The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Capitol Hill]

I’m very curious what the new Hudson’s Bay will be like at Oakridge Park, considering that the downtown store has fallen into such disrepair. I understand that it’ll be all new, but I wonder if it’ll feel luxurious or spartan.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Capitol Hill

I’m very curious what the new Hudson’s Bay will be like at Oakridge Park, considering that the downtown store has fallen into such disrepair. I understand that it’ll be all new, but I wonder if it’ll feel luxurious or spartan.

I expect spartan with unfinished ceilings like most stores these days.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Marshalls is a little better organized and the selection seems a little better merchandised and curated compared to winners, like Marshalls will organize 3displays of the same brand together on a rack whereas winners seems to just throw everything in a big general section.

Marshalls was a separate company before they got bought out by TJX. Used to like going to it in Bellevue.

Wow.. over 30 years ago!

These stores aren't what they used to be. A lot of items they sell now are made specifically for them to sell at a 'discount'.

Ron.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Capitol Hill

I’m very curious what the new Hudson’s Bay will be like at Oakridge Park, considering that the downtown store has fallen into such disrepair. I understand that it’ll be all new, but I wonder if it’ll feel luxurious or spartan.

I'm still hoping they go bankrupt before they can open in Oakridge

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I'm still hoping they go bankrupt before they can open in Oakridge

You want the Calendar Club and the Halloween store in there instead?

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by officedweller

You want the Calendar Club and the Halloween store in there instead?

I want a fancy Dollarama

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

You want the Calendar Club and the Halloween store in there instead?

I doubt they could afford the rent that QuadReal will charge. I assume HBC got preferential terms on their new lease so it probably makes sense for them to go through the motions of building out the space.

EDIT: From February

TI SPACE ALMOST READY TO HAND OVER TO TENANT FOR FIT OUT

I guess my dream won't come true.

[SpongeG]

this is from the Bay when they had a store in Holland, perhaps this look for Oakridge?


tripadvisor

the last store they opened in Canada was in 2018 in Suburban Montreal

pics from retail insider

[whatnext]

That store looks great. And when they Bay redid downtown Vancouver it looked great too. But they just can’t seem to focus on one thing, being a great retail destination.

[theKB]

Walking through the bay yesterday - "the room" is effectively a clearance zone now, they have gotten rid of most of the individual brand areas, the shoe wall is just again a clearance set up.

Emporio Armani has removed their logos from their area on the womans floor. It seems like the only areas that are well stocked are the commissaries that have chosen to maintain their presence. They also seem to be closing down the floors and consolodating.

My sensation is that the bay is being their own liquidator to maximize their returns before they throw in the towel and file for bankruptcy. It's not sustainable to keep liquidating real estate assets to pay bills at this point.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by whatnext

That store looks great. And when they Bay redid downtown Vancouver it looked great too. But they just can’t seem to focus on one thing, being a great retail destination.

I was in there a few weeks ago; the store was reasonably busy, but all but one of the elevators were out of order. I needed to go up to the 7th floor (Menswear), so it was a long wait. I took the stairs to come back down; it looks like the stairwells haven't been updated since the 1930s. Interesting retro look at least.

It's also very difficult to find the way out of the store if you're not a regular customer. It looks like some entrances/exits have been blocked off since Covid and have never been restored. I walked in circles and needed to ask two different people for directions to an actual exit that wasn't blocked off. (They also did this at Guildford, though that's a much more straightforward store so it's not as hard to find an exit there)

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

this is from the Bay when they had a store in Holland, perhaps this look for Oakridge?


tripadvisor

the last store they opened in Canada was in 2018 in Suburban Montreal

pics from retail insider

When I was in Amsterdam back in 2020, the Dutch stores were already closed, and on the windows were pasted yellow signs saying " HUDSON'S BYE Dit Warenhuis is gesloten". Very sad to see that. Despite the Bay there looking much better than most in Canada, and along very busy pedestrian streets, they failed. I think it all boils down to lousy Canadian retail management. The only good mid-range department store left in Canada is Simon's, and hopefully the Quebecers can run it even better than it already is.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I was in there a few weeks ago; the store was reasonably busy, but all but one of the elevators were out of order. I needed to go up to the 7th floor (Menswear), so it was a long wait. I took the stairs to come back down; it looks like the stairwells haven't been updated since the 1930s. Interesting retro look at least.

It's also very difficult to find the way out of the store if you're not a regular customer. It looks like some entrances/exits have been blocked off since Covid and have never been restored. I walked in circles and needed to ask two different people for directions to an actual exit that wasn't blocked off. (They also did this at Guildford, though that's a much more straightforward store so it's not as hard to find an exit there)

Pure neglect by management. It looks like they rather make money selling property than improving their reputation on their traditional retail business. The exterior of the downtown store is nothing but pure sewer: what an embarrassment for an establishment that used to rival the British and Dutch East India Company.

[jollyburger]

Someone smashed a few windows along Georgia to add to the rundown ambience.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Vin

what an embarrassment for an establishment that used to rival the British and Dutch East India Company.

As that part of your comment must be relevent to the retail thread, what did their stores look like?

(There was the English East India Company (later the British East India Company), and their rivals, the Dutch East India Company. Neither of them big in retail. The Dutch government closed their company down in 1799.)

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Someone smashed a few windows along Georgia to add to the rundown ambience.

I saw the Cafe Artigiano on Hornby across from the art gallery also had a boarded up window. Sone crazy must have gone on quite a spree.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Changing City

(There was the English East India Company (later the British East India Company), and their rivals, the Dutch East India Company. Neither of them big in retail. The Dutch government closed their company down in 1799.)

And HBC couldn't hold a candle to either of them - at no point did Hudson's Bay ever have their own navy, found their own cities or have a net worth of $1b+.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Changing City

As that part of your comment must be relevent to the retail thread, what did their stores look like?

(There was the English East India Company (later the British East India Company), and their rivals, the Dutch East India Company. Neither of them big in retail. The Dutch government closed their company down in 1799.)

I am saying that they used to rival the biggest companies in the world. If HBC still exists, it should continue to be great like it used to. What if I just say: They used to rival the biggest companies like CP and CN? With that kind of wealth, they should have become an even better company. And if they chose to become a major retail company, they should be the best out there, and not languish and eventually die out like so many other Canadian establishments.

No one really cares about what happened to BEI or DEI Company, but thanks for the lesson.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Someone smashed a few windows along Georgia to add to the rundown ambience.

Another typical Vancouver shame: the quality of its citizenry and lack of good enforcement.

The City is so afraid of its own residents that it is now not holding new public events, such as NHL Playoff gatherings, due to previous riots here. There are many people itching to burn the town down.

I remember during the last riot when HBC was ransacked and even torched.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Vin

No one really cares about what happened to BEI or DEI Company, but thanks for the lesson.

I don't think nationalizing a dying retail company like HBC would be a good idea to replicate.