The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Vin]

Originally Posted by tarrance17

Those malls look awesome! Although we do have something pretty nice in Richmond, Aberdeen centre. Nothing compares to the one in Milan though.

No way to emulate the classical look of the Milan mall as this would be way too expensive, unless there is an adjoining casino or theme park like Disneyland. Might as well have something similar to the Perth mall here, and it would work downtown too (like the old general office space). Then all the stores looking to open up downtown (Uniglo, Indigo, Saks, Simons, etc etc) can finally find space to do so.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by Vin

True, there is a reason why Oakridge and Parkroyal switched from the outdoor to the indoor concept in the first place, but I guess these malls are getting pretty old now and ventilation/HVAC system just isn't providing the best air flow in them. Shoppers want to venture outside again, forgetting that this city is often inundated with rain. I can also imagine that indoor malls are also a lot more expensive to maintain.

Question is, how are they going to open up the mall with the parkade structure right above it?

Oakridge is staying enclosed with the addition of an outdoor 'high-street' on the west side of the existing mall, although the revised plan calls for the indoor mall to remain one level instead of two.

http://www.oakridge2025.ca/plans_oakridge-centre

Park Royal South is remaining enclosed for now, they've just completed extensive updates including a new food court 'PICNIC', all new flooring and lighting to match the recently completed Simon's section. Park Royal South also added the Main Street extension 2+ years ago and realigned the entries of the enclosed mall to line up with the new outdoor area.

Only Park Royal North looks to be turning completely inside-out for now.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Oakridge is staying enclosed with the addition of an outdoor 'high-street' on the west side of the existing mall, although the revised plan calls for the indoor mall to remain one level instead of two.

http://www.oakridge2025.ca/plans_oakridge-centre

Park Royal South is remaining enclosed for now, they've just completed extensive updates including a new food court 'PICNIC', all new flooring and lighting to match the recently completed Simon's section. Park Royal South also added the Main Street extension 2+ years ago and realigned the entries of the enclosed mall to line up with the new outdoor area.

Only Park Royal North looks to be turning completely inside-out for now.

Yup, that's right. It would be impossible for the indoor part of Oakridge to go back to when it started as an outdoor mall. I don't think the existing tenants will like that. Also, the mall will also lose its vital "garden/park on the roof" LEED points.

Regarding Park Royal, I love both the inside and outside sections of the revamped South mall. As for the North mall, still mystifies me how they can convert it into an outdoor mall with the parkade on top.

[Conrad Yablonski]

Up until last week I thought Joe Fresh was a restaurant.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Vin

Regarding Park Royal, I love both the inside and outside sections of the revamped South mall. As for the North mall, still mystifies me how they can convert it into an outdoor mall with the parkade on top.

Well outdoor entrances and no indoor corridors might be their definition of an outdoor mall.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

Up until last week I thought Joe Fresh was a restaurant.

guess you were mixing it up with Joe Fortes. The word "Fresh" is kinda misleading too.

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Well outdoor entrances and no indoor corridors might be their definition of an outdoor mall.

Ah, in that case the layout won't be so attractive like the south side. It has basically become a strip mall.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Vin

Regarding Park Royal, I love both the inside and outside sections of the revamped South mall. As for the North mall, still mystifies me how they can convert it into an outdoor mall with the parkade on top.

They'd just need tenants large enough to occupy really "deep" units behind a row of shallow frontage units - like the CityMarket which will have a narrow frontage entrance corridor and open up behind the front row of smaller stores.
The Park Royal website said they'd have a 35,000 sq ft fitness centre - so that'll probably occupy space behind.

[officedweller]

Granville St. Twitter reports that National Bank is opening next to DeBeers (?):


https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by Vin

guess you were mixing it up with Joe Fortes. The word "Fresh" is kinda misleading too...

Or Joe Beef in Montreal

[Graham_Yvr]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Granville St. Twitter reports that National Bank is opening next to DeBeers (?):


https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

2nd floor - accessed by a recessed door not really part of the retail section. It's "Private Banking". There's still an unoccupied retail space beside DeBeers.

[officedweller]

Ah, thanks for the info - that makes sense.

****

Lids is opening in the former Ecco space on Robson at Granville (Future Shop building)

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Graham_Yvr

2nd floor - accessed by a recessed door not really part of the retail section. It's "Private Banking". There's still an unoccupied retail space beside DeBeers.

I wonder what this "private banking" entails? So perhaps you buy a bunch of diamonds at Debeers and deposit them at the vaults of that bank?

[SpongeG]

re park royal north, a lot of the stores already moved are in the process of moving to the south aritzia, murchies etc. with all the empty spaces there now it could shuffle stores around to fit some bigger spaces

[Vin]

Prada at Alberni is fully unveiled! It looks pretty solid. Sorry no photos.

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

re park royal north, a lot of the stores already moved are in the process of moving to the south aritzia, murchies etc. with all the empty spaces there now it could shuffle stores around to fit some bigger spaces

Murchies moved into a new store last spring when the la senza closed, It must be pretty empty inside as guess closed ingldows shoes, lasenza

[connect2source]

Here's a rather gloomy pic of the new Prada at Alberni and Thurlow, excuse the quick pic, double parked to shoot it.

Utility poles are long overdue for removal, this "luxury zone' will look quite lacking until they're gone.

Photo by : connect2source

[officedweller]

Thanks!
It does look rather drab - especially since the Carlyle condo above is also a gray colour.

[connect2source]

We need the city to spruce-up this so called emerging 'luxury zone' to give it more traction and help create a sense of place.

First-off, as mentioned above, those ancient, decrepit wooden utility poles gotta-go, I'm sure the Prada folks aren't happy.

Next perhaps some unique light standards and some high-end sidewalk treatment.

Then, perhaps, mid-block crossings on the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Alberni.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks!
It does look rather drab - especially since the Carlyle condo above is also a gray colour.

It's quite chic in person, high-quality, understated but true-to-brand. The photo is undermined by an all-too-common grey Vancouver day.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by connect2source

We need the city to spruce-up this so called emerging 'luxury zone' to give it more traction and help create a sense of place.

First-off, as mentioned above, those ancient, decrepit wooden utility poles gotta-go, I'm sure the Prada folks aren't happy.

Next perhaps some unique light standards and some high-end sidewalk treatment.

Then, perhaps, mid-block crossings on the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Alberni.

I believe the coty is planning to transform the Alberni retail district. It is in the West End Neighbourhood plan