General Retail News

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by acottawa

I didn’t know Coles still existed.

Still several down here in SW Ontario. North London (in the mall across from an Indigo), Stratford, Brantford.

[SL123]

A Sukoshi Mart is opening in the Rideau Centre! I've never heard of them before but they seems to be an Asian Beauty store!

[movebyleap]

[QUOTE=SL123;10156671]A Sukoshi Mart is opening in the Rideau Centre! I've never heard of them before but they seems to be an Asian Beauty store!

Not so much a beauty store per se, but rather a convenience store with random snacks, cosmetics, and home goods from Japan and Korea.

[Kitchissippi]

sounds exactly like Axia Station that opened at 147 Rideau.

[eltodesukane]

Look like a bigger Miniso... ( a Maxiso? )

[OTSkyline]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

sounds exactly like Axia Station that opened at 147 Rideau.

Drove past this weekend and said "WOAH What's That?" out loud. It looked very vibrant, lots of colourful neons, etc. More of this to make Rideau Street more of a commercial street with unique shops, and bright/colourful storefronts please!

[movebyleap]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

sounds exactly like Axia Station that opened at 147 Rideau.

Yes! similar to Axia Station! Absolutely! BTW I saw Axia Station for the first time on Saturday night and was blown away at how vibrant it looks and how much life and colour it injects into Rideau Street!

[J.OT13]

These old retail buildings have so much character, history and soulr Sad to see them fall one by one and preserved as nothing more than façades.

DOING THE CENTRETOWN SHUFFLE: Nine-decades-old Wallack's arts stores find new lease on life
The Wallack's move is to happen this month — but it's turned out to be better than owner Michael Wallack could have hoped for.

Author of the articleeter Hum
Published Mar 03, 2024 • 4 minute read


'Finding out we had to move was shocking to me,' says Michael Wallack, the third-generation owner of Wallack's Art Supplies & Framing. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia

When Michael Wallack learned almost a year ago that his businesses, Wallack Galleries and Wallack’s Art Supplies and Framing, would have to vacate the Bank Street space they had called home for five decades, he was shocked.

Wallack, the third-generation owner of two businesses that Ottawans have frequented since his grandfather launched Wallack’s Art Gallery in the mid-1930s, had already dealt with the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, constantly pivoting to keep Wallack’s viable.

“I was recovering from extreme exhaustion, I was working six to seven days a week,” recalls Wallack, a 36-year-old who took over the family business in 2016. Then came the news that the store’s heritage building, and indeed, its entire block, would be redeveloped by Smart Living Properties, which plans to build a nine-storey apartment building.

“Finding out we had to move was shocking to me,” he says. “It was like spraining your ankle playing sports, and being told you have to keep playing.”

The Wallack’s move is to happen this month — but it’s turned out to be better than Wallack could have hoped for.


Michael Wallack, the third-generation owner of Wallack’s Art Supplies & Framing, gave this newspaper a tour of the current store and gallery space, as well as the former Foster’s Sports Centre that they are taking over as their new space. Wallack was photographed at the new space, Sunday March 3, 2024. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia

In a Centretown shuffle, of sorts, Wallack has managed to relocate his 12,000-square-foot business just three blocks south on Bank Street, into another heritage building, which was vacated when Foster’s Sports Centre, which was Ottawa’s oldest bicycle store, closed in early January.

The owner of Foster’s will be Wallack’s new landlord. And there’s one more aspect to the shuffle, which speaks to the resilience of Centretown’s business scene in the face of pandemic-induced pressures. The Foster’s business and stock was bought by the Hintonburg bicycle store Quick Cranks, which this week will stage the grand opening of its second store, on Cooper Street near Bank Street.

Wallack, a Centretown resident who lives less than a 10-minute walk from work and is the chair of the Centretown BIA, is pleased that his neighbourhood will continue to have a bicycle store, thanks to Quick Cranks. He’s also positive about his neighbourhood’s business prospects, despite the many vacancies along Bank Street.


The Foster’s Sports Centre at 305 Bank St. has closed, and Wallack’s Art Supplies & Framing announced they will be moving into the space. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia

Because of the pandemic, Wallack had already put all his energies into transforming his business. “We really had to transition,” he says. With the first COVID-19 lockdown, Wallack’s shifted to compete directly with Amazon. Thanks to a big bet on social media advertising and speedily filled orders for customers who were sheltering and indulging in their artistic hobbies, sales increased tenfold, Wallack says.

“It was like this beautiful success story,” he says, before adding that his expenses also rose exponentially. “It was 10 times the work for nothing,” he says.

It was soon obvious to Wallack that remote working would be the new normal, and people working from home during the pandemic would not be returning to Ottawa’s downtown. When he received notice last year that his store would have to move, he said he considered all options and asked staff to brainstorm about what their ideal Wallack’s store would be.

The data Wallack’s had collected about its customers showed that while they were distributed from one end of Ottawa to the other, the highest concentration of customers surrounded the Bank Street location. It didn’t make sense for Wallack’s to move to, say, Kanata or Orléans, because the move might alienate customers who would have much longer drives as a result, Wallack says.


The second floor of the new space. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia

Wallack considered moving just across Bank Street, into the spaces that stores as the Comic Book Shoppe and Venus Envy called home, which have been empty following an April 2022 fire. But that relocation, he says, “really did not fit the vision I had for the company at all.”

He pondered and then thought better of moving into the Cooper Street space that Quick Cranks ultimately took over, which had been the home of Pat Flesher Furs until that veteran Ottawa business, begun in 1929, closed in 2021.

Eventually, the possibility of moving into the Foster’s space arose. Its owner was considering retiring. A deal was struck, and Wallack is looking forward to this third iteration of his family business.

Wallack’s grandfather, Samuel Wallack, launched the business at 192-194 Bank St. in the 1930s and his father, John, moved it to 231 Bank St. in 1973. In a few weeks, Michael Wallack will move Wallack’s to 305 Bank St.


Michael Wallack, the third-generation owner of Wallack’s Art Supplies & Framing, gave this newspaper a tour of the current store and gallery space, as well as the former Foster’s Sports Centre that they are taking over as their new space. In the basement of the current location, Michael showed this newspaper the collection of art that is stored in one area, Sunday March 3, 2024. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia

The Foster’s space is a little smaller than the space that Wallack’s is leaving. But Wallack says he can make better use of the Foster’s space because it is so open. He also enthuses about its heritage character and little features that allude to the building’s history before it became Foster’s.

Quirkily enough, Foster’s leaves behind air hoses and compressors that once inflated bicycle tires and which will come in handy for Wallack’s framers.

Wallack just completed a long stretch of seven-day workweeks in preparation for the move. He says 60 per cent of the work has been done, but the physical move remains.

Far from the initial shock he felt, he’s now excited.

“It’s amazing to see a business survive and move forward,” Wallack says.


The beginning of the transition of the former bike shop has started. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia


Michael Wallack, the third-generation owner of Wallack’s Art Supplies & Framing, gave this newspaper a tour of the current store and gallery space, as well as the former Foster’s Sports Centre that they are taking over as their new space. Wallack was photographed at the new space, Sunday March 3, 2024. PHOTO BY ASHLEY FRASER /Postmedia

https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/th...wcm/e4538cae-76db-4e5e-985e-160300a93dbb

[huntclub]

The old abandoned house/chinese restaurant at 2847 riverside across from mooneys bay is being turned into something else. Anyone know what it is? I keep driving by and seeing the progress but can’t find anything on it. The

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by huntclub

The old abandoned house/chinese restaurant at 2847 riverside across from mooneys bay is being turned into something else. Anyone know what it is? I keep driving by and seeing the progress but can’t find anything on it. The

https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/M...nda&lang=English&Item=12&Tab=attachments

A pharmacy and medical clinic

[harls]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/M...nda&lang=English&Item=12&Tab=attachments

A pharmacy and medical clinic

Another one of Galen's outposts?

[rocketphish]

Bowling alley to take over former Future Shop at Kanata Centrum

OBJ staff
April 23, 2024 9:51 AM ET



A new bowling alley is taking over the former Future Shop location at the Kanata Entertainment Centrum.

Oakville-based Splitsville Entertainment announced that it will open a 26,000-square-foot bowling facility at 745 Kanata Ave. in the fall of this year. The Kanata Entertainment Centrum comprises more than 300,000 square feet of shopping, entertainment and dining.

The Kanata location will be the company’s 13th across Canada. The new location is part of a growth strategy across the country, according to the company.

“We are excited to bring Splitsville’s best-in-class bowling and entertainment experience to Kanata. We are a people-first business with a dedication to our team members and our guests, and committed to investing in the communities we operate in,” said Pat Haggerty, president of Splitsville Entertainment, in a news release.

The Kanata facility will feature 18 lanes of 10-pin bowling with interactive bowling games and lane-side food and drink service. There will also be a state-of-the-art arcade featuring arcade classics as well as the newest VR technology and a prize redemption counter. The facility will include a bar and lounge with casual dining, pool tables, and sports games.

According to the news release, the facility will be available for family groups, birthday parties, bowling leagues and corporate events.

Splitsville operates six facilities in Ontario with two new ones set to open, including Kanata. It also has three in Alberta, with an additional one set to open, and two facilities in B.C.

https://obj.ca/bowling-alley-to-take-over-future-shop-at-kanata-centrum/

[J.OT13]

Happy to see this. Not just another big box store, but an entertainment venue in an area quickly densifying.

[harls]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Happy to see this. Not just another big box store, but an entertainment venue in an area quickly densifying.

I was really hoping that they would open up a permanent Spirit Halloween at that location.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by harls

I was really hoping that they would open up a permanent Spirit Halloween at that location.

I'm sure there's a market for it!

[rocketphish]

Retailers showing ‘renewed interest’ in downtown core, real estate veteran says

David Sali, OBJ
June 6, 2024 3:25 PM ET

A new analysis of Ottawa’s commercial real estate market says the retail sector is gaining momentum as demand for space outstrips supply in many neighbourhoods, especially in the suburbs.

Re/Max Canada’s 2024 Commercial Real Estate Report, which examined a dozen major Canadian markets, including Ottawa, during the first quarter of the year, says the local sector is performing “stronger than expected” as overall availability rates continue to drop.

“Consistent demand for retail properties exists, but supply remains tight,” the report explains.

Investors particularly covet strip malls, Re/Max says, but new inventory remains scarce as “most developers are not interested unless the land size and zoning are appealing.”

The findings closely mirror the company’s analysis of the overall Canadian retail sector. The report said neighbourhood retail is generally performing well across the country, despite the popularity of e-commerce, thanks to a shift toward service-focused stores from those selling goods such as clothing.

Re/Max’s assessment seems to align with what some local observers are seeing right now.

Kevin Houlahan, a sales representative with Colliers’ Ottawa office who specializes in retail space, says he believes the local market has “turned a corner” as brick-and-mortar merchants stage a revival following the rush to online commerce during the pandemic.

“The number of calls and the interest in (retail) sites is definitely way up,” Houlahan said.

Space in suburban plazas is at a premium as retailers respond to a surge in demand from consumers who want to shop closer to home, he explained.

“You’re seeing multiple offers on sites,” Houlahan said. “Real estate has always been about location, and when it comes to retail, never more so than now. We’re catering to consumers’ demands for convenience. When they want it, they want it now.”

Construction of new retail properties ground to a halt over the past few years as developers grappled with soaring costs and interest rate hikes made financing major projects more expensive.

As a result, suburban retailers are now facing a space crunch, Houlahan explained.

But he said he thinks this week’s rate cut from the Bank of Canada, along with growing clarity around return-to-work strategies, could trigger a new wave of retail builds in Ottawa.

“If the demand is there, I think it lends itself to that development.”

Meanwhile, Ottawa’s beleaguered downtown core is slowly starting to recover after a flurry of “for lease” signs sprang up during the COVID-19 crisis, Houlahan added.

While acknowledging that bankruptcy and delinquency rates among retail businesses are still “very, very high” by historic standards, he said the industry is finally seeing signs of hope.

“It’s definitely better than it was a year ago,” Houlahan said, pointing to “renewed interest” from “unique” retailers such as Montreal-based custom men’s wear designer Suitablee, which uses a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence platform to produce made-to-order suits, dress shirts and other garments.

Suitablee, which currently operates two showrooms in the Montreal area, is opening a store in an 850-square-foot space at 275 Slater St. later this summer.

Houlahan says it’s just one of a number of national and international retailers ranging from big chains to boutique operators that are looking to plant a flag in the National Capital Region thanks to the capital’s relatively high average income and stable economy.

“When they look for new markets, it’s not just always your Torontos, Montreals and Vancouvers,” he said. “They’re broadening their scope to look at Ottawa. There’s a strong market here.”

Quick-service restaurants are among the most active seekers of space, Houlahan noted.

Taco Bell, for example, plans to open a new location in the Théo student residence at 305 Rideau St. this fall.

On the western edge of downtown, a Kingston-based restaurant group is in talks to take over about 7,000 square feet of space at Minto Place. The site was previously occupied by Madisons Restaurant & Bar, which elected not to renew its lease and shut down about a month ago.

“It would be a great addition to the site,” Houlahan said of the new restaurant.

Other types of brick-and-mortar tenants are also emerging as consumers thirst for experiences beyond shopping at traditional retailers such as clothing and food stores, Houlahan noted.

As an example, he pointed to Winnipeg-based immersive gaming chain Activate Games.

Houlahan said the company, which already has outlets in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan as well as several locations in the United States, has a “strong interest” in expanding to Ottawa as it looks to add 20 new stores across the U.S. and Canada.

While Activate generally sets up shop in suburban areas, Houlahan said he wouldn’t be surprised if “some sort of entertainment group” ends up occupying at least part of the former Nordstrom department store in the Rideau Centre.

“The way we view traditional retail is changing,” he said.

The 157,000-square-foot space in Ottawa’s busiest shopping centre has been empty since the Seattle-based retail giant vacated the mall nearly a year ago.

While Rideau Centre owner Cadillac Fairview has been tight-lipped about its plans for the space, it has begun revealing the retailers that will replace Nordstrom at its malls in other Canadian cities.

The company announceed Thursday that Quebec-based department store chain Simons will be joined at the former Nordstrom space in Toronto’s Eaton Centre by Nike and food emporium Eataly.

– With additional reporting from the Canadian Press

https://obj.ca/retailers-showing-renewed-interest-in-downtown/

[SL123]

Laura Secord closed in the Rideau Centre and its being replaced by Gong Cha an Asian Bubble tea place

[J.OT13]

From the article above.

As an example, he pointed to Winnipeg-based immersive gaming chain Activate Games.

Houlahan said the company, which already has outlets in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan as well as several locations in the United States, has a “strong interest” in expanding to Ottawa as it looks to add 20 new stores across the U.S. and Canada.

While Activate generally sets up shop in suburban areas, Houlahan said he wouldn’t be surprised if “some sort of entertainment group” ends up occupying at least part of the former Nordstrom department store in the Rideau Centre.

Sounds similar to RecRoom. Always hoped the Podium at PdV II could be converted to this sort of space along with reopening the theatre. That area needs something to attract people outside office hours and entertain thousands of new residents.

Originally Posted by SL123

Laura Secord closed in the Rideau Centre and its being replaced by Gong Cha an Asian Bubble tea place

That's sad. The one on Queen closed about a decade ago. My mom used to by us Laura Secord every time we went to St. Laurent as kids. Hoping they don't wind down and close all storefronts at some point.

[eltodesukane]

Plus (a sneaker store) will close at Rideau Center.

"In addition to Toronto and GTA locations at the Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens and Vaughan Mills, the retailer's locations in Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver will also be closing their doors for good."

https://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2024/06/plus-toronto-closed/

[J.OT13]

After 5 years offering sensory-friendly hours, Ottawa’s NU Grocery pleased to see it catching on across Canada

Sarah MacFarlane, OBJ
July 24, 2024

About five years ago, Ottawa retailer NU Grocery implemented sensory-sensitive shopping hours, following a request from a customer. Now, co-owner Valerie Leloup says she hopes other grocery stores and businesses will help the initiative catch on.

NU Grocery, a zero-waste grocery store on Main Street, began offering sensory-sensitive shopping experiences at its first location, which was located on Wellington Street West.

“At that time, we had a refill wall and a customer came to us and said she had a hard time seeing the refill spigots. She had a visual impairment and because they were white spigots on white tile, she couldn’t see,” Leloup told OBJ. “She wondered if there was any way we could add some contrast and we said, ‘Yes, of course.’

“We got chatting with her to see what we could do and she told us there were some stores — at that time, not many, truth be told — that offer sensory-sensitive hours,” said Leloup. “We thought it was a really cool concept, we talked about it and thought it was easy to implement, we could do it right away, so we basically made the decision overnight.”

Sensory-friendly options make shopping easier for people with disabilities who can be sensitive to busy or overwhelming environments.

At NU Grocery, implementing sensory-friendly hours began with dimmed lights and homemade black construction-paper squares to place behind the spigots and create more contrast.

Now, at NU’s primary location on Main Street, sensory-sensitive shopping is offered every weekday from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. and features dimmed lighting and a quiet atmosphere with no music. A newly designed refill wall was built to be high contrast for more visual inclusion, Leloup said.

Immediately, Leloup said the sensory-friendly hours received a “great response” from customers.

“I think the interesting thing is that these hours benefit, of course, people who have sensitivities, but they’re also very beneficial for people who don’t,” she said. “They still enjoy the calm, they still enjoy shopping in a zen store where there’s no music blaring in their ears, it’s not as bright and aggressive.

“We feel that the people who take advantage of these hours are not necessarily people who have some diagnosed special needs, but also people who just enjoy the calm atmosphere,” Leloup continued. “It’s a win for everyone.”

Sylvain Charlebois, professor and senior director of the agri-food analytics lab at Dalhousie University, said consumers are increasingly seeking sensory-sensitive options, whether for dining, retail or grocery shopping.

“For most, visiting public spaces like grocery stores or restaurants is a routine experience,” Charlebois wrote in a newsletter published July 15. “While some people seek out intense sensory experiences, with loud music and vibrant lights, for others — such as parents of autistic children, seniors yearning for tranquility while engaging with their community, or anyone desiring a serene environment for daily tasks — the world can seem distinctly unwelcoming.”

The loud music and flashing TV screens, not to mention interactive elements or vibrant displays, are intended to draw in consumers but have instead created a “barrage of sensory input,” said Charlebois.

“While these efforts aim to make customers feel valued and connected, the sheer volume of sensory input can sometimes have the opposite effect, inducing fatigue and decision paralysis,” explained Charlebois. “Consequently, the very strategies designed to build loyalty and attention can inadvertently alienate some customers.”

For Leloup, feedback on the sensory-friendly hours has been nothing but positive.

“We have people telling us they really enjoy these hours and it’s easy to implement, it’s just dimming the lights, not putting music on, and speaking quietly,” she said. “The only downside I’d say is that because the lights are dimmed, sometimes people walk by and say they think we’re closed.

“We’ve had that confusion sometimes. But that’s truly the only downside and it’s only for two hours.”

When NU Grocery started offering these hours, Leloup said there weren’t many others in Ottawa who were making sensory-friendly decisions. But after the past few years, which have included a growing conversation around inclusion, she said she hopes it will gain momentum.

“I think more and more people are aware of the need to accommodate and to be more inclusive,” Leloup said. “I think, yes, absolutely it should catch on and I think it will.”

In recent weeks, large corporations in Canada have been announcing sensory-friendly experiences and options.

At Walmart Canada, the sensory-friendly experience, launched earlier this month, will come into effect every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at its 403 stores. Toy chain Mastermind, grocer Sobeys and movie theatre chain Cineplex have also been dabbling in the practice.

Sobeys addressed many of these issues when it piloted sensory-friendly shopping hours in P.E.I. in 2018 that featured reduced lighting, announcements, department noise and scanner sounds, spokesperson Karen White-Boswell said.

The program has now expanded across the country and includes some stores under the Safeway, Foodland, Thrifty Foods, and FreshCo banners.

Walmart Canada’s decision to launch sensory-friendly hours evolved over the past year. In early 2023, the chain started taking measures at its U.S. stores to create a less stimulating environment for a couple of hours each Saturday. By back-to-school season, TV screens were being changed to static images, the radio was turned off and lights were lowered, where possible.

Then, in November, Walmart took the experience even further, launching it every day between 8 and 10 a.m. local time at all U.S. and Puerto Rico stores.

To prepare Walmart Canada to join the mix, Lina Nadar, Walmart Canada’s accessibility program manager, said the company consulted with Sensory Friendly Solutions, a business helping organizations become more inclusive.

“They humbled us into making us realize this is a journey and we’re just starting,” said Nadar.

When Cineplex started offering a similar experience at 12 theatres in February 2015, it also had to consider the brightness in auditoriums. Spokeswoman Michelle Saba said sensory-friendly screenings are now held up to 10 times a year at 36 theatres with a “lights up/volume down” atmosphere.

The screenings are programmed for the morning, when fewer guests are around and noises from arcade games in the lobby can be minimized. A separate auditorium is designated as a quiet area for guests, if they need a break from their screening.

– With files from The Canadian Press

https://obj.ca/sensory-friendly-ottawas-nu-grocery-catching-on-canada/