The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[GilmoreStation]

Originally Posted by connect2source

That'll leave quite a few holes in our malls and on Robson. I hope they can find someone to fill the 1080 Robson location fast, they haven't managed to lease the former A|X space next-door yet and Robson can't afford any more large vacancies.

Other BCBG locations include Pacific Centre, Oakridge, Richmond Centre

And Metrotown near Chapters. Retail is dead thanks to Amazon.

[cairnstone]

Metrotown has had several; closing recently. Kate spade is moving in where Hollywood was. aritzia still shut and no hording.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by cairnstone

Metrotown has had several; closing recently. Kate spade is moving in where Hollywood was. aritzia still shut and no hording.

Didn't Aritzia recently open a massive flagship in Metrotown? Do you mean a former location?

[SpongeG]

Aritizia has a large new store in metrotown. The old one could be the home of the muji store.

I've never found the chapters at metrotown to be dead, they have done a good job adding some nice home decor and things, i get a lot of gifts there now.

They really should up the toy store in it though and add American Girl. The chapters in West Edmonton Mall has one of the nicest toy sections in it. The chapters on Broadway/Granville is pretty nice too for the toys.

Could muji be taking over the BCBG location on robson? Is that about 10,000 sq ft? and was occupied when the muji announcement was made...

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I've never found the chapters at metrotown to be dead, they have done a good job adding some nice home decor and things, i get a lot of gifts there now.

They really should up the toy store in it though and add American Girl. The chapters in West Edmonton Mall has one of the nicest toy sections in it. The chapters on Broadway/Granville is pretty nice too for the toys.

Well Metrotown has a Toys R Us, Build A Bear and a Disney store, so it might not be worth it for Chapters to have a big toy section.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Could muji be taking over the BCBG location on robson? Is that about 10,000 sq ft? and was occupied when the muji announcement was made...

That's what came to mind for me.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I've never found the chapters at metrotown to be dead, they have done a good job adding some nice home decor and things, i get a lot of gifts there now.

That's my experience. The Starbucks within is high volume as well.

[cairnstone]

yes the old location the 2 units below it are hoarded in so appears will be 1 retailer wanting 2 levels

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

That's my experience. The Starbucks within is high volume as well.

Well a Starbucks would be high volume regardless in the mall.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

ACould muji be taking over the BCBG location on robson? Is that about 10,000 sq ft? and was occupied when the muji announcement was made...

Well Retail Insider seems to know where it is and then published an interview quoting someone as saying it's on the 1100 block (BCBG is 1080).

"We're excited to welcome MUJI to Robson Street, which will add excitement to the 1100 block," said Teri Smith, Executive Director of the Robson Street Business Association. She went on to say that MUJI will be "good for the rest of the area", as downtown Vancouver continues to add new and exciting retailers to its already strong mix.

Both Vancouver lease deals were coordinated/negotiated by Martin Moriarty and Mario Negris of CBRE Vancouver, as well as Arlin Markowitz from CBRE Toronto.

http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2017/1/muji-vancouver

[officedweller]

Of interest.

Carnegie Centre report on retail gentrification in the DTES

http://www.carnegieaction.org/reports/retail-gentrification-report/

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Of interest.

Carnegie Centre report on retail gentrification in the DTES

http://www.carnegieaction.org/reports/retail-gentrification-report/

Question: Gentrification VS no gentrification difference in retail at the DTES?

Answer: It's a difference between having expensive restaurants/stores VS shuttered vandalised haunts boarded up with graffiti-filled hoardings.

Now which do you prefer to have in this city?

The gentrified stores are not the problem. The society/culture in large and the residents wallowing in poverty and drugs are the real problem.
Even if you put dollar stores/Walmarts in there, they will still say they can't afford anything.

[osirisboy]

That "report" is a joke. So places like Starbucks are "exclusion zones"? They say they had community consultations. Really? Because places like Starbucks (for example) seem to be full of people who live and work in the community.

Walked past that new pizza place on carrall street yesterday looks great!!! Love to see more of these places opening up

[casper]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

That "report" is a joke. So places like Starbucks are "exclusion zones"? They say they had community consultations. Really? Because places like Starbucks (for example) seem to be full of people who live and work in the community.

Walked past that new pizza place on carrall street yesterday looks great!!! Love to see more of these places opening up

They serve their community (the poor who live in the DTES). I think they probably did consult the community the serve. Probably not the community as a whole.

I think what it shows is the DTES and Chinatown is evolving into a more balanced community with a mix of people at different income levels. Probably better in the long run.

[s211]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Of interest.

Carnegie Centre report on retail gentrification in the DTES

http://www.carnegieaction.org/reports/retail-gentrification-report/

It's Vancity's financial support of the Carnegie Centre that is leading me to think about taking my banking business elsewhere. Carnegie = sanctioned poverty.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by s211

It's Vancity's financial support of the Carnegie Centre that is leading me to think about taking my banking business elsewhere. Carnegie = sanctioned poverty.

Don't forget those stupid millennial ads on tvs...

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Sunrise Records is taking over 70 of the HMV store locations.

Sunrise Records takes over 70 HMV locations in malls
Toronto company sees a future in vinyl and locally chosen products
By Renee Filippone, CBC News Posted: Feb 25, 2017 3:44 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 26, 2017 6:12 PM ET


http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/hmv-sunrise-records-takeover-malls-1.3998420

They've announced the first 29 locations, with more to be announced starting Mar 20th. The only local one currently is Metrotown.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Vin

What about the strips with no empty stores? That video clearly shows what the business owners are going though to get their businesses running, so how come you seem to know more? Have you ever applied to have a renovation done or approved by the City?

What commercial strips have no empty stores? Last time I checked the following all significant vacancies: South Granville, Main, West Fourth, West Tenth, West Broadway and of course Robson.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by s211

It's Vancity's financial support of the Carnegie Centre that is leading me to think about taking my banking business elsewhere. Carnegie = sanctioned poverty.

Wasn't there some BS between the Centre and Carnegie Community Action Project during their protests over Pidgin?

[jlousa]

Originally Posted by s211

It's Vancity's financial support of the Carnegie Centre that is leading me to think about taking my banking business elsewhere. Carnegie = sanctioned poverty.

It works best if you tell them exactly why you are closing your account when you do it. I had a falling out a over a decade ago with what IWA Savings (now Community Savings) was doing with membership money, let them know, pulled all my funds from them as did the rest of my family and never looked back. Voting isn't just done every 4yrs, we do it every day with our wallets.