The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

The corner retail space at L'Atelier has been papered over and the "For Lease" sign has been removed.
Anyone know what's going in?

[hollywoodnorth]

not sure if it has been posted but the Space at Thurlow @ Georgia beside the new Escada will be a BLENZ.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

not sure if it has been posted but the Space at Thurlow @ Georgia beside the new Escada will be a BLENZ.

I hope they at least make it a bit more upscale then their average store. I swear I feel dirty just walking into one.

Doesn't really make sense to me either... same family runs Panago which has pretty decent design for a pizza shop...

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by sacrifice333

I hope they at least make it a bit more upscale then their average store. I swear I feel dirty just walking into one.

Doesn't really make sense to me either... same family runs Panago which has pretty decent design for a pizza shop...

Hmm.. had no idea Panago was related to Blenz. I know Blenz and Steamrollers have a connection.

Ron.

[SpongeG]

koreans bought out blendz

i thought it was going to be a high end pen shop - i guess not eh oh well

[vancity2010]

Did Peak Performance close down? Saw a sign in the window that said store closed....

[sacrifice333]

^I believe they're re-opening in Kits, but with a delay in between.

[LotusLand]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

koreans bought out blendz

i thought it was going to be a high end pen shop - i guess not eh oh well

Um no they didn't. Blenz has been owned and operated by Vancouverites since 1992. It's head office is in Vancouver. They have shops overseas too Japan, maybe Korea lol

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by LotusLand

Um no they didn't. Blenz has been owned and operated by Vancouverites since 1992. It's head office is in Vancouver. They have shops overseas too Japan, maybe Korea lol

ah my korean friend said it was recently bought by korean-canadians - i guess he is wrong - i know they own waves maybe he got them confused

[LotusLand]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

ah my korean friend said it was recently bought by korean-canadians - i guess he is wrong - i know they own waves maybe he got them confused

No worries. Waves basically copies them

[Waders]

Does anyone know what happened to Off The Wall Clothing?
Almost all the 7 BC stores have been closed, including the one in Metropolis mall.
According to their web site, they are closing all the stores after 27 years in business. Is the business losing money?

[Van23H]

I am surprised about Off the Wall, but that does open up a prime retail space in the building which also house the HMV megastore. I wonder what will take its spot. I was wondering if anyone has gotten any updates on what is happening at the Vancouver hotel in terms of retail? I have been in England for the past month so feel a little out of the loop.

[ryanmaccdn]

Originally Posted by Waders

Does anyone know what happened to Off The Wall Clothing?
Almost all the 7 BC stores have been closed, including the one in Metropolis mall.
According to their web site, they are closing all the stores after 27 years in business. Is the business losing money?

Sam Baio who ran West 49, purchased Off the Wall sometime in 2006 and began to re-develop the iconic Canadian brand as a more hip and fashion forward outlet compared to its sister brand West.

Unfortunately the damage was already done and Off the Wall never regained its iconic market share it commanded in the late 90's to very early 2000's.

In 2010 Billabong International bought out West 49 and decided to dissolve the limping Off the Wall banner.

Unfortunately Canadian retailers hold the same distinction as Canadian TV/Movies/Media.... they are terrible and have zero international appeal (Aritzia is an odd exception).

Once US/International retailers entered the Canadian market they were unable to keep up.

Look at the Bay.... it's finally become credible in the retail world only after it was bought out by a US company.

Fingers crossed we can hope that YM Inc (Suzy Shier/Urban Exchange/Stiches) goes down the pipes next.

On a positive note.... H&M is opening its two floor location at Metrotown across from Forever 21.

Anyone else notice that Arby's shut down alot of locations? Are they completely gone? They did a wicked turkey/swiss combo.

[SpongeG]

there is an Arbys in Coquitlam Centre and I think metrotown still has one

not surprised about off the wall - an ontario chain Boathouse seems to fill in their void

a money tree has opened on commercial drive @ 1st avenue - i didn't notice but didn.t that kitchen pplace used to be in there plus next door? did they shrink their store or shut down entirely?

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

a money tree has opened on commercial drive @ 1st avenue - i didn't notice but didn.t that kitchen pplace used to be in there plus next door? did they shrink their store or shut down entirely?

Kitchen Corner reduced its footprint down to a single storefront. The former bank, into which Kitchen Corner had previously expanded, is now a loan shark Money Tree. Definitely a step back for the neighbourhood. I was hoping that Tim Horton's would be the future tenant, mirroring their move into the former bank building at Main and Broadway. Not that I especially like Tim's coffee, but such a move seemed plausible to me in light of their successful launch on The Drive last year and the company's longstanding desire to have highly visible locations.

[wrenegade]

Audi will be opening up a new dealership at 2nd & Burrard in Vancouver. It will be run by the Dilawri/MCL Group. I'm not 100% sure, but my guess is it will be built on the current Aston Martin Vancouver site. Aston will have to move elsewhere or be folded back into MCL at 1st & Burrard, or perhaps move into First on First? Audi will also be opening a new dealership in Langley that will be operated by Gold Key Volkswagen.

[SpikePhanta]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

ah my korean friend said it was recently bought by korean-canadians - i guess he is wrong - i know they own waves maybe he got them confused

Waves is franchised, so individual owners could be korean, but the owner of the main franchise owner isn't korean.

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I was hoping that Tim Horton's would be the future tenant, mirroring their move into the former bank building at Main and Broadway. Not that I especially like Tim's coffee, but such a move seemed plausible to me in light of their successful launch on The Drive last year and the company's longstanding desire to have highly visible locations.

Tim hortans is across the street isn't it? Near the MLA office and the DQ.

[connect2source]

"Unfortunately Canadian retailers hold the same distinction as Canadian TV/Movies/Media.... they are terrible and have zero international appeal (Aritzia is an odd exception).

Once US/International retailers entered the Canadian market they were unable to keep up. "

Not so true ryanmacdn..

Many Canadian, or once Canadian retailers have done incredibly well, Aldo, Montreal based is without a doubt the most visible fashion forward shoe store in the world, Roots is known in much of the world, La Senza, Canadian until recently is huge in Canada and Europe, Lululemon is taking over everywhere it goes..

Not bad for a market this small..

[SpikePhanta]

^^ True, I was shocked to see a La Senza in Marrakech!

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

Waves is franchised, so individual owners could be korean, but the owner of the main franchise owner isn't korean.



Tim hortans is across the street isn't it? Near the MLA office and the DQ.

i thought waves was started by a korean/canadian lawyer and canadian investors aimed at a way for immigrants to come to canada and open franchises mainly targeting korean immigrants

not that it matters but it does to my korean friend to support fellow koreans