The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

Ultimately, they'd want to build up on each side, and as Pinion says, the distance between will become insignificant - like walking across Georgia St. in downtown Vancouver. Having the village stores will get people outside and milling about more than added expansions to the enclosed malls. Everything will equilibrate - with stores inside and outside, like there are stores inside Pacific Centre and stores on Granville Street and Robson Street (although in this case, the landlord is the same).

[connect2source]

I still think Marine Drive will represent a rather impeding element and the south-side will flourish for the time being while the north-side languishes.

They're not all that connected yet and I predict the majority of foot traffic will concentrate themselves on 'Main Street' ( the village thoroughfare ) and not on the Marine Drive side. The north-side will likely continue to hemorrhage key players such as Aritzia, I also predict any new retailer of merit will want to concentrate themselves amongst the new players such as Anthropologie, Zara and Simons.

I really think the north-side will have to completely re-define itself as the south-side will IMO become a vacuum, much more so than it is today.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by spm2013

Well they have to keep up with the Joneses and their old food court doesn't meet what other malls are delivering.

And there's lots of space on the second level once all that dead retail near T&T gets kicked out if that's where it's going.

Precisely!! The Dining Terrace at Richmond Centre has completely re-defined the food court as we know it and set the bar very high!! All food courts now pale in comparison.

Is T&T ( Osaka ) moving out, I'd not heard that?

[spm2013]

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[spm2013]

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[Vin]

They should build a themed, wide and air-conditiined tunnel with shops linking the north and south sides, exiting into foyers of the interior malls. Occasional travellators will be nice too.

[SpongeG]

the bay has always been busy when i have shopped there, it really needs an updating though, it looks so dingy and dated

[connect2source]

Urban Outfitters expansion into the former Puma space is complete, looks also like they're removing the wall between the existing and new space, the new space is the new men's section.

Photo By : connect2source


Tory Burch looks ready to open, signage up and much for the stock, fitting and fixtures look almost set up. Also note the new blue lighting along the top of the entire new retail facade, very striking!

Photo By : connect2source

[SpongeG]

i was inside the uo a few weeks ago, the bottom level of the old store is much clearer and easier to navigate and they moved the cashier to the back, the new section has an interior connection on the ground level, didnt notice if it also connected upstairs

[officedweller]

And the Vans on Granville St. (below Future Shop) is open.

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by spm2013

Park Royal's biggest problem is the north mall and figuring out what do with that space. Sure there's London Drugs and H&M but there's no life in the space. I'm not sure of the economics but I doubt they'll be doing any massive structural changes to the space.

Lest We Forget the gubmint liquor store-it does a massive business all day and well into the night plus it has a decent selection good prices and excellent service.

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by spm2013

Park Royal's biggest problem is the north mall and figuring out what do with that space. Sure there's London Drugs and H&M but there's no life in the space. I'm not sure of the economics but I doubt they'll be doing any massive structural changes to the space.

The South mall will be fine with smaller retailers and add in a new upgraded food court and movie theatres.

park royal will always be a divided mall. I moved here 20 years ago and the north size was where on would go for the best shops. Now with the expansion to the south I see that there will be a move to the south of the premium retail. And with the cost of space I can see the south moving to residential as this is the trends in Vancouver.

Its been a while since I have been inside the south mall, I have no clients in the inside mall. What is there, beside brick, staples etc.

[spm2013]

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[etceteraism]

I noticed on Joe Fresh's Facebook page this morning that they're advertising for a hiring fair for their Robson Street store. Any word where they are planning on opening? Or are they (very oddly) referring to the Granville Street store? Seems strange for them to have two outdoor stores so close by.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by etceteraism

I noticed on Joe Fresh's Facebook page this morning that they're advertising for a hiring fair for their Robson Street store. Any word where they are planning on opening? Or are they (very oddly) referring to the Granville Street store? Seems strange for them to have two outdoor stores so close by.

I wouldn't be shocked if they were relocating that granville store since that area isn't exactly high traffic.

Mercedes Benz Retail Group announced the official opening date for their terminal dealership to be January 1st. I would assume broadway is closing.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Some new details on the Park Royal expansion from Retail-Insider :

http://www.retail-insider.com/2013/10/west-vancouvers-park-royal-to-epand.html

As a frequent user of Park Royal, I have some concerns about the design of this expansion :

All the new 'hot' retailers such as Zara, Sephora, Anthropologie and LOFT will all be part of the expanded south-side Villiage and Artizia will obviously vacate their space on the north-side. IMO this will draw even more shoppers from the 'interior' malls which seem to be in decline especially with the elimination of the Food Court.

All the attention is being given to Park Royal South. The north-side has but one interior mall, I've noticed many retailers have vacated in the past year or so, what long-term effect with the mega-expansion on the south side do to the already suffering north side?

The whole expansion seems to lack cohesion and it creating a rather chaotic maze of streets, passageways and malls both indoor and out.

I'm a huge fan of the retail they are bringing in and of the expansion of more outdoor shopping, which I love but there seems no plan for the dying interior malls.

My plan would be to make the north side all outdoor and replicate the Village with more flagship retail and turn the remaining, dated and rather depressing, interior of the south mall 'inside-out' and expand the Village concept even further on the south-side.

Until then, I see a rapid decline of all interior malls, especially for the north side immediately following the opening of the expanded Village.

All seems rather by design, if you ask me.

The South Side is leased First Nations land, the North Side is free hold.

Focus your mall growth and redevelopment 100% on the South Side. Then as the North Side dies redevelopment, read condo-ization, becomes an easy and PROFITABLE, reality.

Just keep watching. {Note... ZERO insider knowledge... just observation}.

[spm2013]

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[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by spm2013

Well that isn't entirely accurate, a large section of the land north of Marine Drive is reserve land as well. And they've already floated condos on the south side of the mall near the water, so I would expect some low-rise development near Ambleside.

And don't forget that they have more freedom without West Vancouver city oversight on reserve land in terms of development... (The White Spot tower development is on West Vancouver city land...)



Credit: http://bctreatyprocess.files.wordpress.com

That picture would be a whole lot more informative if it actually defined the colours. But thanks for the clarification nonetheless.

[spm2013]

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[s211]

Originally Posted by sacrifice333

the south side is leased first nations land, the north side is [mostly] free hold.

ftfy.