Very sad to hear about the HBC store in Winnipeg. I'm hoping they can find a new vocation for the building that preserves as much of its history as possible, inside and out.
Something like what was done with Victoria's original HBC could be achieved.
http://www.hudsondistrict.ca/homes/e...ed-residences/
Closing down under-performing stores seems like the logical thing to do. Cut the foot to save the leg, but I imagine there is some reason why large chains never do it. My guess would be to try and keep stocks relatively stable until the bitter end; if HBC were to announce the closure of half their stores tomorrow, the stock would plummet to unsustainable levels. Another way they could do it is to try and quietly close under-performing stores one by one over a period of time, though that doesn't seem to have ever been attempted with other department store chains as far as I know (Sears closed a few in the early 2010s, but that was part of a CF buy back).
At Ottawa's Rideau HBC, they did a minimal effort to update the store. Some interior renovations, sort of a cheap version of Queen and Granville, cleaned-up the Rideau façade of years of soot that came from diesel buses, added a Saks Off Fifth... yeah, that's it. The street level still has the cheap glass and corrugated metal from 30+ years ago, the ByWard Market face still has the orange panels hiding the original brick and windows, the Freiman Mall addition built in the 90s continues bears the horrible tinted glass and dingy brown brick.
HBC Rideau Street:
http://urbsite.blogspot.com/2020/01/...11-archie.html
HBC's ByWard Market face:
http://urbsite.blogspot.com/2014/03/...dreams-of.html
And for context, Rideau Street renewal work so far, which will include far wider sidewalks (widest in Ottawa), bike lanes, some trees.
Quote:
Originally Posted by J.OT13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eltodesukane
Rideau Street 2020 October 03
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