[Moncton] Retail Thread

[drewber]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I was browsing the Plaza Retail REIT site, and when looking at the leasing plan for the Champlain Plaza in Dieppe, I noticed something interesting:

They list one of the tenants in phase two as Hom - Thai Cuisine. This is located in the CRU currently occupied by Mai - Asian Cuisine.

https://plaza.ca/plaza-properties/champlain-street-street-plaza-dieppe/

The style of the new name is so similar to the current one that I wonder if this isn't just a simple rebranding. Does anyone else know anything?

It appears the Dieppe location has rebranded as a Thai restaurant though the mountain Rd location is still Mai Asian and serving up Vietnamese cuisine

[MonctonRad]

This is interesting:

A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund (the "Fund") TRADING SYMBOL: (TSX: AW.UN) and A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. ("Food Services") announce that Food Services has entered into a non-binding term sheet reflecting an agreement in principle (the "Agreement") with UK-based Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited ("Pret"), which sets forth the general terms and conditions of a proposed Country Agreement with Pret that would grant Food Services master franchisor rights to Canada (the "Country Agreement").

Pursuant to the Agreement, Food Services will be granted the exclusive right to use the Pret brand in Canada for a two-year pilot (the "Trial Phase") during which Food Services will introduce the Pret brand within A&W restaurants in select markets in Canada. If the Trial Phase is successful, Food Services will be granted the exclusive right to expand the Pret brand across Canada (the "Expansion Phase") pursuant to an agreed development plan. The proposed exclusive Canadian rights to be granted to Food Services during both the Trial Phase and Expansion Phase remains subject to the negotiation and completion of the definitive Country Agreement, which is subject to Board approval.

I've been to Pret A Manger in London. They are all over the UK, but are definitely an urban streetfront brand designed for busy professionals on the go. The concept could certainly work here in Canada, but I'm not sure about this trial phase where they will sell Pret products in existing A&W locations. There is a bit of a disconnect there, and I'm not sure the trial itself will be successful.

Still, Pret could serve as a potent competitor for urban streetfront Tim Hortons locations in the country, and we will have to keep an eye on this one. I doubt that we will see any Pret products in Moncton during the trial phase of this project. Ultimately, it is conceivable we could eventually see a Pret on Main Street, or in CF Champlain.

[Nashe]

I liked Pret the few times I tried it when abroad. A great fit would be the old Starbucks on Main. I agree they should "do their own thing" and not share w. A&W. The latter will just "drag down" their brand.

[JHikka]

Will let you folks know if/when they trial a Pret a Manger here in Toronto but I wasn't blown away when I frequented it in the UK.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Will let you folks know if/when they trial a Pret a Manger here in Toronto but I wasn't blown away when I frequented it in the UK.

It's "Pret à Manger", not "Bon à manger".

[MonctonRad]

According to this article in Huddle, Moncton may soon have another fast food Mexican option in the city:

Bar Burrito Opens Its First New Brunswick Location In Fredericton
Oct 28, 2021by Rachel Smith
https://huddle.today/bar-burrito-opens-its-first-new-brunswick-location-in-fredericton/

Bar Buritto is looking to open more than six locations in New Brunswick, starting with Moncton this summer. When looking for spots in New Brunswick, Green will work with franchise partners and people on the ground.

[MonctonRad]

The signage for Chatime in the Northwest Centre has been installed.

[MonctonRad]

They are starting to pave the parking lot at the new Kent store off Mapleton Road on Moncton Street. They are apparently looking at an opening date in March.

[MonctonRad]

A couple of new retail tidbits which may be coming to metro Moncton in the next year or so:

- Que Padre Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, now open in Edmundston, under construction in Fredericton and apparently "coming soon" to the Moncton/Dieppe region.
- Calendar Club is apparently ready to transition to full time stores in selected Canadian malls. I could definitely see CF Champlain amongst these.
- Just Cozy may make their CF Champlain store full time as well.

[LewisVillis]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

A couple of new retail tidbits which may be coming to metro Moncton in the next year or so:

- Que Padre Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, now open in Edmundston, under construction in Fredericton and apparently "coming soon" to the Moncton/Dieppe region.

Anybody here tried Que Padre? For years my wife's lamented the lack of an authentic Mexican restaurant in Moncton...

[drewber]

Originally Posted by LewisVillis

Anybody here tried Que Padre? For years my wife's lamented the lack of an authentic Mexican restaurant in Moncton...

Food looks fairly authentic from the photos and I haven't seen anything of similar quality here. Reviews are mostly positive and it seems it may be the same person who owns the local Pur & Simple in Edmunston. Fingers crossed as I love authentic Mexican as well

[Nashe]

I ate at the El Patron taco truck recently and told them they need to visit Moncton in the summer... great stuff!

[MonctonRad]

Regarding Pret a Manger, there is an interview with the A&W CEO in Retail Insider, and this was discussed.

The current plan is to test Pret products in only 12-15 A&W locations (out of more than 1,000 in the country). I think this strongly suggests they are only looking at downtown A&W locations in places like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

This is appropriate. Pret products are designed for "pick up and go" by busy urban professionals. Most A&W locations are suburban and rely heavily on drive-thru traffic. I find it very difficult to see where the business models overlap very much. The two brands are very different.

I don't mean to suggest that A&W shouldn't invest in Pret. I just don't think it makes sense to sell Pret products at existing A&W locations. This "trial period" therefore won't tell A&W very much, unless they are very selective about the locations they want to test. They should only look at downtown high street locations, or places in the underground path systems in Montreal or Toronto.

Personally, I think A&W should just bite the bullet and begin opening urban Pret locations in a careful and methodical manner, beginning in the "big six" metropolitan areas, gradually rolling out to downtown locations in smaller CMAs in the country over the next decade or so. I could see a Pret doing very well in downtown Moncton at some point in the future.

[Nashe]

Agreed. This is a poor synergy, as-planned. Open a small storefront in DT locations and aim at walk-ins and it'd work, for sure.

[MonctonRad]

Chipotle Mexican Grill has just opened their first drive-thru restaurant in Canada (Port Coquitlam BC).



This concept is present in multiple locations in the US. Chipotle already has multiple Canadian locations (25) in Ontario or BC, but this is the first Canadian location with a drive thru option.

According to the Retail Insider article, the chain plans to accelerate new store openings in Canada. I expect they will concentrate in Ontario and BC first, then Alberta, then the rest of the Prairies, and then finally the Maritimes and Quebec. This seems to be the trend (see Popeyes).

This is the link to the article:
https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/11/chipotle/

[MonctonRad]

Apparently the Starbucks in the Chapters store in Dieppe is gone for good. I believe that this is actually a chain-wide decision, as demolition in the Starbucks locations in both Chapters stores in Halifax is already ongoing.

Apparently, Indigo is looking for a replacement food and beverage vendor, but if none is found, they will convert the space to retail.

[Nashe]

Are any of the four Mezza's gonna be downtown? I really need more walk-to options... I'd love to get ahold of some of their stuff down there.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

Are any of the four Mezza's gonna be downtown? I really need more walk-to options... I'd love to get ahold of some of their stuff down there.

Nope. Every quadrant of the city except downtown.

[Aging Hipster]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

Are any of the four Mezza's gonna be downtown? I really need more walk-to options... I'd love to get ahold of some of their stuff down there.

I thought it was a weird oversight too, but then I remembered Fahda's is a great Lebanese option downtown.

[MonctonRad]

The Wild Wing restaurant chain is looking to expand into Atlantic Canada.

https://www.wildwingrestaurants.com

Wild Wing, founded in the small town of Sunderland, Ontario is a Canadian owned Restaurant. In 2015 the chain was purchased by Clark McKeown who was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. Wild Wing takes pride in being a family friendly sports restaurant chain and is growing fast! Currently Wild Wing has over 100 locations across Canada from British Columbia to Quebec. Our restaurants are independently owned and franchised by local entrepreneurs. While all our restaurant locations share a common menu and great friendly service, we always strongly encourage and work with our Franchisees to help adapt their restaurants to their local cultures and atmospheres. Wild Wing is famous for its variety of offerings, Delicious Chicken Wings and over 100 mouth watering flavours! Unlike many of our competitors, Wild Wing helps supports our local farmers by proudly serving Canadian grown Chicken Wings and is constantly striving to source Canadian products across our entire menu where available.

Their website lists 12 markets they want to expand to in Atlantic Canada, including Moncton and Dieppe.