The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Brentwood should position itself to be a Vancouver version of yorkdale. Its got much better access than metropolis. Anchor it with saks and simons. Bring in louis burberry etc

I was thinking Saks would go to Brentwood - especially since the multi-level "Anchor" has a valet drop-off marked on the plans
and there's a big box space directly below that could house Saks Off 5th.
Saks is the only department store with valet parking, isn't it?
But I guess that's dead (but who knows, they have a Sherway Gardens location in Toronto).

I also assume that an Oakridge location is dead since the Hudson's Bay store there is remaining in the same location/structure.
Maybe there's a dispute between HBC and Ivanhoe Cambridge? (But HBC has opened a Saks Off 5th at Ivanhoe Cambridge's Tsawwassen Mills)
Anyways, the Zellers side of the store would be too small for a "flagship" Saks (could be big enough for a "Women's Store", but so close to downtown?).
So I wonder what HBC will do with that space (maybe Saks Off 5th, which would "stick it" to Ivanhoe Cambridge's high end mix, the same way Zellers did, or expand Hudson's Bay)?

Originally Posted by SpongeG

interesting that they are going to make Seymour street the main entrance to Saks, seymour, that stretrch anyway, feels so ghetto.

It makes sense because they can use the escalators in the North wing as exclusive "Saks" escalators (they stop at 2nd or 3rd floor?)
Holborn will be redeveloping the Bay Parkade - so it'll eventually be a nicer area.
Telus Garden kitty corner helps, too.

So presumably, the dividing line would be east of the main escalators for the entire N-S length of the store
(the elevations north of Georgia on Seymour do not allow an "at-grade" main entrance without significant renovation).

That would, however, "orphan" the elevators within Saks.

Here's the main floor plan from the HBC Retail brochure when they were trying to lease the basement levels.
The main escalators are under the "The Bay" logo.

I suppose that they'll install a "Food Hall" in the basement below, like in Toronto, especially since they haven't leased out all of the space.
They may even add the new escalators shown in blue to access the basement Food Hall if Top Shop Top Man don't reconfigure.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I was thinking Saks would go to Brentwood - especially since the multi-level "Anchor" has a valet drop-off marked on the plans
and there's a big box space directly below that could house Saks Off 5th.
Saks is the only department store with valet parking, isn't it?
But I guess that's dead (but who knows, they have a Sherway Gardens location in Toronto).

That was more or less never going to happen.

Originally Posted by officedweller

I also assume that an Oakridge location is dead since the Hudson's Bay store there is remaining in the same location/structure.

That one was pretty serious for a while but died off with all the issues going on in Oakridge's redevelopment.

Originally Posted by officedweller

It makes sense because they can use the escalators in the North wing as exclusive "Saks" escalators (they stop at 2nd or 3rd floor?)
Holborn will be redeveloping the Bay Parkade - so it'll eventually be a nicer area.
Telus Garden kitty corner helps, too.

Jointly occupying the Bay building has been a choice they've been trying to avoid for a while now. Definitely a plan B at best. Saks has been trying desperately to find a good space adjacent to Alberni/Pacific Centre but it's so built out they have been unsuccessful despite their patience. I still hope they wait for someone like Holborn to get their act together on the Bay parkade, but I'm not holding my breath for that one

[officedweller]

WRT Oakridge, is that a complete screw-up now (on the retail front, with essentially little mall expansion)?

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Jointly occupying the Bay building has been a choice they've been trying to avoid for a while now. Definitely a plan B at best. Saks has been trying desperately to find a good space adjacent to Alberni/Pacific Centre but it's so built out they have been unsuccessful despite their patience. I still hope they wait for someone like Holborn to get their act together on the Bay parkade, but I'm not holding my breath for that one

Yeah, seems that way, otherwise they would have announced it earlier and reno'd earlier like they did in Toronto.
Even the Bay Parkade would seem like the wrong area.
It's probably okay in the Bay Building (no rent) but at the Bay Parkade they'd be paying market rents for essentially the same location.
I wonder if Saks considered separate men's and women's stores downtown (or even a small temporary store in a spot like 2nd floor of 745 Thurlow)?

[connect2source]

Insane idea but.... I would to see the entire 1100 block of Robson ( north-side ) levelled and construct a 2-3 level Saks in it's place with space for additional flagship retail at ground-level for the likes of Uniqlo and Muji.

As it stands, the entire block is in dire need of redevelopment and this would not only accomplish that but give the west-end of Robson and the retail core a very solid anchor eliminating any further decay at that end and closely positioning it to the Alberni 'luxury zone' while provided desperately needed 'flagship' space.

[SpongeG]

Wheres the 1100 block of robson?

[Pinion]

Between Bute and Thurlow.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Saks has been trying desperately to find a good space adjacent to Alberni/Pacific Centre but it's so built out they have been unsuccessful despite their patience. I still hope they wait for someone like Holborn to get their act together on the Bay parkade.

But what about the south side of Alberni, everything east of The Carlyle out to Burrard? That section of the block is eligible (and ripe) for big redevelopment under the West End Community Plan, especially for anything involving high-end retail. Any word regarding near-future plans for those sites?

[vanlaw]

Slight advertising fail for Nordstroms. From a bus shelter on the NW corner of Georgia and Granville. Not sure the sale is worth the drive!

[Vin]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Insane idea but.... I would to see the entire 1100 block of Robson ( north-side ) levelled and construct a 2-3 level Saks in it's place with space for additional flagship retail at ground-level for the likes of Uniqlo and Muji.

As it stands, the entire block is in dire need of redevelopment and this would not only accomplish that but give the west-end of Robson and the retail core a very solid anchor eliminating any further decay at that end and closely positioning it to the Alberni 'luxury zone' while provided desperately needed 'flagship' space.

Again it's a City Planning policy problem. They can't keep treating Robson street and surrounding areas like a "village".

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

But what about the south side of Alberni, everything east of The Carlyle out to Burrard? That section of the block is eligible (and ripe) for big redevelopment under the West End Community Plan, especially for anything involving high-end retail. Any word regarding near-future plans for those sites?

That area already has substantial high end retail, restaurants and residential structures standing. There are many other areas that are in greater need of redevelopment. The West End Community Plan should be altered.

[officedweller]

I wonder if Calgary got the Nordstrom Pacific Centre copy?

Originally Posted by connect2source

Insane idea but.... I would to see the entire 1100 block of Robson ( north-side ) levelled and construct a 2-3 level Saks in it's place with space for additional flagship retail at ground-level for the likes of Uniqlo and Muji.

West End Community Plan allows that site to go up to 70 feet.

Originally Posted by Prometheus

But what about the south side of Alberni, everything east of The Carlyle out to Burrard? That section of the block is eligible (and ripe) for big redevelopment under the West End Community Plan, especially for anything involving high-end retail. Any word regarding near-future plans for those sites?

That would be a nice site, provided that the core and servicing for the tall (!) tower above doesn't screw up the retail floorplates.

I think the redevelopment of the podium of the FortisBC Building was a missed opportunity, but I guess the hotel needed a level for ballrooms (so it wouldn't have gone taller for a Saks).

Another "out there" idea would be the redevelopment of the Royal Bank pavilion at Georgia & Burrard,
or converting the bottom half of the 1090 West Georgia office building to retail use (how tall would their office ceilings be?)

[jollyburger]

That t-shirt store on Granville says they are having a closing sale and selling their fixtures.

[officedweller]

The one in the former Grand & Toy near Moore's?

Originally Posted by SpongeG

The Hudsons Bay there needs a renovation something like they did with the Richmond Centre store, it looks very tired, they have a good range of brands and stuff, better than the typical Bay but it looks tired, dark and boring. I find the upstairs nice and bright with the windows.

I'll bet that the Hudson's Bay at Park Royal - because it occupies the former Woodward's space (presumably through an assignment of lease) - enjoys a sweetheart deal on rent - and that's why it hasn't recently moved back to the more popular south mall.

I would guess that the Hudson's Bay lease agreement for Park Royal and the one for Oakridge have similar terms and conditions (both being former Woodwards locations). ... and events earlier this year wrt Oakridge redevelopment suggest that Hudson's Bay won't part with its existing lease at Oakridge.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The one in the former Grand & Toy near Moore's?

Yeah, it's available Q1 2017

AVAILABLE SPACE
4,922 sq. ft.
LEASE RATE
$65.00 per sq. ft.
ADDITIONAL RENT
$15.00 per sq. ft. (estimate)

http://urbanpropertiesgroup.ca/leases/550-granville-street/

[etceteraism]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

has COS opened yet?

this kinda gives you an idea about them in a simple way

• Video Link

I emailed them a couple of weeks ago and they said they had no opening date planned currently. I signed up for their Canadian newsletter as they said they'd announce through that as soon as it's nailed down.

[SpongeG]

^^^ me and friend drove past it last night and yea no movement.

Originally Posted by Pinion

Between Bute and Thurlow.

ok thanks

............

I have to wonder though, putting retail so far west on robson, further away from office type workers who shop/window shop on their breaks etc would be too far away, no? most department stores like to cluster

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

^^^ me and friend drove past it last night and yea no movement.



ok thanks

............

I have to wonder though, putting retail so far west on robson, further away from office type workers who shop/window shop on their breaks etc would be too far away, no? most department stores like to cluster

Create new clusters. I think our downtown is more than mature enough for this now.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Vin

Again it's a City Planning policy problem. They can't keep treating Robson street and surrounding areas like a "village".

How is it a city planning problem? I assume it's a collection of individual landlords holdings on the block.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by whatnext

How is it a city planning problem? I assume it's a collection of individual landlords holdings on the block.

Regardless of who's responsible it's in dire need of redevelopment and currently is a shameful collection of dilapidated 80's buildings with CRU's from another era, too small for most today/s international tenants. The vacancy rate is astounding for how central it is especially towards Bute, shame to see this once vibrant stretch rotting on the vine.

[SpongeG]

how did forever 21 and sephora come about on robson street? did the landlord do the reno to attract them or did the companies approach the landlords to create/renovate the new spaces?