The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[officedweller]

Just figured that Tsawwassen Mills would have lots of empty space for it!

[Sheba]

Aldergrove Mall could be demolished by next year — and Kingsgate could be the next aging shopping centre to go
(I broke up the wall of text for readability)

After a decade of delays and deterioration, the Township of Langley is moving quickly to get rid of the Aldergrove Mall.

Council received its latest update on the mostly derelict property at the centre of Aldergrove on Monday, as staff looks to fast-track the redevelopment application from the group that owns the land.

"It's holding Aldergrove back, and there's some recognition of that," said Coun. Eric Woodward.

Woodward originally was skeptical of the proposed redevelopment of the mall, built in 1976, but now home to just two tenants, a dentist office and a Dollarama. He argues the proposed replacement was too much like a strip mall.

But he said the revised plans — which include three mixed-use buildings between six and 10 storeys in the first stage of the redevelopment, including a parking area for the entire nearby community — fit the bill.

"We have something that was built in the 70s, a single-storey box in the centre of the lot, surrounded by surface parking. And we want to move forward," Woodward said.

He hopes the mall could be demolished next year, paving the way for a mixed-used, walkable development in the centre of Aldergrove — the same dream so many politicians and city planners have for community centres across the region.

'A hotbed for mall transformation'

Aldergrove is the most recent community in Metro Vancouver trying to transform an aging mall into a revitalized town centre, but it has plenty of company.

A CBC News analysis found that of the 11 malls in Metro Vancouver built between 1959 and 1989 with at least 400,000 square feet, nine have either completed a major redevelopment this decade, are under redevelopment or in the planning stages.

"The Lower Mainland is a North American hotbed for mall transformation," said Brent Toderian, an urban planning and former head planner for the City of Vancouver.

"You can't swing a stick without hitting a transforming mall, particularly the 1960s malls that are now next to a SkyTrain station or other form of higher-order public transit.

"It's kind of a no-brainer now to rethink that inefficient use of land."

While Aldergrove is an exception, Toderian says this region is particularly unique for mall transformations because municipalities and developers tend not to wait until a mall is completely dormant before making changes, citing Brentwood and Lougheed as two recent examples.

"We've done it better than anything that's been done in the United States, which is why many Americans are coming to study our transit-oriented development and our transformation of shopping malls."

Kingsgate next?

But while most mall redevelopments have been generally welcomed in their communities, a potential transformation of Vancouver's Kingsgate Mall may not be received as warmly.

"There a lot of the people very passionate about the area," said Vancouver School Board vice-chair Allan Wong.

The school board owns the property, now assessed at $148 million. Wong believes trustees will vote in the next month to consider the mall's future as part of a long-term capital asset management plan.

"I think it's in everyone's interest to have that area develop," said Wong, citing the size of the property and incoming Millennium Line extension along Broadway — which would likely have a station within a block of the mall — as key pressures.

If that day comes, the combination of nostalgia, appreciation for simple retail outlets, fear of housing speculation, or semi-ironic attachment could create a potent backlash to any redevelopment proposal.

But that's the political culture around Main and Kingsway.

On the opposite end of Metro Vancouver, few people are lamenting the demise of a 1970s mall.

"There hasn't been a lot of interest in saving the [Aldergrove] mall," said Woodward, "Or any affinity for it as the centre of the town."

[dreambrother808]

Skidgate Mall is a Mt. Pleasant treasure.

[Conrad Yablonski]

More bittersweet than ever

[SpongeG]

New Luk Fook Canada store opens in Vancouver

April 17, 2019 Inside Retail Hong Kong



Luk Fook Canada has opened a new shop in CF Richmond Centre in Metro Vancouver.

The new store is the first Oriental jewellery shop in the mall.

“Adhering to the corporate vision of ‘Brand of Hong Kong, Sparkling the World’, the group has been actively expanding our retail network into the overseas market for new business opportunities as well as provision of superior products and after-sales services to our Chinese customers around the world,” said chairman and CEO of the group Wong Wai Sheung.

At present, the group has more than 1820 shops in 10 countries and regions, where its footprint covers Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, the US, Canada and Australia.

...

https://insideretail.hk/2019/04/17/new-luk-fook-canada-store-opens-in-vancouver/

[SpongeG]

Army & Navy celebrates 100 years of bargain retail

Jacqui Cohen, who has stores in Vancouver, New Westminster and Langley, as well as land in PoCo, survives in retail as as other stores have closed
Glen Korstrom / Business in Vancouver
APRIL 16, 2019

At age 65, with her Army & Navy Department Store chain turning 100, seasoned businesswoman Jacqui Cohen is feeling inspired and vindicated.

While other large retail chains have faltered and died, Army & Navy, with holdings in Port Coquitlam, and stores in Vancouver, New Westminster, Langley, Calgary and Edmonton, has thrived.

...

One of her proudest accomplishments is that she has not sold her family’s real estate holdings. Among the prized properties is the 13-storey Dominion Building, located at 207 West Hastings St., which was the tallest commercial building in the British Empire when it was completed in 1910.

It is now assessed at more than $40.2 million, or slightly more than the assessed value of her Point Grey Road home.

She owns the real estate under all of her Army & Navy stores except for the one in Langley, as well five hectares of undeveloped land in Port Coquitlam in the Dominion Triangle — a portion of Nicola Avenue crosses it — as well as a home near the University of British Columbia, where her 87-year-old mother, Marlene Cohen, lives.

“I did inherit my real estate portfolio but it takes a lot of skill to not screw it up,” she said.

She once briefly considered building condominium towers above her Cordova Street store while keeping the facade, which dates back to 1889.
“There was a time, when Woodward’s was on the cusp of being developed, when I thought, ‘I want to do what [developer Ian] Gillespie did. I want towers. I want a phallic symbol that says I was here. You know, you get over that,” she said. “Who wants to deal with the city?”

...

https://www.tricitynews.com/news/army-navy-celebrates-100-years-of-bargain-retail-1.23793056

[Jougho]

Nice article posted by retail-insider.som today about the expansion of "the luxury" retail zone in Vancouver.

It also looks like the old Escada space has been leased at the Sinclair Centre @ Hastings and Granville. Signs went up this week from one of the "go-to" luxury retail and commercial builders Klondike Contracting.

Any idea anyone, who took the space? The space is big, must be north of 10,000 sq. ft., not including the mezzanine..

[Jougho]

Originally Posted by Jougho

Nice article posted by retail-insider.som today about the expansion of "the luxury" retail zone in Vancouver.

It also looks like the old Escada space has been leased at the Sinclair Centre @ Hastings and Granville. Signs went up this week from one of the "go-to" luxury retail and commercial builders Klondike Contracting.

Any idea anyone, who took the space? The space is big, must be north of 10,000 sq. ft., not including the mezzanine..

This is also where the Feds were talking about putting the new Citizen Court a few years ago.

[SpongeG]

I went to Queensborough Landing today, it's like half the stores seem to be closed and empty. There is an Old Navy opening soon in the former Home Outfitters spot.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by jougho

nice article posted by retail-insider.som today about the expansion of "the luxury" retail zone in vancouver.

It also looks like the old escada space has been leased at the sinclair centre @ hastings and granville. Signs went up this week from one of the "go-to" luxury retail and commercial builders klondike contracting.

Any idea anyone, who took the space? The space is big, must be north of 10,000 sq. Ft., not including the mezzanine..

12,269 sf

[SpongeG]

Henry's Camera is opening a location in Coquitlam centre. It will be their second Vancouver area location

[SpongeG]

Richmond's FreshCo stores set to open in late May
Alan Campbell / Richmond News
APRIL 28, 2019

Richmond’s new FreshCo stores are slated to open in late May, according to owners Sobeys.

The former Safeway stores at Broadmoor and Blundell shopping centres were closed down last summer by the same owner.

However the new look, discount stores at the two locations will be among 12 across Western Canada to open this spring.

Earlier this week, FreshCo opened its first location in the region in Mission.

...

https://www.richmond-news.com/news/richmond-s-freshco-stores-set-to-open-in-late-may-1.23803896

[Sheba]

First Metro Vancouver FreshCo store to open this month

A date has been set for the opening of one of Richmond’s new FreshCo discount supermarket stores.

The store at Broadmoor Shopping centre, on No. 3 and Williams roads, will open its doors on Thursday, May 16.

When the Richmond News caught up Tuesday with the franchise’s owner/operator Scott Marshall, he said they will have a grand opening at 7 a.m. that day.

“This will be discount done right. Our margins are very low, so that saving is passed onto the customer. Volume (of sales) is the key for us,” said Marshall, as the front entrance to the store was being painted.

“We’ll be putting the sign up later this week. We have a little over 100 staff right now, they had their orientation this week.”

...

10 B.C. Safeway stores are re-opening as bargain FreshCo markets

Starting this spring there will be a new grocery option for shoppers in several B.C. communities, as Sobeys moves their FreshCo brand of markets into the province.

FreshCo, a discount grocery brand launched in 2010, will first open in B.C. in five Safeway locations that closed up last year.

Two Richmond (Blundell and Broadmoor), two Surrey (Strawberry Hill and Newton Town Centre), and one Mission Safeway location will open as FreshCo stores this spring.

Sobeys also announced the upcoming closure of several more B.C. Safeway stores that will then convert into FreshCo markets over a four- to five-month period. Those stores are:

Closing May 25, 2019 for renovation to reopen as FreshCo:
Safeway Aldergrove
Safeway Downtown Chilliwack
Safeway Maple Ridge

Closing July 13, 2019 for renovation to reopen as FreshCo
Safeway Ladner (Trenant Park)

Closing September 7, 2019 for renovation to reopen as FreshCo
Safeway Abbotsford

...

[trofirhen]

..... on a much different tangent, but still well within the Retail context ........
The Royal Centre banking hall, has been the subject of speculation for some time now.... replacing it with another high-rise tower was one idea, but so has retail been briefly mentioned.
Could the bank be relocated elsewhere within the Royal Centre, and an ultra upscale department store, such as Harrod's, Nieman Marcus, I. Magnin or such, succeed in that location?
Yes I know, Alberni Street is the high-fashion street (even better when they remove the telephone pole outside PRADA), but West Georgia, with Trump, The Hyatt Regency, and the toney shops in the Hotel Vancouver, plus the wide and architecturally stylish cross-sweep of lower Burrard, is rather becoming the Knightsbridge of Vancouver.
Could the city support another - probably scaled down - high-end department store? Would that location be good? It would certainly bring a lot of snazz, and wealthy buyers to the area, and Alberni Street is never far away. Robson might experience the ripple effect of such an establishment, too. ... Just an idea.

[SpongeG]

Georgia is already a high end street, they have Gucci, Chopard, Dior, Graffe Diamonds, Phillipe Patek, Burberry, Stefano Ricci and soon to have Hermes. I magnin hasn't existed since the 90s when it closed down.

I think an Asian branded department store might fare better, like Lotte.

But the problem with foreign stores coming to Canada is rights to various brands and designers. Nordstorm couldn't bring in some because either Hudson's Bay or Holt Renfrew had the rights in Canada. That said Saks Fifth Avenue would work.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Georgia is already a high end street, they have Gucci, Chopard, Dior, Graffe Diamonds, Phillipe Patek, Burberry, Stefano Ricci and soon to have Hermes. I magnin hasn't existed since the 90s when it closed down.

I think an Asian branded department store might fare better, like Lotte.

But the problem with foreign stores coming to Canada is rights to various brands and designers. Nordstorm couldn't bring in some because either Hudson's Bay or Holt Renfrew had the rights in Canada. That said Saks Fifth Avenue would work.

Saks Fifth Avenue. Of course. I had a vague and erroneous notion that they had plans to locate elsewhere in the city on a small scale. I wish they'd go for it.

[LeftCoaster]

Saks is not doing well. While they still want a Vancouver store badly, their expansion is definitely muted these days.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Saks is not doing well. While they still want a Vancouver store badly, their expansion is definitely muted these days.

Is there any other "doable" ultra high-end department store that you could think of? Thank you for your time. I think that corner is ripe for something really "hot".

[SpongeG]

I think Eataly would be good.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Is there any other "doable" ultra high-end department store that you could think of? Thank you for your time. I think that corner is ripe for something really "hot".

No not really.