Rideau Centre Expansion | Completed

[MichelKazan]

Originally Posted by CanadaGoose

And Moose Knuckles.

Vacant areas (around Urban Planet):

Floor 2:
Urban Planet (12033 sq ft + 4033 sq ft first floor)
Old Navy (16 769 sq ft)
Moose Knuckles ( 5191 sq ft)
Pink ( 3344 sq ft)
Empty Stores beside Levis (538 sq ft)

Floor 3:
Victoria's Secret (10418 sq ft)
Apple Store (staff room) (1720 sq ft)
H&R Block (1675 sq ft)

With the first and second floor, that will add up to roughly 21500 sq ft..

With all the vacancies at that corner specifically, it's probably worth debating why the section (floor 2 and 3) around the Hudson Bay bridge gets little to none foot traffic.

Here's the Rideau Centre floor plan from Cadillac Fairview: https://assets.ctfassets.net/p2tvuj4eecj...0e0741164cfc8c38399f/RIDCT20_LEASING.pdf

Looks like it's just the one small empty store next to Levis.

I don't think a large space can incorporate the old Moose Knuckles since there's a service corridor in between, as well as the elevators.

However, I wonder if one large space, whatever they do with it, can swallow up the remaining mall space which led up to Old Navy and previously, Urban Planet.

[OTSkyline]

On top of Uniqlo and Moose knuckles, here are other established well known brands with standalone stores in other shopping malls or in Toronto which we don't have at Rideau or in Ottawa at all.

Abercrombie & Fitch *guys they're inclusive now and not racist anymore They do have some good quality basics though
Adidas
Hugo Boss
Hollister
Jack & Jones *previously a store but closed a while back
Roots *previously a store but closed a while back
Under Armour

[MichelKazan]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

On top of Uniqlo and Moose knuckles, here are other established well known brands with standalone stores in other shopping malls or in Toronto which we don't have at Rideau or in Ottawa at all.

Abercrombie & Fitch *guys they're inclusive now and not racist anymore They do have some good quality basics though
Adidas
Hugo Boss
Hollister
Jack & Jones *previously a store but closed a while back
Roots *previously a store but closed a while back
Under Armour

There's a Roots in Rideau Centre on the lower level.

[CanadaGoose]

The big problem with Rideau is that every successful store seems to be located in the following corners of the mall where there is heavy foot traffic:

- 1st floor between Farmboy and Goodlife Fitness
- 1st floor between Goodlife Fitness and Rideau LRT
- 2nd floor between Aritzia and Dining Hall
- 2nd floor between Dining Hall and Chipotle

I honestly think removing the 2nd bridge between the current Sport Chek and the Bay was a big mistake.
(similar to the idea of Bayshore and it's third floor being quiet since the food court move to the second floor)

I honestly think CF needs to figure out a plan to distribute the food traffic throughout the mall more evenly.

Random idea(s) that may never happen:
- Escalator near the Tim Hortons and Rideau LRT entrance to 2nd and third floor (doubt it)
- Rideau LRT elevator brought to the third floor (doubt it)
- Uniqlo or flagship on the third floor (in the old Victoria Secret)


Stores like Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Under Armour aren't going to bother, if they are placed in the corner with Buck or Two.

[McDonald's Racoon]

A few years ago Uniqlo had a pop-up in the market giving away free heat tech for anyone who signed up for their app, I thought for sure we were getting a store in Ottawa. Now with Urban planet closing and being gutted it looks like the perfect opportunity to open up a store (very similar footprint to the Montreal location and the first two floors of the NYC one)

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by CanadaGoose

I honestly think removing the 2nd bridge between the current Sport Chek and the Bay was a big mistake.

Yup.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by CanadaGoose

Random idea(s) that may never happen:
- Escalator near the Tim Hortons and Rideau LRT entrance to 2nd and third floor (doubt it)
- Rideau LRT elevator brought to the third floor (doubt it)
- Uniqlo or flagship on the third floor (in the old Victoria Secret)

There were escalators by Tim Hortons, they were removed (I think at the time they added Old Navy).

[YOWflier]

There is an Under Armour (factory) store at Tanger.

[acottawa]

I think the expansion and LRT really pulled focus to the first floor. People will go to the other floors for the “only one in the city” stores, but that hurts the stores that are widespread.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by originalmuffins

I dont get what is so middle of the road about Uniqlo. It has stylish clothes for a fair/decent price. Every time I travelled abroad in South Korea and Japan, the selection was good and it was always busy. This was in Seoul, Tokyo, and Osaka. All major cities, I don't think getting one is middle of the road. I found the Toronto store was great too. Getting one in Ottawa was like getting H&M for the first time. IMO, it's a good addition to our shopping because it's affordable for the average joe... and still pretty good since it isn't seen as a cheap hated brand that no one wants to go to.

Muji is excellent as well - I love their specialty foods and mini IKEA-esque style lol. They make surprisingly good instant meal curries.

They essentially sell middle quality slacks and t-shirts at reasonable prices... Plus, they continuously have sales and promotions. That's the secret of their success, as pretty much everyone in the world wears this type of clothing. Take a look at their Soho FB page... Sure, they have shops in massive cities, but they're also present in tiny cities of 50K in developing countries like Thailand. They are to clothing what Ikea is to furniture. Having said that, they'll be very popular in Ottawa, just like they are elsewhere.

[originalmuffins]

Originally Posted by bikegypsy

They essentially sell middle quality slacks and t-shirts at reasonable prices... Plus, they continuously have sales and promotions. That's the secret of their success, as pretty much everyone in the world wears this type of clothing. Take a look at their Soho FB page... Sure, they have shops in massive cities, but they're also present in tiny cities of 50K in developing countries like Thailand. They are to clothing what Ikea is to furniture. Having said that, they'll be very popular in Ottawa, just like they are elsewhere.

That's essentially my point, it is a brand that would be very popular and serve a good need. I just didn't understand the negative angle of being "middle of the road" / very Ottawa. It's successful in various sized cities (some being mega cities), if anything - it makes Ottawa catch up.

[CanadaGoose]

Pink and Old Navy are now dry walled together.

[eltodesukane]

2022 June 01

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by CanadaGoose

Pink and Old Navy are now dry walled together.

This looks very permanent. Like it's being converted to offices or another non mall facing space. Overall the mall looks like it is struggling or is it just the post Covid cobwebs?

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

This looks very permanent. Like it's being converted to offices or another non mall facing space. Overall the mall looks like it is struggling or is it just the post Covid cobwebs?

Downtown Ottawa is a dead zone with most bureaucrats still “working” from home. There are few signs of tourists.

[SL123]

there is actually a lot of tourists lately. Lots off school trip which i was surprised to see

[acottawa]

Not sure school trips are normally counted as tourism.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Not sure school trips are normally counted as tourism.

110% tourism. As the Capital, Ottawa gets hundreds of busloads of students every year from all over Ontario, Quebec, and beyond. Just because they are small doesn't mean they aren't tourists

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Harley613

110% tourism. As the Capital, Ottawa gets hundreds of busloads of students every year from all over Ontario, Quebec, and beyond. Just because they are small doesn't mean they aren't tourists

Usually they don't stay overnight so are a different category. Tourists are back and the summer is likely to be busy though.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Usually they don't stay overnight so are a different category. Tourists are back and the summer is likely to be busy though.

So what are all those kids doing running down the halls in hotels at night in Ottawa with buses sitting outside?

Edit: a quick google search shows that most end of year student trips to Ottawa last 3-4 days