Regina Retail

[Draftsman]

Originally Posted by pappcam

Speaking of fake news...

Wow, my mistake! In my head I was thinking about the large space where Gambles and Zellers were. I totally forgot about Regina's first Winners in the mall. I used to take my mom there! In comparison to their newer stores, it was rather small. Sorry about that!

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by Draftsman

There is so much fake news online, and so many gullible people who think that everything they see online is true/correct

Fake news is designed to mislead. This is not what this is.

Sometimes information is simply wrong - without any intention to deceive. This is what this was.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Hudson’s Bay Cornwall Centre is closing the basement level and condensing to the top 2 floors.

[HomerSPC]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Hudson’s Bay Cornwall Centre is closing the basement level and condensing to the top 2 floors.

Give us back a basement movie theatre or bowling alley!

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by HomerSPC

Give us back a basement movie theatre or bowling alley!

Go Karts in the basement!!!!

[Stormer]

Wow to think not that long ago downtown had a massive Bay department store (3 levels including a basement that was an entire city block), a four level Eaton's and a Sears store and now we are down to a 2 level Bay.

[Draftsman]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Wow to think not that long ago downtown had a massive Bay department store (3 levels including a basement that was an entire city block), a four level Eaton's and a Sears store and now we are down to a 2 level Bay.

For years, the only department store downtown was the five-story Simpsons department stores on 11th Avenue & Hamilton (where the building with the white geese sculpture is now). Simpsons used the first four floors, plus the basement, for retail, and the fifth floor was their offices. I remember when I was little (early 60's) there were several elevators (5?), and then in the mid 60's (?) they installed Regina's first escalators, all the way from the basement to the 5th floor. Lots of people, including me and my older brothers, would ride the escalators from bottom to top and back down again. And again

The Bay opened their first Regina store in 1970 and, as Stormer mentions, it was big, especially the lower level. And then Simpsons closed, Cornwall Centre arrived with a beautiful 4-level Eaton's store, and Sears.

I wonder what will become of the lower level of the Bay? A giant Dollarama?

Yes, it's pretty sad what has happened to the retail landscape in our city (and elsewhere).

[yveseluj]

.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

I think the upside to them basically having their store be the main and second floor of the mall only is hopefully the consolidation of some focused painting and renovations of the carpet and some flooring and fixtures. I am not holding my breath, but hopefully there are some plans in place. Also they can now focus their already skeletal amount of staff on 2 floors rather than 3.

[Draftsman]

I was in The Bay's basement today and all that's left down there is furniture. I talked to two employees , who said they will no longer have a furniture department. They are currently clearing what they have left, but whatever percentage they are reducing it is still too expensive. They told me that they will use the basement as the pick up location for online orders. Really sad to see it devoid of merchandise.

[Draftsman]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

I think the upside to them basically having their store be the main and second floor of the mall only is hopefully the consolidation of some focused painting and renovations of the carpet and some flooring and fixtures. I am not holding my breath, but hopefully there are some plans in place. Also they can now focus their already skeletal amount of staff on 2 floors rather than 3.

It doesn't look like they are doing any improvements, as they have already moved everything (other than furniture) up to the 2nd floor. You would think that they would have made some improvements before the move was done. I think this says something...that they don't have hope, or a long-term plan, for this store.

I sure hope I am wrong. (I was wrong once before on this site, and a couple of you sure let me know!! )

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by Draftsman

It doesn't look like they are doing any improvements, as they have already moved everything (other than furniture) up to the 2nd floor. You would think that they would have made some improvements before the move was done. I think this says something...that they don't have hope, or a long-term plan, for this store.

I sure hope I am wrong. (I was wrong once before on this site, and a couple of you sure let me know!! )

Crossing my fingers for at least some new paint!

[McBean]

Originally Posted by Draftsman

I was in The Bay's basement today and all that's left down there is furniture. I talked to two employees , who said they will no longer have a furniture department. They are currently clearing what they have left, but whatever percentage they are reducing it is still too expensive. They told me that they will use the basement as the pick up location for online orders. Really sad to see it devoid of merchandise.

I still think Regina's Hudson's Bay is on the chopping block, like the historic location they closed in downtown Winnipeg last year.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by McBean

I still think Regina's Hudson's Bay is on the chopping block, like the historic location they closed in downtown Winnipeg last year.

A nice 3 floor IKEA Cornwall Centre would be nice.

[Draftsman]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

I don’t think IKEA goes anywhere without a large, accessible parking lot around it.

I agree! I don't want to be lugging my LÖVBACKEN table through the Cornwall Centre

[yveseluj]

If the Bay goes, you can be assured that space will probably turn into office space, sadly.

[HomerSPC]

Originally Posted by yveseluj

If the Bay goes, you can be assured that space will probably turn into office space, sadly.

We don't need more empty offices downtown.

[caveat.doctor]

Sad but not surprised to hear the further downgrading of The Bay. Still remember when Eaton's closed, how much of a save it was to have The Bay come in. Had that odd layout with the cashiers all in the middle, and the restaurant (both the Canadiana in the Bay basement and the Sir John A at Eaton's were family favourites!) was reduced to a cafe, but was still the department store that made Cornwall Centre our "big city" mall.

Went around the Cornwall Centre when I was last in town a few weeks ago, and I actually thought it wasn't in bad shape. Looks like the floors were all re-done, and it had that generic bright white decor you see everywhere nowadays. The H&M at the 11 Av entrance looked to be more of a draw than the Elephant and Castle/McDonald's (with the German ceramic grille)/Smitty's was.









The open space in front of the old bank facade looks clean, but so much more empty now without the brown tile trim around the column bases. Really miss the water feature too.



The old Sears space looked seamlessly filled (though I didn't see how much actually was filled past the storefront):



And the food court also looked in pretty good shape. The extra seating space probably reassured COVID-wary people that they could still come and dine safely. Even with more people working from home, still seems like a draw for office workers downtown.



The second floor towards the old Galleria seemed pretty quiet though. The draws I remember growing up like the Gap and the Yogurty's are all gone.



But overall it seems like Cornwall Centre was holding its own as a destination.

In comparison, Victoria Square Mall is really a shadow of its former self. The essentials like Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart still bring people in, but otherwise it seemed pretty sparse.



That custom "V" logo set in tile (imported from Italy! the renos in the early '90s said) was the height of placemaking back in the day!









Thank goodness the Kraut Haven is still there!



Would have been all over this place as a kid! Hopefully if it's still in business next time I'm in town I know my kids will love it! (Assuming COVID is over, or kids under 12 can get vaccinated...)

[Draftsman]

Awesome photos. Thank you for posting! As someone who goes to the Cornwall Centre 4 times per week, I have seen the numbers of shoppers/office workers coming to the mall increasing. Some days (like the last few days before schools began again) have been as busy as the holidays. It is very nice to see. A true sign of the increase in office workers is the long line at Tim Horton's in the mornings. At least this mall is quite active, which unfortunately, the other three 'big' malls are not, especially Victoria Square, which is pretty sad.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Twisted Goods now open at the Cornwall Centre (former GAP location next to the new Aeropostale on the 2nd floor).