The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

what is Alo?

LA's answer to Lululemon. Apparently a bit less robustly made.

[SpongeG]

something is needed

Vancouver’s Historic Gastown Amid Retail Rebound, But Some Say A Major Facelift Is Needed [Feature]
By Evan Duggan
Date: April 25, 2023


https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...-say-a-major-facelift-is-needed-feature/

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Changing City

LA's answer to Lululemon. Apparently a bit less robustly made.

ah ok, I think Edmonton was getting the first Canadian store for them. prime spot.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

what is Alo?

My guess.. from a Google search..

https://www.aloyoga.com/

Ron.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

710 Thurlow could be a possibility for RL as part of the renovations look to increase its size, but I think Balenciaga is the more likely option. (The renovations also look to be a way off still.) btw Alo is taking the old PC Apple space.

Wouldn't be surprised with another Kering brand especially if they signed a long terms lease in advance of the reno for the gucci temporary store. With the controversy around Balenciaga, wondering if that is the right store for that spot but what do i know LOL. McQueen could be another one if Kering is holding the space - They have a store in Toronto and they are losing their commissary at Nordstrom, and there isn't one at Holt Renfrew.

I can see the interior of the space from my windows at night and the gucci carpeting/interior is still there so definitely a long way to go.

[zahav]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

something is needed

Vancouver’s Historic Gastown Amid Retail Rebound, But Some Say A Major Facelift Is Needed [Feature]
By Evan Duggan
Date: April 25, 2023


https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...-say-a-major-facelift-is-needed-feature/

I think the article was pretty spot on in their assessment. Gastown is doing good, but could be much better. The crime and safety are issues everywhere now; yes Gastown is closer to the DTES but I feel like Granville St. is way worse in terms of homeless/drugs/filthy. But the neighbourhood buildings are gorgeous, I have lived in Vancouver my whole life and obviously know of/had been to Gastown when I was younger, but didn't appreciate it. Even as an adult, I tended to only be interested in new developments like Concord Pacific, and hew high-rises. It took me an embarrassingly long time to really walk all through Gastown and really appreciate the uniqueness of the district. It certainly has way more potential, but it isn't doom and gloom there now either, just could be better

[trofirhen]

Thank you for the interesting post about Gastown. It is a major retail centre and tourist hub for the city.
That said, I am still flabbergasted why, despite the high-end shopping and downtown location, nothing has been done to improve Alberni Street.
The cracked, patched sidewalks, the bland, standard lighting, and the total lack of charm and elegance detract from what should be a major retail draw for the city. There was a lot of talk about this a number of years back, but nothing has been done. What is the problem? Lack of $funds? Or just apathy? I don't get it. It's pathetic.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by zahav

I think the article was pretty spot on in their assessment. Gastown is doing good, but could be much better. The crime and safety are issues everywhere now; yes Gastown is closer to the DTES but I feel like Granville St. is way worse in terms of homeless/drugs/filthy. But the neighbourhood buildings are gorgeous, I have lived in Vancouver my whole life and obviously know of/had been to Gastown when I was younger, but didn't appreciate it. Even as an adult, I tended to only be interested in new developments like Concord Pacific, and hew high-rises. It took me an embarrassingly long time to really walk all through Gastown and really appreciate the uniqueness of the district. It certainly has way more potential, but it isn't doom and gloom there now either, just could be better

You should read this comment after the article:

Ian Humber April 26, 2023 At 7:51 pm
I notice that the author hasn’t included any interviews with retailers in Gastown. I know several of them and they’d be telling a far different story if they had been asked. Constant vandalism and aggressive shoplifters. Lots of empty store fronts and empty offices leading to streets often empty of shoppers. Constant roadwork by the city and BC Hydro which means access is being blocked to shop doors regularly. Little street parking left and what there is, is $6 to $7 an hour at the meters.
Despite all of that you have the landlords asking top rents for renewals and new leases. That’s why the two leasing guys you’ve quoted are saying “the retail market in Gastown is rebounding nicely” and “Gastown is “on the ascendency”. That’s just self-serving.
I understand the BIA is working hard to advocate for the merchants but Gastown “business” is far from thriving.

The City really needs to step up way, way more.

Also, I'm also upset that the City planning department thinks the proposal by Bosa for the old Army and Navy building is "too big". That's why our City is in tatters, because people in charge here only know how to think small, no "miniscule" is more like it.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by zahav

I think the article was pretty spot on in their assessment. Gastown is doing good, but could be much better. The crime and safety are issues everywhere now; yes Gastown is closer to the DTES but I feel like Granville St. is way worse in terms of homeless/drugs/filthy. But the neighbourhood buildings are gorgeous, I have lived in Vancouver my whole life and obviously know of/had been to Gastown when I was younger, but didn't appreciate it. Even as an adult, I tended to only be interested in new developments like Concord Pacific, and hew high-rises. It took me an embarrassingly long time to really walk all through Gastown and really appreciate the uniqueness of the district. It certainly has way more potential, but it isn't doom and gloom there now either, just could be better

Must be the May 31 Policy and Strategic Priorities meeting they will present the Gastown re-do. Hope it's in-line with what the BIA wanted, but even if we get 100% of what the Complete Streets strategy was proposing, that would be a win. Would like this in the next Capital Budget for design work now that COVID is over and can't delay this again.

[SpongeG]

Canadian Tire has taken over 6 leases from Bed Bath & Beyond in Alberta, Ontario, and BC.

The Langley location is the BC one and will be a relocation for Marks, which is basically across 200th in that power centre.

Source: https://hardlines.ca/gp_dailynews/breaki...ver-10-former-bed-bath-beyond-locations/

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Canadian Tire has taken over 6 leases from Bed Bath & Beyond in Alberta, Ontario, and BC.

The Langley location is the BC one and will be a relocation for Marks, which is basically across 200th in that power centre.

Source: https://hardlines.ca/gp_dailynews/breaki...ver-10-former-bed-bath-beyond-locations/

And a new home retailer is taking over many of the others. I wonder what, if any, Vancouver area ones will be included:

New Canadian retail chain set to launch from ashes of former Bed Bath & Beyond locations
-Entrepreneur Doug Putman taking over 21 locations, and Canadian Tire moving into some, too
Pete Evans · CBC News · Posted: May 03, 2023

Serial entrepreneur Doug Putman plans to launch his latest retail venture by taking over most of the remnants of Bed Bath & Beyond, in a new chain called rooms + spaces.

Putman, who has made similar moves when HMV, Toys 'R' Us and DavidsTea went insolvent, plans to open the home store brand in 21 former locations of Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY storefronts later this summer.

"We certainly think that it's a growth area, the market is massive — billions and billions of dollars," Putman told CBC News in an interview.

Putman says the chain has been looking at the home and decor space for a while, and saw an opportunity when the U.S. retailer went bankrupt, which caused it to shutter dozens of locations across Canada....

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rooms-spaces-bed-bath-beyond-1.6830500

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by whatnext

And a new home retailer is taking over many of the others. I wonder what, if any, Vancouver area ones will be included:

There's a list in the story you posted.

Where the first Rooms + Spaces locations will be

B.C. Langley Langley City Square, 19860 Langley Bypass
B.C. Vancouver 1740 West Broadway
B.C. Victoria Mayfair, 775 Finlayson St.
Alta. Calgary Brentwood Village, 3630 Brentwood Rd.
Alta. Calgary Chinook Station, 306 Glenmore Trail SW
Alta. Edmonton South Edmonton Common, 2021-98 St. NW
Alta. Edmonton West Edmonton Mall, 8882 170 St.
Sask. Regina Grasslands, 4855 Gordon Rd.
Sask. Saskatoon Preston West, 1709 Preston Ave. N
Ont. Belleville Bell Front Shopping Centre, 366 North Front St.
Ont. Cambridge Smartcentres Cambridge, 70 Pinebush Rd.
Ont. East Gwillimbury Green Lane Centre, 1-18126 Yonge St.
Ont. Kitchener The Boardwalk, 225 The Boardwalk
Ont. London Westwood Centre, 3325 Wonderland Rd.
Ont. Richmond Hill Bayview Ridge Shopping Centre, 225 High Tech Rd.
Ont. Stittsville 5487 Hazeldean Rd.
Ont. Stoney Creek Heritage Greene, 1783 Stone Church Rd. East
Ont. Whitby Thickson Ridge Power Centre, 1650 Victoria St. East
Ont. Woodbridge RioCan Colossus Centre, 67 Colossus Drive
N.L. St. John’s The Village Shopping Centre, 430 Topsail Rd.

Ron.

[madog222]

Thank's Ron, I hadn't scrolled all the through and missed that.

That answers two of the of the six Metro Van locations.

[SpongeG]

there is some scaffolding up at the Coquitlam BB&B store, not sure what they are doing, maybe going to paint it? I bet T&T would have preferred that location over the one they got, much easier access.

A new Artbox store opened on Robson street on the weekend, apparently people waited 8 hours to get inside. Crazy. The lineup went down two blocks of Robson and around the corner on Thurlow to about where Dank Mart is.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/artbox-vancouver-opening-robson-line

[C3YVR]

Nordstrom just announcing they are closing in SF can be added to the long list of major retailers giving up on the city since 2020:

Nordstrom to Shutter Both Downtown San Francisco Stores, Citing Difficult Conditions

https://sfstandard.com/business/nordstro...-citing-deteriorating-conditions-report/

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

Nordstrom just announcing they are closing in SF can be added to the long list of major retailers giving up on the city since 2020:

Nordstrom to Shutter Both Downtown San Francisco Stores, Citing Difficult Conditions

https://sfstandard.com/business/nordstro...-citing-deteriorating-conditions-report/

Yet, there's a new IKEA opening around the corner.

Ron.

[bluefox]

Originally Posted by C3YVR

Nordstrom just announcing they are closing in SF can be added to the long list of major retailers giving up on the city since 2020:

Nordstrom to Shutter Both Downtown San Francisco Stores, Citing Difficult Conditions

Is that completely believable, though? Not trying to minimize the issues that are plaguing many cities, and many retailers, with regards to shoplifting or violence. But it really seems too cute for them to be able to lean on some vague explanation of disorder to justify exiting, especially when we all know Nordstrom's not in the best shape as a company.

Canadian exit aside, they're also in the process of closing several other stores in the US besides these, and the reason given for those closures has been the typical "underperforming"/ "optimizing retail footprint" corporatese. Saying it's crime and disorder leading you to exit SF city proper leaves the impression that the stores were doing fine if not for said crime and disorder, and I don't think that's totally truthful.

As you pointed out, the "list" of retailers dates back to 2020, so they won't all have had the same reason for closing (whatever they may say publicly). Many companies downsized because of COVID, many are downsizing because of the boom-bust cycle that is happening with the tech sector, many are downsizing because their customers are pulling back spending.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Yet, there's a new IKEA opening around the corner.

Ron.

Harder to shoplift a sofa.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Harder to shoplift a sofa.

But not impossible.

[officedweller]

The corner ground floor retail unit at The Smithe has a "leased" sign on it.
Not sure if that all of the remaining retail or a part of it.
No sign indicating who the tenant might be.