I don't think they are referring to the pedway. Seems like they are talking about a bridge. Presumably the one near Dollarama on O'Leary.

Yeah they're talking about the actual O'Leary Ave bridge next to CarQuest Auto Parts / Dollarama.

Crombie (Avalon Mall owners) are offering 1/2 MM to expedite the process so they can get on with adding more mall parking on their own dime. I don't quite see where that parking would be but that's irrelevant for now.

Ah yes there is clarification on VOCM today...
http://vocm.com/news/avalon-mall-loo...ges-with-city/

Another downtown fixture has moved out of the downtown core. Canary Cycles is now located at 7 Lemarchant Road where Cychotic was located.

I'm still somewhat confused. What is the relationship of the proposed new bridge and the proposed new parkade? Are they physically connected somehow?

Any idea why Cychotic closed? Seemed like the best bike shop in town.

Probably bought out?

From what I saw I think the bridge is just old and needs replacing, the mall is offering to assist the city because it impacts them. I guess O'Leary Avenue will see increased traffic with a parkade built.

Wasn't it a father and son with a business each ; father getting on in age ( 70 + ) wanted to retire ??

I suspect that the city won't let them build the parkade until the bridge is replaced, likely because of traffic. I'm assuming they want to build a parkade in the parking lot on the corner of O'Leary and Thorburn? The one the pedway walks across to? Which wouldn't be an awful location.

Again, this is all my assumption. City is likely several years away from replacing the O'Leary bridge, preventing Crombie from building their parkade. Crombie, I suspect, feels the increased foot traffic at the Avalon Mall will pay for the money they are going to invest in the bridge if they can get it done next year.

Came across a post from Ballistic Skate & Snow saying that they're closing shop!

https://www.facebook.com/ballisticsk...type=3&theater

Yep, Lorne Loder was on CBC this morning talking about it. Too bad he couldn't sell it to someone instead of closing it altogether. It's closing in early January.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...reet-1.3863832

Templeton's in downtown St. John's is closing up shop: http://vocm.com/news/templetons-clos...business-gone/

I doubt anyone would want to buy it if business isn't going well.

On a positive note I noticed work being done on the old Future Shop building. Marshall's also had more ads this week looking for employees. Not sure what their timeline is for opening.

I wonder what Compusult will do with the vacant lot next door, I believe they were wanting to put an office complex there and needed some of the Templeton parking area since they couldn't buy part of the 351 parking lots. Perhaps this will now be an opportunity for them?

^ good point!

I know they're closed already but here's an update on West End Electronics.
Pretty tough for retailers these days, I wonder where all this will end?

http://vocm.com/news/west-end-electr...es-bankruptcy/

According to today's City Council meeting, the Avalon Mall was approved for the construction of a 4 level 848 space parkade.

I'm wondering if they are building this to make room on their current parking lot for expansion of the mall. I don't see why else they would build a 4-level parkade??

I was thinking the same thing. It's good to have a new parking garage in place before you go ahead with expanding the mall, if that is the case. If they do expand, it will likely cut into the current parking area. The entire mall needs a total makeover if they want to stay relevant in today's retail marketplace.

Looks like Shoppers wants to tear down the store at Freshwater and Empire and build a brand new building:

A new Shoppers in the Empire/Freshwater area would be nice. The current one is way beyond its time, and the neighborhood could really use something new and not rundown.

Well it had a good run but looks like HMV in the Mall will be closing later this year. With music and movies gone digital, it's amazing it lasted this long. Sad to see it go though. Here's a news link of its receivership.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/stru...ship-1.3956302

I heard COSTCO is moving. Anybody else hear anything on this ?

Just wondering, I figured it would be all over the news by now. * wink wink *

You know what's odd in all this Costco moving news?
Danny Williams and The Shoppes at Galway have yet to comment or make an official announcement regarding Costcos move. Which makes me think he is still negotiating with them on this. Been hearing that they may still move but remain in the east end but move over near RONA where there is large (20 acres) undeveloped commercial land being offered to them. Besides what local Costco management has said, has there been an official announcement or link to saying they are definitely going to Galway? Sometimes things have a way of changing before everything is signed on the dotted line. Nothing will surprise me at this point.

I like the way you think - and I would love for Costco to remain in the East End - but it seems to me like this is a done deal. Anyone else hear anything on this? Hopeful thinking maybe! ;)

A new shop opening on Duckworth street near Hempware, called Hooligan's (a tattoo shop). Another vacancy filled, nothing is sitting empty for very long.

It'd be nice for Costco to stay put, I live a 10 minute walk from it right now haha, but it's funny to read through some CBC comments on this, how upset people get, geez..pack up the suitcases, pack your roadtrip snacks and fire up the roadtrip playlist for the long drive to the other side of St. John's. :)

Just what we need --- another Tattoo shop !

SMH. How many tattoo shops are already open here now ???

Best of Luck

Nothing sitting for LONG ???? You must be joking right ? Have you driven around this city at all lately ? There is a tonne of retail space , of all sizes, that have been sitting vacant for Months, and in some cases Years, at a time.( case in point old Dominion on NL Drive, Target on Stavanger, Home Hardware on Topsail Rd, along with a multitude of space available downtown )

Unfortunately it will only get worse, as now with Galway getting prepared to start development, retailers are going to shift direction and focus their efforts into that area. Drive around and look at all the empty locations on Water Street, Churchill Square, Kenmount Road, Pippy Place etc...These places are going to sit even longer now, because every new business will want to situated in Galway.

True yes, but the old Dominion on Newfoundland Drive is being changed into Coleman's, I looked in the windows there last weekend and saw some new work going on. The doors were open there last week and they were bring stuff out, so it's going ahead for sure :)

Some of the vacant properties, such as the old Dominion at Churchill Square and Target, are currently leased. They are only vacant because the leaseholders believe allowing new business to take over the lease is not in their corporate interest. I think they should give more weight to the community's interest, but I don't have to answer to shareholders at the annual general meeting.

One significant reason Colemans is moving in to the old Newfoundland Drive Dominion is because Loblaw's 25 year lease of that property expired in 2015 ( http://www.thetelegram.com/living/20...s-3161176.html ).

Who would be holding a lease on the Target space? Target Canada went bankrupt.

Ron.

One potential owner would be a bank.

I just drove past the Marshalls on Stavanger and their sign is up on the front of the store now. Anyone know an expected opening date for them?

March 14th is the scheduled opening date. A friend of mine works there and she told me that they're just waiting on some delayed stock shipments so that they can open.

In other news, Gap in the Avalon will be closing in April. http://ntv.ca/gap-closing-store-in-a...mall-in-april/

Gap had a good run in the Avalon Mall. Sucks to see them close ( along with HMV ), but the retail chains will continue to chug along. There will be many other retail suitors lining up to fill that space, mainly because of their prime location within the Avalon Mall.

Speaking of the Avalon Mall --- who thinks SEARS will be closed before 2017 ends ? Sears corporate is basically bankrupt right now, so don't be surprised if Sears locally closes it doors very soon. Personally , I cannot believe that they've managed to stay open as long as they have ! They have to be the worst retailer on the planet right now. With the exception of clothing , they never have anything in stock ! Everything needs to be ordered in. And the store basically looks like an oversized Garage sale.

As bad as Sears corporate is doing, the Avalon Mall store is apparently their busiest store in Canada. The one at the Village at least looked better. The Avalon Mall store is cold and baron. For years, I've been thinking this year will be the last for Sears, but somehow, they seem to defy the odds time and time again, and keep marching along.

As for the Gap space, it's probably the Mall's most prime piece of retail space as it's practically at the crossroads of the mall's many expansions and renos over the years. If H&M were to finally come here, the location would be great, but they would need way more space, as the H&M stores I've been in seems to be much bigger, sometimes having multiple levels.

Some of these larger retailers have to realize that NL is a completely different marketplace than any other larger city in CANADA. I can almost guarantee that if H&M came here, and took over a retail spot the size of the current GAP location, they would do just as much sales from that tiny store , as is currently being done in those large 2 story spots we see in TORONTO ! The same would occur if IKEA came here ! ( it would immediately be a top performer in their chain)!!

NL'ers are crazy for spending money, and are starved for change. We see things when we travel (Toronto, Montreal, Florida , New York ....) , and hope that one day, those things will eventually arrive in NL . And when they do, NL'ers support them to the nth degree ! Case in point : COSTCO (busiest store in Canada ), The Keg Steakhouse ( busiest store in Canada ), & McDonalds ( everywhere else , McDonalds is struggling, but in NL we line up around the block to eat that crap !

So retailers cannot judge future success based on just Population numbers alone. They have to factor in the "starved for change" factor ! We desperately want new things here, things we see on TV everyday, things we see when we travel, things we see on Social media. And just because, we don't have 2 million or more people here, is that a good enough reason not to bring some of these major chains here ? I don't think so

SO H&M corporate, IKEA corporate, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Taco Bell, Chilli's ( and countless others ): if you want a successful location, stop looking at Ontario and Alberta ! Come to NL, you won't regret it !

My guess is this is due to the new IKEA in Dartmouth

Lids
 

Anyone know what is going on with Lids in the Avalon Mall ? Is it moved or closed ?

Moving to where the Ecko store was located.

Ok thanks, Any news when it will re open ?

Avalon Mall Closing
 

Saw that Bench has a "Store Closing" sign up in the window yesterday. Seemed like bit of a delayed opening/bad timing anyways, well after popularity had faded...

Marshalls opens tuesday at 8 am!

http://www.thetelegram.com/news/loca...e-tuesday.html

What an utter waste of time going to Marshall's ! The store is absolute garbage, and so overpriced .

I have been to many Marshall's stores throughout the United States, and have always enjoyed great savings and huge selections. Unfortunatley, the store on Stavanger drive ----- MASSIVE FAIL ! The men's section is a total of about 10 racks of clothes, and the prices are outrageous.

I did find a $ 5 toy for my dog thou. So all wasn't lost, at least he reaped the benefit.

It will be an awfully long time, if ever, before the inside of this store will ever be graced by my presence again.

Marshalls in Canada carry a lot of the same items as Winners (same company).. and they're priced the same.

Ron.

Which , when you think about it, doesn't make any sense whatsoever, because there already is a much bigger Winners already down the street.

Fool me once...........