The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

Chevron on West Georgia's last day was yesterday.


http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/west-geor...st-one-gas-station-in-downtown-vancouver

[officedweller]

BUSINESS REPORT: Trump’s proposed NAFTA revamp could directly affect Canadian consumers

Vancouver, BC, Canada / News Talk 980 CKNW | Vancouver's News. Vancouver's Talk

Michael and Robert Levy

Posted: March 30, 2017 09:26 am

The proposed changes to NAFTA by the Trump administration are not nearly as severe as the heated election rhetoric Trump threatened.

The new major overhaul would see the U.S. able to slap tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports if they compete too strongly with American companies.

However, two more tangible proposals that all Canadians would notice immediately might be the scrapping of Canada’s supply management system for dairy and poultry.

This would directly bring down prices to Canadian consumers and allow U.S. companies to directly compete on Canadian soil.

The other, and this would affect most all online shoppers, would be allowing Canadians to buy more American goods online without paying duties of any kind.

The limit now is $20 for duty-free shipments from the U.S., whereas the Americans are allowed an $800 limit when shopping online in Canada.

http://www.cknw.com/2017/03/30/business-...ould-directly-affect-canadian-consumers/

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Chevron on West Georgia's last day was yesterday.


http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/west-geor...st-one-gas-station-in-downtown-vancouver

Sigh, I used that one a lot. Wonder what their percentage of north shore customers was.

And with Capilano and Marine being re-developed there'll be no gas stations on the other side of the bridge either.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Sigh, I used that one a lot. Wonder what their percentage of north shore customers was.

And with Capilano and Marine being re-developed there'll be no gas stations on the other side of the bridge either.

I doubt the Petro-Canada is going anywhere and I haven't heard of any projects affecting the Shell on Cap.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by officedweller

http://www.cknw.com/2017/03/30/business-...ould-directly-affect-canadian-consumers/

I hope the shipping limits could come down, thats a deterent for me right now. I've looked up stuff on target and the shipping costs almost more than what I am buying The duty itself isn't bad at all. US online customers get free shipping with $25 spent. Canadians can get 20 off if you spend 100. Which almost covers the shipping, I am looking to spend 75 and shipping and duty bring the total just a bit over 100 so about 30 in shipping and duties. I am trying to figure out what else to buy to get me the 20 discount

[Pinion]

That will be an interesting dilemma for Amazon if the dollar exchange ever gets close again. Amazon.com is way better than .ca.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Chevron on West Georgia's last day was yesterday.


http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/west-geor...st-one-gas-station-in-downtown-vancouver

Seems odd that they just did a big overall to that station a few months ago which included replacing all the pumps.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by ACT7

I don't know that that's true. Nordstrom Eaton Center could also not be very well managed, who knows. Plus Saks provides direct competition. Remove Saks, and Nordstroms numbers change. Yorkdale in general grosses more than any other mall in Canada so not sure that that's a reasonable comparison either. Also, Yorkdale doesn't have a comparable department store to Nordstrom on site (I don't think Holts counts as a comparison), so there isn't a head-to-head competitor at the mall.

Seem Holt's finds Nordstrom to be their key competitor along with Saks.

http://business.financialpost.com/news/r...ours-shuffles-execs-amid-luxury-upheaval

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Seems odd that they just did a big overall to that station a few months ago which included replacing all the pumps.

I think it was last spring. I guess they had to replace the tanks and made that decision before they decided to put the property up for sale

[Vin]

Since the downtown Chevron is closed, I suppose the land has been sold? It will be many a years before something will be built there.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Seem Holt's finds Nordstrom to be their key competitor along with Saks.

http://business.financialpost.com/news/r...ours-shuffles-execs-amid-luxury-upheaval

there's a few things that are carried at both nordstroms and holt renfrew here in vancouver. I am thinking of diptyque candles and scents as just one example. Nordstrom has them at a counter which is staffed and is very helpful, holt renfrew just has them on some shelving and there is never any staff around so not that I purchase them ever but when I have I choose nordstrom as you get much better attentive service, instead of trying to find someone at holts and then they say this isn't my department so I can't really help you.

I just find overall a lot of overlapping products are better presented at Nordstrom and you get much better service, you don't feel the same pressure to buy something.

[SpongeG]

Photos: Ladurée Vancouver opens second location inside Holt Renfrew
by Tammy Kwan on March 24th, 2017 at 4:30 PM



When the French patisserie Ladurée opened its first Canadian location in Vancouver last year, hundreds of excited and eager macaron-lovers lined up outside its doors on Robson Street.

Today marks the one year anniversary of its grand opening (March 24, 2016), and to celebrate the occasion, a second Ladurée boutique and tea salon (737 Dunsmuir Street) has quietly sprung up inside Holt Renfrew.

“Ladurée’s first international location was actually at Harrod’s in London,” explained Olesya Krakhmalyova, the Canadian licensee for Ladurée. “They like to do beautiful shop-in-shops at distinguished shopping malls and department stores, so for Canada, we saw us being at Holt Renfrew. It is kind of like the best being with the best.”

Situated next to the brand new women’s shoe hall inside the luxury department store, guests can expect the same Ladurée experience inside this shop-in-shop: whimsical and elegant with lots of attention to detail.

The 800-square-foot space incorporates white marble, pastel-coloured macarons and collectibles, and a wallpaper design characterized by charming hot-air balloons.



http://www.straight.com/food/886001/phot...pens-second-location-inside-holt-renfrew

[SpongeG]

well its not in metro vancouver but interesting. When i lived on the island last summer I found it interesting they had some chain stores that just exist on the island. There were no safeways at all, most had been converted to Save-On-Foods. I wonder if he will bring that brand over here.

Jim Pattison Group taking over Vancouver Island grocery chain
By The Victoria Times-Colonist | March 27, 2017, 10:43 a.m.

Quality Foods, a 13-store Vancouver Island grocery chain that employs more than 1,000 people, is being taking over by the Jim Pattison Group as the majority partner.

Pattison has been a minority partner in the company since 2012. The billionaire businessman also owns Overwaitea Foods and Save-on-Foods among other grocery and food companies. In a statement, he said “business will continue as it has” at Quality Foods.

The shift comes as two of the chain’s founders, Ken Schley and John Briuolo, announced their plans to step away from the company.

Schley, Briuolo and Noel Hayward started Quality Foods in 1982, opening the first store in Qualicum Beach. Hayward will continue leading day-to-day operations for the company.

“This move is the result of a successful long-term plan finally coming together,” Briuolo said in a statement. “And now, with the company in the best position to grow and prosper, it’s the right time to make this change.”

...

https://www.biv.com/article/2017/3/jim-pattison-group-taking-over-vancouver-island-gr/

[SpongeG]

RYU is now open at park royal, a 4th store will open at metrotown soon

https://sgbonline.com/ryu-apparel-opens-third-retail-location/

RYU will be expanding into the Eastern Canadian market with its first Toronto location in spring 2017, before opening its next location in B.C. at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby. This will give RYU a total of five locations.

[Rocketeer]

Originally Posted by Vin

Since the downtown Chevron is closed, I suppose the land has been sold? It will be many a years before something will be built there.

Word on the street is that a major local developer already has it under contract right now.

[SpongeG]

No frills footwear lifts off in North Van


A couple of staff members look at new product at Str/ke Mvmnt’s new development centre and retail space, which opened at Main Street and Mountain Highway on March 3. Photo Mike Wakefield, North Shore News

Walk a mile in Marc Morisset’s shoes and you’ll learn less is more when it comes to performance footwear.

When the former competitive snowboarder and recreational surfer turned to Crossfit to help keep him in shape, all Morisset wanted were well-designed shoes without the bells and whistles.

The footwear he found was anything but basic.

Morisset conceived Str/ke Mvmnt the same year the 2010 Winter Olympics came to town, testing the no frills footwear with Crossfit athletes on the North Shore.

Str/ke Mvmnt’s philosophy is in its name and employs the concept that a runner’s foot should strike the ground near the front of the foot.

“We saw an opportunity to combine a really clean and wearable esthetic with a technically designed product that would allow you to use the shoe in a broader set of circumstances,” explains Morisset of Str/ke Mvmnt’s origins.

Meaning Str/ke Mvmnt shoes, while they fit the bill when it comes to footwear that will support a super high-intensity style workout that is Crossfit, aren’t specifically designed for that purpose.

- See more at: http://www.nsnews.com/living/fashion/no-...orth-van-1.12851910#sthash.TWcOQEm2.dpuf

[SpongeG]

Vancouver is getting a 3rd Muji Store in 2018

In January of this year, MUJI announced its first two Vancouver store locations, both of which will be larger than its current Toronto stores. A 10,000 square foot Robson Street flagship will open later this year, as well as an 8,000 square foot unit at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby. A third location in the Vancouver area has also been secured, and it will open in 2018.

from retail insider

http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2017/3/muji

also Soul Cycle will open a location in Vancouver

New York City-based cycle studio concept SoulCycle has revealed that it will open two more Canadian locations this year, after having opened its first Canadian studio in Toronto last month. A second Toronto studio will open in July, and a first Vancouver studio, with a location that has been a mystery until now, will also open this summer.

A Vancouver SoulCycle location will open this summer in the downtown Yaletown area. According to a corporate submission on datagovca.com, SoulCycle will be located at 1128 Mainland Street, in a strategic location steps away from the Yaletown-Roundhouse Skytrain station. According to Spacelist.ca, the retail space at 1128 Mainland Street measures 3,518 square feet.

That the Vancouver lease deal was negotiated by Martin Moriarty and Mario Negris of CBRE in Vancouver.

http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2017/3/soulcycle

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Rocketeer

Word on the street is that a major local developer already has it under contract right now.

Yes, although it still takes a few years to rehabilitate the land that used to house fuel tanks, unless they can just haul all the earth away during the dig and rehabilitate it elsewhere.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Retail will overtake real estate as Vancouver's top-performing economic sector

A new report from the Conference Board of Canada says Vancouver's economy is still going strong, but the real estate slowdown has had an impact

By: Jen St. Denis Metro Published on Fri Mar 03 2017

After leading Canada in economic growth in 2015 and in job creation in 2016, Vancouver’s economy is expected to slow in 2017 — and the main reason is a slowdown in the housing market.

With real estate and the associated finance and insurance sectors slowing, retail will be Vancouver’s top performing economic sector in 2017.

The Conference Board of Canada projects a still-healthy economic growth rate of 2.7 per cent for Vancouver, down from 4 per cent in 2016 and 4.1 per cent in 2015.

The Conference Board says federal and provincial policies that were designed to cool overheated real estate markets like Vancouver’s are behind the real estate slowdown, and that’s also affected sectors like finance and insurance.

Real estate and construction combined make up 25 per cent of British Columbia’s gross domestic product — around the same percentage oil and gas and mining represent for Alberta.

...

http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2...l-overtake-real-estate-in-vancouver.html

No demand for retail, eh?

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Vin

Yes, although it still takes a few years to rehabilitate the land that used to house fuel tanks, unless they can just haul all the earth away during the dig and rehabilitate it elsewhere.

they will probably do that. a number of projects underway currently should have been sitting empty now but are under construction cause they hauled it away. I am sure the cost of doing so has come down in recent years and made it much more viable to get going on the projects.