General Retail News

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by MountainView

I admit, it would be nice if the foodcourt were moved, allowing some nice store fronts along Rideau, but I don't see them doing that for a while.

It would be nice if they also moved the stores above the food court to the Sears space (I think it's an Athletes World and a salon) so they could have a two-storey store fronting on Rideau Street next to the two-storey Forever 21.

[Kitchissippi]

I imagine that the Rideau Street frontage of the mall will most likely undergo a lot of changes with the LRT construction. They'll probably have to dig up the street to mine out the station, and it would be interesting if we get a full underground connection between the mall and the Bay, Chapters, etc., similar to how Montreal's McGill metro station links surrounding properties. The food court will have be relocated elsewhere to achieve this, which could be a good thing as it has become too small and crowded.

I would really love to see that old City Registry Office better integrated with the development, maybe partially enclosed in an atrium (à la Bank of Canada?). It could make a nice exhibit space for revolving collections from the city archives to keep citizens in touch with civic heritage.

[BlackRedGold]

Originally Posted by reidjr

I would love a whole foods to move in.

How much sense does it make to have a grocery store focusing on fresh food to be located that close to the Byward Market?

[MountainView]

The post near the top of this page talks about the potential of an Apple Store in the Bayshore Mall (or as the blog calls it... 'The Bayshore') anyways... The bottom level Baby Gap has closed and has moved into a combined Gap upstairs and I have heard through rumours with people I know at Bayshore that the old Baby Gap is going to become an Apple Store and a Coach. Currently it's all boarded off for renovations with no signs on the outside of the partitions (as of about a week ago - last time I was there). Hopefully the rumours are true as I think Ottawa can easily support more Apple Stores and another Coach location besides the one at Rideau.

-MountainView

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by BlackRedGold

How much sense does it make to have a grocery store focusing on fresh food to be located that close to the Byward Market?

A whole foods it would be open 12 months a year while the market is really limited to 6 months.

[Ottawan]

Originally Posted by reidjr

A whole foods it would be open 12 months a year while the market is really limited to 6 months.

Except that that is not true. Most food vendors (as opposed to artisans) are there from April through November, which is 8 months, and some actually stay throughout the year. In addition, the area's food stores (Sasloves, Lapointe's, ByWard Fruit Market, La Bottega, Sausage Kitchen, etc.), almost all small local businesses, can fill in the gaps during the winter.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Ottawan

Except that that is not true. Most food vendors (as opposed to artisans) are there from April through November, which is 8 months, and some actually stay throughout the year. In addition, the area's food stores (Sasloves, Lapointe's, ByWard Fruit Market, La Bottega, Sausage Kitchen, etc.), almost all small local businesses, can fill in the gaps during the winter.

What i mean is the full market sure small companys can help but a whole foods would help as well does it make tons of sense for a whole foods maybe not but there are areas that are flooded with grocery stores and farmers markets and are doing ok.

[adam-machiavelli]

Regarding Whole Foods, I refuse to patronize a business who directed tons of its profits to opposing a public health care system in the US -which is what WF did. I hope all Ottawans will do the same and boycott it until it closes down. Additionally, I've been to the Whole Foods in Toronto and felt the prices were way too high relative to the quality.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by adam-machiavelli

Regarding Whole Foods, I refuse to patronize a business who directed tons of its profits to opposing a public health care system in the US -which is what WF did. I hope all Ottawans will do the same and boycott it until it closes down. Additionally, I've been to the Whole Foods in Toronto and felt the prices were way too high relative to the quality.

How is it opposing public health?

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by adam-machiavelli

Regarding Whole Foods, I refuse to patronize a business who directed tons of its profits to opposing a public health care system in the US -which is what WF did. I hope all Ottawans will do the same and boycott it until it closes down. Additionally, I've been to the Whole Foods in Toronto and felt the prices were way too high relative to the quality.

I used to shop regularly at the Whole Foods in Toronto because I found the price of their meats to be really good. I also used to eat regularly at their cafe because the food and beverages were really good and reasonably priced in my opinion.

[Admiral Nelson]

Originally Posted by reidjr

How is it opposing public health?

Whole Foods CEO said re: Obama's health care reform that "the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system."

[BlackRedGold]

Originally Posted by MountainView

The post near the top of this page talks about the potential of an Apple Store in the Bayshore Mall (or as the blog calls it... 'The Bayshore') anyways... The bottom level Baby Gap has closed and has moved into a combined Gap upstairs and I have heard through rumours with people I know at Bayshore that the old Baby Gap is going to become an Apple Store and a Coach. Currently it's all boarded off for renovations with no signs on the outside of the partitions (as of about a week ago - last time I was there). Hopefully the rumours are true as I think Ottawa can easily support more Apple Stores and another Coach location besides the one at Rideau.

Is that space big enough for both stores? The Apple Store at the Rideau Centre alone seems bigger than the former Gap Kids store.

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by BlackRedGold

Is that space big enough for both stores? The Apple Store at the Rideau Centre alone seems bigger than the former Gap Kids store.

I was at the mall yesterday and the Sports Experts 'Annex' store that was beside Baby/Kids Gap is also gone now and all the space from the parking lot entrance wrapping around the wall to across from Guest Services is partitioned off with a black wall. I would guess that an Apple Store could easily fit in this space - it seemed quite large to me. And judging by how small the Coach store is at Rideau, it may be able to squeeze in beside it. If not... there are about 3 other stores throughout the mall that have closed or moved leave open space (Danier, Jacob, and one other I can't remember). I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

[kevinbottawa]

Les Promenades de l'Outaouais has new owners. I wonder if they're going to invest in the mall.

Les Promenades gets new owners
Published on March 9, 2012

OBJ Staff

Gatineau's largest shopping mall, Les Promenades de L'Outaouais, has changed hands to a dual ownership by Oxford Properties Group and investment firm Montez Corp.

The 835,000-square-foot facility at 1100 Maloney Ouest has about 185 stores, mainly in high-end fashion. Anchor tenants include The Bay and Costco, and there is also an office for the Canada Revenue Agency, according to Les Promenade's website.

Oxford Properties, the real estate arm of OMERS Worldwide group of companies, will also manage the property.

This is the second alliance between Oxford Properties and Montez. In 2011, the companies acquired the Hillcrest Mall, near Toronto, for an undisclosed sum.

"The acquisition of Les Promenades de L'Outaouais is in line with Oxford's Canadian strategy to grow its portfolio of owned and managed properties and to actively manage them to create long term value," Oxford Properties stated.

A representative from Oxford Properties could not immediately be reached for comment concerning the acquisition price or other details.

The firm actively manages 8.5 million square feet of properties in Canada. It helmed the development of Ottawa's Constitution Square, and on its website lists leasing opportunities for retail and commercial spaces in the three-tower complex.

The previous owner of Les Promenades, Montreal-based Canpro Investments Ltd., states on its website that the mall was built in 1978 and renovated in 2007.

http://www.obj.ca/Real%20Estate/Non-resi...2923198/Les-Promenades-gets-new-owners/1

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Admiral Nelson

Whole Foods CEO said re: Obama's health care reform that "the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system."

Not sure how the US political opinion of the CEO is relevant. I doubt the Westons or Sobeys are exactly progressive. While not cheap the quality of their meat and produce, and especially prepared food is unsurpassed.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Les Promenades de l'Outaouais has new owners. I wonder if they're going to invest in the mall.

Most of the other malls they own are fairly high-end, so this is potentially good news for Les Promenades.

[Cre47]

Just heard that Zellers on St-Joseph Blvd will close in January 2013, making it another empty shell on the "main" street of Hull. Reason being is its lease will be expired.

Can we have new owners for this mall? The company managing this mall is doing a terrible job for sure.

[KHOOLE]

Originally Posted by Cre47

Just heard that Zellers on St-Joseph Blvd will close in January 2013, making it another empty shell on the "main" street of Hull. Reason being is its lease will be expired.

Can we have new owners for this mall? The company managing this mall is doing a terrible job for sure.

Isn't that the Promenades de Gatineau? Target is supposed to open their first store in the area at Promenades de Gatineau, way before Ottawa.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Gatineau+among+first+Target+locations/6382798/story.html

[Cre47]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

Isn't that the Promenades de Gatineau? Target is supposed to open their first store in the area at Promenades de Gatineau, way before Ottawa.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Gatineau+among+first+Target+locations/6382798/story.html

Initially, HBC said that the Zellers in Hull would remain open as well as the one in Aylmer but now have decided to change their mind regarding the Hull store. The store looks to be much busier then the one in Aylmer.

So now, starting next year only one Zellers will be left in Gatineau in top of converting the one at the Galeries de Gatineau to a Target.

Hopefully, some tenants will fill up the void of the Zellers at Place Cartier, because aside from a couple of grocery stores and the Galeries de Hull, virtually everything in the Hull sector in big retail and departments stores are situated in Le Plateau.

The city of Gatineau have done a very poor job regarding St-Joseph Blvd so far. Most of the empty shells on the northern part of the boulevard are still empty shells.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

Isn't that the Promenades de Gatineau? Target is supposed to open their first store in the area at Promenades de Gatineau, way before Ottawa.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Gatineau+among+first+Target+locations/6382798/story.html

It's the Galeries de Hull. The Galeries de Gatineau is on Maloney. That's the one that's turning into a Target.