Wonderland and Wharncliffe - retail development

[CanadianTalk]

From York Developments' social media page:

Big News for Southwest London! 🛒✨

​We are thrilled to officially announce that Walmart Canada will be joining us as the anchor tenant for our commercial development The District located at Wonderland Rd S & Wharncliffe Rd S in Southwest London.
​
We are proud to partner with a premier national retailer to bring a massive 140,000 sq. ft. Supercentre to the heart of this growing community.
​
​Stay tuned as we continue to build and shape communities
🏗️🏙️

https://yorkdev.ca/project/the-district-yorkville/

[Djeffery]

I feel like this has been coming for years. I wonder if this will end up being the end of the White Oaks store or be a new addition. Interesting map on that link, maybe they could possibly fill in the updates on the all the buildings that have tenants on there now or the ones that are gone. I imagine that is a bit out of date on the future buildings because I don't think any of those new ones south of Rona along the west perimeter are big enough to be this Walmart.

[jammer139]

Your right the speculation on a Walmart here has been around for a very long time. Will Walmart stay in White Oaks Mall? Time will tell.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/walmart-opening-new-store-in-booming-southwest-london

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

I feel like this has been coming for years. I wonder if this will end up being the end of the White Oaks store or be a new addition. Interesting map on that link, maybe they could possibly fill in the updates on the all the buildings that have tenants on there now or the ones that are gone. I imagine that is a bit out of date on the future buildings because I don't think any of those new ones south of Rona along the west perimeter are big enough to be this Walmart.

Walmart has owned the land here for maybe 2 decades- they were just waiting for the conditions to be right before building. I think they wanted sufficient competition/development in the area first.

As for the White Oaks store- Wal Mart wants to own the land their stores are built on. They lease at White Oaks. I would expect them to keep the store if it remains profitable, but it is against their corporate interests.

[CanadianTalk]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Walmart has owned the land here for maybe 2 decades- they were just waiting for the conditions to be right before building. I think they wanted sufficient competition/development in the area first.

As for the White Oaks store- Wal Mart wants to own the land their stores are built on. They lease at White Oaks. I would expect them to keep the store if it remains profitable, but it is against their corporate interests.

I believe that it is York Developments that owns the land where Walmart is building its new store, and not Walmart themselves.

It is definitely possible that they owned other land in the area, as I clearly remember rumours that they were planning to build somewhere in this area. I can’t recall the exact location, but if I had to guess, I think they were planning at some point to build on the large empty field at the southeast corner of Exeter and Wonderland, but I could be wrong.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

I believe that it is York Developments that owns the land where Walmart is building its new store, and not Walmart themselves.

It is definitely possible that they owned other land in the area, as I clearly remember rumours that they were planning to build somewhere in this area. I can’t recall the exact location, but if I had to guess, I think they were planning at some point to build on the large empty field at the southeast corner of Exeter and Wonderland, but I could be wrong.

That's where I remember it being planned as well. Then they signed the new lease at White Oaks when Bentall Kennedy bought it, and they did that massive reno that removed the auto service.

[MrSlippery519]

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

I think they were planning at some point to build on the large empty field at the southeast corner of Exeter and Wonderland, but I could be wrong.

That was always the rumored location, not sure if there was ever any truth to it but Walmart was always tied to that location going back 10+ years. Long before York even had a proposal for their commercial work.

Think it makes sense for both sides, as York would be unlikely to fill the rest of that development with anything substantial, this is a win/win.

By the time its built there will be even more residential in the area...and Wonderland Road while is already a mess is going to be absolutely brutal.

[CanadianTalk]

The CTV article from today mentions that it's very likely that the White Oaks Mall Walmart will remain open when the new one on Wonderland opens in 2028... in fact, the management at White Oaks Mall even said that Walmart has future plans to invest in their White Oaks store.

Personally speaking, I don't see why the White Oaks Walmart would close, like the article mentions it is always busy, but there are plans for several more high-density apartment buildings in the area in the upcoming years, including on the White Oaks Mall parking lot.

New Walmart could cut in to White Oaks – but there’s room for both: Analyst - https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/ne...e-oaks-but-theres-room-for-both-analyst/

“The location here at White Oaks Mall for Walmart is a very successful one,” explained White Oaks General Manager Tarik Kasem. “High traffic store, it’s been around for many, many years. And they have plans to continue to invest in this space here at White Oaks Mall. Both interior, exterior plans.”

Retail analyst Bruce Winder of Bruce Winder Retail predicts there will eventually be enough business for both south London Walmarts.

“So, it’s probably going to make sense over time. It’s going to cannibalize a little bit of the existing Walmart, but certainly there’s probably room for two. But five kilometres feels a little tight, but you never know,” Winder said.

[Djeffery]

Yeah, west London has a lot more people than 20 years ago and a lot more on the way. And as said, White Oaks will hopefully have a lot more around it starting in a few years. And the mall is owned by a local company now and not some big private equity company like the last couple owners were, so they are more motivated to keep Walmart there than the prior owners.

[CanadianTalk]

York recently updated the site-plan on their website for their mega-plaza here which shows the new Walmart.

https://yorkdev.ca/district-yorkville/

[jammer139]

Lots of heavy equipment now working this site with earth moving and sewer and utilities being installed.

[MolsonExport]

It so incredibly exciting to see more car-centric urban sprawl on the outskirts of the city. Maybe they can work overtime to suck the life out of existing retail!

[jammer139]

Show me the Money! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFrag8ll85w

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

It so incredibly exciting to see more car-centric urban sprawl on the outskirts of the city. Maybe they can work overtime to suck the life out of existing retail!

[haljackey]

Pave paradise, put up a parking lot.

Good location however- this is a busy crossroads and the southwest/Lambeth area is growing a lot. Surprised nothing was developed here sooner.

[HuronZephyr]

Big question: what happens to the White Oaks Walmart after the one at Wharncliffe and Wonderland is built?

[CanadianTalk]

Originally Posted by HuronZephyr

Big question: what happens to the White Oaks Walmart after the one at Wharncliffe and Wonderland is built?

White Oaks Mall management said that Walmart will remain at the mall... I think they also said there are even future renovations in the works for the Walmart.

It makes sense, as the area all around White Oaks Mall (including some of the mall parking lot) will eventually get lots of high-density buildings.

[Djeffery]

There was a time when Walmart was looking to move their White Oaks store out, and there was a time when the mall wanted them out too. That was more than 20 years ago. Retail landscape is different now, there isn't a Sears, Bay, Kmart or Zellers so I'm sure Walmart feels good about the south side of London to have 2 stores.

[ericmacm]

Once the Walmart opens, Wonderland will have essentially every major grocery store chain located on the corridor; No Frills at Wonderland/Fanshawe Park, Food Basics at Wonderland/Gainsborough, Farm Boy at Wonderland/Beaverbrook, Costco at Wonderland/Farrah, Sobeys at Wonderland/Farrah, T&T at Wonderland/Oxford, Food Basics at Wonderland/Commissioners, FreshCo at Wonderland/Pine Valley, Loblaws at Wonderland/Southdale, Adonis at Wonderland/Bradley, and now Walmart at Wonderland/Wharncliffe. Only thing missing is a Giant Tiger to achieve the ultimate suburban sprawl grocery corridor lol.

It has been kind of morbidly impressive how fast this retail area has exploded over the past 5 years, and it’s clearly far from done.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

Only thing missing is a Giant Tiger to achieve the ultimate suburban sprawl grocery corridor lol.

Huh, interesting. I wouldn't put Giant Tiger in with the others. It's better than Shoppers Drug Mart's food section sure, but not anywhere close to full grocery stores.

I do go there a few times a year and holy moly it's old people central. You can score some good deals when there are sales- its decently priced to begin with so you get considerable savings when big promos are running.

Walmart on the other hand has a stigma, there was a whole website dedicated to featuring them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_Walmart
-It continues to live in some forms like having a subreddit. My gosh most of the top posts are absolutely trashy- https://www.reddit.com/r/peopleofwalmart/top/

[MolsonExport]

Since the demise of Sears, there is no store that is more "old people central" than Michael's.