[Moncton] Retail Thread

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Peanutbuttertoes

Anyone knows if its actually planet fitness coming next to dolorama on mapleton road and if anyone has date of when it would be opening if it is planet fitness?

Welcome to the forums.

There has been no official announcement but this is a very strong rumour

[MonctonRad]

It's funny how perspective works.

Every time I drive by the new Milestone's under construction at the Home Depot Plaza, the building seems awfully small. Then you come across a photo like this one.........



and the truck in the foreground changes everything. All of a sudden, the restaurant seems to be a decent size, and you can imagine how the building likely will be able to seat a couple of hundred patrons comfortably.

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So, excluding IHOP, there will be two new upper mid range chain restaurants opening in the city in the spring/early summer, Milestone's in March/April and Carrabba's Italian Grill in June/July. How do you think this will affect the dining scene in the city? Are we approaching capacity in this dining segment in the city? Will some current restaurants like East Side Marios and Moxies suffer (thinking of similar genre restaurants)? Is there still room for additional competitors, like Jack Astors?

[FarmerTom]

So, excluding IHOP, there will be two new upper mid range chain restaurants opening in the city in the spring/early summer, Milestone's in March/April and Carrabba's Italian Grill in June/July. How do you think this will affect the dining scene in the city? Are we approaching capacity in this dining segment in the city? Will some current restaurants like East Side Marios and Moxies suffer (thinking of similar genre restaurants)? Is there still room for additional competitors, like Jack Astors?[/QUOTE]

I don’t think we are at capacity for newer restaurants, now for multiple locations of some yes. But I do think they need to be spread around different areas of the GMA.

[Djeffery]

I just had a look at the Milestones by me on Google. It has 10 parking spots along the side and 12 across the front of the building, to give a size comparison. Plus a fairly large patio area at the front corner and side, whereas this one in Moncton doesn't have any patio area judging by the sidewalk, unless it's at the far side of the building.

It is the largest restaurant in the commercial strip it's part of, a bit larger than the East Side Marios, and only slightly smaller than the building Buffalo Wild Wings is in, which also has a Pet Valu and a Yoga Studio. So, I don't know if our Milestones is a typical size for them. The other one we have is inside a mall and a pretty decent size, but different layout so hard to tell if bigger or smaller.

[MonctonRad]

And now that the Christmas shopping season is over, it's time for the annual store closures and reshuffling of store locations at CF Champlain.

1) - Claire de Lune is closing.
2) - Just Cozy had to prematurely terminate their temporary lease as a new permanent tenant is slated to move in. Renovations are imminent.
3) - Starbucks is planning to relocate in the mall
4) - Jump+ is also planning to relocate in the mall (rumour is the Suzy Shier location).
5) - Lush is all but confirmed to set up a permanent location in Moncton. At least even odds it will be at CF Champlain (although a downtown location is possible, maybe at the Hyatt Place Hotel).

If Lush opens at CF Champlain, then in which unit? Could the imminent renovations at Just Cozy be for Lush, or for Starbucks? If Jump+ takes over Suzy Shier, will it move to another vacant unit in the mall, or vacate the mall, perhaps for the Mapleton Centre??

Lots to speculate about over the next six months or so............

[MonctonRad]

Interesting and furious speculation over at Retail Talk & Share that whoever is taking over the Just Cozy space, will also take over the recently vacated GNC space to make a single CRU.



The speculation further states that this will be for an existing fashion retailer in the mall which will be relocating and downsizing.

We will soon know if this is true. If the construction drywall goes up at GNC at the same time as at Just Cozy, that will be a strong indication the units are to be consolidated.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting and furious speculation over at Retail Talk & Share that whoever is taking over the Just Cozy space, will also take over the recently vacated GNC space to make a single CRU.



The speculation further states that this will be for an existing fashion retailer in the mall which will be relocating and downsizing.

We will soon know if this is true. If the construction drywall goes up at GNC at the same time as at Just Cozy, that will be a strong indication the units are to be consolidated.

So if this happens there'd be 2 separate entrances?

[drewber]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting and furious speculation over at Retail Talk & Share that whoever is taking over the Just Cozy space, will also take over the recently vacated GNC space to make a single CRU.



The speculation further states that this will be for an existing fashion retailer in the mall which will be relocating and downsizing.

We will soon know if this is true. If the construction drywall goes up at GNC at the same time as at Just Cozy, that will be a strong indication the units are to be consolidated.

There was talk of Ardene moving and they have a pretty tight space right now. This would give them a bigger space and still have the walk-through store.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting and furious speculation over at Retail Talk & Share that whoever is taking over the Just Cozy space, will also take over the recently vacated GNC space to make a single CRU.



The speculation further states that this will be for an existing fashion retailer in the mall which will be relocating and downsizing.

We will soon know if this is true. If the construction drywall goes up at GNC at the same time as at Just Cozy, that will be a strong indication the units are to be consolidated.

It could be RW&CO. Because this info came from a manager of a RW&CO. store. (And they also liked a comment suggesting it could be RW&CO). Their current spot is 5,264sq.ft and the combined two units will be 4,325sq.ft. So it would be a reduction of size. Plus the RW&CO. store in McAllister Place (Saint John) has two entrances and is 4,576sq.ft.


But other possibilities could be either: Victoria's Secret/Pink, Lululemon, Ecko Unlimited, Eddie Bauer, Boathouse, Laura or American Eagle. Another speculation is that it could be a relocation of H&M (like rumors from long ago suggested that they would downsize to make room for a second small Old Navy store).


However, I feel like it might be RW&CO. But I guess we have to wait and see...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

It could be RW&CO. Because this info came from a manager of a RW&CO. store. (And they also liked a comment suggesting it could be RW&CO). Their current spot is 5,264sq.ft and the combined two units will be 4,325sq.ft. So it would be a reduction of size. Plus the RW&CO. store in McAllister Place (Saint John) has two entrances and is 4,576sq.ft.


But other possibilities could be either: Victoria's Secret/Pink, Lululemon, Ecko Unlimited, Eddie Bauer, Boathouse, Laura or American Eagle. Another speculation is that it could be a relocation of H&M (like rumors from long ago suggested that they would downsize to make room for a second small Old Navy store).

However, I feel like it might be RW&CO. But I guess we have to wait and see...

I agree with your hunch about RW & Co, especially since you "busted" their manager based on his comments on an FB post.

As for your other possibilities:

- VS/Pink requires more space than that.
- lululemon is a new build in the mall from last year. They won't be moving
- ECKO Unlimited is a long term "pop-up shop". They will parasitize empty spots in the mall anywhere. They would not invest in major renovations.
- Eddie Bauer needs their current footprint. I think the question is whether or not they remain in the Moncton market. Please do not construe this as a concern on my part that they are planning on decamping. Eddie Bauer seems quite loyal to Moncton, but their entire chain seems to be in perpetual intermittent peril. One of these days, Eddie Bauer may be forced to consider radical downsizing of their chain.
- Boathouse needs a larger footprint.
- American Eagle is rumoured to be renovating their current location this year
- Laura could be a possibility. Their chain did need to restructure not too long ago, and a downsized location (and lower rent) could make sense to them
- H&M could be due for a downsizing, as their current store is very large, but a downsizing of this magnitude would be almost unthinkable. I think it more likely that they could hive off a part of their current store to allow for the rumoured new Old Navy location at CF Champlain.

Lush remains a possibility, but I have a hunch it may indeed be looking at downtown, perhaps at the Hyatt Place Hotel.
Starbucks could be possible, but this consolidated CRU would make this location one of the largest Starbucks in Canada. I don't think the TD Corporate employees are that thirsty........
Other possibilities could include Ardene, Jump+ or Suzy Shier. I am partial to the possibility of Suzy. If, as predicted, Jump+ moves to the Suzy Shier location, then Suzy will have to relocate somewhere, including here.

So, my favoured predictions would be RW & Co or Suzy Shier.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Other possibilities could include Ardene, Jump+ or Suzy Shier. I am partial to the possibility of Suzy. If, as predicted, Jump+ moves to the Suzy Shier location, then Suzy will have to relocate somewhere, including here.

So, my favoured predictions would be RW & Co or Suzy Shier.

Ardene, Jump+ or Suzy Shier are good possibilities as well. However if we are going by this one rumor, it would be a "downsize" from the tenant's current location size. And currently:

• Ardene = 2,102sq.ft.
• Jump+ = 1,783sq.ft.
• Suzy Shier = 2,321sq.ft.

The two spaces combined together would be 4,352sq.ft.

And if the two won't be joined together, then the former Just Cozy is 3,184sq.ft. And the former GNC is 1,168sq.ft.

So if the former GNC won't be joined with the Just Cozy space, then that particular spot would be a "downsize" for Ardene, Jump+, Suzy Shier, or RW&CO.

However, the rumor is that both units will be joined together, so I think RW&CO. will be the only possibility out of the others mentioned, IMO.

[Djeffery]

If Lush is opening a store in Moncton, it will almost surely be in the mall. Almost every CF mall has one and they don't generally do street level stores other than busy downtown locations like Toronto and Montreal. They aren't big stores though, so they wouldn't be going into a 4,000 sq ft store I don't think.

[josh_cat_eyes]

For what it’s worth, Adrene just opened a store in Charlottetown I believe last year, in part of the old Sport Chek. It’s huge, I want to say 12,000 sq ft. So I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it was Ardene that moved.

[MonctonRad]

According to this article from CNBC, Pier One Imports is planning on closing 450 of their stores in the upcoming year. That's nearly half of their total!!

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/06/pier...AXcxFTl7fvEMKA

According to the article, their sales have been shrinking for the last nine quarters in a row. This is not the first time they have closed stores in the last few years. I believe they closed a store in Halifax at the HSC Annex on Mumford Road earlier last year.

It would appear to me that Pier One is now in extremis, and the onset of agonal respirations is nigh. I have serious doubts that this chain will survive beyond the next year or so. It's following a dangerous downward trajectory that has become all too familiar during the ongoing retail apocalypse.

There is no word on whether or not the Wheeler Park store will close this year, but I would think the odds are better than even that this CRU will be vacant by the fall............

[MonctonRad]

There appear to be some interior renovations going on at the Mapleton Centre in the CRU that once housed Wicker Emporium, and I also think there might be something afoot in the old Pop Shoes location too.

Does anyone have any ideas if this is in preparation for any particular retailers, or are they just sweeping away the vestiges of the previous tenants to make the units more attractive for future leaseholders?

Enquiring minds would like to know..........

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

There is no word on whether or not the Wheeler Park store will close this year, but I would think the odds are better than even that this CRU will be vacant by the fall............

For what it's worth, the Store Manager mentions in today's Times & Transcript online article that the Moncton location will remain open.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by David_99

For what it's worth, the Store Manager mentions in today's Times & Transcript online article that the Moncton location will remain open.

Good to hear, but in the end this may not matter much.

When Sears was circling the drain, both the SJ and Freddy stores were announced for closure, but we were assured that the CF Champlain location was safe, but the bottom fell out only a few short weeks later, and the entire chain declared bankruptcy.

This is what I fear for Pier One. I think the chain is now beyond salvation, and the whole thing will collapse like a house of cards. It may not happen this year, but unless some truly inspired retail leadership is found (and I don't mean vulture capitalists here), the jig will be up in short order...........

[DyAm00394]

La Senza is closing their CF Champlain location in two weeks. This is part of 17 locations that are closing across Canada. Right now it's unknown if Moncton is the only NB store closing, if so it will just leave Saint John and Fredericton for NB locations.


And Things Engraved has apparently gone bankrupt. All stores are closing effective immediately. Apparently today was their last day of operation.

[MonctonRad]

Just the latest two examples of locals stores closing because of the national chains either faltering or declaring bankruptcy. This is not a reflection on the local Moncton marketplace.

On a happier note, Regis Salons have been transferred back to Regis Corporation from TBG, which may mean that the local CF Champlain Place location is probably safe (for the time being). Regis Corp will likely operate the store for the time being, until another franchisee is found.

It appears that the changes at CF Champlain this year will be quite substantial, and more than we have seen in recent years. Hopefully they will be able to fill the impending retail vacancies (including a couple of anticipated defections to the Mapleton Centre), but with the ongoing retail apocalypse in North America, this is getting harder and harder to accomplish.......

[DyAm00394]

Things Engraved fires retail employees at stores across Canada


https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/thin...RmjpN26XlerKNQ

A Canadian retailer that specializes in engraved gifts suddenly fired all of its store associates on Thursday, giving them less than 24 hours' notice and leaving customers with newly-engraved items in the lurch.