The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[vanlaw]

Bean Around the World sells fantastic coffee. And their baked goods (Main/21 location at least) blows any other coffee shop and most cafes out of the water with regards to selection and quality.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by officedweller

WRT Home Depot - I think that corner must be the main entry for it @ Yukon & 8th - not sure what the interior access is like (there must be a circulation stair/elevator to all of the stores from the parkade rather than separate access points.

Drove by yesterday - Home Depot also looks to have an entrance at Yukon & 7th (i.e. ower level) - so it is probably 2 levels stacked on each other at the east end of the building.

[SpongeG]

seems like a lot of things opening up

passed a few spots

west 4th - a new steak house and lounge down near videomatica/marks work wearhouse
west 4th - orb clothing
west 4th - book warehouse is now open

hastings - opus art and frame is opening across from victory square - just a block west of the new woodwards development

[Jacques]

hastings - opus art and frame is opening across from victory square - just a block west of the new woodwards development

It is about time, there used to be one art supply store on Water Street years back, finally they are waking up to very potential business, i know many artist around my area that are going to be delighted, just today I wished they had been open, I didn't feel like going all over to Broadway for supply nor main station!
Any idea as to when, because the writing on the windows have been there for a while.

[officedweller]

I noticed that the Loomis Art Supplies on Main Street (near Terminal) has changed its name.

[officedweller]

The Geox shoe store is open in Pacific Centre - very very modern design for the store - lots of glass on the corner - anchors it well.

[Jacques]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I noticed that the Loomis Art Supplies on Main Street (near Terminal) has changed its name.

yep its called OMER de SERRES I recall a few of them way back in the early 90th, I know they have stores near the UQUAM in Montreal, it is a Canadian company started in Montreal 100 years ago.
As a student in Montreal arts school Omer de Serres was the place to stack up on art supplies

here the INFO link:http://www.deserres.ca/


For nearly 100 years, DeSerres has been working to nourish artists’ creativity. DeSerres is the largest retailer of art and craft supplies in Canada. A vast network of international suppliers and a range of 30,000 products contribute to positioning the company as a leader in its field. Each store is a treasure trove of creative inspiration, and guarantees a colourful shopping experience that marries art, creativity and the latest new ideas.

A driving force behind creativity in Quebec, DeSerres continues its Canada-wide expansion, currently numbering 27 stores. This family business employs over 700 people in Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta and British Columbia.

NOTE: I don't understand why they changed the name, because they owned Loomis art supplies, I gather its just a marketing plot

[officedweller]

Probably just consolidating the operations? i.e. costs of advertising, packaging, etc.?
Loomis has only been in BC for maybe 5 years. I remember seeing them in Ontario before, but not in BC - they had started to develop their brand here but probably not enough to prevent them from changing over.

[Jacques]

The Official name brand once know in Quebec as Omer de Serre, and in the rest of Canada under acquisitions in the 90th of Loomis, will now be know Canada wide as DESERRES

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Jacques

The Official name brand once know in Quebec as Omer de Serre, and in the rest of Canada under acquisitions in the 90th of Loomis, will now be know Canada wide as DESERRES

From a branding prespective, in Vancouver, DESERRES would have people wondering how to pronounce it. "de Serre" is more obvious.

Remember, the restaurant "Ouest" changed its name to "West" because patrons couldn't pronounce it.

[Jacques]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From a branding prespective, in Vancouver, DESERRES would have people wondering how to pronounce it. "de Serre" is more obvious.

Remember, the restaurant "Ouest" changed its name to "West" because patrons couldn't pronounce it.

I doubt very much a name change, remember this is the brand name and the name of its founder Roger Deserres open its first store in Montreal in 1908, they have no intent to mingle with that IMO

[SFUVancouver]

I saw that Opus is opening a storefront operation in the Dominion Building on Hastings at Cambie.

[SpongeG]

guess on robson has closed down and the new store is all boarded up a few doors down - the one guess was using as a clearance store...

kind of odd that they would close the old store down before the new one is ready isn't it?

i noticed Mavi has opened up on granville where heavens playground used to be

pac centre has boards up saying look for the new Canada line connector summer 2009

R&W was closed and should be open by this summer i guess? it says something about the summer

H&M doesn't seem to have any signage on the bottom level - only the upper level

jacob looks nice - it looks like it is located where the escalators used to be for HR

browns shoes is opening in the spring and a couple other stores - still no apple store signage

a night and day restaurant has opened on denman street - finally that spot that was left boarded for years - formerly a hot dog place if i recall

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

kind of odd that they would close the old store down before the new one is ready isn't it?
...

H&M doesn't seem to have any signage on the bottom level - only the upper level

Maybe to move existing stock rather than clearing out the old stuff.

Noticed that too - makes me think that H&M isn't going to have space on the lower level - just the upper level and the unseen third level above that.

[jlousa]

Went for burgers last night at a Vancouver icon, Wally's Burgers on Kingsway. Almost everyone that was brought up in Vancouver has been there at least once, it used to always win the best burger awards whenthe Vancouver sun ran the contest years ago. Anyways I was dissappointed to learn that Wallys will be no more. It is scheduled to close in March of this year. The business is for sale so hopefully someone can revive it and bring it back to it's old glory. In the meantime I'm going to make sure to hit it a few times before it goes dark.

[leftside]

All of Vancouver's institutions disappearing. The Drake, The Cecil, Madame Cleo's, Richards on Richards, Wally's Burgers...

[hollywoodnorth]

ya the Night and Day just sort of sprang up there.......shitty and odd its not 24/7 like most if not all of the other locations..........

its like a new Denny's or 7/11 opening up downtown and not being 24/7........lame lame lame

[Rusty Gull]

Yeah, I noticed that. Looks like an upscale Knight and Day -- compared to their Boundary Road and Kingsway locations, that's for sure. Should be some good competition on Denman, with Knight and Day joining the fray with Fat Burger and Veras.

Who would have thought that progressive, international Denman Street would become a haven for the hamburger and milkshake scene! Not that I'm complaining...

[SpongeG]

some pics for the thread

[deasine]

I can't believe they are opening a Wholefoods at Cambie & Broadway (that's the Crossroads building under construction right now), especially when there's the flagship Capers store a few blocks up the street [Capers & Wholefoods = same company now]