[Moncton] Retail Thread

[MonctonRad]

According to the CBC, Cineplex is preparing for a limited opening, beginning in Alberta:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cin...8pVxzfFkYR3Evc

Any local openings here in the Maritimes will depend on the public health requirements of each province, and since the Maritime governments seem super duper cautious, I would not expect any openings for several weeks yet (at least), and perhaps not until the fall.

In any event, the movie distributors have all delayed their summer blockbuster openings, so it's not as if there will be anything to see at the movies in the short term anyway..........

[benvui]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

According to the CBC, Cineplex is preparing for a limited opening, beginning in Alberta:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cin...8pVxzfFkYR3Evc

Any local openings here in the Maritimes will depend on the public health requirements of each province, and since the Maritime governments seem super duper cautious, I would not expect any openings for several weeks yet (at least), and perhaps not until the fall.

In any event, the movie distributors have all delayed their summer blockbuster openings, so it's not as if there will be anything to see at the movies in the short term anyway..........

My daughter works for Cineplex here in Moncton, she got a call from her manager last week to be prepared to come back to work. They will have training and procedural changes they need to do, but I would expect the theaters to open sooner than you might think.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by benvui

My daughter works for Cineplex here in Moncton, she got a call from her manager last week to be prepared to come back to work. They will have training and procedural changes they need to do, but I would expect the theaters to open sooner than you might think.

Excellent. I go to the movies frequently, and I miss the cinematic experience.

[MonctonRad]

On a less optimistic note, David's Tea may be the next retailer to go down the post COVID rabbit hole. According to a CTV article, they have not paid rent at any location for the last three months, are in negotiation to close at least a dozen locations. Another source suggested that David's Tea may abandon bricks and mortar completely, and revert to a purely online format.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/davi...at1hZkGvc0v8Xw

[danleb]

It seems only those Victoria Secrets in Canada affected are those in CF malls...

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

And the rumour is now confirmed (store managers FB page) - Victoria's Secret/Pink is now permanently closed at CF Champlain.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by danleb

It seems only those Victoria Secrets in Canada affected are those in CF malls...

Interesting. Where did you get this info?

CF malls tend to be high end malls with high rents. I wonder if this is the reason.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Excellent. I go to the movies frequently, and I miss the cinematic experience.

I miss it as well. I went to see a movie literally the day before the pandemic was announced. I’ll be looking forward to this coming back.

[Taeolas]

Glad to hear the theatres are reopening. As long as the cinemas can maintain decent spacing (which with pre-assigned seating can probably done) and proper cleaning, it should be a relatively easy to do. Unless you're going to a Rocky Horror Picture Show or a Frozen singalong, you aren't going to be shouting much or otherwise spreading infection much.

Of course there isn't much opening up from the studios until the end of July; but it will be good to give the theatres a chance to adapt to the new normal before they face the pressure of a Big Release.

I'm looking forward to going back to the shows too. And I'm still hopeful (more hopeful) that Cineplex will reconsider revamping the Maritime cinemas now that the deal has fallen through.

[hbdesign]

Jack & jones is closing down in the mall

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by hbdesign

Jack & jones is closing down in the mall

Very plausible as their parent company (Bestseller Canada) has filed for bankruptcy protection as they attempt to reorganize, but I was hopeful the CF Champlain Place location might survive.

I know the Champlain Place location hasn't reopened (yet) - how reliable is your source???

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Very plausible as their parent company (Bestseller Canada) has filed for bankruptcy protection as they attempt to reorganize, but I was hopeful the CF Champlain Place location might survive.

I know the Champlain Place location hasn't reopened (yet) - how reliable is your source???

According to their website, it lists the Moncton location as "permanently closed". Same with their Nova Scotia location at Mic Mac Mall. So it appears they have pulled out of Atlantic Canada.


https://www.bestsellerclothing.ca/ap...763.1590856562

[OUIR@random]

The face of Champlain Place will be changed forever by the end of the year, it's bad news one after another. I think the challenges coming up for the mall will be unlike anything seen before in its history. The mood must be gloomy at the management level. Champlain will need to re-invent itself and concentrate on experiences, food, entertainment and offices, because those aspect of life will return someday. As others said previously, I would not be surprised if Champlain Place would be sold off.

This comment applies to all malls in Canada unless they are part of the top tier category; Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Pacific Centre, Chinook, etc... and even them will have some struggle.

Many malls were in trouble before the pandemic, now the pandemic just pushed them off the cliff and some are barely hanging by a thread.

[MonctonRad]

I agree. This is the most challenging time in the history of retail since at least World War 2.

The one thing that will save the three major NB malls is that there is only a single remaining traditional indoor shopping centre in each city. I strongly believe there will always be a place for traditional indoor malls (especially in our climate). Since there is only one mall in each city, I think they will all survive, albeit with a different mix of retailers, and with more food and entertainment options rather than wall-to-wall fashion shops.

I see that CF Polo Park in Winnipeg is planning on adding a residential component to the mall to provide an additional revenue stream to the mall owners, and to help drive consumer traffic. If CF decides to keep Champlain Place, I wonder if they would consider something like that here too?

Here's the link to the article:
https://www.retail-insider.com/retai...o-cf-polo-park


Concept rendering for CF Polo Park in Winnipeg

Adding residential to CF Champlain might be attractive in that the mall is strategically located between the downtown cores of Dieppe and Moncton rather than in a far flung suburb. This might make high density residential an attractive option. The only thing that might present a problem to building residential towers at CF Champlain is that the mall is built on a swamp, but I'm sure piles could be driven down to bedrock to make something like this a possibility.

[hbdesign]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Very plausible as their parent company (Bestseller Canada) has filed for bankruptcy protection as they attempt to reorganize, but I was hopeful the CF Champlain Place location might survive.

I know the Champlain Place location hasn't reopened (yet) - how reliable is your source???

My source is from a staff - supervisor

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

The face of Champlain Place will be changed forever by the end of the year, it's bad news one after another. I think the challenges coming up for the mall will be unlike anything seen before in its history. The mood must be gloomy at the management level. Champlain will need to re-invent itself and concentrate on experiences, food, entertainment and offices, because those aspect of life will return someday. As others said previously, I would not be surprised if Champlain Place would be sold off.

This comment applies to all malls in Canada unless they are part of the top tier category; Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Pacific Centre, Chinook, etc... and even them will have some struggle.

Many malls were in trouble before the pandemic, now the pandemic just pushed them off the cliff and some are barely hanging by a thread.

Another factor with Champlain is that a lot of the TD staff are now working from home. The emptiness of the front and side parking lots clearly shows this. With 1000 employees working at the center, it was a good source of on-site customers. Especially for the coffee shops and the food court.

[OUIR@random]

As stated above by MonctonRad a residential component would be beneficial and the right thing to do, but I wonder if that will happen. I could be wrong but I don't see it happening here (Champlain) in this case.

[MonctonRad]

Confirmed - the last vacant CRU (currently under construction) in the Northwest Centre will be a new TD Bank branch (as per the building permit stuck in the window).

The Northwest Centre therefore has achieved the improbable and unlikely (post COVID retail apocalypse) accomplishment of 100% occupancy, at least until we find out what's happening with the Reitmans store in the centre. FWIW, the Reitmans at the Northwest Centre is still operating and there are no "store closing" signs in the window (yet).

[MonctonRad]

And on another positive note, Milestones has reopened following the pandemic shutdown.

This is of interest to me because I really like Milestones, but haven't had a chance to eat at the new Moncton location yet because it was only open a few weeks before the pandemic hit. I will make a point of trying it out within the next week.

[danleb]

A credible source connected to VS...

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting. Where did you get this info?

CF malls tend to be high end malls with high rents. I wonder if this is the reason.

[Djeffery]

For what it's worth, we had 2 Victoria Secret stores here in London, and the CF mall was the one that stayed. The Bentall mall at the other end of town lost their VS store, which was only 4 years old. Although CF Masonville Place did lose it's Le Chateau and the other mall kept theirs. CF also has plans before the city for an extensive residential development on 2 sides of the mall. I think they are talking 4 or 5 towers of 18-25 floors each. I would imagine CF is looking at the parking lots of many of it's malls as it looks for a way to grow in other ways.