mall paint a depressing sight.

[Malreynolds]

Originally Posted by statbass

VOCM
Jan 21, 2015



http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?...52158&latest=1

Sony as a company is pretty much f***ed lately anyway

[Arrakis]

Bon Bay Co. and Bowring have been struggling to stay afloat for years. I think they plan on staying open as they go through bankruptcy protection. Time will tell if they will survive it. Not optimistic here. I do feel this is a normal thing with big box parks like this anyway. All companies go through adapting to changing retail markets. Best Buy/Futureshop is struggling now too. No one is buying DVD's, CD's, cameras, desktop computers anymore and pretty much everybody now has their big screen tv so that market is slowing down big time too. If you don't adapt your company to changing times, you are gonna be left in the dust. Some companies will no doubt perish as a result of the changing times too.

Originally Posted by Horsell

I didn’t realize that Bombay Co. and Bowring were looking for bankruptcy protection, if they shut down that means a couple of more empty store fronts in the Stavanger Dr. area. Add to that the incomplete strip where Golf Town is and it doesn’t bode well for retail in that area. What does all this mean for Glencrest? That could throw a spanner in the works.

For a population of our size, even if the drawing area is 250,000 to 300,000, can we really support that much retail spread over multiple sites (Stavanger, Kelsey, Mt. Pearl and Glencrest). It would be sad if this signals a shakedown in the industry, I have been to places in recent years (Florida for one) where the sight of empty strip malls and even a full enclosed mall paint a depressing sight.

[Trevor3]

Originally Posted by Horsell

I didn’t realize that Bombay Co. and Bowring were looking for bankruptcy protection, if they shut down that means a couple of more empty store fronts in the Stavanger Dr. area. Add to that the incomplete strip where Golf Town is and it doesn’t bode well for retail in that area. What does all this mean for Glencrest? That could throw a spanner in the works.

For a population of our size, even if the drawing area is 250,000 to 300,000, can we really support that much retail spread over multiple sites (Stavanger, Kelsey, Mt. Pearl and Glencrest). It would be sad if this signals a shakedown in the industry, I have been to places in recent years (Florida for one) where the sight of empty strip malls and even a full enclosed mall paint a depressing sight.

What I find about shopping/retail in St. John's, is that these big box developments don't try to attract new retailers to the scene. They seem to focus on existing retailers trying to stimulate business by making access more convenient. Kelsey Drive seems to be the epitome of this, there is nothing there that is really unique to the site. Sobey's, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Boston Pizza, EB Games, Dollarama, etc...

There needs to be a key retailer that is unique to keep drawing people back to that particular location. On Stavangar, that is Costco. That Walmart probably draws on the widest population base in the city because everybody goes up there for Costco and "hey, may as well go to Wally World while I'm here and get that overwith". Without a unique draw I think there are a few of these developments that are going to fade out, and I think Kelsey Drive is the most vulnerable. Glencrest, if it does go ahead, will likely be easier to reach from Mount Pearl and is somewhat better located in the suburbs (ie: won't need to deal with Kenmount road to get there). Unless you live in Kenmount Terrace, there wouldn't really be a need to go to Kelsey Drive. Ever.

I have a somewhat irrational hatred for Kelsey Drive - as you may have noticed. It might be my least favourite place on earth.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Trevor3

What I find about shopping/retail in St. John's, is that these big box developments don't try to attract new retailers to the scene. They seem to focus on existing retailers trying to stimulate business by making access more convenient. Kelsey Drive seems to be the epitome of this, there is nothing there that is really unique to the site. Sobey's, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Boston Pizza, EB Games, Dollarama, etc...

There needs to be a key retailer that is unique to keep drawing people back to that particular location. On Stavangar, that is Costco. That Walmart probably draws on the widest population base in the city because everybody goes up there for Costco and "hey, may as well go to Wally World while I'm here and get that overwith". Without a unique draw I think there are a few of these developments that are going to fade out, and I think Kelsey Drive is the most vulnerable. Glencrest, if it does go ahead, will likely be easier to reach from Mount Pearl and is somewhat better located in the suburbs (ie: won't need to deal with Kenmount road to get there). Unless you live in Kenmount Terrace, there wouldn't really be a need to go to Kelsey Drive. Ever.

I have a somewhat irrational hatred for Kelsey Drive - as you may have noticed. It might be my least favourite place on earth.

The only unique thing to Kelsey would be Home Depot. Although not that unique because it is just another hardware/home renovation store, but it is the only Home Depot in NL. Personally, I like home depot over any of their competitors so I find myself on Kelsey a bit more often. I share your hatred for this area....but not as much as Stavanger. Costco is more of a deterent than an attraction for me. I don't shop there because being only 2 of us living together, I don't need to buy in bulk (plus the crowds drive me absolutely crazy).

[Arrakis]

If Glencrest big box area goes ahead you can be sure there will probably be a Home Depot there. There's already a Kent and Rona in the Mt Pearl and Paradise area.

I tend to stay away from Stavanger Drive more than Kelsey but not by much. I can't stand the bottleneck of Costco and Stavanger Drive and Kelsey Drive. Merchant Drive in Mount Pearl can be pretty backed up too at times, especially if you want to exit out onto Ruth Ave.

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

The only unique thing to Kelsey would be Home Depot. Although not that unique because it is just another hardware/home renovation store, but it is the only Home Depot in NL. Personally, I like home depot over any of their competitors so I find myself on Kelsey a bit more often. I share your hatred for this area....but not as much as Stavanger. Costco is more of a deterent than an attraction for me. I don't shop there because being only 2 of us living together, I don't need to buy in bulk (plus the crowds drive me absolutely crazy).

[rthomasd]

If they could only get the TGH extension finished, the west end of the city would have an easier access to Kelsey Drive and so reduce some of the traffic-induced reluctance to visit that area. It's easier for Cowan Height residents to go to the CTire/Marks/ WalMart/Kent in Mt. Pearl than to go to those on Kelsey.
BTW - work continues on Blackmarsh Rd to site-prep for the underpass with TGH, so work hasn't completely stopped for the winter.

[wmemeadusjr]

I just heard another rumour. I heard that Walmart will convert 3 of the 4 Metro St. John's area stores to Supercentres this year. I don't know if this means building on or just rearranging the existing layout. There is definitely expansion room at Kelsey, Aberdeen and Merchant. Of course, we all know that Topsail Road is the store that won't be converted.

[Arrakis]

That won't be good for the Loblaws and Sobeys if its true. I don't believe any rumours though until I get some kind of confirmation from Walmart itself. Three of the Walmart stores just spent a good deal of time updating their stores here (if you can call it that). Will they do it all again converting them to super centres?
Not a whole lot of land to build onto at the Walmart on Aberdeen unless they go down over that embankment towards the golf course. Pretty big drop there and fairly close to the existing building. Stavanger Drive is fairly close to it on th other side too. Probably easier if they just build a new building.

Originally Posted by wmemeadusjr

I just heard another rumour. I heard that Walmart will convert 3 of the 4 Metro St. John's area stores to Supercentres this year. I don't know if this means building on or just rearranging the existing layout. There is definitely expansion room at Kelsey, Aberdeen and Merchant. Of course, we all know that Topsail Road is the store that won't be converted.

[PoscStudent]

There's been rumours about building a super centre for severals years. Supposedly there's not enough space on Aberdeen for an extension. I had heard someone say several years ago that Canadian Tire would go in that location and Walmart would go elsewhere, but that's obviously not the plan now.

[Malreynolds]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

That won't be good for the Loblaws and Sobeys if its true. I don't believe any rumours though until I get some kind of confirmation from Walmart itself. Three of the Walmart stores just spent a good deal of time updating their stores here (if you can call it that). Will they do it all again converting them to super centres?
Not a whole lot of land to build onto at the Walmart on Aberdeen unless they go down over that embankment towards the golf course. Pretty big drop there and fairly close to the existing building. Stavanger Drive is fairly close to it on th other side too. Probably easier if they just build a new building.

I know its coming as a walmart empoyee but not when its actually coming

[wmemeadusjr]

The soon to be empty Target building on Stavanger Drive, in my opinion, would be a great location for IKEA. Sandwiched right in between Costco and Kent, it would certainly be an ideal spot.