The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Migrant_Coconut]

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.

Yeah, I believe them. If the last time I was in the upper floors is anything to go by, there's enough dead space to fit a hotel tower.

[jollyburger]

You would literally need to commit to losing money by subsidizing the rent or taking over CRUs to run whatever concept. They need the viaducts to be torn down and filled with people before anything changes in the mall.

[SpongeG]

the owners never really tried though, they seem to have just held onto it for the value. Their Henderson Place is mostly empty too, they built it and never really seemed to care if it filled up or not.

[officedweller]

Full wrap from the Hive:


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/herm...ver-april-2019


Hive also notes that International Village has been removed from the commercial listing (whether under offer/sold or withheld, not known):

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/inte...ll-real-estate

Paris Place and Henderson Place are still on the listing.

[jollyburger]

Seems doubtful they would get an offer so soon, taking it off or repackaging it sounds more likely.

[jlousa]

Not so sure. I had heard about it being sold before the listing was even made public. I'm sure we'll hear officially soon enough.

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by zahav

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

I did a TI about 10 years ago in one of the units. The mall contact was a 3 party guy that oversaw rentals and TI work. He had a gmail email. Never met him, and little to no restrictions on work. Very unusual for construction.

[SpongeG]

Chinatown store owner says the Downtown Eastside has 'broken him'

BY JONATHAN SZEKERES AND LASIA KRETZEL
Posted Apr 8, 2019 9:11 pm PDT Last Updated Apr 9, 2019

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A store owner in Chinatown says his shop has been under constant attack since it opened a year and a half ago, and the Downtown Eastside has “broken him.”

Kevin Williams says he’s had to break up drug deals and drug use on his door-step and he’s been called racist and homophobic names. He’s even seen an elderly woman spit on.

“No one stopped, no one did anything,” Williams said. “Obviously she was affected by it and she was angry, but she just walked away. She didn’t want to call the police, she didn’t want to do anything.”

His store has been hit with vandalism, theft, and apathy.

“I’ve had five windows smashed, I’ve had my sandwich board smashed,” he said. “Someone tried to steal it the other day.”

He says he understands many in the area are facing issues like poverty, or drug addiction, but he’s running out of patience.

“I’ve had people try and steal, walking in the store and steal, I’ve had people throw punches at me.”

...

https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/04...as-broken-him/

[HelloKitty]

Miniso opening in Metrotown it seems. Saw Miniso boards at a unit space by the escalators near T&T in Metrotown.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Chinatown store owner says the Downtown Eastside has 'broken him'

BY JONATHAN SZEKERES AND LASIA KRETZEL
Posted Apr 8, 2019 9:11 pm PDT Last Updated Apr 9, 2019

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A store owner in Chinatown says his shop has been under constant attack since it opened a year and a half ago, and the Downtown Eastside has “broken him.”

Kevin Williams says he’s had to break up drug deals and drug use on his door-step and he’s been called racist and homophobic names. He’s even seen an elderly woman spit on.

“No one stopped, no one did anything,” Williams said. “Obviously she was affected by it and she was angry, but she just walked away. She didn’t want to call the police, she didn’t want to do anything.”

His store has been hit with vandalism, theft, and apathy.


...

https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/04...as-broken-him/

Welcome to the Downtown East Side. My former employer has been shooing the same hooker out of his entryway every morning for the last ten years.

[officedweller]

... what did they expect?

[svlt]

That location is really poor though. I used to go to a shoe repair business near Carrall and Hastings and you'd have to really wade through some destitution to make it. Pender and Main? You're really asking for trouble. While there are some decent shops serving a similar demographic along that block, his place is right at the edge of carnage.

[whatnext]

I see Roots on South Granville closed, along with the trendy sneaker shop that opened beside Town Shoes. Yet more holes in the retail landscape there.

[SpongeG]

that was the wrong location for that kind of sneaker shop, it was/is owned by DSW/town Shoes.

[connect2source]

Just noticed J. Crew closed their very large Park Royal store besides Zara. I suspect the Robson location may be next. Franch Sole, besides Simons is also gone.

[SpongeG]

Yeah J Crew's days are numbered. They are thinking of doing an IPO for their sister brand Madewell since it has been doing really well.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Chinatown store owner says the Downtown Eastside has 'broken him'

BY JONATHAN SZEKERES AND LASIA KRETZEL
Posted Apr 8, 2019 9:11 pm PDT Last Updated Apr 9, 2019

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A store owner in Chinatown says his shop has been under constant attack since it opened a year and a half ago, and the Downtown Eastside has “broken him.”

Kevin Williams says he’s had to break up drug deals and drug use on his door-step and he’s been called racist and homophobic names. He’s even seen an elderly woman spit on.

“No one stopped, no one did anything,” Williams said. “Obviously she was affected by it and she was angry, but she just walked away. She didn’t want to call the police, she didn’t want to do anything.”

His store has been hit with vandalism, theft, and apathy.

“I’ve had five windows smashed, I’ve had my sandwich board smashed,” he said. “Someone tried to steal it the other day.”

He says he understands many in the area are facing issues like poverty, or drug addiction, but he’s running out of patience.

“I’ve had people try and steal, walking in the store and steal, I’ve had people throw punches at me.”

...

https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/04...as-broken-him/

Problem is bad enforcement, and not enough jail time for the criminal elements, and all that leniency towards drug-use. We need to change all that.

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by Vin

Problem is bad enforcement, and not enough jail time for the criminal elements, and all that leniency towards drug-use. We need to change all that.

For once I agree with Vin-enough of excuses already.

[officedweller]

Interestingly - coming to Guildford, but not Tsawwassen Mills...

Ivanhoé Cambridge Launches Travelling Instagram Dreamland at 7 Shopping Centres
https://www.retail-insider.com/retai...ian-storefront

**************

"Tip Top" Debuts New Store Concept Amid Reinvention Expansion
https://www.retail-insider.com/retai...id-reinvention

Tip Top doesn't have many BC locations anymore:
COQUITLAM CENTRE
SURREY-GUILDFORD
TSAWWASSEN MILLS
LANGLEY
NANAIMO-WOODGROVE
HILLSIDE
KAMLOOPS
KELOWNA-ORCHARD PK

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Interestingly - coming to Guildford, but not Tsawwassen Mills...

It's not going to Vaughn Mills or Crossiron Mills either.

Ron.