[Moncton] Retail Thread

[MonctonRad]

Job fair this weekend for the new Fens/Starbucks/Denny's at the Mapleton/TCH interchange.

[MonctonRad]

Not sure when it happened, but the Game Stop signage at their location in Champlain Place has been swapped out for EB Games.

These companies became separate entities last year, so this was expected. I assumed the new signage would have been installed months ago.

EB Games is a Canadian company, and the new sign features a prominent maple leaf.

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Not sure when it happened, but the Game Stop signage at their location in Champlain Place has been swapped out for EB Games.

These companies became separate entities last year, so this was expected. I assumed the new signage would have been installed months ago.

EB Games is a Canadian company, and the new sign features a prominent maple leaf.

If anyone's curious, the algorithm gave me a video about EBGames Canada. It's got some shades of how A&W split apart between the US and Canada. (TRU should have been a similar story but it doesn't seem like TRU.ca is going to make it).

Not sure if EB Games Canada will be able to go the distance or not, but it does seem to be trying to turn around. Focusing more on Geek culture in general might be the direction, as long as they don't dip too much into the trashy stuff. Having MacFarlane Toys as a direct supplier should be good.

[MonctonRad]

A very well placed source (somebody who should know), has indicated that Urban Barn is planning a Moncton location for next year.

I have some idea of where they will set up, but that part is still confidential. I will state however that we are almost certainly not looking at new construction, and that they will be taking up an existing retail vacancy.

[felip_ars]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

If anyone's curious, the algorithm gave me a video about EBGames Canada. It's got some shades of how A&W split apart between the US and Canada. (TRU should have been a similar story but it doesn't seem like TRU.ca is going to make it).

Not sure if EB Games Canada will be able to go the distance or not, but it does seem to be trying to turn around. Focusing more on Geek culture in general might be the direction, as long as they don't dip too much into the trashy stuff. Having MacFarlane Toys as a direct supplier should be good.

Right now the big thing for them is Pokemon cards. Every stores now has their own "card sections" where people can buy and even sell their cards. Every time I go (which is at least once or twice a week), theres always people buying or asking about cards.

Its at the point where the manager told me that whenever theres a "new release" of cards, there'll be a lineup of people 1h before the opening.

So if the cards trend can keep up, I think they'll be alright, as the Funko Pop stuff kinda toned down a lil, and videogames is almost an afterthought (Microsoft no longer pay for a spot now, so they just put the games in a corner).

[MonctonRad]

FWIW, when I noted the new EB Games signage, I also noted the store seemed incredibly busy (probably the most packed store in the mall).

Jeff Boucher over at Retail Talk NB told me he suspects the new Mind Games store might take over the former Eddie Bauer on the other side of the corridor. There could be tremendous synergy between Mind Games and EB Games bringing a lot of energy to this wing of the mall.

[Taeolas]

In Regent, EBGames (I haven't checked if they rebranded yet) are down at the old Sears end of the mall, near the Brick/Dollarama. Now that Bootlegger and Continental are closing, that leaves a big chunk of space almost "across the hall" from EB games. So I wonder if Mind Games will be going into some of those slots for the synergy. Maybe the VR Kiosks currently near Walmart might move down there too.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Now that Bootlegger and Continental are closing, that leaves a big chunk of space almost "across the hall" from EB games. So I wonder if Mind Games will be going into some of those slots for the synergy. Maybe the VR Kiosks currently near Walmart might move down there too.

Continental is closing at Regent? It only opened mid-2025. I was told that Fairweather and International Clothiers is also closing. So those two spots are also options. Looking at pictures of Mind Games stores, they don't renovate the spaces they lease. So it will be a quick opening.

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Continental is closing at Regent? It only opened mid-2025. I was told that Fairweather and International Clothiers is also closing. So those two spots are also options. Looking at pictures of Mind Games stores, they don't renovate the spaces they lease. So it will be a quick opening.

I could have missread the signs, especially since that type of store seems to love using the Going out of Business yellow/black colour scheme for their signs. And also messed up store names. I said Bootlegger when I meant Warehouse One. shows how much I pay attention to that type of store.

But yeah I'm pretty sure Regent has 3 stores closing up soon, and 2 of them are down at the Brick end of the mall. Come to think of it, Fairweather is finally closing, so the old Radio Shack corner location will be available and might be something Mind Games will snag.