The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Waders]

The Muji lineup at Metropolis is now very long at 1pm. I think there are close to 100 people waiting. Most are from the younger generation.
I don't quite understand what the appeal of Muji is. Obviously Muji is doing something right.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by Waders

I am a bit disappeared the store didn't include a Muji Cafe. The outside area would have been a good patio area to sit and enjoy some of the good food similar to what is being offered in Muji store in Asia like Hong Kong.

I wouldn't fret about it, if it's as popular and successful as it seems already then they will more then likely expand the store and/or install doors in the exterior wall for cafe space outside. They could also relocate to a larger space or open a separate cafe in the food court or elsewhere on the perimeter of the mall, effectively expanding their presence.

[teriyaki]

Wow. Wonder what the terms for the Lansdowne lease were. I'd imagine it'd be very attractive for Loblaws. Not a bad site either with plenty of parking and access from all parts of Richmond. With the superstore close by and another t and t at marine gateway, they are really saturating the Richmond south Vancouver market.

[flipper316]

Originally Posted by bc2mb

I checked out the media event for MUJI yesterday.

Some interesting facts - the Metrotown store is the largest in Canada at over 7,000 sq ft.

They plan to open between 3-5 stores in the Lower Mainland and are planning to open stores in Alberta as well.

Their 150 sq ft. popup had stronger sales than some of their retail locations.

I think the store will do really well in our market.

More pics: http://urbanyvr.com/muji-metrotown-vancouver-opens-summer-2017

Jeezus how many pens do they think they're gonna sell.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by flipper316

Jeezus how many pens do they think they're gonna sell.

No idea. I think it is quite profitable. I just love the merchandise display and the colorful visual effect all the pens present.
In this video, you can see the lady definitely loves pen as she bought quite a few from Muji.

[SpongeG]

long line

• Video Link

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

long line

I was going to check it out today and there was a line going to the exterior mall doors. Maybe later this week...

[SpongeG]

i watched another vlog and the guy waited just over 1 hour to get into the store. I once waited 2 hours when krispy kreme opened lol but at least we got a donut

[Sheba]

Sears is still kicking the can down the road with asset sales and debt measures

Sears Holdings Corp.’s second-quarter earnings were released Thursday and once again heavily emphasized the measures the company and its hedge-fund-manager owner and chief executive, Eddie Lampert, have taken to boost liquidity and keep the venerable business afloat.

That’s hardly surprising after the company spooked investors earlier this year by including “going concern” language in its 2016 annual report. Sears has been shuttering stores, selling assets and engaging in numerous transactions with its real estate and brands in a battle to stay in business.

“Sears’ earnings are relatively consistent — and not in a good way,” said Philip Emma, senior credit and retail analyst at Debtwire. “There are no surprises, if what you’re expecting is that it will sell assets and talk about positives that are difficult to see in the big picture.

“But really they are selling assets and reorganizing their debt, which is just kicking the can down the road.”

Sears now says in its latest quarterly filing that actions such as “monetization of our real estate, additional financing actions, and potential asset securitizations” are likely to occur and “mitigate the liquidity risk raised by our historical operating results.” Sears says it has enough liquid assets to satisfy its needs over the next 12 months.

...

“We’ll see what becomes of Kenmore on Amazon,” said Emma. “But the problem is they keep talking about transformation, but have failed to articulate a long-term vision of what happens from here. The real issue is liquidity and whether they can keep reloading what they’re losing in cash flow.“

Sears, which also owns the Kmart chain, said it continued with a range of liquidity measures in the first half of the year, including selling assets, issuing new debt, repaying debt and increasing borrowing on existing credit lines.

...

Many of the company’s credit facilities are directly tied to Lampert’s hedge-fund business, ESL Investments Inc., and its subsidiaries, and some of those were amended in the quarter. But the company also has external financing, including bank debt that will come due a year from now.

“That’s when [Sears] will face a debt maturity wall that they have to address,” said Emma. “The first maturity is a loan from ESL that will come due in January, but that’s not an issue. It’s the term loan that matures in June of 2018 that’s the piece they need to look at.”

[Tetsuo]

Sears is Eddie's cigar butt stock

Ron.

[osirisboy]

Unless I messed something, that article was about sears USA not sears canada

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Sheba

I was going to check it out today and there was a line going to the exterior mall doors. Maybe later this week...

That's a very smart move~!

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Gee, I can't imagine why they changed their name from Zero Waste Market!

Yeah, what would you buy at a "waste market"?

[Waders]

Muji line up is a lot shorter today. I only had to wait for 2 minutes before getting into the store on Monday at 6pm.

The size of the store is a bit "small". It carries most of the Muji merchandise but I was disappointed the store doesn't have the "Interior Green" section like they have in Hong Kong. I was hoping to get some wall-mount plant for my living room.

Be prepared for the cashier line up that circled inside the store. A staff was holding the 'Line ends here' sign at the end of the queue.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Waders

Muji line up is a lot shorter today. I only had to wait for 2 minutes before getting into the store on Monday at 6pm.

The size of the store is a bit "small". It carries most of the Muji merchandise but I was disappointed the store doesn't have the "Interior Green" section like they have in Hong Kong. I was hoping to get some wall-mount plant for my living room.

Be prepared for the cashier line up that circled inside the store. A staff was holding the 'Line ends here' sign at the end of the queue.

I had to wait a few minutes to get into the store this afternoon, so I doubt it's going to be quiet in there anytime soon. It was pandemonium by the pens so I didn't get to check them out too much (will likely get a gel pen one of these days). The cashier line wasn't too bad.

[osirisboy]

What is with people and their pens?! Jesus

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Waders

Muji line up is a lot shorter today. I only had to wait for 2 minutes before getting into the store on Monday at 6pm.

The size of the store is a bit "small". It carries most of the Muji merchandise but I was disappointed the store doesn't have the "Interior Green" section like they have in Hong Kong. I was hoping to get some wall-mount plant for my living room.

Be prepared for the cashier line up that circled inside the store. A staff was holding the 'Line ends here' sign at the end of the queue.

it is the largest muji store in Canada. The robson one will take that title when it opens. they could have issues trying to secure a vendor for plants.

[Vin]

How much bigger is the Robson Muji compared to Metro's?

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Vin

How much bigger is the Robson Muji compared to Metro's?

16,000 versus 7,700

[Vin]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

16,000 versus 7,700

Wow, that's a lot bigger and more than doubled! Thanks.