The Retail Thread - Page 18

mersar · #**341** Posted **Dec 4, 2009, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Apparently there will be a Lowe's on Sunridge Way NE, near Barlow Trail and 16th Ave.

Google Streetview of site

Yep. They've done the grading for the site and it looked like they'd staked out the building footprint last time I was up there.

Wentworth · #**342** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 1:52 AM**

In the obscure retail news column: Sweetgrass Market (@ 85th St. SW and 9th Ave) relaunched yesterday as the Westside Farmers Market, under the new ownership of the Simple Simon Pie guy. We were in there today and though they have a lot of great little retailers, the customer traffic was really slow. Mind you, the new Aspen Landing Safeway doesn't seem to be doing much business either. The west side is turning out to be a retailing dead zone.

Ramsayfarian · #**343** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 2:24 AM**

I was in TD Square the other day and I noticed that Play is gone and I don' think it's a victim of the renos as there is now a Telus store in it's location. Sad to see it go and not just because I had store credit.

unibrain · #**344** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 2:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I was in TD Square the other day and I noticed that Play is gone and I don' think it's a victim of the renos as there is now a Telus store in it's location. Sad to see it go and not just because I had store credit.

Yeah, their Market Mall store also closed a few months ago... I went by the TD Play store this summer, and there was a notice of landlord seizure posted on the gate... all their stuff was still inside.

Rusty van Reddick · #**345** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 3:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I was in TD Square the other day and I noticed that Play is gone and I don' think it's a victim of the renos as there is now a Telus store in it's location. Sad to see it go and not just because I had store credit.

They went out of business. All locations.

Ramsayfarian · #**346** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 4:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by unibrain

Yeah, their Market Mall store also closed a few months ago... I went by the TD Play store this summer, and there was a notice of landlord seizure posted on the gate... all their stuff was still inside.

While it's a shame to lose an independant record store I am not surprised to see it close. I would consider myself an avid music fan and my purchase have gone from an average of $150 a month to about $20.

bigcanuck · #**347** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 7:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wentworth

In the obscure retail news column: Sweetgrass Market (@ 85th St. SW and 9th Ave) relaunched yesterday as the Westside Farmers Market, under the new ownership of the Simple Simon Pie guy. We were in there today and though they have a lot of great little retailers, the customer traffic was really slow. Mind you, the new Aspen Landing Safeway doesn't seem to be doing much business either. The west side is turning out to be a retailing dead zone.

It's always been slow at Sweetgrass (now Westside). It's always lacked the retailers who will drive up the traffic. It was a big step forward when they actually brought in a fresh fruit/veggie vendor but their stall was still too small to be effective. The niche retailers they do have are great but may not be enough to make it a 'wandering' destination much like the Calgary Farmers Market. Most people won't necessarily go out of their way to pick up some flash frozen meat unless it's a very specific meal/request.

My thoughts: Viva tea is great - large selection, Simple Simon Pies was a good addition, some of the prepared food vendors have good offerings (Greek, Indian), and the ice cream shop is quite reasonable!! Let's hope it keeps afloat.

freeweed · #**348** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 8:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I was in TD Square the other day and I noticed that Play is gone and I don' think it's a victim of the renos as there is now a Telus store in it's location. Sad to see it go and not just because I had store credit.

Play was one of the most expensive places for DVDs and such. When I first moved here I was astounded that they could even remain in business, let alone with downtown shopping mall rents.

I don't buy a lot of physical music anymore so maybe they were cheaper on the CDs, but I honestly never once found something there that wasn't 20-100% more expensive than the HMV down the hall.

Ramsayfarian · #**349** Posted **Dec 14, 2009, 9:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeweed

Play was one of the most expensive places for DVDs and such. When I first moved here I was astounded that they could even remain in business, let alone with downtown shopping mall rents.

I don't buy a lot of physical music anymore so maybe they were cheaper on the CDs, but I honestly never once found something there that wasn't 20-100% more expensive than the HMV down the hall.

I never priced out their DVDs but their CD prices were better than HMV, at least for the type of music I listen to, not sure how their top 40 prices compared. Play also had a buyers club where you receive x amount of points for your purchase that could be redeemed for free CDs. Not to mention it was locally owned.

Vascilli · #**350** Posted **Dec 15, 2009, 12:12 AM**

I thought HMV was badly organized. Then I went to Play. Good riddance. (Didn't have any good music anyhow)

AB Born · #**351** Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 6:56 AM**

It looks like the Calgary Zoo store at CrossIron Mills has closed.

Plus15 · #**352** Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 2:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AB Born

It looks like the Calgary Zoo store at CrossIron Mills has closed.

It was a temporary filler store. I beleive American Eagle is replacing it.

Stang · #**353** Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 3:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plus15

It was a temporary filler store. I beleive American Eagle is replacing it.

I was in there the other day and I noticed that. I also noticed that the staff had the back door open and there was a huge, undeveloped space in the innards of the mall.

It looked quite a bit larger than what one AE store could occupy (although this was a quick glance - didn't want to be creepy). I then started to notice that there are a few little stores around the mall that don't run very deep.

So my completely uneducated guess would be that there's a fair amount of space that remains unused at the mall that stores could one day expand into.

Plus15 · #**354** Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 4:00 PM**

You're bang on. There are a lot of temporary shops that have a false partition wall 20 or 30 feet back from the lease line. This way, the mall creates the illusion of being "full" with no dark holes. The space the Calgary Zoo pop up store was occupying is a full 8,400 sq.ft. - of which maybe 1,000 sq.ft. of the front portion was actually in use. The mall is still only around 80% leased...but there are few if any dark storefronts. It probably silenced a lot of naysayers who were tricked into thinking the mall was "full".

Vascilli · #**355** Posted **Dec 17, 2009, 3:10 PM**

Wind Mobile is launching here in Calgary tomorrow at 10am at 1013 17th Ave, I'll be there after school to check it out. Details here.

kap384 · #**356** Posted **Dec 17, 2009, 4:28 PM**

Deville signs up now @ Fashion Central. Not sure when it's opening. Shouldn't be long. Lots of progress on the entire block.

jeffwhit · #**357** Posted **Dec 17, 2009, 6:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vascilli

Wind Mobile is launching here in Calgary tomorrow at 10am at 1013 17th Ave, I'll be there after school to check it out. Details here.

With free incoming calls, you could get their android phone, sign up for a google voice number and never use a single minute of call time. (google voice calls you to connect the call.)

eggbert · #**358** Posted **Dec 18, 2009, 12:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

With free incoming calls, you could get their android phone, sign up for a google voice number and never use a single minute of call time. (google voice calls you to connect the call.)

No android or iphone on Wind unfortunately. At least not yet.

http://shop.windmobile.ca/ProductCatalog/Handsets/

Vascilli · #**359** Posted **Dec 18, 2009, 1:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eggbert

No android or iphone on Wind unfortunately. At least not yet.

http://shop.windmobile.ca/ProductCatalog/Handsets/

That really, really annoys me. The Maple or Huawei phones would be really nice with Android, but no..

jeffwhit · #**360** Posted **Dec 18, 2009, 6:19 AM**

oops, I was under the impression the Huawei was an Android phone. You can use google voice without a specific app though, just the web interface works more than fine. There is also a google voice app for the Blackberry.

Anyway, with G-voice and a smart phone on Wind, absolutely free calling in North America.