The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread - Page 680

LeftCoaster · #**13581** Posted **Mar 29, 2019, 5:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Granville twitter today:

Luxury retailer @Hermes_Paris adds a construction site panel to their new flagship location at Georgia & Burrard
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

So they're finally admitting it.

That's going to be a HUGE Hermes store.

SpongeG · #**13582** Posted **Mar 29, 2019, 8:12 PM**

is that Starbucks where Brinkhaus was?

Sheba · #**13583** Posted **Mar 30, 2019, 9:39 PM**

Langley Safeway dims lights, sound to assist customers with autism

Quote:

For some people with autism, lights, smells and sounds can overload the senses and become overwhelming. Even going to a grocery store can be an uncomfortable experience.

So on Friday, a Langley Safeway made an effort to turn it all down a notch for an hour, with the aim of offering a sensory-friendly shopping experience.

Between four and five p.m., the Willowbrook Safeway had half its lights turned off, no music, and even the familiar beeps at the cash register were turned down lower than usual.

Store manager Albert Mutis said staff were told to hold off on collecting shopping carts, and rather than using the intercom, there was an assigned runner to pass messages around the store.

"It's funny, because everybody that's coming in here — it's quiet — they automatically lower their voices," said Mutis.

"Turning the lights down in a store of this size isn't simply flicking a switch ... I had to go through a little bit training on how to turn these lights off in the middle of the day."

...

Mutis said he's in a Facebook group with other store managers, and he plans to update them after the first try at sensory-friendly shopping on Friday.

"Most of our managers are aware of this already. So I think it'll be something that would catch on," he said.

The Willowbrook store will continue dimming the lights and reducing sounds in the coming weeks, including April 12, 19, May 3, 17 and 31 from 4-5 p.m.

jollyburger · #**13584** Posted **Mar 31, 2019, 4:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

is that Starbucks where Brinkhaus was?

Yes.

dreambrother808 · #**13585** Posted **Mar 31, 2019, 6:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

is that Starbucks where Brinkhaus was?

They switched places. I’ve heard it’s going to be the first Starbucks express location in Vancouver, so intended to be fast in-and-out service with no seating and some menu limitations.

connect2source · #**13586** Posted **Apr 3, 2019, 1:47 PM**

"The Donnelly Group has filed application with the City of Vancouver to operate a weed store on Robson Street."

https://www.straight.com/cannabis/122270...-open-vancouver-weed-shop-robson-street#

Walked by the application sign, it's two CRU's directly to the left of the London Drugs entrance. Was hoping that entire building would be redeveloped soon.

SpongeG · #**13587** Posted **Apr 3, 2019, 5:49 PM**

a fuller look

pic by me

WarrenC12 · #**13588** Posted **Apr 4, 2019, 9:07 PM**

I'm surprised this hasn't been brought up, unless I missed it.

https://urbanyvr.com/international-village-tinseltown-for-sale

A nice choice quote from the article:

Quote:

“International Village never lived up to its original concept, which was to be a luxury shopping centre for tenants such as Gucci and Chanel. The developer attempted to secure high-end brands and managed to secure some relatively strong mid-priced ones,” he said.

officedweller · #**13589** Posted **Apr 4, 2019, 9:32 PM**

Interesting that Henderson is selling all its Metro Vancouver properties - including Henderson Place in Coquitlam.

whatnext · #**13590** Posted **Apr 4, 2019, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Interesting that Henderson is selling all its Metro Vancouver properties - including Henderson Place in Coquitlam.

Henderson was an early and classic of on an offshore developer not really researching what they were getting into.

I'd hate to see International Village go because I use the theatres, but I know several people my parent's age who won't go there because of the DTES factor. Why would anyone ever think a luxury mall would work there?

officedweller · #**13591** Posted **Apr 4, 2019, 9:49 PM**

The ground floor of the mall was supposed to be "the new Chinatown" with a market-like atmosphere.
That's why there are brass insets of pigs, chickens and vegetables in the flooring.
Only one side of the the 2nd level was supposed to be high end (the other side of the 2nd level was the food court).

Being next to DTES does not help, as that deters customers coming from outside the area.

Migrant_Coconut · #**13592** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 1:35 AM**

Plenty of customers, it's just that there's not much in the mall beyond the Cineplex up top.

GeeCee · #**13593** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 2:11 AM**

A good chunk of the retail space there is leased out as office space as well.

Given the stories over the years, I can't imagine them going for an appropriate price.

SpongeG · #**13594** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 3:10 AM**

I noticed a few new video screens at Pac Centre, not sure how long they have been there but they certainly liven the space

2019-04-04_07-50-11 by snub_you, on Flickr

retro_orange · #**13595** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 7:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I noticed a few new video screens at Pac Centre, not sure how long they have been there but they certainly liven the space

2019-04-04_07-50-11 by snub_you, on Flickr

Haha, Huawei really shouldn't have anything related to 'rewriting rules' in it's advertising at this point in time... maybe it's just a general corporate value of theirs.

connect2source · #**13596** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 1:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by retro_orange

Haha, Huawei really shouldn't have anything related to 'rewriting rules' in it's advertising at this point in time... maybe it's just a general corporate value of theirs.

Agreed! Noticed Huawei has blitzed Park Royal with ads too.

SpongeG · #**13597** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 7:38 PM**

for the record it was showing a beauty ad before, I think it was for Clarins.

svlt · #**13598** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 10:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Plenty of customers, it's just that there's not much in the mall beyond the Cineplex up top.

A friend has a business in one of the upper floors and it's absolutely dead for walk-ins, surviving only on word of mouth. There's a decent Chinese restaurant and the Cineplex and that's about it... I think it's moreso used as a roof over one's head and free/cheap parking.

CivicBlues · #**13599** Posted **Apr 5, 2019, 10:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by svlt

A friend has a business in one of the upper floors and it's absolutely dead for walk-ins, surviving only on word of mouth. There's a decent Chinese restaurant and the Cineplex and that's about it... I think it's moreso used as a roof over one's head and free/cheap parking.

The food court also isn't bad as it's dominated by mom-and-pop ethnic eateries as opposed to the usual chains like Vina and Opa. Notable for having Vancouver's only remaining exclusively Indonesian food joint.

zahav · #**13600** Posted **Apr 7, 2019, 3:20 AM**

I think having a new owner (CF or Ivanhoe maybe?) would be a good move and clean the mall up. The current owners are very absentee and don't really put anything into the mall. I don't think it will close, I think if a half decent owner/operator comes in it will help a lot