General Retail News
 

**Please use this thread to discuss retail/commercial storefront topics.

[Note: Feel free to change/move this thread however the locals desire.]

So I was browsing Toronto-based Carbon Computing's website and I noticed a new location opening up. I thought I'd post the news here to let you all know: http://www.carbonation.com/contact/index.html

Ottawa: 1065 Wellington Street West. Judging by Google Maps, there appears to be somewhat of an urban strip there.

http://www.carbonation.com/promos/ott-head.gif

http://www.carbonation.com/contact/i...ct_banner2.gif

http://www.carbonation.com/contact/images/webmap.gif

Hmm, how are things in that part of Hintonburg? I know it's becoming more and more attractive, but I understand this was mostly west of Parkdale. In any case, I suppose an Apple retailer makes sense in that neighbourhood.

"We've got Ontario Covered" eh? They don't even show the whole province!

... and their Ottawa store appears to be in Québec!

what stores would you like to see in Ottawa ??

here's my list:

Apple store
Abercrombie and Fitch
Hollister clothing
Pottery Barn
William Sonoma
Bang and Olufson
Armani Exchange
Simon's

I;m sure there are more but that's all I can think of for now !

Eaton's...

If only!

Um, dude?

There used to be Eaton's in Ottawa, but since Eaton's was supplanted/bought by Sears, Sears has taken over.

In fact, if you use Live Search and zoom in on the Rideau Centre in Ottawa and scan the roof of the part near the Transitway/MacKenzie King Bridge, you can see the old EATON letters laying down on the roof. :haha:

Good call on that one, that's awesome!

I'll add to the list:
Louis Vuitton
Sephora
BCBG Max Azria
Restoration Hardware
Mandarina Duck
H&M
Cabela's

Well you already have one of your wishes... there's a BCBG Max Azaria that just opened at the Rideau centre.

good call on the others... I still can't believe that we don't have an H&M yet

OK. then put Bebe in the list where BCBG was. ;)

I'll add my list:

T&T
Whole Foods
Tourneau
Tiffany & Co
Zara
Lucky Brand Jeans
REI
Sam's Club

Does REI have any stores outside of the US? Also, I think every community would do better without Sam's Club.

Nope, but I didn't know that was a criteria for the wishlist.

I think an expansion of Sam's Club into Ottawa would see Costco build more a few more stores locally. That's why I want it, not because I think I'll be doing much, if any, shopping there.

Since Costco is destroying Sam's Club, I don't think Sam's Club is going to do much to local communities.

It wasn't so much that it's a criteria, I was just curious about whether REI has moved out of the US or not, since if they had, it would make it a more likely possibility.

REI is a co-op just like MEC. I don't think they would be able to operate out of the US. I think REI and MEC have some common connections and exchange ideas.

One American company I wish would make forays in to Canada is Target. It's slightly upscale from Walmart and Zellers and I think it's a niche that is somewhat unfilled at the moment in Ottawa.

When I was in the States not too long ago and based on visits before that, I don't really get the sense of Target. Yes, it is a bit more upscale than Wal-Mart, but not by any significant margin. I guess I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

I wish Target would just buy and fix Zellers. How hard is it to keep the store neat and tidy with the shelves full and price tags for everything when the stores are always dead?

The SuperTargets in the US have some really good upscale private label food products. Meanwhile Zellers has nothing unique to their stores that I'd want to buy.

Simon's for shopping
Apple store if only for the breathtaking storefronts they have done in other cities.

well 2 more stores from the lists mentioned above have been announced by the Rideau Centre as coming soon:

Lucky brand jeans: July 2008
Sephora: September 2008

also annouced are nike store: July 2008 and Coach: August 2008

I wonder where these stores will go... who is leaving to make room for them ?

if anyone has recent pics of the new 'urban' Canadian Tire at Carling and Clyde, I'd love to see them :)

Canadian Tire also placedll-page ads in the Citizen saying, "We're doing this to serve you better - we want you to enjoy the wider array of exciting products we have in store for you and we need a bigger store to do this."

To which we should respond with another full-page ad in the Citizen saying, "Go fuck yourself Canadian Tire, we don't want floor-to-ceiling bug juice and monster barbecues, we want our goddamn neighbourhood hardware store back".

Fuck those bastards. Another regressive company that doesn't get it, and sticks it to the neighbourhood in the process. Last time I darken their doorframes.

I really think that Home Hardware does a good job fitting in as the neighbourhood hardware store. They should do more of that and try to move into all the little areas that places like CT and Home Depot wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. With a bit of clever stocking and not bothering to 90% of the crap that CT carries, I think they could do very well. Why drive to South Keys or Coventry Road when I can get what I want around the corner from my place and support a local (and Canadian) business in the process? Though I do understand why Canadian Tire left Westboro, property managers are slowly removing everything but Starbucks and Lulu Lemon from their neighbourhood with ridiculous rents. Trendy areas in Ottawa like this get screwed. In places like Toronto or Montreal the small business moves to the less-trendy two streets down, but NIMBY's and residential-only zoning make that virtually impossible in New Edinburgh, Westboro, The Glebe, etc. Just a growing pain, we'll figure it out someday.

We will figure it out someday, but in the meantime what breaks my loyalty to this type of retailer is that arrogant, paternalistic attitude that "we know what you want" and "we know what's best for you".

No you don't. You're getting hammered by the american big boxes, and you're trying to compete on their turf. You may well end up getting hammered even worse that way, when in fact you could be thriving by doing exactly the opposite to what the american big boxes are doing. So, you see, I know what's good for you, you dumb retailer. And I'm your customer (or make that, "was" your customer).

I only have to look to another Canadian company that has figured it out, Rona, to confirm that my hunch is right. In Montreal, Rona has specific formats for urban neighbourhoods called Rona L'Express. It's their version of Home Hardware, except they actually make a specific effort to seek out, and open, new locations. If you need something big that your corner hardware doesn't carry, hey, they're connected to the big box on the autouroute, they'll bring it in for you. How's tomorrow? That's great, Mr. Mille Sabords, I'll see you then. Enjoy the evening on the avenue.

Take a hint, Canadian Tire. You've lost friends.

I find that Canadian Tire still has pretty good stuff in terms of Christmas and Birthday gifts, but the rule of thumb in my family is that for hardware related items, you go to Rona or better yet, Home Hardware. I have many a memory as a child of being sent to the Home Hardware in the Glebe for various tools or supplies.

I think Ken Gray should join our forum. He has all kinds of interesting things to say.

Meh, it's funny how people wax sentimental once a place is gone. The truth is that Canadian Tire on Richmond was a crappy place and not that well integrated into the neighbourhood. It was uglier than a strip mall and the sight of cars waiting for repair lined up in the side street is something I won't miss. For all the whining going on about how convenient it was, I noticed that most people in Westboro still drove to that store even though it was walking distance for most people. I used to bike to that store and most of the time I'd see one other bike on the rack, if any.

I'd rather see a condo in that location as well as the gas bar beside, with real street level retail, similar to what's being built along the rest of Richmond/West Wellington.

Here here Kitchissippi. The Cantire is gone because the land underneath is worth too much. And why a gas station when there is one just one block down the road? This is another small step in the conversion of Wellington/Richmond from the highway west out of town to a great retail strip. The gas station had to go, just like the old shell station - neither could compete with island park esso. I look forward to seeing what this stretch of road will look like in 10-20 years - there's this site, the lots at island park and wellington, and eventually the nuns will give up on their building and that unsightly wall will come down. A conversion to art gallery or restaurant could integrate that heritage building into the streetscape quite nicely. Let's just hope the oncoming recession isn't too rough on things around here...

That's fantastic news about Sephora opening in Rideau in June 2008. Now if only H&M would get their act together and open an Ottawa location I will no longer need to frivolously cash in aeroplane points so my better half can fly to Toronto to shop at those two stores.

Now that H&M has made a splash entering the Montreal market, and will be making an even bigger dent with the opening of their grand Peel and Ste-Catherines location later this year, one has to optimistically think that it's only a matter of time before they set up shop in O-town.

I was just saying to someone they other day that I think H&M would be a perfect flagship store for the expansion of Rideau Centre. With that neighbourhood growing so much one has to think that the proposal (or a similar one) will be re-submitted. It would be great to have stores like that fronting onto Rideau. Would get the ball rolling for similar retail developments further down the street (to replace one or two of the 10 tatoo parlours).

Since the grocery store at Bayshore has (not unexpectedly) shut it's doors, that's a good size spot for an H&M location to move into.

Moving this thread on to another retail topic... There are quite a few condos on the North-Western corner of centertown around Bronson and Laurier, and there is the whole development of Lebreton flats going on, but there isn't a grocery store, that I know of, for a pretty significant distance. Anyone know what the planned retail is in that area? I've pretty much written off any desire to look into anything in the area because of the long distances for basic needs.

Ottawade,

Nope, nary a grocery store in Lebreton and nor was land zoned for one, nor is there one in the Bronson-Laurier area. With regards to the former area there was a horrid Loeb near Booth and Somerset that wasn't fit for a third world country and which closed its doors in 2006. Councillor Diane Holmes has apparently tried to entice a grocery chain back to the neighbourhood but with no success, no surprise there she's as useless as tits on a bull.

Just editorializing here, but as a resident of Centre Town West, I find it more than a nuisance and frankly a bit offensive that city planners are making allowances for big mega stores in the downtown area (see the Superstore at Kirkwood and Richmond) that reinforce residents' dependence on cars, at a time when we are trying to encourage the growth of sustainable pedestrian friendly communities. What I wouldn't give to be able to walk to pick up a bootle of wine, a loaf of bread, and groceries. What irks me even more are the visionaries at City Hall who I believe are complicit in the deterioration of services in the core, have the gaul to tell me that I should have to pay more on my property taxes to subsidize unsustainable growth in the suburbs.

Sorry, Monday morning rant.

I remember that Loeb and there was an outcry when it closed. Your views on Holmes are often echoed by many on this board. The unfortunate thing is that if you are a developer wanting to build in the core, if you don't have her 100% support you are cooked as she can make life very difficult.

Did anybody read Polowin's Op-ed in today's Citizen. It was very true to the mark today and for once wasn't an overt advertorial trying to lobby one of his clients projects at City Hall.

Yeah thats really killer. The whole reason I live in centertown is that I should be able to walk to all my retail needs. Where I am now I've got multiple bakery's, fruit/veg stores, coffee places, LCBO, a full out grocery store and lots of places to pick stuff up when I'm too lazy to cook and videostores and all that probably with in a 6 block radius.

That part of centertown is a freggin desert, even though there are some half decent high-rise condos I can't think of any of the above off the top of my head. Unless UPS delivers your food or you want to rent a car to drive to the store your out of luck. Yes I'm exaggerating, but I feel for the people who drop $500k on a gardens condo and lack for me what the most fundamental part of being downtown is: being able to walk to needs and entertainment on a whim.

I think the perfect spot for a multi-tower condo development complete with a retail podium (including a grocery store) is the old technical high school site. I know we have had these debates before, but I was down there the other day and that lot is a disgusting piece of crab grass and dog shit intermingled with surface parking and graffiti. The only portion I would consider keeping is the graffiti wall since it is the only thing which is remotely urban. It would really liven up that area and would, God fobid, give people a reason for walking West on Sparks Street at lunch or after work. Proposals for that site can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned, or maybe we could just build this one...

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/553/15923573ud6.jpg

^ I like it! It keeps the large park between Slater and Laurier but still makes good use of the rest of the land. A grocery store there would be fantastic.

Where did those plans come from?

Isn't the old Tech High School Site covered by the Escarpment District CDP? After LRT died, I guess that CDP is up in the air... especially if they have to figure out where tunnel portals are going to go.

These are some renderings made up by the planners at city hall quite some time ago. We've discussed them a few times on the forum and the majority think it's a good idea. There are still a few people who remain unexplicably attached to that park (some of which will be preserved anyway). The main building of the school can be preserved somehow as well along with it's beautiful and under-used amphitheatre.

This might just be my imagination but can anyone else think of a larger plot of land in the downtown core which is yet undeveloped? Interesting that a while back someone mentioned how Urban Capital has a huge project up their sleeve for the largest undeveloped piece of land in the downtown core.....anyone else think this might be the land? One can dream anyway.

Looks like a small scale version of Vancouver's Spectrum development which has a Costco beneath four towers. The concept would be nice somewhere in LeBreton too. A Loblaws would do well downtown, where people could do groceries before heading home from work. President's Choice condos, anyone?

:psycho:

Memories of Vancouver? :)

One of my desired retailers is coming to town!

T&T is going to anchor a development at Hunt Club and Riverside.

Thanks for the heads up. This looks like a great store - dedicated to Macs no less. Now if only a retail Linux store would open.:tup:

As for stores I would like to see. I would love a really high end department store like in France or the NK in Stockholm or Harrods in London or even the old Simpsons (now the Bay) on Queen Street in Toronto. I can't understand why the Bay on Rideau doesn't do a massive renovation. Its such a run down place at the moment.

Run down is a bit of soft on wording. Have you tried the exit on George St? The doors, stairs, and tiles are basically gone.

We are talking about the supermarket right?

The new Canadian Tire on Carling has opened. Somewhat quietly, as I didn't even know until I passed by it today and saw people going up the escalators. It's one of those setups that have a side escalator for carts and it's kind of weird seeing carts go up and down separately from the shoppers. The store itself seems run of the mill inside, except for the wide open view of Carling Avenue below when you're at the cash registers. The parking lot feels like the lower level of Galleries de Hull. I'll try and snap some photos next time I'm there.

Here's a pano of the store. It's quite a hulk on Carling, but I'm crossing my fingers that it does some good to the bleak sidewalks there. The Mark's Work Wearhouse is certainly unique, with doors to the sidewalk and the parking lot behind. The place is basically a stacked powercentre, with the strip mall part in front and the big box store on top. If others are to follow, Carling could become quite the busy strip.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2089/...b90e1de8_o.jpg


There's a nice amount of natural light inside, and on entering and leaving, you get a view of Carling:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/...c89e9d1c_b.jpg

I love strip malls that put their parking in THE BACK.

:)

thanks for the update, I was looking forward to seeing that one completed. looks like a great addition to Carling to me.... nice that they have Mark's onto the street. hopefully we'll see some redevelopment of the strip malls along that stretch! any news on what's happening at the old CTC site?