[Saint John] Retail Thread

[DyAm00394]

McAllister Place news:

Frolic Confectionery has permanently closed at McAllister Place.

Also a source has just mentioned that they heard H&M is closing their doors at McAllister Place this Spring. An employee told another source it's closing the end of March.

This will be the 3rd store leaving as of recent. (The Children's Place and now Frolic Confectionery). Hopefully there are plans lined up and that's why these stores are leaving. I could see H&M become a new Old Navy relocating from the plaza across the street.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

McAllister Place news:

[B]Also a source has just mentioned that they heard H&M is closing their doors at McAllister Place this Spring. An employee told another source it's closing the end of March.

This will be the 3rd store leaving as of recent. (The Children's Place and now Frolic Confectionery). Hopefully there are plans lined up and that's why these stores are leaving. I could see H&M become a new Old Navy relocating from the plaza across the street.

Update: another source has said they were told from an employee, (the weekend before valentine’s day), that they were closing due to lease issues. The employee said someone else wanted the space. Also apparently the closing date is March. 25th.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

Any news on Saint John Bakery? I suspect no news is bad news as they’ve disabled their Facebook page. I would like to know what the market has planned for the space they were renovating in the market for them and more importantly, who was paying for it.

Someone just posted a picture online today showing a notice, (dated Feb.2nd, 2023), posted on the door of their east side location. It's from the property management saying they've changed the locks due to defaulting on the lease and failure of paying rent. So not looking good for this business.

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Someone just posted a picture online today showing a notice, (dated Feb.2nd, 2023), posted on the door of their east side location. It's from the property management saying they've changed the locks due to defaulting on the lease and failure of paying rent. So not looking good for this business.

I am sorry to hear this. Their “temporary” stall in the market was apparently rent free while the permanent location was being completed. I would still like to know what the market has planned for this stall and who was paying for the renos. I suspect it was not the tenant. The market and city need to be held to account regarding this. I suspect that there were financial issues long before they closed their doors and market management should have seen the signs before evicting a long term tenant. Personally I was not a big fan of the prior tenant (prefab baked goods) but now we have an empty stall and likely 1000’s of dollars spent that we will never see again.

[DyAm00394]

Saint John Bakery Permanently Closes Multiple Locations

"SAINT JOHN — The 533 Westmorland location of the Saint John Bakery is closed permanently, according to a notice posted by the property management company that says the locks had been changed.
The notice comes as the business, which has four locations across the Saint John region, paused operations until further notice at the end of January. The Westmorland Road location was the first of the four, opening in 2020.

Vestis Properties, which manages the building the Westmorland Road location is in, left a note at the business, addressed to Howe.

“We are notifying you that you are in default under the lease between Saint John Bakery Ltd. And Vestis Properties Ltd. For 533 Westmorland Rd. Unit 7, Saint John NB, E2J 2G5 for failure to pay rent and that the landlord has changed the locks. Please contact the office,” it reads.

Rob Connolly is with Lancaster Plaza, where one of the bakery’s other stores is located. He tells Huddle Saint John Bakery is no longer a tenant at the plaza.

“It’s actually closed and I changed the locks,” says Connolly of the 3500 square foot location. “As of [February 21].”

He says the location is available for rent and Lancaster Plaza is actively seeking a new tenant. The location had only been in operation since August 2021.

Huddle was unable to confirm the status of Saint John Bakery’s City Market location or of the Village Square Bake Shop in Grand Bay, which the Saint John Bakery also owns. Presumably, they remain temporarily closed.

Huddle was unable to reach Saint John Bakery owner Stuart Howe for comment.

In 2021, Huddle reported that Second Cup locations in uptown, East Point, and Quispamsis would be carrying locally made products from Saint John Bakery, including danishes, strudels, and tarts. Most franchises carry goods from a national food program run by the company.

H & S Meats in Quispamsis also carried Saint John Bakery products such as baguettes, sourdough, buns, and multigrain bread.

The Saint John Bakery was also supplying bread to their neighbouring business, Turkish Big Bite Restaurant on Westmorland.

In mid-June 2022 the bakery opened a location inside the Saint John City Market, where it had ambitious plans to have a retail section plus a large glass wall for customers to see a full production bakery.

The location opened in the midst of controversy after an existing bakery with a 20-year history at the market, the Baking Stone, was impeded by red tape from selling. Potential lease transfers for market businesses require approval by Saint John Common Council, and in the end, council passed a resolution on March 21 of 2022, terminating the Baking Stone’s lease.

Saint John Bakery owner Howe is a Saint John native whose parents ran the Village Bakery in Grand Bay, which took over. He returned to the region after being an opera singer and working in the wedding entertainment industry in the United States".

Note: Huddle Today mentions they couldn't confirm the status of the Village Square Bakery in Grand-Bay, but Google lists them as permanently closed.

https://huddle.today/2023/02/23/saint-john-bakery-permanently-closes-multiple-locations/

[MaritimerJAB]

Off The Wall Eyeware Emporium is Opening Soon in Saint John. The owner has just finalized the location and will be announcing it very soon. This is location 3 of this company and they are planning further locations.

[Taeolas]

So with H&M closing, would its space be big enough for Jysk? Saint John is the only major city without a Bed Bath and Beyond for Jysk to take over if that's their plans, so this space opening up in SJ could already be earmarked for someone else.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

So with H&M closing, would its space be big enough for Jysk? Saint John is the only major city without a Bed Bath and Beyond for Jysk to take over if that's their plans, so this space opening up in SJ could already be earmarked for someone else.

I thought of JYSK when I first heard of H&M leaving. The space is 19,708sf which is big enough. JYSK is usually 15,000sf or more. JYSK used to be on the original plans for the former Sears redevelopment. (It was them, Sephora, The Brick, Urban Planet and Mark's. All are now at the mall except for JYSK so maybe now they will be actually coming?).

Ideally I would want a different retailer than another home décor/furnishings type of anchor tenant since there is already HomeSense/Marshalls and The Brick at the other end of the mall. But overall, I don't really care what goes there as long the space doesn't sit there vacant for a long time.

[DyAm00394]

A source has said they heard the soon-to-be former H&M will be something from the GAP company.

So then it could be Old Navy, GAP, Banana Republic, or Athleta. Or could be a combo store. An employee of Old Navy mentioned on a Facebook post the other day she asked her manager and they've told her they still have 3 years left on their lease at the plaza across from the mall. So that rules out Old Navy. So could be any of the other 3 brands. Also, GAP already has a factory store location up the hill at East Point Shopping. So if it's a GAP store, then the one at East Point will be moving from there then.

This rumor is interesting. Hopefully an announcement will be made soon, if the H&M closure is a result of someone else wanting that spot in the mall.


UPDATE: Someone just came forward, (who knows a few people that work at the GAP), and they said GAP isn't moving to the mall. So the GAP is now ruled out as well. That source also said they don't think any GAP Inc. stores are planned at the mall. So it's still a guessing game of who lol.

But this other source has mentioned they've heard Giant Tiger is opening next to Winners in the plaza across from the mall. So that's a new rumor I've haven't heard yet.

[DyAm00394]

Apparently GameStop located at SmartCentres near Walmart will be closing on March.25th, 2023. The McAllister Place location will remain open.

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

So with H&M closing, would its space be big enough for Jysk? Saint John is the only major city without a Bed Bath and Beyond for Jysk to take over if that's their plans, so this space opening up in SJ could already be earmarked for someone else.

Not sure of the size but Maurice's is expanding into Fredericton and perhaps this will take over the H&M space with a Saint John location?

[DyAm00394]

My City Life is expanding again. A new location is coming soon to Parkway Mall on the east side, will be inside the former Queens Buffet spot. This is their first large store, (10,000sq.ft). Amazing to see this local business continue to grow.

[DyAm00394]

Pomona Raw Fusion Smoothie Bar will be opening at the Waterfront Container Village this upcoming 2023 season. They are based out of Bouctouche, and this will be their 2nd location.

Also, Billy's Seafood will be opening an express location in the Container Village.

[bridgeoftea]

Dave Shoots bookseller looks to be closing it's doors by the end of the year.
Sad to see the place go, always love strolling through checking out the old books. Even if you can't ever do it in 100% peace haha.

[DyAm00394]

Subway located on McAllister Drive, (next to Hart Home and Cineplex), is undergoing renovations. They are temporarily closed right now.

[DyAm00394]

Some updates on East Point Shopping Center:

• Hammond River Brewing will opening a tap room location at East Point Shopping Center beside Celebrate.
  
• The Expedia Cruise Ship Center is moving from near TD Bank, to the same building as Celebrate.

An update on the Uptown area:

• A new business is getting ready to open beside Pharos Property Management on the corner of Prince William Street and Duke Street.

Some updates on Parkway Mall:

• A construction worker working on the former Chuckles Lounge has said that a bbq grill restaurant will be opening there.
  
• And Eighty Three Bar Arcade is opening a 2nd location inside the former Office Outfitters space. Will be more kid friendly.

[DyAm00394]

Some sources are saying that St.Louis Bar & Grill is coming soon to the former Chuckles Lounge at Parkway Mall.

[DyAm00394]

A project listing is now on CCD Canada website for St. Louis Bar & Grill.

" ST. LOUIS BAR & GRILL RESTAURANT, SAINT JOHN

CCD Ref. Number : NB169360-23-03

Stage : 3-Planning or drawing

Published : March 29, 2023

Starting Date (estimated) : Not available

Size : Mid-sized ($2,445,000)

Work type : New construction

Sector : Private

Category : 2-Commercial

Subcategories : 2G-Catering

Disciplines : ARCH, ELEC, EQUI, HVAC, MEC-B, STRUC, OTHER*

Location :

SAINT JOHN (NB)
(Saint John - St. Stephen)

Description :
NEW RESTAURANT -
Located in Saint John, this project (St. Louis Bar & Grill Restaurant*) estimated at $2 445 000 is in the planning stage. Works concern the construction of a building."

[DyAm00394]

A source has said today that multiple people who work at McAllister Place, (including themselves), have talked to the employees that worked at H&M. And those employees confirmed H&M got outbid for their spot, that's why the closure happened. So a new tenant is coming. I wonder who it will be?

[ColSJ]

The St. Louis CCD card says “construction of a new building” I thought it was going into Parkway mall?