The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by rofina

Even is masks are eventually proven to do nothing (near impossible given the amount of data we have), its such a minor inconvenience to put one on, the amount of energy people are willing to dedicate to argue against it is staggering to me.

It literally takes seconds, and if you get a comfy mask I don't even notice having them on anymore.

No kidding. This would be well worth it alone:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/why-...navirus-probably-means-you-get-less-sick

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by 204

...Wal-Mart and others will lose business with this policy.

Food for thought:

Starbucks Cafe’s Covid Outbreak Spared Employees Who Wore Masks
By Heejin Kim and Sam Kim
August 24, 2020

After a woman with the coronavirus visited a Starbucks cafe north of Seoul this month, more than two dozen patrons tested positive days later. But the four face mask-wearing employees escaped infection.

The Aug. 8 outbreak in the South Korean city of Paju is another example of how rapidly the SARS-CoV-2 virus can spread in confined, indoor spaces -- as well as ways to minimize transmission. With health authorities around the world still debating the evidence around face masks, the 27-person cluster linked to the air-conditioned coffee outlet adds more support for their mandatory use to help limit the spread of the Covid-19-causing virus...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...-a-beacon-for-mask-wearing?sref=x4rjnz06

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I was at the Lougheed TC Walmart friday night and they were actually turning customers away for not wearing masks, they had a big sign at the door as well as security and staff at the door checking people.

I went to South Granville on saturday, there was a few stores gone. There was a petalon shop where that fancy clothing store used to be by Boboli. Decium was empty with a sign about covid on the door. James Perse had moved into the old Lucky brand space, the ronsons and the ronsons rack were both gone, Purdys was open but had a limited supply. A new furniture store called Oriental Casa in the former fancy baby store across from Purdys. Quite a few empty places though.

I love it when things are enforced properly.

[officedweller]

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet to open Western Canada's first Burberry Outlet
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mcarthurglen-outlet-open-burberry-outlet

[Sheba]

Robson Street stores desperate as landlord refuses to apply for rent relief

Simon Lee has run small businesses on Robson Street for decades, including a candy store and a gift store. Today, he is among a group of desperate tenants in a building in the 1200 block where he runs the Vancouver Luggage Warehouse store.

The building’s tenants are frustrated their landlord won’t apply for the federal government’s rent relief program for small businesses and are calling for the program to be changed.

...

For months, tenants pressed Kwan Development Ltd., which has been a B.C. incorporated company since 1975 and has Vancouver- and Hong Kong-based principals, to apply to Ottawa’s Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program so they could qualify for rent relief of 75 per cent. Ottawa pays half the rent, the tenant pays a quarter and the landlord is expected to forgo the other quarter.

The deadline for landlords to apply to the program has been extended to Aug. 31.

...

Pacific Dawn’s accountant and CEO didn’t reply to queries from Postmedia. But in emails to tenants, it said that Kwan Development had decided not to participate in the rent relief program, in part, because changes may be underway.

One of the emails noted that business groups have been asking for Ottawa to allow tenants to apply for the program themselves so they can at least receive the 50 per cent relief from the government without having to rely on participation from landlord.

“Since the government is willing to provide a forgivable loan equivalent of 50 per cent rent, it is just too logical that they should allow tenants to apply for themselves,” said one email.

Lee said even if the program allowed tenants to get the 50 per cent rent relief from the government, “it would be better than nothing. We can’t keep trying to push the landlords. They don’t want to do it for many reasons.”

Smith said there is some risk for landlords to participate. “They do have to put in that they won’t evict their tenants within the time frame of the rent assistance. If the business still goes under, they’re still on the hook then for the property taxes.”

Du said Kwan Development offered tenants some direct temporary help in the form of deferrals for 25 per cent of the rent for the months of April, May and June. But the deferrals, which are payable over the next 12 months, are now due on top of regular rent costs even though most businesses are still struggling.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Robson Street stores desperate as landlord refuses to apply for rent relief

The Canadian government's commercial real estate rent plan was deeply flawed, rushed and then they tried to strong-arm institutional owners to buy in. It's been one big cluster-monkey. It showed a fundamental ignorance in how commercial real estate functions at a financial level.

[connect2source]

Looks like the Robson St Lululemon is expanding into the adjacent CRU formally occupied by UGG. They already have a lit sign over the space. My guess is that it will be a Lululemon Men like the one in Park Royal.

[SpongeG]

Nike at Brentwood looks like it could open soon. I took a peak through the door crack and it looked like all the fixtures were in, it was very white and there was a large sign that was done in white and was turned on. They must just need to get the stock in.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Nike at Brentwood looks like it could open soon. I took a peak through the door crack and it looked like all the fixtures were in, it was very white and there was a large sign that was done in white and was turned on. They must just need to get the stock in.

They were hiring a week ago for sales associates. Interesting it's a franchise operator.

[jollyburger]

Joe Fresh on Granville is closed.

[officedweller]

I noticed that Boardroom on 4th has Maynards bankruptcy sign in the windows.

[RDW989]

Good to see some signs of life on the 1100-block of Robson today.

My pixs, Sept 2

Mountain Warehouse almost open at 1124
[IMG][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jCPC7P]

OOmomo getting ready at 1144
[IMG][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jCPC4T]

Paul under construction at 1164
[IMG][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jCKjKo]

And across the street, new leased signs at 1165-67
[IMG][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jCPBYC]

[SpongeG]

ooh another oomomo. what space is mountain warehouse taking over?

[RDW989]

Most recently a Foot Locker, I think.

[whatnext]

Some figures on downtown foot traffic which don;t bode well for retail businesses there:

....A report by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association clearly shows the impact COVID has had. Pedestrian traffic along downtown’s retail corridors (e.g., West Hastings, Granville and Alberni streets) has increased 45 percent from April to June. However, June pedestrian traffic was at around a third of the levels it was in 2019.

The numbers are actually staggering. The total downtown pedestrian counts in April 2019 were 478,000 but dropped to 110,000 this year. In May 2019, they were 510,000 and down to 118,000 this year. And in June 2019, they were 495,000 and down to 160,000 this year....

https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-in...amid-lack-of-office-workers-and-tourists

[Vin]

delete

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Some figures on downtown foot traffic which don;t bode well for retail businesses there:

....A report by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association clearly shows the impact COVID has had. Pedestrian traffic along downtown’s retail corridors (e.g., West Hastings, Granville and Alberni streets) has increased 45 percent from April to June. However, June pedestrian traffic was at around a third of the levels it was in 2019.

The numbers are actually staggering. The total downtown pedestrian counts in April 2019 were 478,000 but dropped to 110,000 this year. In May 2019, they were 510,000 and down to 118,000 this year. And in June 2019, they were 495,000 and down to 160,000 this year....

https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-in...amid-lack-of-office-workers-and-tourists

I think people scared to use the skytrain hasn't helped, my coworker who uses it said around that time, April - June, during the rush said he could have a whole train car to himself on the way in from Surrey. Plus most of the stores were closed. Nordstrom was closed a long time.

Tokyo retail is really bad too according to some Tokyo Vloggers I've been watching, a few iconic stores in Akihabara are closing down to lack of customers and foot traffic. Once bustling streets look quite dead.

[C3YVR]

Also add another unit on Robson that just leased between London Drugs and Bute.

[dreambrother808]

The psychology is interesting because people apparently are less willing to walk on open-air streets downtown but seem far less deterred by crowding into a closed mall like Metrotown.

Downtown seems like the safer option under the circumstances.

[officedweller]

Could be people driving to Metrotown versus paying downtown parking rates (avoiding transit). Anyone know if Metrotown Station is busy?