General Update/Rumour thread [Suburban Ottawa] - Page 20

Acajack · #**381** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

Costco moving out is going to kill the already struggling retail offerings at Innes & the 417. That place is going to be a ghost town soon. Interesting

Retail businesses are struggling in that area? It is completely devoid of charm and ugly but commercially it looks to be doing fine. At a quick glance there isn't much that appears to be vacant there.

le calmar · #**382** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Retail businesses are struggling in that area? It is completely devoid of charm and ugly but commercially it looks to be doing fine. At a quick glance there isn't much that appears to be vacant there.

There is a large vacant space there (I think it was Sears Home?), but other than that, the area doesn't seem to have many vacancies.

hwy418 · #**383** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tesladom

Can't wait to see the traffic jams!
I personally think that Costco should have retained the existing Cyrville location and also built a new one in Orleans.

100% agree! East end can and should have 2 locations. There are 3 in the west end.

Acajack · #**384** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 4:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwy418

100% agree! East end can and should have 2 locations. There are 3 in the west end.

Well, if they build a bridge at Kettle Island maybe Orleans won't need a Costco? Cheaper beer and all...

J.OT13 · #**385** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tesladom

Can't wait to see the traffic jams!
I personally think that Costco should have retained the existing Cyrville location and also built a new one in Orleans.

I agree. The west end has 3 (Hunt-Club, Kanata and Barrhaven) so why is the east end still stuck with only one? A second one in Gatineau should probably be considered as well.

hwy418 · #**386** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 5:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, if they build a bridge at Kettle Island maybe Orleans won't need a Costco? Cheaper beer and all...

I've been there - weird layout. But yes, nice to have cheap beer!

Would love to have a Merivale-like Costco in Orleans. Also don't forget Gloucester-Cyrville location also serves central-east Ottawa, Clarence-Rockland, Casselman, Russell, Embrun, Greely, Metcalfe... etc.

Acajack · #**387** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwy418

I've been there - weird layout. But yes, nice to have cheap beer!

Would love to have a Merivale-like Costco in Orleans. Also don't forget Gloucester-Cyrville location also serves central-east Ottawa, Clarence-Rockland, Casselman, Russell, Embrun, Greely, Metcalfe... etc.

I'd love to have a Costco gas bar in Gatineau but there is no space at all on the lot where the store is and not much left in the general vicinity as it continues to quickly move towards near-full build-out.

Acajack · #**388** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 6:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwy418

I've been there - weird layout. But yes, nice to have cheap beer!

.

The Costco at Les Promenades Gatineau is housed in a former Eaton's store so it's a rare Costco that wasn't custom-built to be a Costco. I am pretty sure the shell former but the outside walls were not changed and they fit a Costco configuration into the existing space.

Initially Costco (Club Price in fact) built a custom store on the north side of the A-50 at Labrosse when people thought power centres on the outskirts of cities were the way of the future. That power centre development never took off.

It was not a total flop but not as successful as Costco hoped. After a succession of crappy tenants in the old Eaton's (discount furniture warehouses and such) Costco decided to make the move and closed their other store which now houses boats and RVs during the winter months.

Failed Costco/Club Price location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5125038,...IMBrd8fRn3Hc2uy9dyMUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Failed Zellers location right next door (now a Government of Canada warehouse):
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5115822,...47JxoR1hUhRCT4SRkRqmw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Don't let those cinder blocks fool you. The parking lots are accessible and great places to teach your kids how to drive.

Capital Shaun · #**389** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 6:30 PM**

I am not looking forward to the increase in traffic in my neighbourhood once the new Costco opens.

Acajack · #**390** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 6:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capital Shaun

I am not looking forward to the increase in traffic in my neighbourhood once the new Costco opens.

Unless you live on Ogilvie Road itself I can't see much of an impact on residential areas.

CityTech · #**391** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 7:04 PM**

The Blair location would be very convenient for employees as it's within walking distance of Blair station. I sometimes wonder how Costco employees get to work--most minimum wage employees cannot afford a car, yet Costco stores are generally in pretty transit-hostile locations.

CityTech · #**392** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

Costco moving out is going to kill the already struggling retail offerings at Innes & the 417. That place is going to be a ghost town soon. Interesting

The retail strip at Innes & 417 was a mistake, IMO. It just slows the road down and makes it harder for commuters to get to the highway from southern Orleans.

Just like Hunt Club & Merivale.. we keep building too many retail plazas on roads that should be kept clear of development.

OTownandDown · #**393** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

Costco moving out is going to kill the already struggling retail offerings at Innes & the 417. That place is going to be a ghost town soon. Interesting

Where will I ever manage to buy my overstuffed, beige leather recliner if not at one of those run-of-the-mill furniture warehouses down there!

To be frank, the business model for these types of large furniture showrooms is kind of ageing with the tail end of the baby boomers, and will soon age-out. Sorry (not sorry)

MichelKazan · #**394** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

The Costco at Les Promenades Gatineau is housed in a former Eaton's store so it's a rare Costco that wasn't custom-built to be a Costco. I am pretty sure the shell former but the outside walls were not changed and they fit a Costco configuration into the existing space.

I'm pretty sure the Eaton's store was torn down to build the Costco. The Costco footprint goes right to Chemin de la Savane whereas there was room for a parking lot between the Eaton store and de la Savane.

And look at it this way, the failed Zellers north of the 50 would be vacant now anyways with the demise of Zellers unless it had become a target.

Acajack · #**395** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichelKazan

I'm pretty sure the Eaton's store was torn down to build the Costco. The Costco footprint goes right to Chemin de la Savane whereas there was room for a parking lot between the Eaton store and de la Savane.

.

Good point now that you mention it.

Now that I think of it you used to be able to drive all the way around that side of the mall and now you can't.

le calmar · #**396** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 7:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityTech

The Blair location would be very convenient for employees as it's within walking distance of Blair station. I sometimes wonder how Costco employees get to work--most minimum wage employees cannot afford a car, yet Costco stores are generally in pretty transit-hostile locations.

Costco employees earn way more than minimum wage. Up to 30-32$/hr for managers I think, but most employees make at least 22-23$. I don't think anyone makes below 21$ and that would be for the newly-hired baggers or something.

J.OT13 · #**397** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 8:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichelKazan

I'm pretty sure the Eaton's store was torn down to build the Costco. The Costco footprint goes right to Chemin de la Savane whereas there was room for a parking lot between the Eaton store and de la Savane.

And look at it this way, the failed Zellers north of the 50 would be vacant now anyways with the demise of Zellers unless it had become a target.

I went to high school across the street at that time. I remember them tearing down the old Eaton's and building the Costco. Always despised that location. The limited space they had to build made for a weird layout. The only thing I like are the two separate exists in the lobby, dispersing the traffic.

Costco was suppose to go in the field between the tracks, the A50 and St-Louis, where the Wal-Mart and La Gappe RapiBus Station are now. That was, obviously, canceled. That would have been a far superior location IMO. While I'm changing history, medium density residential and commercial would have been a better use of that space.

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

Costco employees earn way more than minimum wage. Up to 30-32$/hr for managers I think, but most employees make at least 22-23$. I don't think anyone makes below 21$ and that would be for the newly-hired baggers or something.

My high school buddy worked at Costco in those early years and started at around $15-$16 back in the mid-2000s.

Acajack · #**398** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 8:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

Costco employees earn way more than minimum wage. Up to 30-32$/hr for managers I think, but most employees make at least 22-23$. I don't think anyone makes below 21$ and that would be for the newly-hired baggers or something.

Yes, Costco offers pretty much the best retail jobs around. They have really good benefits too AFAIK.

le calmar · #**399** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Always despised that location. The limited space they had to build made for a weird layout. The only thing I like are the two separate exists in the lobby, dispersing the traffic.

That and cheap beer

But yeah, I hate the location too. Last time I went there (to buy beer obviously) I had to park something like 300 m away. Costco parking lots are always congested but this one is in another league.

Acajack · #**400** Posted **Nov 5, 2019, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

That and cheap beer

But yeah, I hate the location too. Last time I went there (to buy beer obviously) I had to park something like 300 m away. Costco parking lots are always congested but this one is in another league.

I like the location because I live five minutes away. Because I am so close I can also choose when I go so I generally pick less busy times. I agree the parking can get really bad some days. (Though the Cyrville Costco parking is bad too.)

As some point Les Promenades might have to start thinking about a parking garage.