The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Vin]

The biggest mistake was to build so many of the Skytrain CRUs in the fare-paid zones. Could have designed some of the retail spaces to span over paid/unpaid zones.

[SpongeG]

are people lining up for the apple store yet? lol

Have the wraps stayed on for now? or will they come off for the opening?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

are people lining up for the apple store yet? lol

Have the wraps stayed on for now? or will they come off for the opening?

Off now - see Pacific Centre thread.

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This includes the Vancouver Robson Street location:

Indigo Partners with adidas to Bring Apparel into Stores
https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...ng-apparel-into-stores-interview-photos/

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... so these aren't freshly baked like Cookies by George used to be, so what's the appeal?
and individually wrapped in plastic?

Milk Bar Vancouver: Inside Canada's first full-service location
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/milk-bar-vancouver-canada

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Off now - see Pacific Centre thread.


... so these aren't freshly baked like Cookies by George used to be, so what's the appeal?
and individually wrapped in plastic?

Milk Bar Vancouver: Inside Canada's first full-service location
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/milk-bar-vancouver-canada

Pretty sure the concept will be a hit. I think the ice cream and those layer cakes are their main thing.

[connect2source]

Inside the Canada's first flagship Apple Store. Already posted on the CF Pacific Centre thread. I'll try and get down there today and snap a few photos.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...ip-located-in-downtown-vancouver-photos/

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Pretty sure the concept will be a hit. I think the ice cream and those layer cakes are their main thing.

The students at the office bought some for a Friday afternoon event.
The cookies ar $4.00 each, that layer cake is $70.00.
An empty tin for your cookies is $14.99.
The cookies are probably made in the USA because the workers in the store were adding bilingual Canadian stickers to the back of each individually wrapped cookie.

I had a confetti cookie. Quite sweet - especially after eating the whole thing.
It was okay - soft, not greasy, not too dense or uncooked in the middle.
I wouldn't spend $4.00 on one.

I did see a few people with cups of ice cream walking past.
Apparently the ice cream is like sweet leftover "cereal milk".

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The students at the office bought some for a Friday afternoon event.
The cookies ar $4.00 each, that layer cake is $70.00.
An empty tin for your cookies is $14.99.
The cookies are probably made in the USA because the workers in the store were adding bilingual Canadian stickers to the back of each individually wrapped cookie.

I had a confetti cookie. Quite sweet - especially after eating the whole thing.
It was okay - soft, not greasy, not too dense or uncooked in the middle.
I wouldn't spend $4.00 on one.

I did see a few people with cups of ice cream walking past.
Apparently the ice cream is like sweet leftover "cereal milk".

Thanks for the report .Yeah, I'm not talking about it being any good but still think it will work.

Also someone posted a random comment on a product launch for Milk Bar saying their stuff gets made at a factory in Canada. So who knows

https://hypebeast.com/2021/12/milk-bar-holiday-lab-crackle-info

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Inside the Canada's first flagship Apple Store. Already posted on the CF Pacific Centre thread. I'll try and get down there today and snap a few photos.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...ip-located-in-downtown-vancouver-photos/

Looks very, very underwhelming. I cannot tell a difference to any other Apple Store in existence, maybe beyond being two floors?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Looks very, very underwhelming. I cannot tell a difference to any other Apple Store in existence, maybe beyond being two floors?

Why would a new Apple Store here look any different from any other Apple Store in the world? That's the whole basis of Apple's design philosophy. Even when they take over a heritage building they simplify all the details of their presence to be as minimal as possible. It's the essence of Apple design.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Why would a new Apple Store here look any different from any other Apple Store in the world? That's the whole basis of Apple's design philosophy. Even when they take over a heritage building they simplify all the details of their presence to be as minimal as possible. It's the essence of Apple design.

Yes, the fundamental design language is the same but to say that this looks like what it replaced is a bit silly.

It's pretty stunning, especially in person. There is no other retail space in the city that compares.

Some people just have a negative bias in their thinking.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Yes, the fundamental design language is the same but to say that this looks like what it replaced is a bit silly.

It's pretty stunning, especially in person. There is no other retail space in the city that compares.

Some people just have a negative bias in their thinking.

Did anybody suggest it looks like what it replaced? Or should? I agree that it's vastly superior to the 80s dome, as a piece of design.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Why would a new Apple Store here look any different from any other Apple Store in the world? That's the whole basis of Apple's design philosophy. Even when they take over a heritage building they simplify all the details of their presence to be as minimal as possible. It's the essence of Apple design.

Oh?












https://www.lifestyleasia.com/ind/culture/architecture/unique-and-stunning-apple-stores/

I think the new Pacific Centre store is very nice.. just think it's a little small on the main floor and is going to be crowded.

Ron.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Oh?

I think the new Pacific Centre store is very nice.. just think it's a little small on the main floor and is going to be crowded.

Ron.

To me, those are all in the same family of minimal design, as is our new store. The Paris Champs Elysee store is a good example of their minimalist style applied to a heritage building. The Downtown LA store in a discarded theatre, designed by Foster is another. The heritage elements of the buildings are intact, but the Apple elements are very simple, modern, and identifiably Apple.

[city guy]

our new store, while not pushing a ton of design boundaries compared to the exceptional examples shown, is very nicely detailed and has the best roof ever designed in this city

what actually bugs me is the co-opting of what was once an occupiable public space (before the dome) into what is ostensibly just a forecourt to a store...the small plazas and open spaces that used to humanize our downtown are slowly disappearing

there are some token benches, that is true but the implication is that they are simply foreground to a store

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by city guy

our new store, while not pushing a ton of design boundaries compared to the exceptional examples shown, is very nicely detailed and has the best roof ever designed in this city

what actually bugs me is the co-opting of what was once an occupiable public space (before the dome) into what is ostensibly just a forecourt to a store...the small plazas and open spaces that used to humanize our downtown are slowly disappearing

there are some token benches, that is true but the implication is that they are simply foreground to a store

Your description of the change to that private open space is accurate, but we've also added a new public plaza on Robson Street, a much more useable plaza in front of the Art Gallery across from here, and we're getting a new plaza (instead of a parking area) in front of the Post Office conversion, so I don't think there's a net loss of plaza space Downtown, (at least, not yet).

[city guy]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Your description of the change to that private open space is accurate, but we've also added a new public plaza on Robson Street, a much more useable plaza in front of the Art Gallery across from here, and we're getting a new plaza (instead of a parking area) in front of the Post Office conversion, so I don't think there's a net loss of plaza space Downtown, (at least, not yet).

yes, you are right...thanks for reminding me of those new public spaces

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Did anybody suggest it looks like what it replaced? Or should? I agree that it's vastly superior to the 80s dome, as a piece of design.

I meant the replacement of the previous Apple Store, not the dome, and I was not suggesting that your comment was silly.

As for the comparisons others are making to the design level of stores in cities with far larger populations, you get what you get for the size of the market that you represent.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

I meant the replacement of the previous Apple Store, not the dome, and I was not suggesting that your comment was silly.

As for the comparisons others are making to the design level of stores in cities with far larger populations, you get what you get for the size of the market that you represent.

Got it. Thanks.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Changing City

To me, those are all in the same family of minimal design, as is our new store. The Paris Champs Elysee store is a good example of their minimalist style applied to a heritage building. The Downtown LA store in a discarded theatre, designed by Foster is another. The heritage elements of the buildings are intact, but the Apple elements are very simple, modern, and identifiably Apple.

Not at all. Those shown have their own characters.

If PC/Applie did a minimal design to pay homage to the original glass dome, it would've worked better here.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Vin

Not at all. Those shown have their own characters.

If PC/Applie did a minimal design to pay homage to the original glass dome, it would've worked better here.

It wasn't original - it was a 1980s tack on.