The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[madog222]

I wonder if they are just holding onto operation of the downtown store until Oakridge opens.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Escalators?

Elevator maintenance is a racket. A few companies control the market, and there are some restrictions on the number of new people entering the trade as I understand it.

Lemme tell you some of the stories I've heard about the Chicago Elevator Union, starting with "I say your elevator isn't safe to work on and you cannot get a second opinion on this, so you must pay us to install a new elevator from a list that we and only we can provide."

[giallo]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Escalators?

Elevator maintenance is a racket. A few companies control the market, and there are some restrictions on the number of new people entering the trade as I understand it.

Ah yes.

A few companies controlling the market sounds super Canadian, so I have no reason not to believe it. It'd explain why so many escalators are just sitting there, waiting to be worked on.

[SpongeG]

TKE is an elevator company, I see their vans daily on my commute, they have a new office on Lougheed near the Holdom Station. Anyway Guildford Bay only has a workable UP escalator the down hasn't worked since before Christmas. They also had some kind of water leak happen a while ago. And they have adjusted their hours, they always close at 6 pm, despite the mall staying open till 9 pm on weekends. They also really spread their stock out and move it often to make the store look fuller I think, it's pretty sad these days.

[C3YVR]

So it sounds like it will be Ralph Lauren moving into the former Brooks Brothers on Alberni.

[officedweller]

The Snowflake women's wear store on West Georgia in the FortisBC Building has closed and an Armani Nail Boutique will be opening there (there's a big wrap on the windows).

[jollyburger]

Cartier closing up on Howe?

https://www.cbre.ca/properties/retail/de...treet-vancouver-british-columbia-v6c-2x1

[jollyburger]

Kit + Ace opening 2233 West 4th

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=228012019

[s211]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

So it sounds like it will be Ralph Lauren moving into the former Brooks Brothers on Alberni.

That would work out quite well.

[C3YVR]

Paris Baguette, a South Korean bakery/cafe franchise, is opening up at 1150 Alberni in part of the old Tim Hortons at the Carmana Hotel.

https://parisbaguette.ca/

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

Paris Baguette, a South Korean bakery/cafe franchise, is opening up at 1150 Alberni in part of the old Tim Hortons at the Carmana Hotel.

https://parisbaguette.ca/

OMG Raisin Bread- a rare item in these parts!

[SpongeG]

Room + Spaces in Langley is closed, I went by where it was and its all papered up and no signage at all. A google search shows that multiple stores are closed months after opening, Victoria, Kelowna, Vancouver and Ontario etc.

Also the same guy who saved Sunrise and Toys R Us etc is said to be a possibility to save the Body Shop in Canada.

Canadian entrepreneur who rescues brands considers bid for The Body Shop: report

[bluefox]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Room + Spaces in Langley is closed, I went by where it was and its all papered up and no signage at all. A google search shows that multiple stores are closed months after opening, Victoria, Kelowna, Vancouver and Ontario etc.

Also the same guy who saved Sunrise and Toys R Us etc is said to be a possibility to save the Body Shop in Canada.

Canadian entrepreneur who rescues brands considers bid for The Body Shop: report

Hmm... except as we know now, he didn't, rescue BBB, if the phoenix-from-the-ashes Rooms & Spaces is basically already gone. It had an almost identical business model, so I can't see what they thought they would be doing differently, and whatever that "different" was, it clearly didn't work. Less than a year in, they're down from 21 stores to just two - West Edmonton Mall, and Brantford, Ontario. That's a pretty objective failure that is happening as we speak. Weird that the article is written in a way that does not mention this at all, as if all of those stores remain open.

So if I were a Body Shop employee in Canada I don't know if I'd be that encouraged by this news. Not to suggest Putnam can't make it work. But if Body Shop isn't going to remain in the hands of private equity in some shape or form, I'd actually say it's a better fit if a company like Loblaws (via Shoppers Drug Mart) or LVMH (via Sephora) scoops them up and continues to surgically reduce the physical presence and re-establish e-commerce.

Went past their location at Pacific Centre today and it was actually decently busy. If they get through shedding those unprofitable locations, I'd think they'll survive whoever ends up owning them. They still have pretty solid brand recognition, they are just in a tough spot at the moment.

[SpongeG]

The Lougheed Mall Body Shop location has signage that says they are not closing, surprising, but the rent may be cheap there?

If he does take it over, does that mean he would need to take over the manufacturing of all their products?

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

The Lougheed Mall Body Shop location has signage that says they are not closing, surprising, but the rent may be cheap there?

If he does take it over, does that mean he would need to take over the manufacturing of all their products?

The restructuring press release from March 1st

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/th...restructuring-proceedings-833772848.html

Only BC locations that closed immediately were

Semiahmoo (White Rock)
Village Green (Vernon)
Hillside Shopping Centre (Victoria)

https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thebodyshop

Doesn't sound like they manufacture anything locally.

The UK Parent ships products designated for TBS Canada to TBS US, who then holds them at its distribution centre located in the United States (the “US Distribution Centre”). At the US Distribution Centre, TBS US either mixes inventory or virtually designates items for TBS Canada. TBS US transports the inventory to the US-Canadian border, where it gets picked up by third-party couriers on TBS Canada’s behalf.

https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/sites/d...20The%20Body%20Shop%20-%204-MAR-2024.pdf

[svlt]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Kit + Ace opening 2233 West 4th

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=228012019

This brand seemed like a prime bankruptcy candidate a couple of years back, amazed they're still opening a spot in a prime location

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by svlt

This brand seemed like a prime bankruptcy candidate a couple of years back, amazed they're still opening a spot in a prime location

It was sold some time ago to Unity Brands of which Joe Mimran (Joe Fresh, Club Monaco, etc.) is one of the owners.

Ron.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

It were sold some time ago to Unity Brands of which Joe Mimran (Joe Fresh, Club Monaco, etc.) is one of the owners.

Ron.

The old CEO of Kit and Ace took it over in 2018. It wasn't sold to Unity Brands until last year.

Says they want to open some more stores around Vancouver

"We will open three new stores in Metro Vancouver," Lui said after he participated in a question-and-answer session at the Retail West conference at the Westin Bayshore.

"The other stores will be in suburbs, in malls."

He said he has decided which malls he wants to open stores in but did not want to reveal the locations until leases are signed.

The company has six stores now, including one in Gastown. Lui's plan is to have 10 stores open by the end of 2024. The other planned opening would be in Toronto, he said.

https://www.biv.com/news/retail-manufact...n-several-metro-vancouver-stores-8293944

If I had to bet I don't see it succeeding. It only sort of made a mark by burning a bunch of Chip Wilson's cash.

[officedweller]

I always thought it was a bit of a poor concept.
Somewhat ordinary looking 5% cashmere blend athletic wear selling for a premium.
Just checked the website and now they say 5% wool, not cashmere.

[mezzanine]

IMO it was an interesting concept, higher-end minimalist basics that had were easy to care and aimed for travel. It lacked the brand recognition nor set itself apart from competitors for its price point.