Does anyone know whatever happend to Banana Republic that was supposed to open on White Rose Drive?

That strip of stores is still only half completed so perhaps its planned for the second half of the building whenever that starts.

Was down at stavanger today and noticed that the corner lot next to RONA on white rose drive in the Harvey power centre is under construction. Anyone got any info as to what it might be? Industrial or retail?

I think it is going to be a small office building, two or three stories. Not sure why or for whom but I think that's what it is.

Not sure if it has already been mentioned, but A Special Touch in the Avalon Mall closed. Leaving a fairly big (3500 sq feet) opening.

Sephora is still planning on opening a location in the Avalon.They are taking over the space currently occupied by Bootlegger,Rikki's and that other woman's store. Bootlegger will move to the space occupied by Bogart's and Calendar club, Bogart's is moving around the corner where Northern Reflections is and Rikki's and the other store will be moving to stavanger. Just found that out today from Bootlegger cause they own that block of stores downstairs.

Here is amy little rant and opinion on the state of Avalon Mall. Enjoy.

Avalon Mall needs to totally rethink its layout and size. They need to expand and have a lot more space to offer potential new tenants. Especially with all the big box centres opening around town and metro. They should have a second floor added all the way down to Sears. If you look at some of the malls in the Toronto area, you'll notice they are all doing major upgrades to appeal to new tenants such as Nordstrum and other US retailers that are venturing into Canada.

They also need to update the mall's look. Its stuck in the 80's in style, (if you wanna call it that). Very little natural light gets in. Feels very drab most of the time like those underground subway malls in Toronto. Outside, it's a terrible hodge lodge of styles from 60's to the 90's, going off in every direction. And that horrible looking stonework on Sears exterior facade has been there since 1967 when the mall first opened. Time for that to go. Though Sears days are numbered I think and it will likely disappear in the very near future too if it keeps going in the direction it's going (downward spiral). The Mall needs to be ready for this and have plan in place to offer potential new tenants, especially if they lose Sears, their only huge major tenant. (though Winners/Homesense is a pretty big space too).

Avalon mall is in a unique position here, as it's one of the few places where an enclosed mall works well for the community, where everywhere else in the country they seem to be disappearing. I guess weather has a factor here too. Also, people travel from many communities outside the city to shop at the Mall so it serves more than just the people of St. John's. They have a good thing going but I don't think they even know it. Hopefully some day, someone will be smart enough to realize what they got and improve upon it.

I completely agree with you here, Arrakis!

Interesting read about shopping mall expansion...

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/...-wealthiest/1#

Yeah, I read that article this morning in the National Post.
The owners of Avalon Mall should read it too. Thanks for posting it.

..and even the owners of the Village. They have plenty of room for expansion, that back parking lot is barely even half utililized from what I've seen.

I don't even consider the Village as a viable mall anymore since Sears, Walmart and many other popular tenants left. It's really cheapened. The owners (plaza corp) screwed up big time by leasing out a large chunk of their retail space for offices and call centre. They should of divided up Walmart former space to accommodate a lot of other stores but they gave most of the upper floor to a call centre and crappy Dollarama. And the two huge stores downstairs are a complete waste of valuable floor space. I rarely ever see any more than 4 or 5 customers in Urban Planet and Labels. Total waste of space. And Rosey is no better at the other end. A huge space and a totally crappy store. Plus they still have a large unused space behind Rossey but eliminated the back entrance that Sears use to have. Last time I checked their website, that unused space had Home Hareware listed as the tenant. Probably just a warehouse. Just poor flow everywhere and bad tenant decisions.


QUOTE=J_Murphy;6673267]..and even the owners of the Village. They have plenty of room for expansion, that back parking lot is barely even half utililized from what I've seen.[/QUOTE]

I would have to agree that the Village has certainly gone down hill in the past ten years or whenever it was that Walmart left. In its “hayday” there were three decent anchors, Sears, WalMart(Woolco) and the Dominion supermarket. There was enough variety to make it somewhat of a destination but now it is more or less a low end discount “destinatation”. Ironically Walmart came back to the neighborhood a few years ago, across the street in the old Zellers location.

The Village would make a great case study for a business course for how to revitalize a decent retail location. Possible options, drop Rosy and Dollarama, open Bed Bath and Beyond up to the Mall concourse, get The Bay, attract an “upscale” food market, relocate the theatres from Mt. Pearl Plaza…to start. Plan B…bulldoze it…lol.

Bass Pro or Cabela's in YYT?
 

Bass Pro has long been rumoured, but is apparently now on the way for Moncton.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...-bass-pro-shop

You have to think that one of BP or Cabela's will make the jump to YYT at some point. Any thoughts on which one would be preferred? Thoughts on sites? I think that this kind of anchor would be perfect for the retail sometimes discussed south of Harbour Arterial & Ruth Ave.

New store coming to the Village Shopping Centre. Warehouse One: The Jean Store.
Noticed the application on the St. John's website. You can check them out at www.warehouseone.com

Took a picture of the construction of the Infinity St.johns car dealership.( I think that is what it is. I only go to the capital twice a year on average. If I am wrong could somebody who is more familiar with the location of this, correct me. LOL.http://i.imgur.com/LjJZRvf.jpg?1)

Yes, it is indeed the new Infiniti dealership. They had a billboard post on site originally showing an artists rendering of it.


QUOTE=LordNezazor;6693607]Took a picture of the construction of the Infinity St.johns car dealership.( I think that is what it is. I only go to the capital twice a year on average. If I am wrong could somebody who is more familiar with the location of this, correct me. LOL.http://i.imgur.com/LjJZRvf.jpg?1)[/QUOTE]

Was down Hebron Way yesterday. Things seem to be progressing well for the new retail stores and restaurants there. Here is a show though of the finished parking lot (with wheelchair spots) for the Cineplex Theatre complex. Notice something missing? LOL

https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...75746716_n.jpg

The new Canadian Tire store is quickly getting exterior walls. Sorry for the small pic size.

https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...e0&oe=5477FDCA

Just noticed that Us chain, Marshall's dept store has now opened in every province in Canada except PEI and Newfoundland. Anyone hear if they plan on opening here? Seems like a natural choice to open here as well with our booming retail market. They are owned by TJX which also owns Winners and TJ Maxx. Lots of space at the Harvey or Field Power Centres.

So what the heck is going on with the Avalon Mall? I've been wonderin this for a few months now.
They have to have something planned.
They have jacked the rent (which has caused the stores that cannot afford it to close) and they are forcing the stores that stay to update/renovate their stores.

This is causing most of the stores in the mall to renovate.
The only reason I can see them doing this is for them to be trying to create a upper scale mall by getting rid of the stores that cannot afford higher rent or to renovate to a more modern look.
I'm guessing that the next phase in this might be them actually renovating the mall itself.
The store Sephora has delayed its opening in the mall and other stores are expanding etc. I do not know where Sephora is going to go! that's usually a large store!

I think that it is possible that with Galway underway and the commercial part will be in phase 1, maybe they're threatened a bit by new shiny retail streets (we still don't know the plan) I don't know. and maybe they're just trying to carve out a more refined identity in the retail scene as it grows?

In my big dreams I'm hopping it's because there's a shiny brand new mall coming our way! (I can dream lol)

anyways, I don't know if anyone here knows anything about what's going on.

:previous:

They have done exactly the same thing at Champlain Place in Moncton too. They spent about $15M on upgrading the physical premises, kicked out all the local retailers and have since replaced them with upscale national brands like Victoria's Secret/Pink, Coach. Sephora, Fossil etc.

In essence, in most larger markets the only malls that now survive and prosper are upscale fashion malls appealing to the higher end demographic. Most of the plebes, lesser mortals and the great unwashed end up going to the power centres and strip malls in any event.

I don't think the mall has any control of who renovates or not. I would imagine that decision would come from the head office of that particular chain store and not from the mall people.

The rent issue on the other hand is a different issue. They did increase the rent recently in the food court causing one tenant to close. Notably, it was a local tenant and not a big national chain which can afford and deal with rent increases.

Avalon Mall is in dire need of a major upgrade though. It's kinda stuck in the 80's right now inside. The outside of Sears is even worse and has pretty much looked like that since 1967 when the mall first opened with that super dated stone facade.

I think the plan for Sephora was to create one huge store where Bootlegger, Rikki's, and Alia are. Bootlegger is moving upstairs where the calender club and jewelry store are, Rikki's is moving out of the mall, and Alia, Calender club, and that one jewelry story are all done.

It seems counter-productive for a mall that is absolutely out of space to be removing the number of stores to create larger stores. Especially considering I don't think it's current plan of building stores in the parking lot is working too well.

They do have control over it and it's being forced, in the past few months Northern Reflections, Urban Planet, Suzy shier, Bogarts, Scotia Bank, Charm Diamond Centre and a few others have renovated or moved because they have a newly renovated store. My sister used to work at one of them and her old coworkers told her that they were told they had to.

Bogarts next to the calendar store is moving where Norther Reflections was and Norther Reflections built a new store next to Scotia Bank.

If they were at a point where they renewed leases, they could have put up the rent and put in a clause that certain types of stores have to adhere to a certain rules like being updated after X amount of years and if they've been sitting there for 20 years looking the same then they'd have to renovate.

ohhhhh that could make some sense as to where Sephora is being stuck. interesting.

I can understand stores being moved around by the Mall administration to make way for new more popular stores as the mall is hard up for good retail space. But I still doubt that stores are forced to renovate just for the sake of renovating. Of course they would likely renovate if they have to move though. I would have to see some kind of written lease agreement to believe that stores have to renovate at the request of the mall admin.

I would think the mall would have some say in the appearance of the stores. They own the space these stores are renting and it's not great for other businesses to allow them to get run down.

Even if they didn't technically have the power to tell them to renovate they have means of forcing them too.

Someone on the inside told me that they have included it in their new lease agreements.

People can put all kinds of stuff in lease agreements and it's actually quite common.

The Avalon Mall is definitely overdue for a few changes. My wish list would be to take the roof off the oldest section (Sears to the Gap) and make it more of an atrium style, let some light in. Wish # 2 would be to get rid of the stone on the Sears façade and bring it into this century. Wish # 3, more indoor parking / parking garage. I know these ideas have been expressed by others but if enough of us say it, it’s a “movement”.

You are so right. Most of the mall feels like it's underground.
They should build a second floor all the way from Fog City down to Sears.
Build a several story parcade on the oleary ave side.
And get rid of that 1960's dated stone on front of Sears.
Unfortunately, I feel that Avalon Mall has no idea of what a good position they are in. If they did, they would be addressing these issues. Plus we have such crappy weather here, enclosed malls are still are pretty viable here whereas they are dying out in other cities across North America.


QUOTE=Horsell;6713959]The Avalon Mall is definitely overdue for a few changes. My wish list would be to take the roof off the oldest section (Sears to the Gap) and make it more of an atrium style, let some light in. Wish # 2 would be to get rid of the stone on the Sears façade and bring it into this century. Wish # 3, more indoor parking / parking garage. I know these ideas have been expressed by others but if enough of us say it, it’s a “movement”.[/QUOTE]

Related to all this Avalon Mall talk.

The security office is moving upstairs in part of the area where Glow-In-One mini-golf was. The other part of that space I believe is used a retail storage. The old security office / watch repair spot will become storage for Aldo.

Glamour Secrets (http://www.tradesecrets.ca) is opening up across from the Bell Aliant store in the space that was vacant for years.

Additionally, an independent surveying company was inside the mall doing 3D mapping recently (overnight). This included all the back tunnels and public spaces. I have no idea why (maybe for renovation, maybe for a 3D online map, maybe to put the mall for sale).

Be interesting to see what a new owner would do with the mall. As long as it's not Plaza which owns the Village. They kinda ruined it by leasing out to non-retail tenants.

On a side note, The Telegram will not be renewing their lease at The Village so that will leave a pretty large space available. The Telegram offices will be moving to Austin Street where Transcontinental printing plant is. They also own that building too. Hopefully the Village don't put more offices there once the Telegram leaves. And they seem to be doing major work on the back of the Village where the back entrance to the former Sears store use to be. According to the plaza.ca website, that space is leased to Home Hardware. Not sure if it's gonna be just warehouse space or a new Home Hardware store.

to be fair I don't think much of your suggesting would be an improvement.

For one I love the feeling that it's undergroud or in some giant igloo it has a very cozy feeling in winter.

That being said they need drastic upgrades to the HVAC, the place is always too humid regardless of time of year. It makes the place and people stink.



It's a crap mall, but it has the illusion that it's gonna sell useful stuff. High end markets in malls are awful, if its gonna be expensive put it downtown.


Anyway both the Avalon and Village should focus their attention on being private community centers and not directly retail.

Focusing on service based income is where they should direct themselves.

Bring in some descent restaurants, bars, gyms(swimming pools, basketball courts) etc.

The should be competing with downtown, not kelsey and stavanger(barf and barfette).

Lol. Avalon Mall is not a community centre and was never intended to be one. Bringing in swimming pools and basketball courts are not gonna bring in consumers. We have separate community centres around town for that. The brand new Summit Centre in Mt Pearl, the Mews Centre, and there's a brand new community centre being built to replace the Wedgewood Park centre. I get the impression that you and I have completely different ideas on what a successful shopping mall should be.

Well I was thinking more so the Village for swimming pools.

And again the key word is private based community centers. Think west edmonton mall, where one can rock climb, bowl, watch a movie, and fine dine all in one location.

Considering the most sucessful gym in the city is based on being located at primary hubs of the city, I think it's very much in step in what already is.

The mews center is garbage, for the record, and the one in mount pearl is in mount pearl which is the point.

The village has already failed as a mall and I think it's simply too late to reinvigorate it with more shops.

The Avalon is more conventional,however I don't think it has the right location or building type to go upscale. At the same time it's becoming to expensive for the dollar store model.

Honestly I don't think our ideas of what a mall are that different, however I think we diverge is our ability to picture the avalon being successful.

Yeah it's cool that the west Edmonton mall has all of those attractions. The thing they have is population. That's what we don't have here to support something like that, is the population. I don't think any of the big retail owners here would even consider that sort of thing here. It's probably too good of an idea. Lol.

No offense but this population line I think is over used.

Sure our population is smaller, and in no way am I suggesting transforming either malls into one of the biggest in the world, however the concept is a real possibility.

The cineplex, haircuts, gyms, bus stop, banks, foodcourt-coffee shop-fog city. Is already the primary reason me and my friends goto either location. The shopping options are simply not there at either location.

I agree that the status quo approach for both the Avalon and Village malls just doesn't cut it. I also agree that population should not be the biggest limiting factor. In theory, a scaled-down version of West Edmonton Mall could work... and work well. However, I think it boils downs to a dollars and cents debate - There needs to be an investor(s) to finance and incur any risks for undertaking such an enterprise. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be such an investor at this time.

I think it's an attitude of the citizens of the city that real matters.

Unfortunately it seems like everything is dominated by folks that don't actually live in the city proper.

We have a detroit like situation in the making where the central region goes bankrupt supporting the infrastructure that the burbs use.

Noticed this Asian souvenir shop the other day lol, interesting concept

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...e766966115d5e6

could be wrong, but people won't pay for it.

Seems like they are selling chinese goods at high prices.

Basically the supreme opposite of china towns anywhere else.

I like the Asian Snow minimart at mun, seemed like a good place for that type of business with so many asian students.

you were in there?

The Home Hardware store (the old Dominion) on Topsail Rd is moving to the Village in Spring 2015. There's construction on the outside of the upper level where Sears had it's garden centre, so I guess that'll be the lumber yard.

^ That's kinda interesting.

Yeah that's been listed as a tenant at the village mall now for some time. I thought they were just using it for storage for home hardware. There's been major work goin on there lately though. It's good they got something to go in that dead area of the mall.

Interesting. I wonder what might go in the old Home Hardware (Dominion). I would love to see it go back to a supermarket - great spot for a No Frills.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Loblaws/Dominion still hold the lease in that Topsail Rd building and just sublet it to Home Hardware. If that's the case it will probably stay empty and rot away like the Ropewalk Lane and Newfoundland Drive former stores which Loblaws still holds the lease on (I think). They will not let another competing supermarket move in there as long as they still have an active lease.

Oh I know all about what a miserably bad corporate citizen Loblaws can be, best exemplified by the time they wanted to sue the driver of the sports team van in New Brunswick who lost his family in the crash for something like $40k. The media backlash put a stop to that despicable incident. The sit on it and let it rot strategy is one of their better known moves though.

Thing is though, No Frills is part of the dozen or so banners Loblaw operates, so it could happen...

Is this the building that has a Bank of Montreal connected to it?