Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarface
I'm saying this because of the fact that word going around is (Old Sears location) will be a single tenant space, and not Subdivided.
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That is the rumour, and that is the assumption, but that does not make it a fact.
My preference would certainly be Simons or HBC, but HBC is not currently in expansion mode, and Moncton would be the smallest market for a Simons store. Simons however is a possibility because of the widespread assumption that they are going into HSC in Halifax, and having a second store in the east might make sense in terms of supply chain management. There is also the issue of cultural familiarity for Simons (francophone population base), and the fact that Champlain Place is self styled as a "fashion mall".
There remains however the real possibility that the old Sears space might get subdivided, perhaps between several higher end tenants.
Allow me to take a flight of fancy. The rumour in Halifax is that the Chapters in the outside pad location at MicMac Mall is going into the mall proper, will be rebranded as Indigo, and occupy one floor of the former Target space.
What if something like that were to happen in Moncton too? Rec Room is operated by Cineplex. What if Cineplex wanted to co-locate a Rec Room immediately adjacent to their 8 cinema multiplex in the Crystal Palace building. If Chapters rebranded to Indigo and moved to a portion of the old Sears space, this would allow this to happen. Maybe this is the fate of the old Sears space - subdivided into Indigo and a couple of other retailers like AUB44 and F21 Red.
Just a thought.
It will certainly be fun speculating on all this over the next six months or so.......