The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

From Retail Insider - a Van Cleef and Arpels boutique is opening at Birks at Granville & Hastings.

The interesting thing is that it'll have it's own entrance on Granville, and the granite base of the building has been cut away to lower a window to create a doorway - I wonder how they got that past the heritage folks...


http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2015/11/van-cleef-arpels

[officedweller]

The Granville Street Twitter feed says the Future Shop sign should finally be replaced by a Best Buy sign in a few weeks.

https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by tarrance17

So the tiffany expansion seems to be actually happending, the japanese store on the top is moving to a different location!

https://www.facebook.com/kameiroyale/

But I wonder whether the Tiffany expansion will also include a much needed makeover of the exterior.

[officedweller]

Aparently Wal-Mart SuperCentre at Royal City Centre opened on November 12, 2015:

http://bcsca.ca/royal-city-centre-welcomes-walmart/

http://www.walmart.ca/en/walmart-new-westminster-supercentre/1192

[Vin]

Last night I walked by 745 Thurlow and saw that Strellson (Men boutique from Switzerland) is opened. In the same building, Brunelo Cucinelli opened slightly more than a month ago. All eyes are on Versace now, which is very near completion. Also wondering what will eventually go into the second floor of the tower. Hope it's retail too.

[Rocketeer]

From my understanding, the second floor of 745 Thurlow will now be leased to a software or game developer for their office space.

[osirisboy]

Anything going on across the street at the former 7-11

[s211]

Originally Posted by Rocketeer

From my understanding, the second floor of 745 Thurlow will now be leased to a software or game developer for their office space.

If true, that could speak volumes about the truly acheivable depth of the high-end retail market along Thurlow.

[Graham_Yvr]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Anything going on across the street at the former 7-11

To the best of my knowledge, a Prada flagship is under construction - including a custom facade.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Rocketeer

From my understanding, the second floor of 745 Thurlow will now be leased to a software or game developer for their office space.

Such a waste though, especially for those set of escalators.

[tarrance17]

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/12/saks-fifth-avenue-off-5th-vancouver-tsawwassen-mills/
Saks off is coming to the mills outlet near the BC ferry terminal. Article also states off fifth might open in oak ridge but that doesn't seem to correct.

[connect2source]

Moncler is also set to open on Thurlow in the Carlyle where the Keg entry was, lights are on and sign in done, I'll take some snaps tomorrow as I'll be in the area.

Strellson should do well, I'm a huge fan, just bought a Strellson suit at Hudson's Bay last week as they're marked down, great line, very well made, durable, stylish and well priced.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by tarrance17

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/12/saks-fifth-avenue-off-5th-vancouver-tsawwassen-mills/
Saks off is coming to the mills outlet near the BC ferry terminal. Article also states off fifth might open in oak ridge but that doesn't seem to correct.

Thanks!

Makes sense, as HBC recently announced Saks Off 5th for the 2 other Mills malls in Canada - CrossIron Mills and Vaughan Mills
(i.e. same landlord, Ivanhoe Cambridge, which also owns Oakridge.)

Since Ivanhoe Cambridge also owns Oakridge, maybe Saks Off 5th will occupy part of the former Zellers space as a placeholder until redevelopment?

Interestingly, Saks Off 5th will also open in the main Rideau St. Hudson's Bay store in Ottawa - as opposed to the higher end Saks.
So either Ottawa's market was not upscale enough for a full Saks, or the store layout wasn't suited to a full Saks.
That makes me wonder if HBC would put a Saks Off 5th in the downtown Vancouver Hudson's Bay (and the full Saks at Oakridge),
since it has been looking to rent out the awkward basement/sub-basement for a few years now (but could that cannibalize sales at a future Saks (?))

With Saks Off 5th having a South of Fraser location, that probably points to Nordstrom Rack open at the McArthur Glen Outlet Mall - if they have a large anchor.

[officedweller]

Cabela's may be in trouble:

http://www.djc.com/news/re/12084176.html

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Vin

Last night I walked by 745 Thurlow and saw that Strellson (Men boutique from Switzerland) is opened. In the same building, Brunelo Cucinelli opened slightly more than a month ago. All eyes are on Versace now, which is very near completion. Also wondering what will eventually go into the second floor of the tower. Hope it's retail too.

Versace just opened! Saw the store as I was walking to work in the morning.

[s211]

So, is it just me, or does Holt Renfrew look like a ghost town these days? I've short-cutted through there numerous times and I've never seen so many staff sitting around talking with each other. Nordstrom must be eating their lunch.

And they have an unusually high amount of sale product out already. I didn't think they started the sale route until much later in the season.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by s211

So, is it just me, or does Holt Renfrew look like a ghost town these days? I've short-cutted through there numerous times and I've never seen so many staff sitting around talking with each other. Nordstrom must be eating their lunch.

And they have an unusually high amount of sale product out already. I didn't think they started the sale route until much later in the season.

And yet there's talk of a 2nd Vancouver store.

Ron.

[osirisboy]

I've been through holts a few times and I haven't noticed a drop in people in there

[connect2source]

Was in Holts the other day, didn't seem too quiet and this is the time of year they usually have a good chunk of stock on sale. As the Nordstrom honeymoon passes, traffic will sort itself out again. Don't forget for decades we had Eaton's The Bay and Holts all doing ok in their respective categories.

The Holts expansion and restaurant can't come soon enough as I'm sure Holt's Cafe and the expanded men's store will be big attractions and keep shoppers in the store longer.

Hudson's Bay seemed exceeding busy on the men's floor last week while I was suit shopping last week.

[SpongeG]

when i was down in october, holt renfrew seemed a lot quieter than i remember it, nodrstroms beauty and fragrance set up is so much better