The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by mooks28

Oh lookie here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle4426420/

Well that's nothing new and nothing at all has happened

Nordstrom is still awaiting approval from its board of directors for the four new Canadian locations as well as final documents, industry sources said.

Again I don't think Nordstrom is all that great service @ the Seattle store downtown (the only one I've been to) is lukewarm at best.

And where are all these Rah Rah Canadian employees going to come from?

Yippee!!! another $9/hr job dealing with the idiot public-honestly who gives a shit?

Canadians just aren't credulous like people in the USA and they don't buy into the Big Lie that large US companies like to spoon feed their dimwit employees.

[SpongeG]

depends on the service, nordstrom will take back items without receipt and can be months old, they will go out of their way to order an item for you even if they don't carry it or have it in that particular store and have it all delivered to you etc

thats the service most people like

who cares if a salesperson says hello or ignores you

[Built Form]

Yet another Robson store is closing....La Senza Express at 1143 Robson.



And we all know Camper is coming to Robson so here's a pic.


pix by Built Form

[ryanmaccdn]

Originally Posted by Built Form

Yet another Robson store is closing....La Senza Express at 1143 Robson.



And we all know Camper is coming to Robson so here's a pic.


pix by Built Form

Makes sense with Victoria Secret consolidating their fleeting brand La Senza... and using their new flagship to fill that void.

Why VS even gave La Senza a go was a complete joke... someone take that dead horse out back and shoot it please...

[osirisboy]

VS and la senza are seperate, vs never made a go out of la senza. However they are both operated by the same company, limited brands which also operates bath and body works and abercrombie and fitch among others. La Senza operates over 700 stores in 45 countries, not bad for a candian retailer. (which is a subsidiary of an american company lol)

[Built Form]

West Ender reported that West Elm is opening Sept. 13th.






And Farmhouse finally closed their south Granville location. Ripe for another US retailer to move in.


pix by Built Form

[ryanmaccdn]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

VS and la senza are seperate, vs never made a go out of la senza. However they are both operated by the same company, limited brands which also operates bath and body works and abercrombie and fitch among others. La Senza operates over 700 stores in 45 countries, not bad for a candian retailer. (which is a subsidiary of an american company lol)

Last I checked Abercrombie and Fitch was dropped from Limited Brands Inc about 20 years ago?

Also since VS and La Senza is under the same umbrella company.... hands down a VS store if put by a LS store pulls around 5x the business.

So my point still stands it makes insane business sense to close down all the LS stores and replace with VS.

Which thank god they are starting to do...

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by ryanmaccdn

Last I checked Abercrombie and Fitch was dropped from Limited Brands Inc about 20 years ago?

Also since VS and La Senza is under the same umbrella company.... hands down a VS store if put by a LS store pulls around 5x the business.

So my point still stands it makes insane business sense to close down all the LS stores and replace with VS.

Which thank god they are starting to do...

thank god??? really? who friggin cares lol. a vs or ls store is all the same to me. its funny that u seem so interested in these stores that sell womens lingerie

[daveraver]

Originally Posted by Built Form

West Ender reported that West Elm is opening Sept. 13th.






And Farmhouse finally closed their south Granville location. Ripe for another US retailer to move in.


pix by Built Form

I was told that this will be an opportunity for Williams-Sonoma to expand their store...they have been wanting to do this for awhile now.

[SpongeG]

that farmhouse space as a good size basement i wonder if they would use it for retail or storage

[GeeCee]

Oakridge expansion..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...expansion.html

[squeezied]

Buium also has concerns about the rapid transit system [Canada Line], which is running close to capacity already.

Sigh... more misinformation

[bardak]

Originally Posted by squeezied

Sigh... more misinformation

I was going to bring that up. Yes the Canada line was under built but it is not close to the maximum capacity yet. The frequency can be doubled, the smaller C-car can be added to each train, and don't forget how poorly the seating is laid out (forget about side seating. The fact that you could reduce the width and leg room of the each seat by a third and still be larger than the new Mark II adds up to a lot more room on each train for standees.

As for the development itself Its not like the original vision was small I would be really interested to see how much larger they are going for. I have a felling that the outcome of this rezoning is going to come down to how much more affordable housing units are included and I would not be surprised if there a many new higher density rezoning in Vancouver that could be approved due to a larger number of affordable housing units now that the mayor seams to be on a affordable housing kick.

[Built Form]

A great article in the July 23rd entry in http://www.retail-insider.com about the Bay's makeover downtown. Some highlights mentioned:

-the cost has been increased from $24 to $40 million
-they anticipate it'll be the highest grossing store in the chain, beating Bloor St.
-negotiating with Michael Kors to move their still new Pacific Centre store to their main floor facing Georgia
-new Burberry boutiques on the ground floor (accessories), women's 2nd floor and in the new menswear floor on 6
-the addition of an un-named retailer (Bloomingdales?)
-an impressive list of new menswear designers

On June 11th s211 posted a great link to the leasing agent in New York illustrating how they envision carving up the lower levels and renaming the building The Hudson's Bay Centre.

Also Nespresso will be re-located to the 5th floor kitchen appliances section around late sept early october. It'll be less than half the current lower level spot which will remain open for the Christmas rush. The manager is actively looking for a downtown location to open sometime in 2014.

[trofirhen]

Glad to her they're FINALLY going to spiff up the Georgia Street side of the Bay. I could never understand how, for years, they left it looking so utilitarian and ugly. Finally, perhaps, it will take on that elegance that a flagship store merits.

[s211]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Glad to her they're FINALLY going to spiff up the Georgia Street side of the Bay. I could never understand how, for years, they left it looking so utilitarian and ugly. Finally, perhaps, it will take on that elegance that a flagship store merits.

It doesn't help that the whole block is one big bus stop. Gives the street a real transient feel.

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Built Form

-they anticipate it'll be the highest grossing store in the chain, beating Bloor St.

I think you mean Queen Street.

[officedweller]

wrt the renovated Bay awning
- it looks like they are installing biege metal panelling to cover up the space from where the old awning was removed -
i.e. they are NOT restoring the display windows to their original height.
(maybe that's "phase 2" work if and when they find a teant for the basement levels)

Ugh.

***********

Article in the Sun about the Michaels store on Alberni (expressing dismay that a US big box store is moving onto the high end street) - but no mention of the new Dollar Tree on the same street...

http://www.vancouversun.com/business...856/story.html

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

wrt the renovated Bay awning, it looks like they are installing biege metal panelling to cover up the space from where the old awning was removed - i.e. they are NOT restoring the display windows to their original height.

Ugh.

That's unfortunate. However, it will really be disappointing if the plans do not include beautiful new exterior lighting (i.e., programmable, colour LED flood lighting) above the awning as well as below the cornice. The ivory-coloured exterior provides the perfect canvas for such lighting. Done properly, the building could become a sparkling jewel in the heart of downtown.

[itinerant]

Originally Posted by officedweller

wrt the renovated Bay awning...it looks like they are installing biege metal panelling to cover up the space from where the old awning was removed - i.e. they are NOT restoring the display windows to their original height... Ugh.

I had the exact same reaction.

Although to be fair, it would have meant the Bay would have to redo the interiors near the windows all along the sections they had only recently renovated for the likes of Chanel and Coach. Since many of these former display windows (with display 'rooms') open directly into the store, it makes it an even more expensive overhaul.

They could also have replaced the flat cream paneling with window frames that had opaque sections of dark glass to at least have it come off with the right look, but alas, the renovations seem to be falling short of our high expectations in this respect.

The former Bay store in Victoria gives a hint of what it could have looked like with restored window height. See the photo at this article at Vibrant Victoria.