The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[SpongeG]

I saw a post on Instagram randomly about the Simons taking over Nordstrom rumour going around town. The comments were interesting, most people said they wanted Eataly, or that Simons was awful with cheap gross clothes, a few wanted IKEA, one person wanted indoor gocarts and stuff, and someone said downtown needs a RecRoom, do people not pay attention to what's on in the world anymore? Recroom is coming very soon a few doors away.

the BIV articvle about the VS space on Robson.

Global retailer rumoured to be leasing former Vancouver Victoria's Secret space
Retail asset manager Morguard not confirming new tenant
By Glen Korstrom | January 17, 2024

https://biv.com/article/2024/01/global-r...-former-vancouver-victorias-secret-space

[officedweller]

The Source stores to be rebranded as "Best Buy Express" or closed -
which to me seems like it'll be a limited selection of merchandise.

Best Buy and Bell partner up to rebrand, revamp The Source stores across Canada
https://www.cp24.com/news/best-buy-and-b...he-source-stores-across-canada-1.6732602

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

The Bay Guildford suffered a Pipe Burst on Wednesday and closed up early. The mall in general also had a lot of stores closed due to the weather and or lack of staff. I heard on the radio someone said they went to a store in Vancouver somewhere downtown in the afternoon and the staff told them they were the first customer of the day.

Lougheed Mall had a power outage and closed early too. Price Smart opens in a week today.

The City / press have drilled it into our heads with poor road / sidewalk clearing and transportation chaos
that if there's any snow the economy is supposed to shut down.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Global retailer rumoured to be leasing former Vancouver Victoria's Secret space
Retail asset manager Morguard not confirming new tenant
By Glen Korstrom | January 17, 2024

https://biv.com/article/2024/01/global-r...-former-vancouver-victorias-secret-space

From the BIV article...
I remember when the old libary was renovated, the office lobby was like an atrium to/from which the retail spaces were supposed to connect (but there were only 2 retail spaces and then office access). But even with Virgin/HMV, the main entrance was always directly from the street and the atrium largely went unused. The tenant where the current Shoppers Drug Mart is was, I think, Below the Belt (?)or a similar clothing store. Planet Hollywood access (to the 5th floor?) was by elevator around the corner on Robson next to the alley (it never occupied the Virgin/HMV/Victoria's Secret space).

When Victoria's Secret in 2012 started to occupy what was the company's second-largest store in North America, the structure was renovated.

The exterior of the building stayed largely the same, but the inside changed dramatically.

A mezzanine level was replaced with higher ceilings. Another change related to the part of the building that houses CTV and the Globe and Mail.

The entryway lobby to the CTV offices became part of the 15,000-square-foot main level for Victoria's Secret. A 20,000-square-foot floor below stayed intact.

The high ceilings in the lobby entryway to CTV were reduced and the third and fourth floors were extended. CTV at the time consolidated on the fourth and fifth floors while the Globe and Mail at the time leased half of the third floor.

[jollyburger]

I wonder how worth it is for Bell to keep their production studios downtown. Seems like with all their cost cutting they could move to somewhere outside of the core.

Here's the CTV lobby/HMV.

HMV by John Grantham, on Flickr

And Off the Wall

Downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada by Brian Chow, on Flickr

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

And Off the Wall

Thanks.
I knew it was a multi-word name!

[theKB]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Planet Hollywood access (to the 5th floor?) was by elevator around the corner on Robson next to the alley (it never occupied the Virgin/HMV/Victoria's Secret space).

Did CTV/Globe and Mail take over the Planet Hollywood space, or is it just sitting there mothballed?

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by theKB

Did CTV/Globe and Mail take over the Planet Hollywood space, or is it just sitting there mothballed?

Seems like it was on the 5th floor and probably is CTV office space.

[jollyburger]

Looks like the Globe and Mail dumped their lease in the building as well

https://www.loopnet.ca/Listing/969-Robson-St-Vancouver-BC/25691478/

[daverraver]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I guess they'll close the one under the Commodore?

Depends. The Adidas store on Granville is an Adidas Originals store. There is no regular Adidas store in Vancouver unless you count the one at The Amazing Brentwood. So it will depend on which concept store opens there.

[jollyburger]

I was thinking the same thing but I guess Adidas Performance is a large enough of project to keep them separate. Unless they open a huge everything Adidas flagship.

[SpongeG]

Will they or can they restore the space more to the layout that Virgin had? ie 3 levels or has that shipped sailed?

[theKB]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Will they or can they restore the space more to the layout that Virgin had? ie 3 levels or has that shipped sailed?

Did they raise up the basement level (or insert a mezanine) underneath. I seem to remember the escalators being extremely long to get down to the lower level of HMV/Virgin.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by theKB

Did they raise up the basement level (or insert a mezanine) underneath. I seem to remember the escalators being extremely long to get down to the lower level of HMV/Virgin.

I haven't been inside since HMV days, but the mezzanine that was removed was at grade.
Doubt they did any changes to the basement, so the Adidas space sould be large open ground floor and basement,
shown here.
Unit 140 would be the Shoppers Drug Mart.

Originally Posted by NewfBC

An old RI story on Victoria's Secret shows a floor plan...
https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2013/08/north-americas-second-largest-victorias/



Ron.

Thanks for the G&M brochure link.
I haven't been by in a long time and never realized that it's practically all one long monotonuous facade now except for Shoppers.

It would have been nice if the former atrium space was carved out into a separate retail unit.


https://www.loopnet.ca/viewer/pdf?file=h...LatVHziZpgHdN9b6ZZ2A%2fSuite%2520350.pdf

[jollyburger]

Additional confirmation came late this afternoon, when Retail Insider reported that Adidas would open an "open massive concept store" at the site.

Retail Insider's story said Mario Negris and Martin Moriarty of Marcus & Millichap negotiated Adidas' lease. BIV contacted Moriarty for additional confirmation that Adidas is indeed the future tenant at the site and he confirmed the news.

Landlord Morguard's vice-president of asset management, Darin Comrie earlier today confirmed to BIV that the tenant would be a global retailer but he would not confirm the tenant.

"We have been asked to keep their identity anonymous until such time as they make a major announcement on their arrival," Comrie said. "We look forward to continued excitement on the corner of Robson and Burrard."

https://biv.com/article/2024/01/adidas-take-space-former-victorias-secret-store-downtown-vancouver

[C3YVR]

Originally Posted by teriyaki

Thats a major disappointment if true.
Maybe they're looking to stir up some more controversy by hanging the "Terrex" branding all over the place. They are kitty corner from the Arc'teryx Robson Location

While Arc'teryx might be a minor consideration to Adidas, I do wonder if the bigger message is actually aimed at Lululemon across the street. With Adidas, and possibly Nike down the street at PC, it's like the big boys are trying to show the local upstart(s) who the superstars are.
I remember hearing a long time ago that Adidas was looking for major space but I never imagined they would go this big.
Besides each other I would think Adidas and Nike would both consider Lululemon to be the biggest threat to their business.

[officedweller]

I would think that they are different markets though.

Nike and Adidas are heavily into athletic shoes, as well as clothing, while Lululemon is primarily / only (?) clothing.
WRT men's clothing, Nike and Adidas are also sports / team sports clothing oriented, whereas Lululemon is yoga / athleisure clothing with some work-casual clothes (that Chip Wilson says is off-brand).

There's also the SportChek at Robson & Howe.

I remember when NikeTown was big in the 90s - but that waned and many of the big downtown NikeTowns closed up in the US.

I do wonder what they are going to fill the store with.

[connect2source]

Daily Hive announcement.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/adidas-vancouver-store-750-burrard-street-victorias-secret

They'll have no problem filling the space, I've been to some of the major Adidas stores in Europe, they're a massive global player with an enormous product range, especially now with Terrex. If Victoria's Secret can fill the place with bras and — Adidas will have no issues. I suspect only positive effects for Lulu and Arcyterx as it will bring tons of additional footfall to the area, I feel Sportchek will be the only ones negatively affected.

[C3YVR]

Originally Posted by connect2source

They'll have no problem filling the space, I've been to some of the major Adidas stores in Europe, they're a massive global player with an enormous product range

Yes I agree the Adidas stores in Europe can be very large, I've been to quite a few myself, but even those are considerably smaller (London 27,000; Paris 24,000; Berlin 15,000 for example)
Nike, on the other hand has taken it up to another level, the Paris House of Innovation on the Champs-Elysees (which I believe they bought the building) clocks in at 68,000 sq ft. So if Nike do open at PC it will be interesting to see how big they go.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

Yes I agree the Adidas stores in Europe can be very large, I've been to quite a few myself, but even those are considerably smaller (London 27,000; Paris 24,000; Berlin 15,000 for example)
Nike, on the other hand has taken it up to another level, the Paris House of Innovation on the Champs-Elysees (which I believe they bought the building) clocks in at 68,000 sq ft. So if Nike do open at PC it will be interesting to see how big they go.

I guess the closest comparison would be the NYC flagship at 45000 sq ft...

https://blog.bimsmith.com/A-Look-Inside-the-Largest-Adidas-Store-in-the-World-Designed-by-Gensler

Ron.