[Moncton] Retail Thread

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Residential at CF Champlain will be difficult to accomplish because of the unstable ground in the area. The mall is quite literally built on a swamp, and the soil substrate is incapable of load bearing a tall structure like an apartment tower. Underground parking also would not be possible (flood plain).

Maybe this is why we've never heard any indication regarding CF including residential at the Champlain Place property. It's certainly a model they've embraced elsewhere, and our residential market has been strong for a long time. It's a shame that there isn't a way to overcome this issue. The mall seems stable, but it has no height.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Residential at CF Champlain will be difficult to accomplish because of the unstable ground in the area. The mall is quite literally built on a swamp, and the soil substrate is incapable of load bearing a tall structure like an apartment tower. Underground parking also would not be possible (flood plain).

Is there not portions of the property that could be used? Along Paul Street in front of Walmart or a Bass Pro Shop. There was a hotel in the old Crystal Palace so we know that they can do a minimum of 4 storeys (I believe that’s how tall it was) Or what about were the Sears Auto Centre building was? Is that on the flood plain too?

Also Chateau Moncton is built literally on the side of the river, could they build something of that height and just use an above ground structure?

[MonctonRad]

Sure. About 5-6 years ago, there was a rumoured plan to build a hotel on the site facing Champlain Street, either where the old tire centre was, or where the mini mall containing Sleep Country is. This never happened, but with pilings I'm sure they could reach bedrock to create a stable base for something up to four storeys along the edge of the site maybe, but I still think underground parking would be a non starter, and where the mall proper is, you're getting close to the middle of the swamp, and I think a residential tower would be a complete non starter.

There's a reason why the mall is single level, even despite being expanded a couple of times........

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Sure. About 5-6 years ago, there was a rumoured plan to build a hotel on the site facing Champlain Street, either where the old tire centre was, or where the mini mall containing Sleep Country is. This never happened, but with pilings I'm sure they could reach bedrock to create a stable base for something up to four storeys along the edge of the site maybe, but I still think underground parking would be a non starter, and where the mall proper is, you're getting close to the middle of the swamp, and I think a residential tower would be a complete non starter.

There's a reason why the mall is single level, even despite being expanded a couple of times........

So there is essentially is only room for something mid-rise. And all parking would have to be above ground. That’s really too bad as there is a lot of prime land in the area.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

So there is essentially is only room for something mid-rise. And all parking would have to be above ground. That’s really too bad as there is a lot of prime land in the area.

I pulled up a topographical map, and along Paul Street looks like the best location. If they could do pilings down to bedrock and do inside parking above grade, I wonder if they could go taller than 4 floors? I believe Horizon Place offers indoor above grade parking, and The Current in Riverview at 10 floors is also planning to offer an above ground parkade.

But honestly, who knows if residential at Champlain Place is even on CF's radar? It could be a great development and a source of customers, but I'd be surprised (pleasantly) to see it happen any time soon.

[MonctonRad]

A silly question.

I was driving by the Bass Pro Shops yesterday, leaving the traffic circle and exiting onto the 11/15 eastbound, and noticed a moderate sized Cabelas sign plastered on the side of the building, on the corner to the north of the main entrance. I had not noticed this before, but I must admit, I rarely take this exit off the traffic circle (living in the NW end, I usually just take the TCH bypass to go to Sackville or Shediac).

Has this Cabelas sign been there long???

[MonctonRad]

Cheese Curds/Habaneros is opening a new restaurant in the KV. This will be their second location in NB. According to this article in Huddle, they want to open locations in Moncton and Fredericton too.

https://huddle.today/kv-will-soon-have-a-new-place-to-get-burgers-poutine-tacos/


Current Oromocto location - Huddle photo

Website:
https://www.cheesecurdsburgers.com
https://www.habaneros.biz

If they open a location(s) in Moncton, where do you think it would be best for them to go? I'm partial to Granite Drive for this one. With Cheese Curds burger menu, they could be in competition with the anticipated Five Guys that may be coming next year.

[L'homard]

I haven't noticed the Cabelas sign.
Don't read too much into it. Bass Pro sells the entire line of Cabelas products. I'm sure there's nothing more to it than that.
In fact, BPS's Canadian website is actually cabelas.ca.
For us outdoorsy folks, it's a real PITA to want to go online and see how much a product costs at Bass Pro in Dieppe, and the only price you can find is in American dollars. What a shoddy way to treat your Canadian customers!
Yes, I can go online and check the Canadian equivalent product, but that's not the point. If I wanted the Cabelas version of, say, outdoors wear, I'd look for it. If I want the price and reviews and descriptions of BPS outdoors wear that is in a store that is walking distance from my house, I'm SOL as a Canadian consumer.
It's hard to imagine a better way for BPS to tells Canadians that we don't matter to BPS. There's no Canadian catalogue either, only catalogues in US dollars.
Anyway, sorry to go off on a tangent.

[MonctonRad]

I have it on good authority from a reliable source that Under Armour will finally open at the Mapleton Centre the day following Labour Day.

[MonctonRad]

ChaTime (bubble tea) is opening a second Moncton location, in the Northwest Centre, next to EasyHome.

[MonctonRad]

This is an interesting read:

Couche-Tard Likely to Become a Grocery Retailer in Canada and it Would Disrupt Loblaw and Other Big Players
https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...loblaw-and-other-big-players-interviews/

Couche-Tard of course is the largest corner store retailer in Canada and owns Circle K. The thesis of the article is that most convenience stores are tied to gas stations, and since ICE vehicles will be disappearing in the next 10-20 years, the future of the gas station is in doubt. Couche-Tard will need to pivot, and it is likely they will morph into a chain of small neighbourhood grocery stores (a good move IMHO). They would be smaller than traditional supermarkets, but more numerous, with many neighbourhood locations. Sounds promising.

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

This is an interesting read:

Couche-Tard Likely to Become a Grocery Retailer in Canada and it Would Disrupt Loblaw and Other Big Players
https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...loblaw-and-other-big-players-interviews/

Couche-Tard of course is the largest corner store retailer in Canada and owns Circle K. The thesis of the article is that most convenience stores are tied to gas stations, and since ICE vehicles will be disappearing in the next 10-20 years, the future of the gas station is in doubt. Couche-Tard will need to pivot, and it is likely they will morph into a chain of small neighbourhood grocery stores (a good move IMHO). They would be smaller than traditional supermarkets, but more numerous, with many neighbourhood locations. Sounds promising.

Couche-Tard (Sleep-Late ) selling 24 cans of beer for $37.24 won't make me slam the breaks of my car, but Couche-Tard would make a nice addition in Moncton at the Lorentz Street proposal on west Main st.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by BlackYear

Couche-Tard (Sleep-Late ) selling 24 cans of beer for $37.24 won't make me slam the breaks of my car, but Couche-Tard would make a nice addition in Moncton at the Lorentz Street proposal on west Main st.

I would love to see them have a chain of 7000-10000 sq ft stores. Most Giant Tiger stores are close to 20000 sq ft, most Sobeys are close to 50000 and superstores are typically 70000-100000 sq ft. A smaller Couche-Tard store with a bunch of locations would be a really nice addition to the market.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

ChaTime (bubble tea) is opening a second Moncton location, in the Northwest Centre, next to EasyHome.

Surprised that Moncton has a Chatime let alone two. Their website still lists Ottawa as their furthest east location.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Surprised that Moncton has a Chatime let alone two. Their website still lists Ottawa as their furthest east location.

I can personally vouch for their existence. I have sampled their wares at their existing location on East Main Street several times. Bubble tea is surprisingly good (but very sweet), at least the ones that I got, and I didn't even ask for extra sugar!

Here is the Facebook page for the Moncton store:
https://www.facebook.com/ChatimeMoncton

The decor is very contemporary east Asian (they even had K-pop playing on their wall mounted TV), and all the servers were Chinese, with heavy accents. If you didn't look out the window to see Chateau Moncton across the street, you would swear that you had passed through a portal of some kind when you walked in the door.

The new location will be much closer to my house. I might have to try it again.

[Monctoncore]

There is actually one in Charlottetown now as well!

[MonctonRad]

There is a rumour going around that BioScript Solutions (a rapidly growing national, but homegrown pharmaceutical logistics, supply, patient support and retail pharmacy company, founded in Riverview) has either purchased or leased the former Costco building in Wheeler Park, presumably to support the logistical portion of their business.

https://bioscript.ca/en-CA/home

BioScript employs a diverse team of more than 800 employees and operates over 100 Coverdale Clinics and 13 BioScript Pharmacies nationwide. A brand refresh and expanding portfolio of specialty service offerings including the expansion into 3PL with BioScript Logistics Ltd. opening in Mississauga, Ontario in September 2020, will continue to differentiate us in the marketplace as a full-service, single partner from importation through to patient support.

We’re happy to have been recognized as an Employee Recommended Workplace by the Globe & Mail and Morneau Sheppell, and are honoured at the 2019 Environmental Leadership Awards for Eco-Philanthropy, Charitable Giving and Environmental Stewardship. In 2021, we were proudly awarded and recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Canada’s leading business award program.

This is not a penny-ante company, and this rumour could very well be true. I heard this from a reliable source, and I have also seen mentions of this in social media as well.

The founder of BioScript Solutions is David Ford, who also apparently is the owner and the developer of the Orange Hall on St. George Street.



Apparently the second floor of this building is being renovated for "an operational centre of an as-of-yet unknown company." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to speculate that this operations centre might be for "BioScript Solutions" itself. tmacdougall previously speculated on this on the Moncton [Downtown] thread too.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

There is actually one in Charlottetown now as well!

Charlottetown has a large Mandarin-speaking population. I was going through federal riding data last week and Charlottetown has the second highest number of Mandarin speakers East of Quebec after Halifax - and that riding is four times larger in terms of number of voters.

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Charlottetown has a large Mandarin-speaking population. I was going through federal riding data last week and Charlottetown has the second highest number of Mandarin speakers East of Quebec after Halifax - and that riding is four times larger in terms of number of voters.

Yes this is very true, I have been living on PEI for a few years now and the mandarin speaking population is growing. I currently manage a business for 2 couples from Shanghai and have been seeing first hand the growth. (Yes I know this is off topic for the Moncton thread)

[MonctonRad]

New shoe store apparently on the way for CF Champlain - Blackwell Supply Company (job advert on Indeed.com).

https://blackwellshoes.com/

They are a nationwide chain, with pre-existing locations at Micmac Mall and Halifax Shopping Centre.