Retail News - Page 5

thistleclub · #81 Posted **Jun 23, 2008, 1:04 AM**

Ferguson from Cannon to Barton is as full of potential as it is challenges. The litter along that fenceline (and in the neighbouring Cathcart gulley) is recommended reading.

fastcarsfreedom · #82 Posted **Jun 23, 2008, 3:36 AM**

What that stretch of pavement needs more than anything is the old Hamilton Bar-B-Que to reopen--man that was good stuff.

matt602 · #83 Posted **Jun 23, 2008, 12:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thistleclub

Ferguson from Cannon to Barton is as full of potential as it is challenges. The litter along that fenceline (and in the neighbouring Cathcart gulley) is recommended reading.

Ah, Listerine alley.

raisethehammer · #84 Posted **Jun 23, 2008, 1:15 PM**

yea, I love this area, and it's really looking better these days with new developments at the General, new bridges over Ferguson and Mary and the amazing Mark Preece House.
Walmart would suck. I could live with Canadian Tire, I guess. Apparently the old Crowbar at the corner is being reno'd and re-opened by new owners. and that Pho place in the old Johnny's ice cream is unreal. Probably the only restaurant I visit that is located in a suburban-style plaza parking lot.

DC83 · #85 Posted **Jul 10, 2008, 10:24 PM**

So Bath & Body is coming to Canada and guess who's not getting a store? You guessed it!

But London and Guelph are getting one?!

Why haven't the Centre Mall people courted such a popular, new-to-Canada shop?

realcity · #86 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 3:11 AM**

^ it's because on-paper Hamilton doesn't look very good. Highest poverty rate in Canada, highest office vacancy, and lack of locations.

Lime Ridge rents are astronomical, waiting list (unless they want the store), and with Body Shoppe and Fruits and Passions already there, Bath & Body probably passed.

What Hamilton needs is stretches of street retail stores, like Younge Street. with A-Tier retailers, Guess, Gap, a steakhouse chain etc.

matt602 · #87 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 4:31 AM**

King St. in the village? Locke St.? Ottawa St.? Barton St.?

The districts are there. We have the same things Toronto has, it just needs to be realized.

raisethehammer · #88 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 11:36 AM**

Limeridge has a store called 'Fruits and Passions'?? haha. nice.

FairHamilton · #89 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 1:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

What Hamilton needs is stretches of street retail stores, like Younge Street. with A-Tier retailers, Guess, Gap, a steakhouse chain etc.

I think what Hamilton needs is street retail with local retailers who offer something different then Limeridge, and other malls. Retailers that keep their profits local vs. sending them back to the US. We shouldn't want chains, they make the environment generic, and only invest in their store not the community at large.

Either way, Hamilton needs to attract wealth (jobs and people) to the core in order for any rejuvenation to occur. The stores won't locate unless there is a market to serve.

raisethehammer · #90 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 1:52 PM**

I think the market is there, but city hall isn't telling anyone. they simply allow our bad rep to persist in the minds of 'corporate Canada' (if there is such a thing).

FairHamilton · #91 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

I think the market is there, but city hall isn't telling anyone. they simply allow our bad rep to persist in the minds of 'corporate Canada' (if there is such a thing).

In a free market businesses go to where they can achieve profits. If there's no profit to be had, they do not go there, simple as that. Businesses don't need to be told by governments where to find profits/markets, they find those all on their own.

Do you mean, such a thing as "Corporate Canada", or such a thing that they have minds?

raisethehammer · #92 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 2:25 PM**

I actually mean corporate Canada. It's all US-owned these days.
I realize they can locate where they want, but you know they're staying away for various reasons when we don't see some of these stores downtown.
Look at how busy the Starbucks has been on locke since opening. they're making gobs of money. Another one, or second cup would do great at the Gore or International Village.
But none of them want to take the plunge.
That's another reason why Stinson's project is so important. He's going to bring in a few 'big' stores and it would draw others to locate here without feeling like they're taking the first step.
these corporations usually operate very, very safely. They want to see other businesses do well before moving in. It's kind of hard in our case when nobody is brave enough to open up a store and test the market. It's like a never-ending game of chicken.

FairHamilton · #93 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 3:52 PM**

If anyone, US/Canadian/local business thought there was a market which would provide them with a return they would locate in those locations.

Correction, Stinson isn't bringing anything to downtown, he's proposing it. If you think developers bring things you've got it reversed. Business work with or direct developers on where they want to locate and the developers source the property and build.

Do you think Smart Centres brings Walmart to an area? Walmart does their research and Smart Centres sources property that matches that research and builds. That's how things operate and why the 'power centres' are full of the same businesses, with very little vacancies. The developer never builds and then looks for tenants. The tenants push the developer to build in a location.

adam · #94 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 4:14 PM**

Hey look guys, good things are slowly happening in Hamilton. We just have to be patient.

flar · #95 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 4:15 PM**

Suburbia is the forte of these retailers. They just don't know what to do in an urban setting like Hamilton because their formula is set for spacious suburban locations near middle-class suburbanite consumers who drive everywhere. The only exception to their suburban formula is for big cities like Toronto, where the huge market is undeniable and nearly risk-free. You don't see the major retailers opening up in places like downtown London or downtown Kitchener either, for most purposes, Hamilton is lumped in with cities like these.

FairHamilton · #96 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 5:03 PM**

^ Thanks Flar, that takes it right back to my original assertion, that local retailers are needed. Not large national/multi-national ones to fill the void in downtown. The big chains won't come until others have blazed the trail. They have shareholders to report to and are generally conservative.

I'm old enough to remember when Queen Street West in Toronto was only small local independant retailers. Then based on their sucess larger retailers (I think Club Monaco was the first, 20 years ago) moved into the neighbourhood because there was less risk.

raisethehammer · #97 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 6:19 PM**

bad news on the downtown retail front.
Write Impressions is closed down for good on James South.
And so it continues.
Sigh.

block43 · #98 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 6:31 PM**

That sucks. We need more residential downtown to support these businesses.

raisethehammer · #99 Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 6:42 PM**

we need the thousands of people in Durand and Corktown to get off their duffs and support these businesses.

the density in that area is astounding. People need to quit acting like Hamiltonians and spending all their time watching TV, and get out and enjoy the neighbourhood. geez.

Jon Dalton · #**100** Posted **Jul 11, 2008, 6:56 PM**

That's what amazes me, how many high rise apartments there are downtown and yet retail is so weak. There must be tens of thousands of residents in walking distance of James South, King East and Gore Park. There are things I simply don't buy because they aren't sold downtown and I can't waste my time going up the mountain for it.