The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[retro_orange]

And now Main St. too...

[Vin]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

And now Main St. too...

Yes, very unfortunate, although the higher density nodes of Broadway/Kingsway/Main with upcoming neighbourhood anchors are actually faring pretty well. You can sense the vibrancy there.

[SpongeG]

MAC is opening a store in Coquitlam Centre, I noticed a lot of foot traffic coming from the skytrain and the mall was quite busy for a friday afternoon.

2017-02-19_12-30-16 by snub_you, on Flickr

2017-02-19_12-30-03 by snub_you, on Flickr

[jollyburger]

I don't see how a Granville Station at Broadway will help South Granville. The only thing that will help the area for me would be increased density with new local shoppers since the only real draw on the street is home furnishing/lifestyle stores but they could easily pop up in some of the newer suburb malls.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I don't see how a Granville Station at Broadway will help South Granville. The only thing that will help the area for me would be increased density with new local shoppers since the only real draw on the street is home furnishing/lifestyle stores but they could easily pop up in some of the newer suburb malls.

Seriously? A station almost always delivers increased foot traffic to any area, South Granville would definitely benefit.And perhaps you should walk around the surrounding area, there is already a lot of density nearby.

[officedweller]

Article on Nordstrom:

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/retail/nordstroms-big-beautiful-stores-are-losing-ground/

[theKB]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Article on Nordstrom:

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/retail/nordstroms-big-beautiful-stores-are-losing-ground/

Amazingly enough being in Nordstrom on Sunday it was relatively packed. Went to holts as well to check out some of the new openings and it looks quite good but it was nowhere near as busy.

Just an observation but it almost seems like the way they have structured the store with a very open bar on the second floor, the cafe at the entrance and the restaurant on the top floor that it really draws people in and does a good job of keeping people in the stoor. By comparison the holt cafe is not integrated enough into the shopping experience to create the same vibrancy.

[SpongeG]

I think Nordstrom has tried to go too high end alienating long loyal customers and brands themselves have become very common and readily available. Such as Kiehls, back in the 90's it had cache and was only in a few stores, nordstrom being one, now there are Kiehls in malls all over the place and in most higher end department stores. And you can get benefits for shopper loyalty in their own company Kiehls stores that you don't get elsewhere.

Plus they probably opened too many stores and even their own rack store is gonna steal customers from the main store. People don't care if they buy Marc Jacobs Spring 2017 in the spring, they will buy it when it shows up at the Rack in the fall at a much more reasonable price. Fashions rules are out the window now.

And Fashion in general is not really following the old trends of runway fashion trickling down slowly, sometimes taking a year or more, now H&M, Forever 21 etc can knock it off and sell it cheap within weeks.

I remember back in the 90's if you wanted to see a fashion runway show you had to wait 6 months to watch it on a show like Fashion Television, now all the runway shows are posted within hours on youtube if not streamed live. And people don't care about the trends anymore, fashion is kinda killing itself.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Plus they probably opened too many stores and even their own rack store is gonna steal customers from the main store. People don't care if they buy Marc Jacobs Spring 2017 in the spring, they will buy it when it shows up at the Rack in the fall at a much more reasonable price. Fashions rules are out the window now.

The common belief is that stock for nordstrom rack is coming from mainline nordstrom stores and for the most part the collections are purchased or made specifically to be sold at nordstrom rack. Same can be said for saks off 5th. Typically the stuff that is on clearance is sold off to offprice retailers such as TJX in large lots (even by the pound).

Having worked quite a bit in the apparel world it never ceases to amaze me how consumers are so willing to part with their dollars at an outlet for a lesser product that has a "compare at" price on the tag.

The simple growth of these off-price retailers should be evidence enough that these stores are getting their own collections. There aren't warehouses of unsold product just sitting there waiting to go to the outlets.

[SpongeG]

I know but you can still get Marc Jacobs no matter where they sourced it from and that's all brand hungry customers care about these days. It could be spring 2011 and they would still buy it cause its Marc Jacobs for $99.

The stuff I have seen at the Rack in seattle is usually quite fugly and would have never been seen in the main store.

I've even seen Coach Factory store items at the Rack. Coach factory stores have different serial numbers on their products from the actual Coach line.

[officedweller]

I think it's hard to say what a "lesser" product is these days.
(think ripped jeans and faded worn looks)

One of the handful of times I went into Nordstrom, the salesman in the sportscoats section was trying to tell me that an unlined sportcoat was better quality than a lined one because you could inspect the seams. Huh? It's missing the lining - that's a lot of work they're skipping out on.

If you like the piece and it fits well, buy it. It doesn't matter what season or designer it is or if it's made specifically for an outlet or off-price retailer.

As for quality, people will probably donate the clothes to Goodwill far before it actually "wears out".

[officedweller]

From Granville Twitter:

"Redeveloped mall rotunda likely site of a big Apple Vancouver. Right in the heart of downtown at City Centre"
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by theKB

The common belief is that stock for nordstrom rack is coming from mainline nordstrom stores and for the most part the collections are purchased or made specifically to be sold at nordstrom rack. Same can be said for saks off 5th. Typically the stuff that is on clearance is sold off to offprice retailers such as TJX in large lots (even by the pound).

Having worked quite a bit in the apparel world it never ceases to amaze me how consumers are so willing to part with their dollars at an outlet for a lesser product that has a "compare at" price on the tag.

The simple growth of these off-price retailers should be evidence enough that these stores are getting their own collections. There aren't warehouses of unsold product just sitting there waiting to go to the outlets.

The Rack probably started off moving off-season goods from the main stores, but now it's just cheapening the name of those same stores.

[officedweller]

Nordstrom Rack is still pretty pricey - regular price for dress shirts is $45-$50 and the stores I've been in are well laid-out and tidy (they may even have carpet!).

So that's a step above Marshall, TJMaxx and Ross.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Granville Twitter:

"Redeveloped mall rotunda likely site of a big Apple Vancouver. Right in the heart of downtown at City Centre"
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

Finally! We have one of the smallest, most embarrassing downtown Apple Stores anywhere.

[jozero]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Finally! We have one of the smallest, most embarrassing downtown Apple Stores anywhere.

Its also apparently one of the most profitable.

I'm amazed the fire marshal doesn't shut down the store sometimes. So. Many. People.

[Vin]

No new mall downtown, no new large-format stores. Simple as that.

[Hot Rod]

^ unless it's underground!

[officedweller]

Bench + Scotch & Soda Canadian Stores In Trouble, Freemark Apparel Files for Creditor Protection
http://www.styledemocracy.com/bench-espritscotch-soda-filed-creditor-protection/


This is the "prow" building at Main & Kingsway:

Landlord who loves Mount Pleasant helps indie businesses stay strong
http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2...ount-pleasant-helps-indy-businesses.html

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Granville Twitter:

"Redeveloped mall rotunda likely site of a big Apple Vancouver. Right in the heart of downtown at City Centre"
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

Originally Posted by connect2source

Finally! We have one of the smallest, most embarrassing downtown Apple Stores anywhere.

Originally Posted by jozero

Its also apparently one of the most profitable.

I'm amazed the fire marshal doesn't shut down the store sometimes. So. Many. People.

Originally Posted by Vin

No new mall downtown, no new large-format stores. Simple as that.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/03/apple-flagship-store-vancouver/
Maybe it's been posted, but here is a link to 6 possible new APPLE stores in downtown, including the PC Rotunda. If they choose that, please keep it curvy & elegant, not joltingly boxy ....
Also, please, is the option for the large store on Thurlow the space in front of the former MacBlo Bldg? I wonder if that would give a "tight" feeling to what is rather
a sweeping, city canyon feeling, afforded to a point by those pine trees and open space. Perhaps not.