The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

Joe Fresh opens tomorrow.
Haven't been by, but it loks like they gutted the previous renovation job with the glass fins.

http://joefreshlife.ca/2010/10/07/the-first-flagship/

The beautiful 14,000 square-foot store at 540 Granville St was designed by leading Toronto commercial interior design firm Burdifilek. Huge windows fill the two levels which separate women’s sportswear and accessories on the main floor from men’s, women’s active, women’s sleep and intimates.

[SpongeG]

they are having a big street concert for the opening

H&M also opens at park royal in west van and michaels on broadway - in the coming week or so

[officedweller]

Kettle of Fish is closing down this weekend - but not because of the bike lanes.

http://communities.canada.com/vannet/blo...-separated-bike-lanes-make-em-do-it.aspx

And apparently the William Tell (in the Georgian Court) is closing down at the end of this year.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by Vancouver Courier

One other note: A Kettle of Fish and Appleton Galleries pay a landlord for use of their buildings. The landlord is...the City of Vancouver. Conspiracy theorists unite!

Interesting... maybe this will make way for another bridgehead tower?!

[jlousa]

SeaMonstr is open tonight, about time.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by jlousa

SeaMonstr is open tonight, about time.

Taken a while... hopefully they can focus on the Boneta move now.

[SpongeG]

popped down into Joe today - it was really busy, long lineups for the change room, people buying by the arm load

some pics of the outside - definately bringing people down that part of the street




and there is sign on the door for the portion of pacific centre under question of late...


and the new A&W on robson down by the library


all pics by me

[SpongeG]

and took some pics inside the bay - its looking great if you haven't seen - they have exposed some of the columns to the concrete - looks good - they call it the white room







the outfit on the left is $695...


the columns...


blurry but the shoe dept is really nicely done - if those are genuine george nelson lamps they are a few hundred each

[Locked In]

^ Looks nice! Thanks for the pics and updates SpongeG.

[SpikePhanta]

How did you manage pics in the bay? The wouldnt allow me except for olympic area.

[SpongeG]

i just took em and no one said anything - they were all too preoccupied with themselves anyway i had my camera out the whole time and would snap em now and than

[SpongeG]

one more of the handbag dept. - the one corner is still not ready - it will apparently house Coach and Kate Spade?


pic by me

[paradigm4]

Holy —! That's The Bay?!?! Looking good HBC!

[SpongeG]

yeah its finally after hearing for so long that a new owner would make it better...

anyway expect more changes to come - the other floors should see more done in the next year too - just opening the windows will work wonders

Toronto is the first one to get the upscale treatment - it will and now houses instore boutiques for Chanel acessories, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo...

Vancouver and Montreal flagship bay stores will also be getting some of the instore boutiques... and "the room" will becoming to Vancouver too - which sells things like $20,000 Balenciaga dresses

[teriyaki]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

yeah its finally after hearing for so long that a new owner would make it better...

anyway expect more changes to come - the other floors should see more done in the next year too - just opening the windows will work wonders

Toronto is the first one to get the upscale treatment - it will and now houses instore boutiques for Chanel acessories, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo...

Vancouver and Montreal flagship bay stores will also be getting some of the instore boutiques... and "the room" will becoming to Vancouver too - which sells things like $20,000 Balenciaga dresses

More of a Nordstrom feel in HBC, liking it. Hopefully they keep prices reasonable at the same time.

Any idea if they'll be renovations coming like this to all Bays or is it limited to a flagship store type of thing?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

How did you manage pics in the bay? The wouldnt allow me except for olympic area.

Are there actually any salespeople left in The Bay to notice?

I can never understand why mid-range department stores in the US can actually staff their sales floors, while finding anyone in The Bay to help you is like finding the Golden Ticket!

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by teriyaki

More of a Nordstrom feel in HBC, liking it. Hopefully they keep prices reasonable at the same time.

Any idea if they'll be renovations coming like this to all Bays or is it limited to a flagship store type of thing?

according to the news article i read they are doing flagship stores, the ones in Toronto - Vancouver and Montreal - only 3 stores will house such instore boutiques

I was at oakridge today as well and they have a lot of the same higher end labels now too just not as fancy looking - that store could really use a reno

Originally Posted by whatnext

Are there actually any salespeople left in The Bay to notice?

I can never understand why mid-range department stores in the US can actually staff their sales floors, while finding anyone in The Bay to help you is like finding the Golden Ticket!

the service was looking better lots of people on the floor and they seemed to be dealing with the people we saw shopping ignoring at least so i could take pictures but the mens is good too more attentive i have noticed but still nothing like nordstrom service but improved - they've moved the sales desks around and all of them had people at them available - which i have never seen before

and if you go down they have some really cool light fixtures and the changing rooms are really nice up in that renovated part

[VancouverguyDowntown]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

anyway expect more changes to come - the other floors should see more done in the next year too - just opening the windows will work wonders

Toronto is the first one to get the upscale treatment - it will and now houses instore boutiques for Chanel acessories, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo...

SpongeG, where did you get this info? I spoke to a saleswoman at The Bay in Vancouver, and she said Chanel Accessories and a Michael Kors shop were coming to Vancouver. I thought she was full of BS lol, especially as Kors is opening across the street at the base of the 701 W. Georgia office tower.

Toronto, surprisingly, doesn't have a free-standing Ferragamo store. Having one in the Bay only makes sense.

The $20,000 dress at The Bay was from Balmain, though I believe The Room also carries Balenciaga.

[SpongeG]

i read on wikipedia

Flagship store remodelling

Flagship stores are in the process of receiving significant interior upgrades and expanded designer merchandise, including an expansion of the St. Regis Room and West End Shop designer concepts.[10] The Bay will significantly renovate and upscale its downtown flagship locations, beginning with its Toronto Queen Street store.
The St. Regis Room, located on the third floor of the Queen Street Store, will be expanded to 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) and will be re-designed by design firm Yabu Pushelburg. New designers will include Juicy Couture and a new Chanel Boutique. More designers will be announced shortly. St. Regis Room concepts will follow in Downtown Vancouver and Montreal, and designer menswear and accessories will be updated. The West End Shop concept will be subsequently expanded, and designer boutiques will be added to the ground floors of the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver stores [11]
Polo Ralph Lauren men's boutiques will be opened at several downtown Bay stores in the fall of 2009. They will include purpose-built interiors and a separate staff base.[12]
The Toronto Queen Street store will open ground floor boutiques for Louis Vuitton, Chanel Accessories, Prada, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, and others to be announced Fall 2009. Vancouver and Montreal ground-floor designer boutiques will follow.[13]

and an article by karen van hahn
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/823224--the-new-bay-is-reincarnation-of-cool



and looking at Lord & Taylor's site they have the power to bring in the same brands I guess they carry most of what we are getting to see now

[SpongeG]

just posted in the canada retail thread but we better see some of these in Vancouver soon - apparently they had a hard time breaking into canada but now malls want them - they are behind the Jack & Jones brand - with many stores in Quebec and Ottawa regions... also Vero Moda which is not in canada yet but should be and outfitters nation which could compete with urban outfitters... bestseller is from denmark

Bestseller plans to add at least 200 more retail stores to its multibrand Canadian portfolio in the next five to seven years, according to Mr. Tabah.