[Moncton] Retail Thread - Page 161

MonctonRad · #**3201** Posted **Dec 8, 2015, 12:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigrivernb

Champlain News: Gap is closing January 26. Going to be leaving a sizable hole in the mall. CF better get its act together Champlain is starting to see some holes for the first time in a long time.

If true (and I don't disbelieve you since GAP has been undergoing a contraction across North America), then this is truly a big loss for Champlain Place. GAP has been a major presence at the mall for nearly 20 years.

I wonder if there are plans to replace GAP (and GAP Kids) with a GAP Outlet somewhere in the metro area? The big problem with Champlain Place are the high rents. If they could find another place in the metro area with a vacant storefront (like Wheeler Park or the Mapleton Centre), I could see them making this move.

Reasons for this include:

1)- There are Old Navy and Banana Republic Outlet stores in the city. They are in the same group of stores as GAP, and it would be a little incongrouos not to maintain the GAP label in the metro area.
2)- most other cities in the region have GAP Outlet stores.
3)- the NB/PEI regional manager for GAP Inc is in Moncton.

Personally, I think we'll see a GAP Outlet in Wheeler Park or the Mapleton Centre by the summer.

cbujold · #**3202** Posted **Dec 8, 2015, 1:52 AM**

Don't think it is in their plans to replace the stores with outlet. This was announced earlier this year.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...stores-in-north-america/article24964316/

stephan.richard · #**3203** Posted **Dec 8, 2015, 1:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigrivernb

Champlain News: Gap is closing January 26. Going to be leaving a sizable hole in the mall. CF better get its act together Champlain is starting to see some holes for the first time in a long time.

From who and where did you hear that and I think it would be a great opportunity to bring Hollister or even Abercrombie into the New Brunswick market, And i must agree that CF Champlain needds to get their act together and I hate to see the mall with empty store fronts and I think its a shift from retailers going from enclosed malls to the big box stores. But only time will tell.

Good2go · #**3204** Posted **Dec 8, 2015, 3:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

From who and where did you hear that ...

They have a sign in front of the store. Pic of it is on the T&T web site.

MonctonRad · #**3205** Posted **Dec 8, 2015, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Blazer

Seen online today that the la senza Moncton outlet is closing up shop at the end of December

The La Senza Outlet is located in Wheeler Park.

I'm not surprised by this. How many lingerie stores does the city need? Presumably the main La Senza in Champlain Place will stay open (as well as their sister store Victoria's Secret across the hall).

Store closings after Christmas is pretty typical every year. It's a little surprising however to be hearing about them even before the end of the holiday season. I wonder what's up with that? Does this imply an unusually large number of closures this year???

OUIR@random · #**3206** Posted **Dec 8, 2015, 6:47 PM**

Both Abercrombie and Hollister are declining brands doing poorly everywhere, they aren't coming here. The next big name possibly coming to Champlain is LA based Forever21. It's coming, just when and where within the mall is TBD. I don't shop at either stores but when I was in Halifax recently I saw that Hollister was empty but Forever21 was a happening place like every other location they have. I could see Forever21 moving into the Urban Planet store or even filing the GAP store + Eddie Bauer space if and when both decamp. I'm surprised both of these stores are still open. Both have decent quality clothing, but are out of touch with customers nowadays and their financial statement is very telling, particularly for GAP.

ErickMontreal · #**3207** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 1:16 AM**

For the record, The Gap at both Maine Mall (South Portland) and Bangor Mall will also be shut down.

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/12/08/business/gap-to-close-bangor-maine-mall-stores/

MonctonRad · #**3208** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 1:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErickMontreal

For the record, The Gap at both Maine Mall (South Portland) and Bangor Mall will also be shut down.

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/12/08/business/gap-to-close-bangor-maine-mall-stores/

Thanks Erick, I guess we shouldn't feel picked on then.......

ErickMontreal · #**3209** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 1:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Thanks Erick, I guess we shouldn't feel picked on then.......

Honestly, I wouldn't read this as a sign of stagnation or even weakness of the Moncton retail market as I think Moncton is paying the price of the restructuring plan of a moribund brand. Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised one bit to see a Gap Outlet popping up somewhere in Moncton in the near future.

The Moncton economy is performing relatively well, but we cannot say the same for other parts of New-Brunswick and Moncton being the hub and somewhat relying on out of town shoppers may be the beginning of an answer.

SpongeG · #**3210** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 1:58 AM**

i read a few months back that gap was going to focus on opening more of its factory store brand across canada, so quite the likelyhood of one

stephan.richard · #**3211** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 3:33 AM**

I was at CF Champlain and I was wondering what is setup in between Spencers and the Quilts location. And one shop that I would love to see in Moncton would be Journey's Shoes and I Think that they would do well.

And as far as the Gap I am happy to see we re not the only ones taking the hit with a closure on the east coast and I hope that CF Champlain has a contingency plan in place for that location.

cbujold · #**3212** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 12:10 PM**

Gap was big 20 years ago when ''preppy'' was the style. People no longer dress like that and they haven't kept up. The in stores now are what is called cheap fashion : Zara and Forever 21. I would not be surprised to see Forever 21 go in and they usually have huge stores like H&M and after Christmas, we will probably see some shuffling.

Nashe · #**3213** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 2:27 PM**

*grumble* I still shop at Gap, though I've graduated to Banana Republic as of late... who are also in trouble (same family, really). *double grumble* A great place to buy suits where you can mix/match the pants/jacket sizing. AW&Co is OK too but sometimes less practical.

cbujold · #**3214** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 2:54 PM**

When it comes to fashions stores, women just buy more clothes and accessories than men, so that is where the market is.

Scarface · #**3215** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 7:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbujold

Gap was big 20 years ago when ''preppy'' was the style. People no longer dress like that and they haven't kept up. The in stores now are what is called cheap fashion : Zara and Forever 21. I would not be surprised to see Forever 21 go in and they usually have huge stores like H&M and after Christmas, we will probably see some shuffling.

If it is the case then I wonder if Cadillac Fairview would allow Forever 21 to take up the Gap, Gap Kids, Jump Plus, Aeropostale, and the back hall between em since it would not be needed if those 4 store fronts where to be combined into one, and I do believe it would be close to the same size as H&M... If they really need a bigger store then that Cadillac Fairview could always allow them to take up Pseudio as well, and move all those store fronts to empty locations.

OUIR@random · #**3216** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 7:57 PM**

I'm not exactly sure how Forever21 could fit in the available space inside Champlain as of right now. However, I am certain that Cadillac Fairview will bend over backwards to accommodate a popular tenant like this one and force some tenants to move around. We might see some shuffling around this winter, but i believe that a larger tenant like this one takes time. The H&M addition took a year or two for the wanted spaces to empty. To stay relevant Champlain will need to bring some much needed attention to mall and bring prominent & relevant retailers inside in 2016 & 2017. Physically BPS is not even ''part'' of the mall. All I can say is that the mall is a lot less relevant now than it was 10 or 20 years ago. Champlain is also playing second fiddle to the Halifax Shopping Center and their 70 million dollar renovation and expansion going on right now.

stephan.richard · #**3217** Posted **Dec 9, 2015, 8:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

I'm not exactly sure how Forever21 could fit in the available space inside Champlain as of right now. However, I am certain that Cadillac Fairview will bend over backwards to accommodate a popular tenant like this one and force some tenants to move around. We might see some shuffling around this winter, but i believe that a larger tenant like this one takes time. The H&M addition took a year or two for the wanted spaces to empty. To stay relevant Champlain will need to bring some much needed attention to mall and bring prominent & relevant retailers inside in 2016 & 2017. Physically BPS is not even ''part'' of the mall. All I can say is that the mall is a lot less relevant now than it was 10 or 20 years ago. Champlain is also playing second fiddle to the Halifax Shopping Center and their 70 million dollar renovation and expansion going on right now.

I must agree with you on that I think CF Champlain tried to rebrand itself into a Quebec based mall with a bunch of stores that you would find at the CF Laval.

A couple weeks ago I was at the Halifax Shopping and I was impressed with what they have to offer and I think that the Halifax retail sector is healthier than Moncton but that's just my take. I can't wait to go to the Halifax Shopping Center to see the completed reno's. Where i find that the Halifax Shopping Center and Mic Mac mall have a huge advantage over Moncton is the quality of retailers that are in those malls.

I was talking to mom a few weeks back and she misses a store like Northern Reflections that was where Coach used to be at the mall. You guys know my wishlist of what I want in CF Champlain and the first step in rejuvenating the mall is for Sobeys to get our of there and start working on developine that area of the mall. Like the old Blacks location has been empty for close to a year, the old Coach store has been empty off and on for close to a year. The old location that Booster Juice used to be has been empty for close to a year.

I think that the reno's that Cadilac Fairview has done a few years back did not hurt the mall but I think its time for another major expansion or even try to reinvent the mall to make it a much more interactive experience to compete with online shopping and the Box stores that are popping up near the Trinity Drive/ Mountain Road area.

MonctonRad · #**3218** Posted **Dec 10, 2015, 1:26 AM**

Well, with the imminent departure of GAP from Champlain Place, this certainly affords the mall with some opportunities.

The corner that the GAP is on is high profile, and is a large space, but is probably not big enough for Forever 21.

This space is desirable, especially with H&M across the hallway. I could see Forever 21 wanting it.

I think there's a distinct possibility that you might see CF shuffling around a couple of the neighbouring retailers (like Jump+) to make a larger space, especially if it were to entice a star tenant like Forever 21. CF has done this before a couple of times, for H&M and for Victoria's Secret. I could see them doing it again.

There are several good sized mall vacancies available for these displaced retailers to move into. This could be a good thing actually. Jump+ currently has a fairly cramped space. A shuffling of the deck might just be what the mall needs and if Forever 21 were to arrive, the mall might get back to 100% occupancy.

Of course, if Forever 21 could be accommodated in the existing mall footprint, there would likely be no need to expand the mall. If so, I think this makes it more likely that the existing Sobeys store will simply be refitted or converted to a Sobeys Extra store. If there is going to be a high end grocery store in the metro area (and I imagine there will be - Sobeys will not ignore Moncton with this new format), the obvious location for it would be Champlain Place.

Hence my new predictions (all unofficial)

1)- The demise of GAP will allow a reshuffling of the deck leading to a Forever 21 at Champlain Place
2)- The reshuffled stores will fill the current vacancies at the mall returning CF Champlain to near 100% occupancy
3)- The Sobeys Champlain Place location will be refurbished and upgraded to the Sobeys Extra format.

Sobeys Extra

theshark · #**3219** Posted **Dec 10, 2015, 1:38 AM**

Looks to be the IGA extra concept that finally makes its way to the Sobeys side of the family! It will be a change for the better!

Scarface · #**3220** Posted **Dec 10, 2015, 3:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Good2go

They have a sign in front of the store. Pic of it is on the T&T web site.

The Picture is also in today's physical copy of the paper. It's sad but seems like it was inevitable they refused to change with the fashions.