The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[daverraver]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I was in there a few weeks ago; the store was reasonably busy, but all but one of the elevators were out of order. I needed to go up to the 7th floor (Menswear), so it was a long wait. I took the stairs to come back down; it looks like the stairwells haven't been updated since the 1930s. Interesting retro look at least.

It's also very difficult to find the way out of the store if you're not a regular customer. It looks like some entrances/exits have been blocked off since Covid and have never been restored. I walked in circles and needed to ask two different people for directions to an actual exit that wasn't blocked off. (They also did this at Guildford, though that's a much more straightforward store so it's not as hard to find an exit there)

**Update**

I visited the downtown HBC store this past Friday. There is another elevator operating for a total of 2. The other 2 are still out of service however I was told that a 3rd one is currently being repaired and should be online soon.
All of the escalators are running again, except for the down escalator between floors 4 and 5. I suspect that one will be up soon, given that the rest of them are working again.

When I got up to the men's floor, it was considerably busier as you'd expect. It's no longer a chore to get up there anymore. Overhead music is still not on yet.

The thing I've noticed the most is the amount of sale merchandise on the floor, coupled with the fact that many of the brands I went there to buy are no longer there. This could be due to not paying vendors or just simply downsizing temporarily, or both. Either way, I hope they get their assortment back to something pre-covid soon.

[officedweller]

Thrifty Foods gets opening date for new White Rock location
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/thri...ods-white-rock

[Capitol Hill]

Originally Posted by daverraver

**Update**

I visited the downtown HBC store this past Friday. There is another elevator operating for a total of 2. The other 2 are still out of service however I was told that a 3rd one is currently being repaired and should be online soon.
All of the escalators are running again, except for the down escalator between floors 4 and 5. I suspect that one will be up soon, given that the rest of them are working again.

When I got up to the men's floor, it was considerably busier as you'd expect. It's no longer a chore to get up there anymore. Overhead music is still not on yet.

The thing I've noticed the most is the amount of sale merchandise on the floor, coupled with the fact that many of the brands I went there to buy are no longer there. This could be due to not paying vendors or just simply downsizing temporarily, or both. Either way, I hope they get their assortment back to something pre-covid soon.

I hope HBC rights itself, especially now that we’re entering high tourist season. Hudson’s Bay is an iconic brand, but what they’ve become is no longer anything special.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Capitol Hill

I hope HBC rights itself, especially now that we’re entering high tourist season. Hudson’s Bay is an iconic brand, but what they’ve become is no longer anything special.

It seems like it's in a slow death spiral. More job losses recently announced, and the Regina store (reported as the only store in Saskatchewan, although Saskatoon's store may have reopened following a fire), will be closing next year.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by Capitol Hill

I hope HBC rights itself, especially now that we’re entering high tourist season. Hudson’s Bay is an iconic brand, but what they’ve become is no longer anything special.

I was in Calgary on the weekend.. the Saks store in Chinook Centre is open daily 12-6. Initially I thought it had shut down until I saw the very small sign posted on the door.

Sad.

Ron.

[s211]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

I was in Calgary on the weekend.. the Saks store in Chinook Centre is open daily 12-6. Initially I thought it had shut down until I saw the very small sign posted on the door.

Sad.

Ron.

That store was always sad, wasn't it? The mens' section was particularly .

[theKB]

With Retail Insider reporting that Eataly will take over the 200k sq ft former Nordstrom space at Toronto’s Easton centre, I wonder when we will see any concrete tenant announcements for the Vancouver Nordstrom space.

[svlt]

Originally Posted by theKB

With Retail Insider reporting that Eataly will take over the 200k sq ft former Nordstrom space at Toronto’s Easton centre, I wonder when we will see any concrete tenant announcements for the Vancouver Nordstrom space.

I believe in the same article they speculate that Eataly will be a potential tenant in Vancouver's space, but it is very much unconfirmed.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by theKB

With Retail Insider reporting that Eataly will take over the 200k sq ft former Nordstrom space at Toronto’s Easton centre, I wonder when we will see any concrete tenant announcements for the Vancouver Nordstrom space.

Well, they're not 'taking over' the space in Toronto exactly. Maybe 1/4 or less of it.

Ron.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by svlt

I believe in the same article they speculate that Eataly will be a potential tenant in Vancouver's space, but it is very much unconfirmed.

Both of those locations are prime retail space. Wonder if Simons could be a potential tenant to take some of the space in both the Eaton Centre and Pacific Centre locations?

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Well, they're not 'taking over' the space in Toronto exactly. Maybe 1/4 or less of it.

Ron.

I guess it depends on how they want to demise the space with other tenants. Seems odd that it will be split level.

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre Eataly is expected to occupy part of the main and second levels of the former 223,000 square foot Nordstrom space in the mall

https://retail-insider.com/retail-in...-eaton-centre/

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I guess it depends on how they want to demise the space with other tenants. Seems odd that it will be split level.



https://retail-insider.com/retail-in...-eaton-centre/

The flagship in Toronto on Bloor has a cafe on the 1st floor and the main store / restaurants on the 2nd level.

Ron.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

The flagship in Toronto on Bloor has a cafe on the 1st floor and the main store / restaurants on the 2nd level.

Ron.

There's also a weirdly attached italian-ish beer hall underneath that is actually not affiliated with Eataly but looks and feels like it is at the Manulife centre.

The spot is very busy with all the eateries and bars in there, was just there last week. The ability to sip a cocktail or glass of wine as you shop is also a nice feature. I just wonder how it will work here with our even more restrictive laws surrounding alcohol (the sell beer / wine / spirits as well) although seemingly restaurants have found a way to circumvent these archaic laws in BC by opening stores (see Luigi and Sons) - I would assume they would license the whole thing as a restaurant.

Would definitley inject some life into the granville strip and maybe attract different sort of businesses to complement Eataly if that actually happens.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by theKB

There's also a weirdly attached italian-ish beer hall underneath that is actually not affiliated with Eataly but looks and feels like it is at the Manulife centre.

The spot is very busy with all the eateries and bars in there, was just there last week. The ability to sip a cocktail or glass of wine as you shop is also a nice feature. I just wonder how it will work here with our even more restrictive laws surrounding alcohol (the sell beer / wine / spirits as well) although seemingly restaurants have found a way to circumvent these archaic laws in BC by opening stores (see Luigi and Sons) - I would assume they would license the whole thing as a restaurant.

Would definitley inject some life into the granville strip and maybe attract different sort of businesses to complement Eataly if that actually happens.

I wonder how well Eataly has been doing in Toronto's dismal post-pandemic office environment?

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I wonder how well Eataly has been doing in Toronto's dismal post-pandemic office environment?

Probably fairly well. This will be their 4th location in Toronto.

First opened in 2019, followed by 2023 and 2024 with the 4th in 2025.

Ron.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I wonder how well Eataly has been doing in Toronto's dismal post-pandemic office environment?

I have been in and out of the city quite a bit over the past few months and it seems to be always busy, plus they do delivery of groceries and dishes as well. Eataly in Yorkville is not truly surrounded by a lot of office buildings so much as exploding residential so every time I have been there in the past few months it has been fairly busy.

Clearly busy enough for the Weston's to justify opening another location, but I would also wonder if CF is a partner in this expansion as well.

Eaton Centre also had the Queens Cross food hall recently open, which is in addition to their fairly sizable food court as well. Interesting stuff, but it does show that Vancouver seems to have a lack of investment in these sort of concepts. Power in population clearly, but I would also hedge that high costs make these sort of investments tough with such a small population.

[SpongeG]

Arc’teryx is opening a store in Coquitlam Centre.

I also hadn't been out to the Poco Costco since I guess last fall, wow so much happening in that area right now, they have added new retail in the Home Depot parking lot, with a Kal-Tire and a burrito place. The lot that sat empty for decades, I believe it was owned by the Army & Navy family, its being developed right now, all cleared and some construction starting. Freemont Village feels kinda dead, some of the restaurants have closed up and some spots just sit empty, I must admit it would be an awful place to live.

[jollyburger]

STACKTˣ will open its first expansion location in Ottawa on June 13 in the Byward Market, followed by Vancouver and Calgary locations. These prime retail locations and digital resources will support over 11,000 small businesses across Canada in the first year and continue STACKT’s legacy as the leading incubator for small businesses nationwide.

The Vancouver and Calgary locations are set to open later in the summer. Those specific locations have not been announced yet.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-in...ase-extension/

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

https://retail-insider.com/retail-in...ase-extension/

I like it. Reminds me of ReSTART in Christchurch after their earthquake.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by theKB

I have been in and out of the city quite a bit over the past few months and it seems to be always busy, plus they do delivery of groceries and dishes as well. Eataly in Yorkville is not truly surrounded by a lot of office buildings so much as exploding residential so every time I have been there in the past few months it has been fairly busy.

Clearly busy enough for the Weston's to justify opening another location, but I would also wonder if CF is a partner in this expansion as well.

Eaton Centre also had the Queens Cross food hall recently open, which is in addition to their fairly sizable food court as well. Interesting stuff, but it does show that Vancouver seems to have a lack of investment in these sort of concepts. Power in population clearly, but I would also hedge that high costs make these sort of investments tough with such a small population.

IIRC, a Time Out Market will be part of the new Oakridge in Vancouver.