The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Spr0ckets]

Seems like the Citymarket at the future South Granville skytrain station finally has an opening date and it's next week.

"A new Loblaws City Market is coming to Vancouver, and it will officially open this month.

City Market South Granville shared on its Instagram that it’s preparing to welcome guests starting March 23.

“If you haven’t noticed we’re pretty excited to be part of the community!” wrote the store."

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/loblaws-city-market-vancouver


And from the looks of it, it's not the only one.
The Royal Bank that's been earmarked for the ground level should also be opening soon.
The old location (farther south on Granville itself) had been scheduled to close down in preparation for the relocation at the end of last month or early this month, but construction delays forced them to push the opening date back.

Both are still going to be impacted considerably by the ongoing skytrain station construction when they do open, so I imagine RB don't mind the delay too much and it wouldn't surprise me if they keep pushing the comlpete relocation into the summer even.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

Seems like the Citymarket at the future South Granville skytrain station finally has an opening date and it's next week.




https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/loblaws-city-market-vancouver


And from the looks of it, it's not the only one.
The Royal Bank that's been earmarked for the ground level should also be opening soon.
The old location (farther south on Granville itself) had been scheduled to close down in preparation for the relocation at the end of last month or early this month, but construction delays forced them to push the opening date back.

Both are still going to be impacted considerably by the ongoing skytrain station construction when they do open, so I imagine RB don't mind the delay too much and it wouldn't surprise me if they keep pushing the comlpete relocation into the summer even.

On their website RBC lists the branch as being located at 1465 W Broadway?

https://maps.rbcroyalbank.com/BC-VANCOUVER-branch-5680

Someone posted on Google Maps the sign outside the new location but it's hard to make out what it says. "We're on our way.."

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

On their website RBC lists the branch as being located at 1465 W Broadway?

https://maps.rbcroyalbank.com/BC-VANCOUVER-branch-5680

Someone posted on Google Maps the sign outside the new location but it's hard to make out what it says. "We're on our way.."

You are indeed correct.
It seems they've officially fully relocated and are now open and nominally at the new location.

Last week they seemed to still have to old location open and serving customers and the sign outside indicating that the relocation had been held back by construction delays.

Today it seems even though the sign is still up, the old location is more or less officially closed with the windows frosted up and the new South Granville branch office fully functioning and serving customers.

....despite all the skytrain construction hullaballoo happening outside.

The sign outside actually says "Now Open".

I also noticed that the official office lobby and entrance (With the "1477" signage) also had what looked like a concierge which seems to imply that some other office tenants may soon be in operation (though not Nicola by the looks of the construction work still going on in their levels.

I wonder if RBC are the only ground level office tenants.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

You are indeed correct.
It seems they've officially fully relocated and are now open and nominally at the new location.

Last week they seemed to still have to old location open and serving customers and the sign outside indicating that the relocation had been held back by construction delays.

Today it seems even though the sign is still up, the old location is more or less officially closed with the windows frosted up and the new South Granville branch office fully functioning and serving customers.

....despite all the skytrain construction hullaballoo happening outside.

The sign outside actually says "Now Open".

I also noticed that the official office lobby and entrance (With the "1477" signage) also had what looked like a concierge which seems to imply that some other office tenants may soon be in operation (though not Nicola by the looks of the construction work still going on in their levels.

I wonder if RBC are the only ground level office tenants.

I think some restaurant just got the other CRU.

Interior alterations for this First TI and to change the use/occupancy from Retail (E) to Restaurant Class 1 (A2) on the 2nd floor of this newly constructed base mixed-use building on this site.

I think 2nd floor is street level from the plans.

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=290924668

Nicola just started doing work on their space recently I think. The 5th floor has been split into 3 spaces and someone is doing work on one of them.

Plans:

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/1477-w-broadway-appendix-d-1.pdf

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I think some restaurant just got the other CRU.



I think 2nd floor is street level from the plans.

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=290924668

Nicola just started doing work on their space recently I think. The 5th floor has been split into 3 spaces and someone is doing work on one of them.

Plans:

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/1477-w-broadway-appendix-d-1.pdf

Thanks for that.

[officedweller]

Reddit says that the London Drugs on Kingsway at Wessex (near Joyce) will be an 88 Supermarket.
https://www.reddit.com/r/askvan/comments/1rs3wnt/anyone_else_think_the_london_drugs_at_granville/

[jollyburger]

^^ And another LD report on their stocking issues.

I had a talk with a long time employee at the lonsdale LD a few weeks back when I went in and the shelves looked like the pandemic had hit again. They are undergoing major contract negotiations with most of their suppliers. While those Negotiations are ongoing the suppliers won’t sell them stock. With all the tariff drama suppliers are insisting on changing terms of payment from a standard 90 days to like two weeks. It is screwing everything up. I love LD so I hope the can sort this out quickly. I can’t justify going there if the shelves are going to be bare.

and

Have a friend who works for them, told me they’ve gotten sales reps from different companies coming into the stores saying the shelves are empty because LD hasn’t paid their invoices so they won’t ship to the warehouse anymore

and this

London Drugs is restructuring the buyers/vendors system they have been using for decades. Buyers were out of control and they ended up finding products in the warehouse almost 10 years old that have never been put on store shelves. So.. for one, buyers are now on strict rules for buying new products. Focus will be made on products that Do sell, not the ones that are gimmicks or don't sell. This is a big job and thus the shelves being bare for a while. Things should start looking better over the next few months as that inventory is gone from stores and the warehouse. London Drugs doesn't cheat or pull stunts like Superstore, they are a BC based company with pretty high morals so you SHOULD support them. If we didn't have them you would be shopping at Shoppers where the price of many things are nearly DOUBLE compared to London Drugs. Or God forbid, Pharmasave.

https://www.reddit.com/r/askvan/comments/1rs3wnt/anyone_else_think_the_london_drugs_at_granville/

[SpongeG]

I shop mostly at London Drugs of the choices between them and Shoppers, I never really go into Rexall or Pharmasave.

The ones I have been going to seem fine for stock.

Walmart at Lougheed Town Centre is undergoing a large renovation, so far it looks like it will be similar to the Surrey 88th Ave Store which finished a reno last year.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I shop mostly at London Drugs of the choices between them and Shoppers, I never really go into Rexall or Pharmasave.

The ones I have been going to seem fine for stock.

Walmart at Lougheed Town Centre is undergoing a large renovation, so far it looks like it will be similar to the Surrey 88th Ave Store which finished a reno last year.

Story about the South Surrey store redesign with some photos

https://www.grocerybusiness.ca/walmart-c...d-design-with-south-surrey-b-c-location/

[jollyburger]

New Shoppers/No Frills store design





https://www.insauga.com/new-look-for-no-frills-and-shoppers-drug-mart-stores-coming-to-ontario/

[WestEnd604]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

New Shoppers/No Frills store design





https://www.insauga.com/new-look-for-no-frills-and-shoppers-drug-mart-stores-coming-to-ontario/

I sure wish they'd upgrade/expand the Shoppers on Davie at Thurlow. It's woefully undersized, and sits on a surface parking lot. So much better could be done.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by WestEnd604

I sure wish they'd upgrade/expand the Shoppers on Davie at Thurlow. It's woefully undersized, and sits on a surface parking lot. So much better could be done.

You assume it'll be a tower so they won't spend any money upgrading it.

[kikin]

That Shoppers on Davie feels so "low class" for some reason. It should be a great shopping choice but I find myself avoiding it for the most part. Even the nearby Home hardware store is an unpleasant shopping experience because they have security gates locked over half of the shelves due to all of the shoplifting. The 7-11 a couple blocks down closed down completely.

Hopefully things will get better with the new apartments going up on Davie/Burrard and the government closing the Granville SRO's, but the Murray Hotel is still a blight that is central to a lot of the problems in the area.

[officedweller]

Shoppers Drug Marts are franchises, aren't they? So at least the owner hasn't given up on the area.
I think it's the only one that is/was 24 hours.
Homer St. closes at 10pm now (up from midnight originally).

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Shoppers Drug Marts are franchises, aren't they? So at least the owner hasn't given up on the area.
I think it's the only one that is/was 24 hours.
Homer St. closes at 10pm now (up from midnight originally).

Richmond Centre is 24 hours and one in Surrey.

It seems like they are "franchised" but with pretty much complete corporate control (including assets) and it might just be a glorified manager with no salary but profit sharing.

https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onca/doc/2024/2024onca642/2024onca642.html

[WestEnd604]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Shoppers Drug Marts are franchises, aren't they? So at least the owner hasn't given up on the area.
I think it's the only one that is/was 24 hours.
Homer St. closes at 10pm now (up from midnight originally).

The Davie/Thurlow location is 24 hours. They do close down some aisles over night now, and there is always security staff walking around.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Story about the South Surrey store redesign with some photos

https://www.grocerybusiness.ca/walmart-c...d-design-with-south-surrey-b-c-location/

can't get the story to open, but the Guildfor store looks really good, one of the better ones now. And RCSS on Marine Drive is undergoing a reno to the new layout and look for their stores. The Langley store was reno'd too but it doesn't look as good as the Vancouver Grandview location.

Does anyone know where the Muji is going in tsawwassen mills? the website doesn't show where, from pics on their instgram the store looks really big.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

can't get the story to open, but the Guildfor store looks really good, one of the better ones now. And RCSS on Marine Drive is undergoing a reno to the new layout and look for their stores. The Langley store was reno'd too but it doesn't look as good as the Vancouver Grandview location.

Does anyone know where the Muji is going in tsawwassen mills? the website doesn't show where, from pics on their instgram the store looks really big.

It's 10K square feet so probably across from Tommy Hilfiger/Exit 2?

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

can't get the story to open, but the Guildfor store looks really good, one of the better ones now. And RCSS on Marine Drive is undergoing a reno to the new layout and look for their stores. The Langley store was reno'd too but it doesn't look as good as the Vancouver Grandview location.

Does anyone know where the Muji is going in tsawwassen mills? the website doesn't show where, from pics on their instgram the store looks really big.

Originally Posted by jollyburger

It's 10K square feet so probably across from Tommy Hilfiger/Exit 2?

It's going into multiple spaces combined between Polo Ralph Lauren and Old Navy.

Ron.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

It's going into multiple spaces combined between Polo Ralph Lauren and Old Navy.

Ron.

Thanks.

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