The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[gillty]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

I'm having a hard time keeping Miniso and Muji distinct in my head.

The big differentiator is that Miniso is not even a Japanese company, the products are much closer to a Daiso (which is 100jpy/item in Japan) rather than a MUJI. Founded by Chinese investment and a Japanese designer, Miniso completely takes advantage of brand confusion here with their Uniqlo like logo.

I was really confused when some of my friends were asking me about this Japanese chain called Miniso because I had never heard of it. According to Japanese wikipedia, there are literally on 4 Miniso locations in Japan. I love how when you search Miniso in google you get the "Established in Tokyo"; they've done a terrific job expanding and literally eating Daiso's lunch with the faux-made in Japan image.

MUJI is about aesthetic and a certain base quality of products, (the 3 big categories being home, food, stationary).

Originally Posted by Waders

I think Miniso and Muji target different market segment.
Muji's product is not cheap.
Miniso only offers selected merchandise with cheaper price.

Correct, although MUJI's product base is quite wide in Japan. Competing with Zara Home, IKEA, Uniqlo, Daiso, etc...

[SpongeG]

this article about Birks opening 5 stores, 2 new ones and 3 relocating says one of the 2 new stores will be in Surrey Guildford Town Centre, But that mall has had a Birks for years. Did it close down for a while? It used to be near that overpass wing by Hudsons Bay, it is going to open or reopen near the centre court second level.

https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2017/9/ivanhoe-cambridge-birks

The two new Birks stores will be at Oshawa Centre in Oshawa, Ontario and at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey, British Columbia. Both stores will open in October.

Also looking at the mall directory map it shows a "Miniso" opening soon between the flight centre and the bell store near the bay in the overpass wing.

[Tetsuo]

Indochino moving to the space above Old Navy Robson&Granville

Indochino expands HQ, moves to Granville Street

Custom suit-seller Indochino has more than doubled the size of its head office by taking 14,700 square feet of space above the Old Navy store at the corner of Robson and Granville streets, CEO Drew Green told Business in Vancouver.


The new headquarters has an additional 4,000 square feet of patio space, he added.

“Today is the first day,” Green said on September 5. “It looks a lot like our showrooms now. We designed the head office in a way that really complements the brand.”

Indochino previously leased about 6,000 square feet of space for a headquarters on Homer Street near Nelson Street.

About 80 employees will work at the Granville Street office and many of them have recently received promotions.

[...]

Ron.

[SpongeG]

I made it to Muji today. When I got there they were removing the lineup barrier rope things so now you can just walk freely into the store. It was really busy and the line up to pay was really quite long. The store was a mess, I've never seen such a bad Muji store. Shelves were empty, prices were impossible to figure out. I guess its proven to be popular. Hopefully they have learned something and can be better prepared for the robson store. Kinda sucks to get somewhere and have minimal selection of things that even if you want them you have no idea what you will end up paying on some of them. So i bolted and went to miniso at SFU. Its a small store but quite busy, looks like its doing well there.

some emptiness at muji

2017-09-11_06-22-21 by snub_you, on Flickr

the usual amazing selection of storage containers and baskets etc was very minimal.

2017-09-11_06-22-56 by snub_you, on Flickr

and this new kitchen store is opening in the old BCBG space near chapters.

2017-09-11_06-22-35 by snub_you, on Flickr

and that furniture store that was in the target space seems to be closed down now.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I made it to Muji today. When I got there they were removing the lineup barrier rope things so now you can just walk freely into the store. It was really busy and the line up to pay was really quite long. The store was a mess, I've never seen such a bad Muji store. Shelves were empty, prices were impossible to figure out. I guess its proven to be popular. Hopefully they have learned something and can be better prepared for the robson store. Kinda sucks to get somewhere and have minimal selection of things that even if you want them you have no idea what you will end up paying on some of them. So i bolted and went to miniso at SFU. Its a small store but quite busy, looks like its doing well there.

I think the Muji store was simply overwhelmed by the number of customers. They reinstalled the lineup barrier from Friday to Sunday.
Quite a few merchandises are out of stock.
I do expect the Robson store will be better since it is bigger.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

and that furniture store that was in the target space seems to be closed down now.

Accents At Home - they've bounced around in the mall a few times. I was surprised to still see them in one floor of Target recently as they're over by Old Navy.

[Conrad Yablonski]

Empty shelves like that are both Good News & Bad News but mostly Bad they show the company unprepared /disorganised on many levels.

[Spork]

I agree, MUJI was a gong show on Saturday night when I came by. Really packed inside, things thrown everywhere, lineup was long, but surprisingly quick. Pricing was just a bit more expensive than Japan (that being said, still expensive for what it is), but clothing was still fairly reasonable.

[teriyaki]

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

Empty shelves like that are both Good News & Bad News but mostly Bad they show the company unprepared /disorganised on many levels.

Reminds of the whole Target empty shelves. You really only get one chance to make a good first impression.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

and that furniture store that was in the target space seems to be closed down now.

Vacating in time for Spirit Halloween to open, and after that Calender's XMas type store.

Ron.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

Vacating in time for Spirit Halloween to open, and after that Calender's XMas type store.

Ron.

More like vacating as they have a more permanent location in the mall. Spirit Halloween's store locator says they're in the former Best Buy on Kingsway. Odd as they've taken one floor of Target for the last few years - I wonder if this means something's finally in the works for the Target space...

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by teriyaki

Reminds of the whole Target empty shelves. You really only get one chance to make a good first impression.

Big difference when shelves are empty buying stuff then IT screwing up distribution to stores from the warehouses.

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

I'm having a hard time keeping Miniso and Muji distinct in my head.

I'm having a hard time keeping Muji and Ikea distinct in my head.

Cheap junk with a higher mark-up is still junk.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by teriyaki

Reminds of the whole Target empty shelves. You really only get one chance to make a good first impression.

yea, i've been to muji in new york and london and the stores were great and an impressive selection of products etc. with easy price signage. Other than things like clothes most of the prices don't appear on the tag, they are shelf labels which are a complete shambles.

If my first time going to a muji was now in metrotown, I probably wouldnt think to go back, I'd probably think what a messy store, I don't get the hype. There are some things that they have lots of stock such as $39 wood bowls and plates and I did overhear a lot of people commenting how expensive everything is. And two frustrated women trying to find the prices of items and then saying what? how much? and putting them back. she was looking at an acrylic storage thing and it was $49 and she said i ain't paying that much for this.

They had a duvet priced at $790.00 crikey that's expensive. There was some nice book shelf style furniture but I couldn't figure out the pricing and the staff was too busy to ask so i didn't bother.

I think putting the most popular items, like the pens and the stationary hasn't helped either cause its right next to the cashiers and it gets really congested. The clothing side was pretty much empty.

I always saw muji as well thought out and well managed etc but the metrotown store has really changed my thoughts, I'm still a fan but yikes.

[nova9]

I'd worry if ALL stores Canada-wide had barren shelves. But I was just at the Toronto locations and they were both busy and well stocked. I would chalk the barren shelves at Metro to be honeymoon craziness and things being sold down. Panic not, I don't think this will be a repeat of target, the Japanese wouldn't allow it. haha.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by Sheba

More like vacating as they have a more permanent location in the mall. Spirit Halloween's store locator says they're in the former Best Buy on Kingsway. Odd as they've taken one floor of Target for the last few years - I wonder if this means something's finally in the works for the Target space...

Thank you for the correction, did not know that and used my jump to conclusion mat, at least the pedestrian walkway to the site will have traffic once again

Ron.

[Tetsuo]

Toys'R'Us could be next big box to go byebye

Going to open quite a few retail spots, could we finally see Broadway BowMac redeveloped?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/business/toys-r-us-bankruptcy-advisers.html

It is nice to see the return of mom and pop toy stores, they are on a come back.

Ron.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by nova9

I'd worry if ALL stores Canada-wide had barren shelves. But I was just at the Toronto locations and they were both busy and well stocked. I would chalk the barren shelves at Metro to be honeymoon craziness and things being sold down. Panic not, I don't think this will be a repeat of target, the Japanese wouldn't allow it. haha.

for sure, I think its more popular than they planned for, i imagine they will bring in much more stock for the robson store opening. I will go back in a few weeks and see whats available cause what i went for wasn't there. I am usually flying when i visit the stores in the past but can't bring home the bigger items i see.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

for sure, I think its more popular than they planned for, i imagine they will bring in much more stock for the robson store opening. I will go back in a few weeks and see whats available cause what i went for wasn't there. I am usually flying when i visit the stores in the past but can't bring home the bigger items i see.

Except for candy all the shelves looked full today.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

Toys'R'Us could be next big box to go byebye

Going to open quite a few retail spots, could we finally see Broadway BowMac redeveloped?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/business/toys-r-us-bankruptcy-advisers.html

It is nice to see the return of mom and pop toy stores, they are on a come back.

Ron.

Amazing that it looks like the Bowmac sign will outlive Toys R Us.