Canadian Retail Thread

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

"They" represent taxpayers, no?

Unionized public workers or, more concerning, unionized public workers making up a disproportional amount of Canada's wage growth is another matter.


Our charter banks are grossly protected by the Feds from outside competition. They constantly make record profit overcharging Canadians, outsourcing jobs internationally or layoffs below the publication limit in order to hire imported contract workers for less. "They" or their sweat-heart deal with Canadians is never discussed. It's always the LCBO.

LCBO union members don't represent me, a taxpayer, no.

AFAIK banks aren't on strike. Who's saying "always" the LCBO? Not me. It's the LCBO right now, because they are striking right now. AFAIK banks aren't on strike.


I support most strikes. Fight for your rights! And if LCBO workers want better pay and conditions, and are willing to strike for them, go for it!

I just don't support them demanding a monopoly.

[casper]

Originally Posted by jonny24

LCBO union members don't represent me, a taxpayer, no.

AFAIK banks aren't on strike. Who's saying "always" the LCBO? Not me. It's the LCBO right now, because they are striking right now. AFAIK banks aren't on strike.


I support most strikes. Fight for your rights! And if LCBO workers want better pay and conditions, and are willing to strike for them, go for it!

I just don't support them demanding a monopoly.

The other critical difference is the big banks don't individually have a monopoly. If any one of them gets shutdown by a strike, the rest of them would continue to operate. Credit unions also provide similar banking functions.

These liquor distribution boards typically have a monopoly at wholesale. The exception being locally produced product in some provinces.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by Wigs

I lived in Alberta. Majority of Retail market share was held by a handful of conglomerates.
Prices on many products were actually higher than LCBO.

For the non chain option stores, there's a number of dusty bodega looking liquor stores in Calgary. You had to ask around to figure out which stores to go to in each quadrant of Calgary.

In the pro LCBO column, for Ontarians you can go to any town in the province from Kenora to Kingston and know you can find a decent selection of liquor, wine and beer/coolers at the same pricing you're accustomed to with actual knowledgeable staff. I understand the hours in smaller population centres aren't great but in most situations it's not difficult to plan ahead.

It provides thousands of livable wage jobs. Also it's a cash cow for the province.

From their latest annual report



Despite gripes I'm pro LCBO

A few points to counter your pro-LCBO argument.

1. "In the pro LCBO column, for Ontarians you can go to any town in the province from Kenora to Kingston and know you can find a decent selection of liquor, wine and beer/coolers at the same pricing you're accustomed to with actual knowledgeable staff."

That role is filled by the chain liquor retailers in Alberta. Go to any Sobeys/Safeway, Co-op, or Real Canadian LiquorStore (Loblaws) in Alberta and you will a decent selection of product at the same price whether the store is in Grande Prairie or Medicine Hat.

2. Regarding dusty bodega looking liquor stores, go to any LCBO location in rural Ontario; especially in the North and be prepared for small dated stores with limited hours and product.

3. Alberta's private system allows for a much broader selection of products; that will never see the shelf in Ontario. Tell me which LCBO store(s) carries craft beer from New Brunswick (Moosehead doesn't count), Newfoundland, Yukon, NWT, Alaska, PEI, etc. All readily available in Alberta.

4. Many Alberta liquor retailers have Growler Bars where consumers can purchase craft beer to go. Name a LCBO store which offers that?

5. The Alberta private system allows for retailer specialization; especially in the larger centres. There are excellent craft beer stores in Calgary which carry a curated selection of craft beers. One such store is called "Collective - A Craft Beer Shop". They have something like 500+craft beers (no macro beer) and 20 taps for growlers. Name a LCBO which offers this?

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

A few points to counter your pro-LCBO argument.


4. Many Alberta liquor retailers have Growler Bars where consumers can purchase craft beer to go. Name a LCBO store which offers that?

Ontario microbreweries and distilleries are allowed to sell their own product on site and most have retail locations at their brewery. One thing the industry is pushing for change is to allow them to set up their own stores away from their production location. Whether these stores would be allowed to sell other products or just be limited to their own branded stuff is also open to question, if this actually happens.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Ontario microbreweries and distilleries are allowed to sell their own product on site and most have retail locations at their brewery. One thing the industry is pushing for change is to allow them to set up their own stores away from their production location. Whether these stores would be allowed to sell other products or just be limited to their own branded stuff is also open to question, if this actually happens.

As are Alberta craft breweries and distilleries. That's pretty much allowed in every province. Newfoundland does allow craft breweries to have retail locations outside of their production facilities. Hopefully that will be allowed in Ontario.

[cslusarc]

Retail-Insiders.com reports: Various Hudson’s Bay Department Stores Across Canada Close Temporarily Due To HVAC Issues

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

As are Alberta craft breweries and distilleries. That's pretty much allowed in every province. Newfoundland does allow craft breweries to have retail locations outside of their production facilities. Hopefully that will be allowed in Ontario.

I don't know where the laws are going in Ontario but I'd imagine that there will be some beer retailers with multiple locations in the near future. They could open as convenience stores if need be.

I do know that there are private wine stores in the province and I don't mean just the Wine Rack stores. Sudbury has a Magnotta wine store yet Magnotta wine is produced in the Niagara Region.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

Retail-Insiders.com reports: Various Hudson’s Bay Department Stores Across Canada Close Temporarily Due To HVAC Issues

HVAC systems are locally installed and maintained so it stems odd a retail chain would face this issue in multiple stores thousands of km apart.

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by Acajack

HVAC systems are locally installed and maintained so it stems odd a retail chain would face this issue in multiple stores thousands of km apart.

Might be worth looking at what's in common with the closed locations. Same mall management company maybe? Or a common service contract? Are there other issues with the malls aside from the Department store locations?

MUCH More likely though, it is probably a sign that HBC's been slacking on building maintenance, and now that there's actual load on the AC system, it's falling apart.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

Retail-Insiders.com reports: Various Hudson’s Bay Department Stores Across Canada Close Temporarily Due To HVAC Issues

The only way that could be a combined HVAC issue is if the controls were down. If it is similar to WAlmart they have a central control contractor that runs and monitors all of there facilities. I remember having to turn one rooftop unit off and had to Call the Toronto office.

But I suspect the computers were hacked. This sounds like London Drugs again.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Might be worth looking at what's in common with the closed locations. Same mall management company maybe? Or a common service contract? Are there other issues with the malls aside from the Department store locations?

MUCH More likely though, it is probably a sign that HBC's been slacking on building maintenance, and now that there's actual load on the AC system, it's falling apart.

I was in two of the stores over the past few months. Broken escalators. Broken doors not working. Something weird is going on.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by casper

I was in two of the stores over the past few months. Broken escalators. Broken doors not working. Something weird is going on.

Yeah, the Pacific Centre store in Vancouver has been a disaster since the pandemic, and I recall the Guildford store had reduced hours for months after pandemic restrictions ended in BC.

I'm not buying the HVAC explanation. I think there's something else going on that HBC isn't telling us, at least not yet.

[cslusarc]

I think it might be easier to believe that Hudson's Bay hasn't done any preventative maintenance on any of its mechanical physical plant at all of its Canadian stores for years. Someone mentioned on Reddit that the (ex-Eaton's) Polo Park store hasn't had working AC since last year.

[cranes]

https://www.therecord.com/news/water...391b9bc1f.html
Amazon’s same-day delivery is getting faster for Waterloo Region
From click to doorstep in as fast as seven hours
Aug. 6, 2024

Amazon Canada’s same-day delivery option is getting even faster for Prime members in Kitchener-Waterloo and southwestern Ontario — from click to doorstep in as fast as seven hours.

Members will now have the added convenience of a new overnight delivery option, according to a news release.

The new option allows customers to place orders as late as midnight and have them on their doorstep the next morning, with two delivery windows: 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. or 7 a.m. to 11 a.m...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by cranes

https://www.therecord.com/news/water...391b9bc1f.html
Amazon’s same-day delivery is getting faster for Waterloo Region
From click to doorstep in as fast as seven hours
Aug. 6, 2024

I'm sure the porch-pirates will be pleased.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

Yeah, the Pacific Centre store in Vancouver has been a disaster since the pandemic, and I recall the Guildford store had reduced hours for months after pandemic restrictions ended in BC.

I'm not buying the HVAC explanation. I think there's something else going on that HBC isn't telling us, at least not yet.

And yet, HBC has the dough to buy Neiman Marcus.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

And yet, HBC has the dough to buy Neiman Marcus.

That I do not get - they should be working on improving their existing assets first and making them more competitive.

[theman23]

I was a homer and probably oversold it, but the Bay use to be something to to take pride in as a Canadian. And not that long ago. It was only 2017 when I was trying to convince a friend of mine that the shopping experience at the Toronto and Vancouver Bay flagships was comparable to that of other prominent international department stores (El Corte Ingles, Ahlens, Lotte, etc.). I would be far too embarrassed to revisit that conversation in 2024.

I still think it would be a good idea if they combined forces with a grocer to ensure they get daily foot traffic into their stores.

[Wigs]

Yeah, ten years ago I was The Bay homer, now with complete lack of investment into their stores incl necessary building mechanicals I can't say the same.

Simons is the one Canadian store brand that fills me with pride.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Yeah, ten years ago I was The Bay homer, now with complete lack of investment into their stores incl necessary building mechanicals I can't say the same.

Simons is the one Canadian store brand that fills me with pride.

I was a proponent of The Bay right up until the pandemic. Since then it’s been getting increasingly disappointing.

The last straw for me was the $40 belt I bought in January that randomly fell apart last month. It didn’t even last six months. Between that and the condition of the downtown Vancouver store, I don’t think I’ll go back.

The Bay used to stand for quality. These days I can get better quality at Walmart. Heck, HBC’s own Zellers had better quality when it was still in operation.