General Retail News

[kevinbottawa]

Yesterday I saw some guys putting up a big sign by Morguard on the Zellers on Sparks Street advertising retail space for lease. I wonder if it's for the Zellers because Target won't be using the space or if it's for another property.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Cre47

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.

True, although Les Galeries de Hull is still a pretty healthy mall in spite of its small size. Village Place Cartier is depressing.

[Nepean]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Yesterday I saw some guys putting up a big sign by Morguard on the Zellers on Sparks Street advertising retail space for lease. I wonder if it's for the Zellers because Target won't be using the space or if it's for another property.

According to an Openfile Ottawa report it appears that Target won't be using the Sparks Street space, which is too bad: http://ottawa.openfile.ca/blog/curator-b.../sparks-street-zellers-market-it-appears

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Nepean

According to an Openfile Ottawa report it appears that Target won't be using the Sparks Street space, which is too bad: http://ottawa.openfile.ca/blog/curator-b.../sparks-street-zellers-market-it-appears

Too bad, but it probably wasn't their style to begin with to be honest...

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by Nepean

According to an Openfile Ottawa report it appears that Target won't be using the Sparks Street space, which is too bad: http://ottawa.openfile.ca/blog/curator-b.../sparks-street-zellers-market-it-appears

Perfect opportunity for Simons or H&M to swoop in and take this space?! Seems right down their alley and would bring some more traffic to this area.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MountainView

Perfect opportunity for Simons or H&M to swoop in and take this space?! Seems right down their alley and would bring some more traffic to this area.

It would be good for Sparks but I doubt it is trafficked enough during all hours for either of them. They would probably prefer the Rideau area.

[eternallyme]

I'm trying to think what other stores that might close...Billings Bridge seems unlikely to convert IMO given the long-term plans for the area.

[c_speed3108]

The Sparks Zellers is going to be tricky.

46000 is a funny size.

Most department type stores would not touch that size...too small.

On the other hand it is big for many types of stores.


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In other news according to Bruce Firestone's twitter feed:

http://www.tangeroutlet.com bought 90 acres w/ Riocan northwest of #Scotiabank Place for $9m, $100k/acre. Big US-style outlet mall coming soon.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Acajack

It would be good for Sparks but I doubt it is trafficked enough during all hours for either of them. They would probably prefer the Rideau area.

Wouldn't those two stores create their own traffic?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Wouldn't those two stores create their own traffic?

Perhaps, but companies like these aren't big on these types of gambles...

At least that's what I think.

[BlackRedGold]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

The Sparks Zellers is going to be tricky.

46000 is a funny size.

Most department type stores would not touch that size...too small.

On the other hand it is big for many types of stores.

Good size for an urban grocery store. Sobeys has been pretty aggressive in opening in downtowns in other cities.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by BlackRedGold

Good size for an urban grocery store. Sobeys has been pretty aggressive in opening in downtowns in other cities.

Except that Sobeys is already planning to open a few blocks away in Tribeca at Metcalfe & Lisgar.

[m0nkyman]

It's just about the right size for a downtown Winners location though.

[eternallyme]

Would it be better just to convert that to office space?

[rodionx]

It's not a bad site for retail. That Zellers was packed with office workers on weekdays and got decent business from locals even on the weekend. It's well known to Centretown parents as a place to get cheap toys, for example.

Of course, these debates always seem to end in Shoppers Drug Mart. I predict one on the main floor, and another in the basement.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Would it be better just to convert that to office space?

If your intent is to douse one of the last embers of life on Sparks Street, yes.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rodionx

It's not a bad site for retail. That Zellers was packed with office workers on weekdays and got decent business from locals even on the weekend. It's well known to Centretown parents as a place to get cheap toys, for example.

Of course, these debates always seem to end in Shoppers Drug Mart. I predict one on the main floor, and another in the basement.

With a Shoppers Drug Mart within the one in the basement.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

If your intent is to douse one of the last embers of life on Sparks Street, yes.

What life on Sparks Street?

[McC]

first new post from Midcentury Modernist in a while gives a typically excellent history of the building http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2012/04/sparks-departed-departments-part-1-of-5.html
+1 to m0nkeyman's suggestion of a Winners. it seems about the right size, and the downtown Winners in Montreal does great business.

[c_speed3108]

I like the Winners idea as far plain jane retail goes.

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It would cool if we generate something unique that would be a draw bucketloads of people.

As an example a permanent Lululemon outlet type store with some sort of Yoga facility in basement or something.