[Saint John] Retail Thread

[thefishingnut]

The malls have fixed hours for their retail shops, and when the doors to the mall are open. They can give extended hours to grocery and coffee shops.

There is just no chance business people are going to go home and then come back uptown to shop when they're there 5 days a week and can just spend a few minutes shopping at lunch or before going home. Even at the other malls there is a very short block of time in the evenings where people are shopping - we do short duration mall shows at times, and it's hardly worth it manning the booths in the evening, the few shoppers around tend to be power shopping for groceries and necessities, not browsing.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

The malls have fixed hours for their retail shops, and when the doors to the mall are open. They can give extended hours to grocery and coffee shops.

There is just no chance business people are going to go home and then come back uptown to shop when they're there 5 days a week and can just spend a few minutes shopping at lunch or before going home. Even at the other malls there is a very short block of time in the evenings where people are shopping - we do short duration mall shows at times, and it's hardly worth it manning the booths in the evening, the few shoppers around tend to be power shopping for groceries and necessities, not browsing.

This is why it's good to see new residential like Harbourfront, it can only help uptown business when people live in the area...like they used to.

[Wolkenkratzerliebhab]

A few shots that I took today of construction at the expanding Walmart-SuperCentre and Target (last two shots):



2013-03-24 12.34.22 by I'm Me, Who are You?, on Flickr


2013-03-24 12.42.03 by I'm Me, Who are You?, on Flickr


2013-03-24 12.42.29 by I'm Me, Who are You?, on Flickr

[OUIR@random]

I don't even think Walmart Canada knows what a Walmart Supercenter is. That is quite small, I guess the real Supercenters will be in suburban Toronto and in the US... What else is new? Bangor is similar to SJ or Moncton, but the Bangor Supercenter is a Supercenter, that thing is huge; 210K-240K ft2. I think that the Walmart in Presqu'Isle, Maine (10K in population) is larger than any Walmart in NB. What gives?

Anyway, can't wait to have another option. I'm not saying that Target will save us all from Walmart & others, but at least we will have other options.
It can only help!

[KnoxfordGuy]

Why do we even need massive walmarts? WTF?

[OUIR@random]

I'm not saying that we need it, I'm just pointing out that as usual Atlantic Canada or New Brunswick in this case is left with the ''rest'' or leftovers. Things watered-down, get it? We need a better Walmart, for those who shop there I guess. Walmarts in New Brunswick are starting to get overcrowded, cluttered and understaffed, the last time I was there a couple of months ago, 3 checkouts open on a Saturday with 12 people in-lineat each checkout, no thanks! It was starting to look like a Zellers; with customers of course. I don't care for Walmart honestly, I very rarely go there.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

I'm just pointing out that as usual Atlantic Canada or New Brunswick in this case is left with the ''rest'' or leftovers.

What do you expect, honestly?

[OUIR@random]

Originally Posted by JHikka

What do you expect, honestly?

Ouch! Touché.
I often ask questions to which I already know the answers.

[JHikka]

It was actually a serious question.

Cities in the Atlantic Provinces (and in particular outside of Halifax) are not going to have retail outlets similar to those in the states or Ontario simply because the population base and purchasing power isn't there. Bangor's Wal-Mart is just typical of American Wal-Mart and has nothing to do with Wal-Mart Canada's plan for stores in Canada. Stores in other provinces (such as Ontario) are larger and offer more because of immediate market, given that there are cities in Ontario which have more people than all of NB. It comes down to pretty basic logistics at the end of the day.

In saying that, it definitely does not help when we send buses full of people down to Calais and Bangor for shopping rather than spending that money in NB (whether locally or at the local Wal-Mart). I guess people feel shopping in Calais is exotic or something. If there's anything businesses in NB need right now it's people spending money in their own stores locally.

[michael_d40]

Originally Posted by JHikka

It was actually a serious question.

Cities in the Atlantic Provinces (and in particular outside of Halifax) are not going to have retail outlets similar to those in the states or Ontario simply because the population base and purchasing power isn't there. Bangor's Wal-Mart is just typical of American Wal-Mart and has nothing to do with Wal-Mart Canada's plan for stores in Canada. Stores in other provinces (such as Ontario) are larger and offer more because of immediate market, given that there are cities in Ontario which have more people than all of NB. It comes down to pretty basic logistics at the end of the day.

In saying that, it definitely does not help when we send buses full of people down to Calais and Bangor for shopping rather than spending that money in NB (whether locally or at the local Wal-Mart). I guess people feel shopping in Calais is exotic or something. If there's anything businesses in NB need right now it's people spending money in their own stores locally.

For what it's worth, a lot of the Supercentres currently open in Ontario are smaller as well compared to the US. So it's not an NB thing, or an Atlantic Canada thing.

Look at this news release they had for their 200th Supercentre opening in Edmonton;

Edmonton-Abbottsfield Walmart Supercentre Fast Facts

Walmart Canada’s 200th supercentre
Located in Abbottsfield Mall at 3210-118 Avenue Northwest
Former Zellers location renovated to look and feel like a typical Walmart
73,000 square feet of retail space
100 associates
$10,000 in donations presented to local charities
Convenience services include a pharmacy, photo centre, connection centre for wireless services, and Western Union

Yes, it was a Zellers conversion, but it's still a Supercentre, and a VERY small one at that.

Lets also not forget, the current store in Saint John is already quite large. So a small expansion, plus a reconfiguration of the current space will make it quite a large store.

[OUIR@random]

People go on buses and head to Calais, Maine???
Bangor or Freeport-Porland, Ok. But Calais, that's just weird. I don't have a problem with that small town, but I don't see why one would go shop there... Marden's and Walmart. Shopping at its best indeed.

2. How large is the Walmart SJ store 110K ft2? The Moncton Trinity one is quite small IMHO, I would not be surprised that it's smaller than the Edmundston or Miramichi Walmart locations. Will SJ get the largest Target store in Atlantic Canada, maybe? How large is the former Zellers? The largest might be Bayers Lake though, it was quite a large Zellers, one of the largest I've seen, it used to be a Kmart, yep Kmart that's what I've heard. Can't wait to see some construction happening at Target Moncton. I'm sure SJ will open before Moncton and Freddy, SJ is in construction mode while Moncton is still in standby.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

People go on buses and head to Calais, Maine???

At the intersection of Loch Lomond and MacDonald there's a neon sign advertising for bus trips to Calais and Bangor.

[Helladog]

For the most part, the prices are the same, plus the gas expense, and good luck making returns if your new TV doesn't work.

I guess for some, it's the chance to get away. For me to go stateside, there has to be some value in it money wise.

Years ago, when I worked at Radio Shack, people would come in trying to return their junk from the states. Of course, us, like most stores couldnt/can't do that north of the border.

[OUIR@random]

I believe the junk sold at Radio Shack is the same junk in Canada & the US... I used to love their junk but I think this retailer lost its way, they have less of the little and hard to find electronic parts and too much cell phones and satellite dish providers... so they just blend in and don't stand out much, we know how bad that is in the retail world.

[Sabien]

My wife goes to Calais 2-3 times per year to get items at their grocery store that aren't sold locally. She has Celiac disease and there are several gluten free products that she really likes but can't find here. Gluten Free Bisquick makes the best waffles I've ever had!

I've suggested talking to a grocery manager here, to ask about stocking a few of these items but I think she enjoys getting away for a few hours by herself.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Sabien

My wife goes to Calais 2-3 times per year to get items at their grocery store that aren't sold locally. She has Celiac disease and there are several gluten free products that she really likes but can't find here. Gluten Free Bisquick makes the best waffles I've ever had!

I've suggested talking to a grocery manager here, to ask about stocking a few of these items but I think she enjoys getting away for a few hours by herself.

There's a shop in Moncton at the Northwest Centre called Jane's Gluten Free. They've been in business for over a year and are well stocked with a variety of gluten free products. Your wife should check it out....

[Ire Narissis]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

The largest might be Bayers Lake though, it was quite a large Zellers, one of the largest I've seen, it used to be a Kmart, yep Kmart that's what I've heard.

This is actually very common; Zellers bought out all the maritime K-Mart stores some 15 or 20 years ago (wow, I feel old all of a sudden). The Saint John East and West Zellers (which are now Target and Wal-Mart, respectively) were both K-Marts originally.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

I believe the junk sold at Radio Shack is the same junk in Canada & the US... I used to love their junk but I think this retailer lost its way, they have less of the little and hard to find electronic parts and too much cell phones and satellite dish providers... so they just blend in and don't stand out much, we know how bad that is in the retail world.

What I meant was, customers tried to return their purchases bought over the border in Canadian stores, much to their dismay.

Some of it was the same stuff, a lot of it was generic Chinese merchandise sold under Intertan (Canada) name brands like Genexxa. Back further, in the days of Realistic, Tandy, Archer, etc, it was mostly the same stuff.

[Wolkenkratzerliebhab]

The first signs of life at the new Princess Auto store as I shot the first construction trailer at the sight today. Hopefully, construction will be well underway in a week or two:


IMG_0689 by I'm Me, Who are You?, on Flickr


IMG_0687 by I'm Me, Who are You?, on Flickr

[kwajo]

Nice update, thanks!
Although it's always slightly creepy when I see my car in a photo on the forum. I'm being followed!