Tsawwassen First Nation Updates

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I was at the mall and commons on Friday evening. The mall was pretty much the same as my last visit over a year ago. There is now a Coach store, which had much less selection than the YVR outlet store despite being a decent size. Michael Kors is expanding to what looks like could be double the size of their current space.

The commons side was dead even at 7 pm on a friday. Plentiful parking. The Walmart again was dead maybe 3 dozen cars parked outfront.

There is a lot of housing being constructed but it was dark out so didn't really look.

Sometimes stores that aren't picked-over are better than the popular locations.

***********

Apparently, Tsawwassen Mills was wall to wall people on Boxing Day.

Pic by a friend of mine:

[Migrant_Coconut]

Sure, but that's Boxing Day. Stands to reason that few people'd be willing to drive all the way out to Boundary Bay otherwise - not when there's a better mall closer by.

[officedweller]

But still pretty good that they could pull people all the way out there.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Sure, but that's Boxing Day. Stands to reason that few people'd be willing to drive all the way out to Boundary Bay otherwise - not when there's a better mall closer by.

For people who live in South Surrey, Delta, Ladner, Tsawwassen, Steveston, etc., where's the closer better mall? This mall is well connected on the closest thing to a freeway that we have. I live in Marpole, and driving, I can reach it in 14-18 minutes.

I'm hoping they build a Costco in the same area.. it will take a lot of stress off Richmond and Surrey locations. I'd certainly drive there and skip Richmond.

Ron.

[cairnstone]

The market for this location is the island and south of the border. I have been in the mills and mcarther glen and both have a huge following of US shoppers. Its a great outlet mall and for alot of the stores the only outlet location in Canada

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by officedweller

But still pretty good that they could pull people all the way out there.

Sure, but again, Boxing Day - some of these people'd drive out to Bellingham for their precious discounts.

Originally Posted by NewfBC

For people who live in South Surrey, Delta, Ladner, Tsawwassen, Steveston, etc., where's the closer better mall? This mall is well connected on the closest thing to a freeway that we have. I live in Marpole, and driving, I can reach it in 14-18 minutes.

I'm hoping they build a Costco in the same area.. it will take a lot of stress off Richmond and Surrey locations. I'd certainly drive there and skip Richmond.

Ron.

"Massey Tunnel," "holiday shopping rush" and "under a half-hour drive" are mutually contradictory terms. Factor in easier access to McArthurGlen and Richmond and Central City Malls for most of the catchment, and it would seem that you are in the minority.

No talk of how much better it'd be to replace Highway 99 lanes with a streetcar to Tsawwassen? For shame.

Originally Posted by cairnstone

The market for this location is the island and south of the border. I have been in the mills and mcarther glen and both have a huge following of US shoppers. Its a great outlet mall and for alot of the stores the only outlet location in Canada

Makes sense. Delta alone can't sustain an outlet mall.

[Vin]

People love malls even though they may say they don't. Just need the concentration of population to be close by for them to succeed. Still think that this mall won't be doing well in the long run, especially if better ones get built in the major city/town centres. That is unless Tsawwassen Nation decides to build a town centre here: putting in highrises around the mall.

[fredinno]

Thing is that if they start redeveloping places like Strawberry Hill and Semiahmoo, there could be a lot of competition for the customer base.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by fredinno

Thing is that if they start redeveloping places like Strawberry Hill and Semiahmoo, there could be a lot of competition for the customer base.

Yeah the time will come.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Sure, but again, Boxing Day - some of these people'd drive out to Bellingham for their precious discounts.



"Massey Tunnel," "holiday shopping rush" and "under a half-hour drive" are mutually contradictory terms. Factor in easier access to McArthurGlen and Richmond and Central City Malls for most of the catchment, and it would seem that you are in the minority.

No talk of how much better it'd be to replace Highway 99 lanes with a streetcar to Tsawwassen? For shame.



Makes sense. Delta alone can't sustain an outlet mall.

From White Rock, Tsawassen Mills is a shorter drive than either Central City or Guildford and there's no tunnel involved! Neither of the malls you listed are 'better'. There are a lot more shopping options for people at Tsawassen Mills / Common.

And no, streetcars belong in large urban centres.. not in vast open suburban spaces.

Ron.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

From White Rock, Tsawassen Mills is a shorter drive than either Central City or Guildford and there's no tunnel involved! Neither of the malls you listed are 'better'. There are a lot more shopping options for people at Tsawassen Mills / Common.

And no, streetcars belong in large urban centres.. not in vast open suburban spaces.

Ron.

I hope you're not suggesting that White Rock or Ladner alone can prop the place up economically; Richmond/Steveston and beyond are definitely not interested for the aforementioned reasons. Ivanhoe obviously counted on being attractive enough for people to come from all over the metro, and neither count is true - and why would they be? More options? It's like if the lamest of McArthurGlen was crammed into Lansdowne and exiled to the ferry terminal! Hard pass all around from the rest of the metro.

If Newton in its current form warrants a streetcar in your eyes, so should Tsawwassen. Instead, you prefer the automobile.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

I hope you're not suggesting that White Rock or Ladner alone can prop the place up economically; Richmond/Steveston and beyond are definitely not interested for the aforementioned reasons. Ivanhoe obviously counted on being attractive enough for people to come from all over the metro, and neither count is true - and why would they be? More options? It's like if the lamest of McArthurGlen was crammed into Lansdowne and exiled to the ferry terminal! Hard pass all around from the rest of the metro.

If Newton in its current form warrants a streetcar in your eyes, so should Tsawwassen. Instead, you prefer the automobile.

So if you consider the lamest of McArthur Glen to be:
Adidas
Bench
Coach
Davids Tea
Gap
Guess
Kate Spade
Levis
Lindt
Michael Kors
Mountain Warehouse
Nike
Old Navy
Reebok
Roots
Samsonite
Starbucks
Swarovski
The Body Shop
Tommy Hilfiger
Under Armour

What do you consider to be not lame?

Ron.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Which of those can you only get by driving to Tsawwassen?

[officedweller]

If you go to Tsawwassen Mills you'll immediately see that the main demographic is from Surrey (not Richmond).
You can see that in the photo I posted.

[cairnstone]

Every mall has a different demographic. And I don't see IC building a huge mall and losing money. The square foot price reflects the foot traffic. Managers have told me that there locations there are holding there own. Its all about traffic levels gross sales and overhead

[SpongeG]

the only stores I would drive to get to are Harry Rosen outlet and Saks off Fifth Outlet, Saks this last time was not that good despite some decent sales ie an extra 25% off lowest ticket price. The big designer brands just aren't there.

When it opened they brought in Fendi, Dolce & Gabana and Versace etc. Now Its Calvin Klein, Kate Spade and Ann Klein lower tier handbags easily found at Winners or MArshalls.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by cairnstone

Managers have told me that there locations there are holding there own. Its all about traffic levels gross sales and overhead

Good to hear.

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the only stores I would drive to get to are Harry Rosen outlet and Saks off Fifth Outlet, Saks this last time was not that good despite some decent sales ie an extra 25% off lowest ticket price. The big designer brands just aren't there.

When it opened they brought in Fendi, Dolce & Gabana and Versace etc. Now Its Calvin Klein, Kate Spade and Ann Klein lower tier handbags easily found at Winners or MArshalls.

I think Saks Off 5th went downhill when HBC took them over years ago, and stores will cater to the local demographic.
Even the Winners and Marshalls at Tsawwassen Mills are disappointingly small and not worth the drive out there.
They still have a couple of anchor-sized spaces that could house a Nordstrom Rack if they expand.

[Vin]

I think if Surrey continues to build more high density city/town centres and upgrade its public transportation system, they would be able to put in a couple more big nice malls to rival Tsawwassen Mills. Makes no sense to drive so far out if you can easily shop in your own neighbourhoods. So yeah, Tsawwassen Mills could be short-lived.

[SpongeG]

There are a lot of housing and developments going up right now. I've never seen such a dead walmart though, they are usually quite busy. Small town Alberta Walmarts are much busier.

[zahav]

I think there will be quite a lot more residential growth in this area in the years to come, long term especially. I know it is mostly agricultural but I think there's more densification going to happen.

And the owners knew the market and studied this thing to death before even proposing it, they know what is there and how it would work