Oakridge Park | 13 Towers | 154m | 52fl | 5M sqft | U/C

[officedweller]

Thanks!
That's more direct than I expected, based on the plans.
Is there a cashier there - maybe a security guard?

[b5baxter]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks!
That's more direct than I expected, based on the plans.
Is there a cashier there - maybe a security guard?

No cashier. So if you want to leave through this door you have to go downstairs go through the check out, and then go back through the store up the stairs and out.

Or you could take the elevator instead of the stairs. Where the buttons are labelled "P1" and "P2" even though the elevator only goes between the two floors in Safeway. So that could be confusing. Thankfully Safeway has added some stickers (that are already falling off) that show that the top floor is level 1 and the bottom floor is level 2.

Great to see such attention to detail and customer experience in a high end mall.

[officedweller]

Thanks for the info.

The Safeway at Arbutus Village interestingly has two separate elevators to the parking garage - one that's elevator only (the back door) and another that has stairs plus an elevator (main entrance).

[officedweller]

From Retail Insider:

Further changes are taking place under President and CEO Franco Savastano, who assumed leadership of Holt Renfrew following Sebastian Picardo’s departure in 2025. Savastano previously held senior leadership positions at European department store businesses including Globus and Jelmoli.

His arrival has coincided with several consequential decisions involving Holt Renfrew’s store portfolio, including abandoning plans for a second Vancouver location at Oakridge Park, where the retailer had been negotiating to occupy the former 140,000 square foot Hudson’s Bay premises.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...changes-reshape-toronto-luxury-corridor/

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Retail Insider:

https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...changes-reshape-toronto-luxury-corridor/

I'm a bit surprised Holt Renfrew isn't going ahead with Oakridge. Unless they think the mall is going to flop, that's their target market.

Will it cannabilize downtown sales, sure a bit but Simons doesn't seem afraid of that.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I'm a bit surprised Holt Renfrew isn't going ahead with Oakridge. Unless they think the mall is going to flop, that's their target market.

Will it cannabilize downtown sales, sure a bit but Simons doesn't seem afraid of that.

Simons are opening Downtown, the same as Holt Renfrew. Aritzia are at Oakridge, but on a much smaller scale than the new Downtown flagship.

[officedweller]

He meant 2 nearby Simons at Park Royal and downtown, although the North Shore access provides a differentiating factor.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by officedweller

He meant 2 nearby Simons at Park Royal and downtown, although the North Shore access provides a differentiating factor.

Yes, that's what I was referring to. A downtown store will always have the advantage of office workers and tourists but it is also good to have one where a big chunk of your customers live. Maybe they have some intel that we're not aware of.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yes, that's what I was referring to. A downtown store will always have the advantage of office workers and tourists but it is also good to have one where a big chunk of your customers live. Maybe they have some intel that we're not aware of.

From the article, it sounded like the new CEO is just in reno/maintenance mode, not expansion mode.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by officedweller

He meant 2 nearby Simons at Park Royal and downtown, although the North Shore access provides a differentiating factor.

If the new Downtown Simons store outperforms the North Shore location, and the sales there drop noticeably, I could see a vacancy opening up at Park Royal. I don't see the Holts decision to not open in Oakridge Park the same as Simons opening Downtown. If the Downtown store had been opened several years ago, would Simons be thinking of opening another store at Park Royal, or Oakridge? That seems unlikely.

[officedweller]

Good point about the sequence of openings, but the bridge does provide a barrier to shopping travel.
Each of the majors - Woodward's, Eaton's and The Bay had stores at Park Royal along with stores downtown. Sears was at Capilano.
Woodward's was an original tenant on the north side (maybe involved with development?), Eaton's opened on the south side (where SportChek/Atmosphere are), and I seem to recall that The Bay may have been an addition on the south side in the 1980s (where Winners is)(before it moved to the former Woodwards on the north side).

Park Royal history:
https://shoppingmallmuseum.blogspot.com/2015/11/above-we-see-malls-south-anchor-which.html

[SpongeG]

I go to Park Royal at least once a month, mainly for Simons. Overall the mall usually feels kinda dead, lots of empty spaces. The Indigo Wing is a why even bother to walk down there since it's mostly 🞵🞵🞵🞵 stores or banks. Simons is always busy on a weekend though. The outside part near Homesense is also kinda quiet, there is a newly opened The North Face store which is a nice addition.

Holt at Oakridge could have been good, I wonder if Oakridge has pulled customers away from downtown at all with some of the doubling of stores and brands.

[C3YVR]

"Further changes are taking place under President and CEO Franco Savastano, who assumed leadership of Holt Renfrew following Sebastian Picardo’s departure in 2025. Savastano previously held senior leadership positions at European department store businesses including Globus and Jelmoli."

I was in the Geneva Globus store a couple days ago and while similar to Holt Renfrew what really sets it apart is its great food offerings. It is something to experience for its quality and variety. The rest of the store was less impressive although they do carry a lot of different brands.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

"Further changes are taking place under President and CEO Franco Savastano, who assumed leadership of Holt Renfrew following Sebastian Picardo’s departure in 2025. Savastano previously held senior leadership positions at European department store businesses including Globus and Jelmoli."

I was in the Geneva Globus store a couple days ago and while similar to Holt Renfrew what really sets it apart is its great food offerings. It is something to experience for its quality and variety. The rest of the store was less impressive although they do carry a lot of different brands.

Yes, Switzerland department store restaurants put Canada to shame. Even the ones in Coop have decent (and popular) food.

I hope Simons in downtown takes a cue from Nordstrom and offers one. The one in Simons Park Royal (now closed) was okay but nothing special.

[Lexus]

• Video Link

[GenWhy?]

Thanks as always for the video. I go by often but not to Oak and It was exciting to see that other development going up on 41st and Oak and Heather Street. So much new rental!

I think those two properties flanking the old Transit Centre will go up before it will