General Retail News

[mykl]

There's a good read here about the change of the Hudson's Bay logo. Interestingly, it mentions that the generic and corporate HBC logo would be all but forgotten, but it can be found on the north east end of the Bayshore parking garage, which I find to be a very odd location and also a very bizarre decision in general. Especially when the rebrand of the last few years (Bayshore being the first Bay location in Ottawa to rebrand), I don't know why they'd stick the corporate HBC logo on there as well.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle9356220/

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mykl

There's a good read here about the change of the Hudson's Bay logo. Interestingly, it mentions that the generic and corporate HBC logo would be all but forgotten, but it can be found on the north east end of the Bayshore parking garage, which I find to be a very odd location and also a very bizarre decision in general. Especially when the rebrand of the last few years (Bayshore being the first Bay location in Ottawa to rebrand), I don't know why they'd stick the corporate HBC logo on there as well.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle9356220/

FYI The Bay at Les Promenades still has the old La Baie with the giant yellow B both outside and inside the mall.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Now this is interesting...while I don't mind the *thought* of it, ending Sunday shopping only in Ottawa would be an economic black hole. What is to stop people from going to Gatineau or to other municipalities?

Before 1992, neither of those options existed either (I believe Sunday shopping was introduced almost concurrently in Ontario and Quebec).

http://www.cfra.com/news/2016/01/15/...hould-be-ended

What a stupid idea! The City has enough to deal with without coming up with pointless ideas that could damage our reputation (or strengthen our reputation as dullsville) and our economy.

Hudson's Bay related; drove by yesterday and you can see the faded "Freiman's" lettering on the west wall (above Chapters).

[Uhuniau]

German Town closing?

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[rocketphish]

Cabela’s to open in September
Retail to grow by 20,000 square metres between 2017 and 2019

By Adam Kveton
Kanata Kourier-Standard, Jan 16, 2016

The highly anticipated Ottawa Cabela’s location is expected to be open in September in Kanata – the first store scheduled to open in Taggart’s Kanata West Centre.

The 6,500-square-metre hunting, fishing and camping store was planned to open in the spring of 2016, but was delayed by road design work and city approvals, said vice-president of Taggart Realty, Jeff Parkes.

“It’s been looked at by a lot of eyes, and as per any large development it just takes a lot of time,” he said.

But now the development company expects infrastructure and road work to begin this month on the site, just west of Tanger Outlets.

Taggart is working to get Cabela’s, the new retail area’s anchor store, to be open as soon as possible, said Parkes.

Planned to be included in the large store are a mountain replica, indoor archery range, fudge shop and more than $1 million in taxidermy.

The store also plans to hire about 175 full-time and part-time employees, “most of whom will come from Ottawa and the surrounding area,” says a Cabela’s news release.

Taggart’s plans to include on-site RV waste dumping facilities hit a wall with the city, said Parkes, and won’t be going ahead.

The development company is continuing to look for tenants for some of the 20,000 square metres of retail planned for the site, not including the Cabela’s store.

While Parkes confirmed that Princess Auto will be opening up a location at the site, he would not reveal any other names.

“There will be a fast food component; there will be likely some more furniture,” he said. “There won’t be outlet stores but there will be I would say large format (stores).”

Some of those stores will open in 2017, with construction to continue into 2019, said Parkes.

Attracting occupants to the future retail site has been helped by success at Tanger Outlets, he said.

“It’s very successful and it’s been a real boon for us for sure,” said Parkes, who had said previously that Taggart was banking on Tanger’s ability to bring in shoppers from well outside the city to support their new development.

Taggart will also likely have the only major outdoor outfitter in the immediate area, as development just east of Tanger managed by Broccolini/Laurentide Holdings will no longer include a Bass Pro store which had been planned to open in 2015.

Saying he was disappointed to lose Bass Pro as a tenant in an interview last year, Broccolini Construction’s vice-president of real estate in Ottawa, Bob Perkins, said their new anchor store would be another large-scale retailer, but not an outdoor outfitter.

Perkins did not respond to a request for interview as of press time.

http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/n...-in-september/

[rocketphish]

Buying in to Nordstrom: Retailer says move to Ottawa has been 'really positive'

OBJ Staff
Published on January 25, 2016

Seattle-based Nordstrom’s expansion into the Ottawa market last April was one of most anticipated retail debuts in the capital in years, earning retail deal of the year honours at the 2015 Best Ottawa Business Awards.

Store manager John Banks recently took some time to offer his thoughts on Nordstrom’s first nine months of operation in Ottawa.

OBJ: First of all, what are your overall impressions of business so far? Have sales been what you’ve expected?

JB: “The customers’ feedback to our Rideau Centre store has been really positive. We’ve enjoyed meeting customers and developing relationships with them. We’re still new to Ottawa and our success depends on giving great service. We have to work hard each day and every transaction is an opportunity to earn their business.”

OBJ: Has the store had to make any adjustments to product lines, merchandise or service offerings in response to particular needs or requests in the Ottawa market? If so, what are they?

JB: “We’re always listening and learning from our customers and appreciate their feedback about how Nordstrom can serve them best. Overall, customers have been responding really well to women’s apparel, handbags, cosmetics, our food offerings and our Nordstrom exclusive brands. One thing we heard is that we had some opportunities to increase the speed of transactions where we ship merchandise to customers and are focused to make it more convenient for them. We hope that customers here in Ottawa will continue to let us know what we can improve upon so we can make changes in real time.”

OBJ: Any particular brands that are selling especially well? Are there any particular demographics the store is especially popular with?

JB: “Some of the brands that have been popular with our customers include Burberry, Ted Baker London, Kate Spade New York and Hugo Boss.”

OBJ: Has the company noticed any significant differences in consumer buying trends, spending habits, et cetera, between Canada and the U.S.?

JB: “We’ve found that customers, no matter where they live, appreciate compelling fashion and great service. We’re working hard to deliver both to our Canadian customers.”

OBJ: What will the new expansion to the Rideau Centre in 2016 mean for Nordstrom? Do you expect it will have an impact on customer traffic?

JB: “We’re excited for all the new additions to Rideau Centre. We hope that the new stores will help bring even more customers to the centre. We like competition because it means that we have to work harder at earning our customers’ business. It raises the bar for everyone.”

OBJ: Was Ottawa on Nordstrom’s radar for a while before you opened the Rideau Centre store?

JB: “We want to be part of the best retail locations, and Rideau Centre is the premier shopping destination in Ottawa. We’re pleased that the opportunity became available so that we could serve Canadian customers closer to home.”

OBJ: What about the city made it a good opportunity? And why the Rideau Centre in particular?

JB: “Ottawa is a wonderfully diverse, exciting city as well as our nation’s capital. It’s rich in culture and we have certainly enjoyed getting to know customers here. Rideau Centre is one of the top retail locations in Canada.”

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Retail/2016-...sitive%0D%0A/1

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Buying in to Nordstrom: Retailer says move to Ottawa has been 'really positive'

OBJ Staff
Published on January 25, 2016

Seattle-based Nordstrom’s expansion into the Ottawa market last April was one of most anticipated retail debuts in the capital in years, earning retail deal of the year honours at the 2015 Best Ottawa Business Awards.

Store manager John Banks recently took some time to offer his thoughts on Nordstrom’s first nine months of operation in Ottawa.

OBJ: First of all, what are your overall impressions of business so far? Have sales been what you’ve expected?

JB: “The customers’ feedback to our Rideau Centre store has been really positive. We’ve enjoyed meeting customers and developing relationships with them. We’re still new to Ottawa and our success depends on giving great service. We have to work hard each day and every transaction is an opportunity to earn their business.”

OBJ: Has the store had to make any adjustments to product lines, merchandise or service offerings in response to particular needs or requests in the Ottawa market? If so, what are they?

JB: “We’re always listening and learning from our customers and appreciate their feedback about how Nordstrom can serve them best. Overall, customers have been responding really well to women’s apparel, handbags, cosmetics, our food offerings and our Nordstrom exclusive brands. One thing we heard is that we had some opportunities to increase the speed of transactions where we ship merchandise to customers and are focused to make it more convenient for them. We hope that customers here in Ottawa will continue to let us know what we can improve upon so we can make changes in real time.”

OBJ: Any particular brands that are selling especially well? Are there any particular demographics the store is especially popular with?

JB: “Some of the brands that have been popular with our customers include Burberry, Ted Baker London, Kate Spade New York and Hugo Boss.”

OBJ: Has the company noticed any significant differences in consumer buying trends, spending habits, et cetera, between Canada and the U.S.?

JB: “We’ve found that customers, no matter where they live, appreciate compelling fashion and great service. We’re working hard to deliver both to our Canadian customers.”

OBJ: What will the new expansion to the Rideau Centre in 2016 mean for Nordstrom? Do you expect it will have an impact on customer traffic?

JB: “We’re excited for all the new additions to Rideau Centre. We hope that the new stores will help bring even more customers to the centre. We like competition because it means that we have to work harder at earning our customers’ business. It raises the bar for everyone.”

OBJ: Was Ottawa on Nordstrom’s radar for a while before you opened the Rideau Centre store?

JB: “We want to be part of the best retail locations, and Rideau Centre is the premier shopping destination in Ottawa. We’re pleased that the opportunity became available so that we could serve Canadian customers closer to home.”

OBJ: What about the city made it a good opportunity? And why the Rideau Centre in particular?

JB: “Ottawa is a wonderfully diverse, exciting city as well as our nation’s capital. It’s rich in culture and we have certainly enjoyed getting to know customers here. Rideau Centre is one of the top retail locations in Canada.”

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Retail/2016-...sitive%0D%0A/1

Those are some absolutely terrific non-answers.

[TheGoods]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

The Bay, sorry Hudson's Bay, will need a lot more than a new sign and script.

Actually, Hudson's Bay is doing fairly well and the stock was set earlier this year
as outperform, a buy.

Third quarter sales were up:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/hom...1210006538/en/

You cannot put them in the same boat as Sears, they have some appealing product lines.

[Norman Bates]

Originally Posted by catenary

those are some absolutely terrific non-answers.

+1

[Radster]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

+1

Indeed, he would make a great politician!

[mykl]

So, its safe to assume that Nordstrom is not exactly making its sales? I pay attention when I'm at Rideau, which is fairly often, and I really don't see that many Nordstrom bags walking around. I'm not surprised the men's department didn't make the list of successes, because its a joke. The Bay has 10 times the amount of options for men. I find it interesting that Kate Spade is doing so well considering it has its own store 30 feet away.

If this is how things look already, I think Simons is going to give Nordstroms a run for its money.

[Mugwumper]

Originally Posted by mykl

So, its safe to assume that Nordstrom is not exactly making its sales? I pay attention when I'm at Rideau, which is fairly often, and I really don't see that many Nordstrom bags walking around. I'm not surprised the men's department didn't make the list of successes, because its a joke. The Bay has 10 times the amount of options for men. I find it interesting that Kate Spade is doing so well considering it has its own store 30 feet away.

If this is how things look already, I think Simons is going to give Nordstroms a run for its money.

Kate Spade is a "thing" right now, like Coach was a few years ago. They'd sell a lot of bags even if they opened a store in every shopping centre.

Simons will do very well, I'm betting. Nordstrom stock might need to tweak its styles or try to appeal more to whichever demographic is most often at the Rideau Centre. There isn't much selection, as you've said. No department store seems to do well enough in that space, for whatever reason... not Eaton's, not Sears.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by mykl

So, its safe to assume that Nordstrom is not exactly making its sales? I pay attention when I'm at Rideau, which is fairly often, and I really don't see that many Nordstrom bags walking around. I'm not surprised the men's department didn't make the list of successes, because its a joke. The Bay has 10 times the amount of options for men. I find it interesting that Kate Spade is doing so well considering it has its own store 30 feet away.

If this is how things look already, I think Simons is going to give Nordstroms a run for its money.

I would like to see numbers in 18-24 months as the area is going through major changes. One cannot "safely assume" anything based on the number of bags he or she sees. As for the arrival of Simons, I think that this could result in higher sales for Nordstrom. Big brands know Ottawa very well as it's a test market for them. But what concerns me more is the location, specially once Confed Line is up and running.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by Mugwumper

Kate Spade is a "thing" right now, like Coach was a few years ago. They'd sell a lot of bags even if they opened a store in every shopping centre.

Simons will do very well, I'm betting. Nordstrom stock might need to tweak its styles or try to appeal more to whichever demographic is most often at the Rideau Centre. There isn't much selection, as you've said. No department store seems to do well enough in that space, for whatever reason... not Eaton's, not Sears.

I never liked this space... It has a strange vibe. Maybe its the horrible stuffy branding of both Eaton and Sears in the past or the fact that DND is across a cold windy concrete bridge... Not so bad in the summer but terrible in winter. That area needs some rethink and density. Whereas The Bay (and Simons very soon) opens up on the whimsical Byward area with its fun mix of small streets, trendy cafes/shops and earthy market. Tough to compete with that.

[DEWLine]

As far as the Bay's concerned, I think they dropped something bright for something that looks better painted in gold leaf on the side of a 19th Century passenger rail car.

[mykl]

Originally Posted by bikegypsy

One cannot "safely assume" anything based on the number of bags he or she sees.

One cannot dictate what types of general observations I present. One also should be aware of the overall context of this discussion referring to an interview in which the manager of Nordstrom dodges the question of sales successes. If Nordstrom was doing well, they'd be willing to say so or at the very least hint at it.


As for Mugwumper's suggestion that the location is the issue, Eatons failed nationally (sadly) and Sears is also on the decline, especially shutting down lots of catalogue locations in small town Canada and trying to build a better online presence. Any location is the right location if you make it so.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by mykl

One cannot dictate what types of general observations I present. One also should be aware of the overall context of this discussion referring to an interview in which the manager of Nordstrom dodges the question of sales successes. If Nordstrom was doing well, they'd be willing to say so or at the very least hint at it.


As for Mugwumper's suggestion that the location is the issue, Eatons failed nationally (sadly) and Sears is also on the decline, especially shutting down lots of catalogue locations in small town Canada and trying to build a better online presence. Any location is the right location if you make it so.

Space between words can be read in many ways. Nordstrom just began building their brand in Canada, and they're not in desperation mode like Les Ailes were when they entered the Ottawa market. My point is that it's too early to give them a failing mark. Mind you, I'm on the "I want you to succeed" side of things.

[YOWflier]

Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading the same articles as others. The manager said that things have been really positive, and even called out certain brands that are selling well. Burberry, Ted Baker, and Hugo are high end names...

What more are people looking for?

[phil235]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading the same articles as others. The manager said that things have been really positive, and even called out certain brands that are selling well. Burberry, Ted Baker, and Hugo are high end names...

What more are people looking for?

Yep, hard to read much negative into that.

Any time I've been by Nordstrom it's been quite busy. That should only improve when the rest of the mall opens and it becomes far and away the premiere shopping destination in Ottawa. It has great visibility where it is, and I think that the pedestrianization of Waller and the Arts Court development will make the location much more appealling.

[Cre47]

Place Cartier on St. Joseph Blvd in Gatineau will be soon starting a much needed make-over which hopefully will add ... or should I say refill retail space as much of this mall is pretty much dead aside from Wal-Mart (which is not very impressive) and a grocery store and a few tenants (fitness store and a temporary (although I sense it will stay there due to the heavy demand) STO kiosk