The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[etceteraism]

David's Tea is opening in Gastown right on Water Street at Cambie.

[officedweller]

I haven't been in Sinclair Centre in years.

I think the trend now is for people to eat in full service restaurants - if you are bothering to go out for food - rather than food fairs. There are a lot more full service restaurants in the core than there used to be (as well as food trucks).

I remember that there used to be a food fair under the Keg / 7-Eleven Building at Thurlow & Alberni - it was always packed in the early 1990s, then it died.

Likewise, Vancouver Centre Mall removed its food fair a couple years ago when it renovated. It has a few food places in the mall itself (Tim Horton and a Food for Life) and a health club sits where the food fair used to be.

Is there still one on Hornby between Dunsmuir and Pender opposite the YWCA?

[jlousa]

I agree it's a shame what's happened to the food court in Sinclair Centre. Perhaps if the Office tower next door goes up it would provide some additional customers, I'm sure a direct connection to the Canada Line wouldn't hurt either. Habour Centre is getting revamped perhaps some of the old food court tenants will move over.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I haven't been in Sinclair Centre in years.

I think the trend now is for people to eat in full service restaurants - if you are bothering to go out for food - rather than food fairs. There are a lot more full service restaurants in the core than there used to be (as well as food trucks).

I remember that there used to be a food fair under the Keg / 7-Eleven Building at Thurlow & Alberni - it was always packed in the early 1990s, then it died.

Likewise, Vancouver Centre Mall removed its food fair a couple years ago when it renovated. It has a few food places in the mall itself (Tim Horton and a Food for Life) and a health club sits where the food fair used to be.

Is there still one on Hornby between Dunsmuir and Pender opposite the YWCA?

Kind of half true, the food fair at Waterfront Centre and Pacific Centre especially is always packed.

I think it comes down to location and convenience of movement. These two successful food fairs are located in larger centers with lots of through foot traffic, in fact if transferring near meal time between the Canada Line and Expo Line I will often eat at the Pacific Centre food court (if I can find a seat!).

The food courts that have failed / are failing to me seem to be located in dead end dungeons, some interconnectivity between our underground spaces I think would do wonders for them (especially connecting hem to our subway stations).

[connect2source]

In additional to the great point made by Metro-One regarding foot traffic / interconnectivity...

I think food courts are actually on the up and are going through a complete reinvention. Look at the Dining Terrace at Richmond Centre, it's an outstanding example of where they are going, architecturally outstanding, huge space, totally innovative food kiosks which are large, brighter and feature outstanding signage. Very high quality furnishing and materials like composite stone tables and raw wood sculptural elements.

Like anything else these days in retail and dining, you've got to keep up and reinvent or be left out. The food courts in Sinclair Centre, Harbour Centre, Royal Centre and the like are perhaps seeing dwindling numbers of visitors ....are all dated and represent the last generation in the food court concepts. Newly fashioned ones like Richmond Centre, Pacific Centre and Metrotown are packed.

[Vestry]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I went out for lunch today and I visited Sinclair Center's food court for the very first time. What on Earth has happened there? There seems to be place for ten (or so) restaurants, but only three remain in business, while others stood vacant.

Such a sad sight and it wasn't even that quiet in there! I guess Harbour Center and Waterfront Center have both eaten this place alive...

Renovation http://www.vancouversun.com/business/com...+Centre+slated+modern/7656153/story.html

[osirisboy]

That renovation has nothing to do with Sinclair centre

[SpongeG]

the nike on robson wasn't a real nike store it was run operated by another sports store, a real nike store would be a nice addition to the city, maybe nike wants to open up here and thats why they had shut down

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by connect2source

In additional to the great point made by Metro-One regarding foot traffic / interconnectivity...

I think food courts are actually on the up and are going through a complete reinvention. Look at the Dining Court at Richmond Centre, it's an outstanding example of where they are going, architecturally outstanding, huge space, totally innovative food kiosks which are large, brighter and feature outstanding signage. Very high quality furnishing and materials like composite stone tables and raw wood sculptural elements.

Like anything else these days in retail and dining, you've got to keep up and reinvent or be left out. The food courts in Sinclair Centre, Harbour Centre, Royal Centre and the like are perhaps seeing dwindling numbers of visitors ....are all dated and represent the last generation in the food court concepts. Newly fashioned ones like Richmond Centre, Pacific Centre and Metrotown are packed.

yeah, metrotown had its two dungeoness food courts and the new one with loads of windows and light is a much nicer place to eat

[officedweller]

I think it's the standalone food fairs that would have a problem - although Sinclair Centre, Waterfront Centre and Canada Place are all connected underground.


I'm not sure how well a Nike Store would do - given all the Nike outlet stores you see around and the fact that other retailers carry their merchandise too.

[SpongeG]

nike town is awesome though and corporate stores carry the complete line and collection, i hate when you are trying to find a certain model or colour and no local stores carry them - gravity pope carries camper but only a handful of styles, the camper store on robson carries the whole collection for example

[East Van]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the nike on robson wasn't a real nike store it was run operated by another sports store, a real nike store would be a nice addition to the city, maybe nike wants to open up here and thats why they had shut down

I hope that's true. We're only a few hundred KMS away from Nike HQ and all the stores we have here are overpriced trash with little of the real selection you get in the US. There isn't one real Nike store in this city. All we get is poor selection and — sizes to choose from. I understand that Nike Canada is different from the US but look at Toronto stores... They even have a few discount outlets just like Tulalip. Ever wonder why 80% of the people there are Canadians who dont mind making the 200km drive down to get real Nike products at reasonable prices.

Once again thank you Seattle.

[officedweller]

That's the point I was trying to make - a Nike Town wouldn't have discounted proces - it would all be at regular prices. So to Canadian used to outlet Nikes, would they pay full price?

[East Van]

Nike Town Seattle usually never has sales. All their unsold products probably goes to the 3 outlet stores in the area...

Would we pay full price ? Of course, we are used to being juiced on everything up here anyways.

[officedweller]

The Bench store in Pacific Centre has signs up that say "Moving Sale".
Would that be a relocation within Pacific Centre?

Retail Insider says J. Crew is opening up in the former Ann Louise jewellery store space.
I think that's the only empty space on the lower level, is it?

Haven't been to the upper level recently.

[GeeCee]

Hiring seems to be ramping up for Target.. at least in Coquitlam. They've rented a vacant storefront beside the Safeway near the mall with a big target.ca/careers sign, a bunch of chairs and tables, etc, I'd imagine for doing interviews.

There doesn't really seem to be a whole lot going on with the store though, but I only drive by it at night. They've started to do exterior work on the main entrance, but it was still barren inside as of a few weeks ago. I have a hard time believing that they're putting $10 million into each store at this point if they're opening in the next few months.

[CBeats]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

I have a hard time believing that they're putting $10 million into each store at this point if they're opening in the next few months.

I don't know, the one at Hillside Mall in Victoria near my house wasn't gutted - it was levelled, and they actually dug down in order to get a basement. I can believe that they're putting $10 Million into it, but I definitely thought they would just gut the building. Sounds like they are doing different things at different locations.

[daveraver]

I walked by the former Ports International location and it now shows who's taking over the lease for Spring 2013 -> Montblanc

[Built Form]

^ Good news daveraver and welcome to the forum!

The new Victoria Secret wrapping now indicates both VS and Pink will open this summer instead of spring.








pics by Built Form

[Klazu]

I really wonder what can take so long with Victoria's Secret? It's not like I will ever visit the store, but the renovation has taken forever...