Winnipeg Retail

[borkborkbork]

I don't think it's really that 7/11 can't make a buck with theft.

It's more that low-income and high-crime neighbourhoods where the bulk of their revenues come from tobacco just don't really fit with their strategy, which involves a food-first approach, with in-store licensed service and dining:

https://ccentral.ca/delivering-chang...-eleven-canada

Which is fine, of course. That's their decision. But it's a bit annoying that they and the press have to spin it as if these are no-go zones where even convenience stores can't even stay open due to roving gangs of thieves. Like do they have to stigmatize the neighbourhoods they're already exiting as a final fuck-you?

[drew]

^ this really pisses me off as well.

Similar to Starbuck's closure in Osborne Village that was almost certainly because of their company wide contraction of stores - but instead stated they were closing because "crime".

I wonder what excuses they use in other cities... or is it just something these places can't help themselves with Winnipeg.

[Wpg_Guy]

Dollar stores are the new convenience/corner stores.

[WinCitySparky]

Can’t have shareholders running for the exit after all. >

[cllew]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Dollar stores are the new convenience/corner stores.

Every time I stop into the Dollar store in front of Concordia Hospital I keep hearing from the overhead speakers Security to isle ##.

I am not sure if they actually have a LPO working, or if its just a sound effect that's part of the background music to try and stop theft.

[cllew]

The 1007 McPhillips St 7/11 that closed was one of the locations that had the portable crime camera tower in the lot.

I was out that way about 3 weeks ago and noticed that the tower was gone and wondering if somebody had vandalized it or 7/11 realized it was not working as a deterrent to theft?

[wags_in_the_peg]

there zero deterrent to theft, they walk in grab chips, pop and yell Fak off to the clerk. they know that if a security guard comes, they will not chase so they either run or they drop stuff and keep walking.

zero repercussions

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by cllew

Every time I stop into the Dollar store in front of Concordia Hospital I keep hearing from the overhead speakers Security to isle ##.

I am not sure if they actually have a LPO working, or if its just a sound effect that's part of the background music to try and stop theft.

I always here 'security code XX' when I'm in there too! which is rare. None of the staff bat an eye and just carry on.

Originally Posted by cllew

The 1007 McPhillips St 7/11 that closed was one of the locations that had the portable crime camera tower in the lot.

I was out that way about 3 weeks ago and noticed that the tower was gone and wondering if somebody had vandalized it or 7/11 realized it was not working as a deterrent to theft?

Is that what those things are?! They look like light plants for working in the dark. There was one outside the Lowes/Rona+ in the parking lot for aaaaaages. It would sometimes flash blue, I guess indicating something going on?

IIRC the Sev on Henderson in Elmwood has/had one there too.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by Jeff

don't forget the st mary's rd. and traverse location that closed last month! i think this is more of 7/11 cutting costs/slimming down so it's a better financial asset to be sold to couche tard. it wreaks of starbucks' playbook of blaming closures on everything but its faltering profits and stale business model.

That one was sold by the property owner which was not 7-11. Having said that there is definitely a lot of the late night places and garages that do close early now to due to theft and behavioral issues.

[cllew]

The Rona one on Panet Rd is gone too. Apparently they had a lot of car break-in's there while customers were shopping and that was the reason for the camera.

The Henderson and Harbison 7/11 had a camera tower as of last week. I have not been down that part of Henderson this week so I don't know if its still there.

The flashing light is apparently to make the tower visible as a deterrent as well as show the solar panel is charging the onboard battery.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by drew

^ this really pisses me off as well.

Similar to Starbuck's closure in Osborne Village that was almost certainly because of their company wide contraction of stores - but instead stated they were closing because "crime".

I wonder what excuses they use in other cities... or is it just something these places can't help themselves with Winnipeg.

Agreed. This places don't need to scream they are closing due to crime. Just close quietly and say it is for "changing operational reasons".

Starbucks has very openly said they are shifting from their cafe model with a dining room, wifi and open power outlets which heavily encouraged people to loiter there for endless hours after a single $3 purchase. I am honestly surprised it took corporate this long to figure out that take-away purchases, especially the drive-thru, are where they generate their revenue while the dining room is a major loss area. It was not at all a surprise when they announced their shift is to a new model that heavily minimizes or completely eliminates in store seating. And it isn't just about the drive-thru as a walk up location opened in Toronto without any seating.

Similar 7-11 announced a plan to shift to locations that could host a gas station and an convivence store. Locally, Inkster and Sheppard is the model of what 7-11 sees as their current path forward. It is then not surprising to see a number of locations that are running the 1970s store format slated to close. No need to try and burn down a whole community as you close your doors.

[cllew]

Adding gas pumps must be change in retail direction as I remember 7/11 taking out gas pumps at their location in the 1800 block of Henderson Highway in late 2017 early 2018.

And they also had pumps at Henderson at Sutton up until 1980 or so.

[WinCitySparky]

They pulled the pumps from their former Maryland/Ellice location as well way back according to permits online

[morty]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Agreed. This places don't need to scream they are closing due to crime. Just close quietly and say it is for "changing operational reasons".

Starbucks has very openly said they are shifting from their cafe model with a dining room, wifi and open power outlets which heavily encouraged people to loiter there for endless hours after a single $3 purchase. I am honestly surprised it took corporate this long to figure out that take-away purchases, especially the drive-thru, are where they generate their revenue while the dining room is a major loss area. It was not at all a surprise when they announced their shift is to a new model that heavily minimizes or completely eliminates in store seating. And it isn't just about the drive-thru as a walk up location opened in Toronto without any seating.

Similar 7-11 announced a plan to shift to locations that could host a gas station and an convivence store. Locally, Inkster and Sheppard is the model of what 7-11 sees as their current path forward. It is then not surprising to see a number of locations that are running the 1970s store format slated to close. No need to try and burn down a whole community as you close your doors.

Starbucks has always, prior to a recent strategy shift, invested heavily in the in-store appearance and vibes because that's what established their brand and allowed massive worldwide growth. Describing the dining room as a "major loss area" is not at all accurate. Developing the Starbucks brand as a third place was their corporate focus for two+ decades, prior to the recent strategy shift. The brand power of Starbucks is what allows them to charge higher prices for the same product. One isn't just buying a $6 latte, they are also buying the image that comes with drinking Starbucks rather than holding a cup of Timmies. The drive-thru focus strategy shift (and heavy labour cuts and the resulting queues that come with it) is likely to affect the long-term brand and image of Starbucks in exchange for short term profits and an attempt to recover the stock price.

Do you have a source for 7 Eleven shifting towards fuel sales? They purchased some Esso stations from Imperial Oil back in 2016, but that was in order to expand their convenience store footprint. Recent corporate strategy from 7 Eleven has actually been to diversify away from fuel sales and try to expand heavily in the direction of food sales and private label brands. Both of those categories are much more profitable than fuel sales, particularly in a highly competitive retail fuel sales market like Winnipeg.

The Inkster and Sheppard location (1485 Inkster Blvd) was actually listed in August 2024 as being one of the at-risk locations for closing.

[SpongeG]

Re those blue light camera towers, they are a few in the Vancouver area, and I was at a Jack in the box a few weeks ago across the border and they have one in their parking lot and we parked after using the drive-thru to quickly eat before driving and while not directed at us or anyone else doing the same a message comes out of the tower saying something like loitering is not allowed and the parking is for customers only.

A lot of 7-11s here have closed down recently as well as some Starbucks and some Starbucks have stayed but completely removed all tables and chairs, they feel a little weird as the space is very large and empty.

[cslusarc]

Friends,

I visited the Hudson's Bay @ Polo Park (store #1140) today. I noticed that the Christmas shop in now set up on the basement level. The optical centre, the beauty salon and the Sunglasses Hut concession closed down likely due to the store's consistent closure because of excessive heat over the past 2 summers. Also the 2 hand dryers in the upper level Men's washroom were not working. The store was receiving a lot of stock, but it continues to be overwhelmed with year old clearance.

[bon_vivant]

Originally Posted by drew

^ this really pisses me off as well.

Similar to Starbuck's closure in Osborne Village that was almost certainly because of their company wide contraction of stores - but instead stated they were closing because "crime".

I wonder what excuses they use in other cities... or is it just something these places can't help themselves with Winnipeg.

The crime excuse is mostly BS. If a store is truly profitable, they can afford to beef up security. Look at Liquor Mart, for example. This report from CNN is closer to the truth:

"Seven & I Holdings, the chain’s Japan-based parent company, revealed in an earnings report Thursday that 444 locations of 7-Eleven are shutting down because of a variety of issues, including slowing sales, declining traffic, inflationary pressures and a decrease in cigarette purchases."

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/11/busin...res/index.html

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by morty

Do you have a source for 7 Eleven shifting towards fuel sales? They purchased some Esso stations from Imperial Oil back in 2016, but that was in order to expand their convenience store footprint. Recent corporate strategy from 7 Eleven has actually been to diversify away from fuel sales and try to expand heavily in the direction of food sales and private label brands. Both of those categories are much more profitable than fuel sales, particularly in a highly competitive retail fuel sales market like Winnipeg.

The Inkster and Sheppard location (1485 Inkster Blvd) was actually listed in August 2024 as being one of the at-risk locations for closing.

Sorry I cannot recall the exact source and searches are just turning up news reports of the 444 location closures.

It was announced around the same time the Inkster and Sheppard location opened locally. I want to say that happened around 2017-2019.

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I always here 'security code XX' when I'm in there too! which is rare. None of the staff bat an eye and just carry on.



Is that what those things are?! They look like light plants for working in the dark. There was one outside the Lowes/Rona+ in the parking lot for aaaaaages. It would sometimes flash blue, I guess indicating something going on?

IIRC the Sev on Henderson in Elmwood has/had one there too.

When I used to work in retail, the "Security to Aisle ___" was just to deter theft and scare would be thieves into thinking we were on to them. If there was an actual theft going on, we would just call a phone extension directly to the LPO office and describe the thief to the LPO officer and what we saw them taking.

[Jeff]

hobbyism is set to close. defying all odds by staying open as long as it did, you gotta give em props for trying.