The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[SpongeG]

samsung is opening a second stand alone store, it will be in richmond - i imagine richmond centre...

[stump]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

samsung is opening a second stand alone store, it will be in richmond - i imagine richmond centre...

That's right, it will be Richmond Centre.

http://www.richmondreview.com/business/229177961.html

[spm2013]

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[connect2source]

Edit :

Sears to close five more locations including Richmond Centre and Toronto Eaton Centre, could perhaps Nordstrom be a candidate for Richmond? It's states that Nordstrom very likely a candidate for Toronto Eaton Centre.

From the Star:
http://www.thestar.com/business/2013/10/...lagship_torontos_eaton_centre_store.html

From CTV:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/sears-can...res-including-toronto-flagship-1.1517956

[SpongeG]

nordstrom said they had planned to open one store in the vancouver area

if they do open i imagine they will wait a few years to see how the initial stores do before jumping in too fast

but besides nordstrom what other department stores are left for an empty department store space? simons? saks? other than the bay and sears there are not really any department store chains left in canada are there?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

nordstrom said they had planned to open one store in the vancouver area

if they do open i imagine they will wait a few years to see how the initial stores do before jumping in too fast

but besides nordstrom what other department stores are left for an empty department store space? simons? saks? other than the bay and sears there are not really any department store chains left in canada are there?

Given that Statscan says Richmond has the lowest average income in Metro, it wouldn't seem a good market for a high end department store.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Given that Statscan says Richmond has the lowest average income in Metro, it wouldn't seem a good market for a high end department store.

That seems very odd, every other car in Richmond is a BMW, Mercedes or Audi plus Richmond Centre continues to trend upscale with many new international high profile chains and the sexiest food court anywhere.. so I could see Nordstrom as a potential candidate provided the largely Chinese client base of RC sees it as a fit.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Given that Statscan says Richmond has the lowest average income in Metro, it wouldn't seem a good market for a high end department store.

I think it would be interesting to see how many people declare zero income.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by theKB

I think it would be interesting to see how many people declare zero income.

Yup.

[s211]

Originally Posted by theKB

I think it would be interesting to see how many people declare zero income.

Without a doubt. That's the problem with most measures (e.g. housing affordability) that use income as a determining factor. For a good segment of the population, they may be asset rich and income poor. Doesn't mean they don't spend like sailors on leave.

[officedweller]

On the face of it, it's weird that Sears would leave a classically suburban location like Richmond Centre - which is supposed to be its core base.

Richmond Centre is moving upscale though (compared to Lansdowne) - and with the foreign investment in Richmond, a smaller Nordstrom could be a possibility. (i.e. there's a Nordstrom at Northgate in Seattle, which is a smaller mall by current standards).
However, the style of clothing at Nordstrom wouldn't generally appeal to the wealthy Asiian customer (not trendy enough)
- just look at the stuff Holt Renfrew carries.

Maybe this opens the door for a Holt's at Richmond Centre? - that would be a better fit.
Or maybe dividing the space for a Holt's and a Simons with separate mall corridors - that would be a coup.

It would be interesting to see if Sears relocates in Richmond (i.e. to Lansdowne, which is more of a budget mall).
Or maybe to Tsawwassen Mills?

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by officedweller

However, the style of clothing at Nordstrom wouldn't generally appeal to the wealthy Asiian customer (not trendy enough)
- just look at the stuff Holt Renfrew carries.

Maybe this opens the door for a Holt's at Richmond Centre? - that would be a better fit.
Or maybe dividing the space for a Holt's and a Simons with separate mall corridors - that would be a coup.

It would be interesting to see if Sears relocates in Richmond (i.e. to Lansdowne, which is more of a budget mall).
Or maybe to Tsawwassen Mills?

Agreed!! Nordstrom is rather conservative, not flashy and perhaps not enough bling for Asian consumers.

I recall seeing a rendering of Richmond Centre in the early 90's showing a Holts ( one storey on the No. 3 Rd. side ) so perhaps that proposal can be reignited.

Problem I see with RC is the 'look' of the mall, although upscale retailers are gaining traction and the food court is 'wow', the rest of the mall shows little improvement since the late 80's and badly needs updating if it's going to attract a very upscale anchor. Perhaps an HR2 would fit well.

[red-paladin]

Rather than Sears relocating, isn't this more the slow death of Sears Canada?

[spm2013]

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[connect2source]

Originally Posted by spm2013

Sears Canada at best is just a land holding/development company with some minor retail operations. What mall would even want them to take up a huge section of space for a dead brand.

Very true, it's in the best interest of Richmond Centre and other 'up and coming' malls to court the likes of Saks, Simons, Holts and Nordstrom and rid themselves of the likes of Sears in what I believe to be in 'wind-down' mode. Their parent, ( Sears Holdings ), is in trouble and unloading divisions like Lands-End and their Auto Centers, I could be only a matter of time until they unload Sears Canada.

There are many exciting changes in the large-format retail landscape and Sears could likely be replaced by many of the new-to-Canada or expanding Canadian brands. I'm confident mall landlords like CF are fully cognisant of the opportunities Sears potential exits represent.

[spm2013]

I guess they can complete a who's who list of retail brands that your grandmother shopped at by having HBC buy Sears.

Sears, Eaton's, Morgans, Simpsons, Woodward's, Kmart, Zeller's, Field's

Just missing Woolco...

[connect2source]

Maybe Sears should re-brand as Eaton's ( again ).. they still own the brand and name.

[officedweller]

I think Sears has historically done better in smaller communities.
Even back in the 1980s Sears was looked down upon and has survived.

And I think that it has never been a downtown type of store - remember Sears took over th former Eatons (Spencers) at Harbour Centre in the 1980s and then closed in the 1990s. Only to reappear downtown with the Eaton's purchase. So there's precedent for it not appealing to the downtown crowd.

Originally Posted by connect2source

I recall seeing a rendering of Richmond Centre in the early 90's showing a Holts ( one storey on the No. 3 Rd. side ) so perhaps that proposal can be reignited.

Different part of the mall - but it probably means they were looking at it before (old logo):


http://thearchitecture360.com/slide_shows

[spm2013]

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[connect2source]

THAT'S THE DRAWING / PROPOSAL!!! thanks officedweller!!

Yes!!... clearly remember the, always dead, Sears in Harbour Centre, it sort of evolved the same way, gradually became emptier with less stock, then they closed a floor and then leased a big portion of the main floor to a book store.