The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[SpongeG]

was in Richmond centre yesterday, quite different now, the H&M is taking over a whole hallway or wing whatever it might be called, looks like a huge store.

the bay is really nice, has some boutique kind of spots for marc by marc jacobs, coach and spade in the hand bag department anyway, the upstairs was much nicer an busier now that it houses mens clothes

It puts the oakridge store to shame

[tarrance17]

the sears at Richmond Centre is closing soon so we'll probably see a new department store. Hopefully its a La Simon or something higher end

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

was in Richmond centre yesterday, quite different now, the H&M is taking over a whole hallway or wing whatever it might be called, looks like a huge store.

the bay is really nice, has some boutique kind of spots for marc by marc jacobs, coach and spade in the hand bag department anyway, the upstairs was much nicer an busier now that it houses mens clothes

It puts the oakridge store to shame

OLD

http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-ins...rdstrom-continues-canadian-location.html

NEW
(I wonder how if they had to negotiate with Hudson's Bay in reducing access (or just dictated it)?)
They also seemed to have eliminated the wider of the two corridors to Hudson's Bay.

http://www.richmondcentre.com/EN/directory/Pages/ListStoresA-Z.aspx




The Oakridge store is to be replaced - so I doubt they'd spend $$ on it.

Interesting that they'd have clothing on 2 floors - but I guess with the reduction in hard goods, it makes sense.
I assume they've changed the exterior signage on the store?
I was surprised that the Metrotown store still has the old squiggly "The Bay" sign.
Even Nanaimo's Woodgrove Centre has the new "HUDSON'S BAY" sign (and it has been updated inside, but it just reads as clean and modern (maybe even "sparse").

Guildford seems to have new signage - at least in the mall:


http://www.guildfordtowncentre.com/en-CA/directory/hudson-s-bay


https://www.flickr.com/photos/darrellinyvr/9565400800/in/set-72157631441107202

[jozero]

Originally Posted by officedweller

NEW
(I wonder how if they had to negotiate with Hudson's Bay in reducing access (or just dictated it)?)
They also seemed to have eliminated the wider of the two corridors to Hudson's Bay.

http://www.richmondcentre.com/EN/directory/Pages/ListStoresA-Z.aspx

Holy 🞵🞵🞵🞵 its going to be built upside down !! You'll have to wear Anti Gravity boots to visit the mall. Finally a new concept in retail !!!

Not sure how girls will try on dresses, but its a small price to pay !!

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Oakridge store is to be replaced - so I doubt they'd spend $$ on it.

Interesting that they'd have clothing on 2 floors - but I guess with the reduction in hard goods, it makes sense.
I assume they've changed the exterior signage on the store?
I was surprised that the Metrotown store still has the old squiggly "The Bay" sign.
Even Nanaimo's Woodgrove Centre has the new "HUDSON'S BAY" sign (and it has been updated inside, but it just reads as clean and modern (maybe even "sparse").

yes they have new signage. Yea I wouldn't expect oakridge to get anything done, the richmind store has a lot more upscale brands though or at least a lot more distinct

richmond has pushed out a lot of smaller lesser brands in favour of some higher end stuff like hugo boss, godiva, coach, michael kors to name a few newer stores since my last visit last year (2013) i went there

even the shoppers drug mart has been redone and looks a lot more stylish

[officedweller]

Maybe because it's Cadillac Fairview?

Pacific Centre is also Cadillac Fairview and it also went upscale.

[Pinion]

It's because it's Richmond. Don't let the official income numbers fool you, they've got some money down there.

[officedweller]

Strange how they haven't announced a replacement for the Richmond Centre Sears, though.

Similarly, Cadillac Fairview is being very secretive about the redevelopment of the Toronto Eaton Centre Sears into Nordstrom (no renderings or plans released) - and that's rumoured to be because an Apple store will take up some of the space with a flagship.

Maybe the Sears at Richmond Centre will be replaced by Simons (or Holt Renfrew) and big Apple store?

Retail Insider says the Richmond Centre Sears is 122,000 sq ft
- the size of the newer suburban Holt Renfrew stores being built, and a bit bigger than a typical 100,000 sq ft Simons.
http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2014/5/sears-canadas-best-remaining-stores

[tarrance17]

According to their website, these brands have a high chance of opening at the outlet mall in Richmond
http://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/designer-outlet-vancouver/en/brands/
Interesting to see how many of the brands don't have free standing stores in Vancouver

[SpongeG]

they have already announced the stores for the outlet

ones i can remember without going back are:
kate spade
j crew
gap
polo ralph lauren
coach
banana republic
adidas

[SpongeG]

anyway on the subject of retail, i was in seattle over the weekend and went to two nordstrom stores, northgate and bellevue square, holy 🞵🞵🞵🞵 the bellevue store has been renoed and updated and gone upscale since my last real visit to that store about 5 years ago or so with in store fendi, prada and gucci in the handbag department and in womens clothing gucci, dolce & gabanna etc. the mens carried a lot of high end designer too, moncler, kenzo, gucci etc. I imagine the vancouver store will be as nice and upscale, the store was packed and they added a bar... the northgate store however was pretty sad, lacked any designer presence, was dull and boring and quite dead, carried brands like dockers, diesel, north face nothing really high end like the bellevue store

and in the comparing prices, at the anthropologie store the items i compared were priced the same in seattle and vancouver for the most part, still some differences in the one candle 34 here vs 28 there not bad at all really

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

... the northgate store however was pretty sad, lacked any designer presence, was dull and boring and quite dead, carried brands like dockers, diesel, north face nothing really high end like the bellevue store

The Northgate store is historically one of the original Nordstrom stores - so it is smaller and I doubt they would close it. Maybe they would reno it? Apparently it is 4 levels with 124,300 sq ft but was enlarged.
http://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.ca/search/label/Seattle%27s%20Northgate%20Center
Note that Northgate has an underground service tunnel under the mall.

Bellevue is a high end city (Neiman Marcus is there, not downtown).
Nordstrom at Bellevue Square was built in 1981 with 180,000 sq ft, and expanded to 270,000 sq ft in the 1990s.
http://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.ca/search/label/Bellevue%20Shopping%20Square

That said, stores with slower customer traffic provide opportunities to find stock before it is sold out (provided the store carries the item).

[NewfBC]

Hollister is closed in Pacific Centre.

Photo - Me

Ron.

[officedweller]

I always thought the storefront was a void space in the mall because it was so dark and uninviting.
I never did step foot in there - apart from the target customer being teenagers.

Looks like A&F will be remaking Hollister into a "fast fashion" chain to compete:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304732804579423034020037684

[vanlaw]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Hollister is closed in Pacific Centre.

Ron.

It's not actually closed. There is an small part of the previous entrance still left just past the hoarding in the picture. But yes...something going on.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Bellevue is a high end city (Neiman Marcus is there, not downtown). Nordstrom at Bellevue Square was built in 1981 with 180,000 sq ft, and expanded to 270,000 sq ft in the 1990s.

Yeah, Bellevue is where most of Seattle's billionaires and lots of Microsoft executives live in. At least Bill Gates and Steve Balmer live in the area (seen both of their front gates ). I am not sure if Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com) or the Starbucks owners/executives live in the area as well.

Definitely an affluent part of Metro Seattle.

[AdrianT]

Originally Posted by officedweller

OLD

(I wonder how if they had to negotiate with Hudson's Bay in reducing access (or just dictated it)?)
They also seemed to have eliminated the wider of the two corridors to Hudson's Bay.

I think the Bay actually gained some space, they took up what was D5 in the old map and the whole entire corridor there. The entrance to the Bay is still there but there is now a Topshop linking the old closed off side to the new.

[SpongeG]

so its gone for good? part of the 60-70 store closures?

thats kinda surprising, it was alwayspacked. esl students seemed to love that store

[connect2source]

Interesting take on the fate of Target in Canada in 2015.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/05/...tm_hp_ref=mostpopular&ir=Canada+Business

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by AdrianT

I think the Bay actually gained some space, they took up what was D5 in the old map and the whole entire corridor there. The entrance to the Bay is still there but there is now a Topshop linking the old closed off side to the new.

Thanks.
That would make sense (because having H&M be that deep is kinda odd).
So TopShop/TopMan would basically be parallel to Hudson's Bay and 90 degrees to H&M.