The Retail Thread

[Policy Wonk]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

The plans come as Sears announced on Wednesday it will close yet another store, at Deerfoot Mall in Calgary.

My understanding is the Sears is being demolished to make way for a free standing power centre format expansion on the S.E. corner of the propery.

I have a printed rendering of it somewhere. I suspect in time the entire mall will be demolished in favor of the power centre format.

[YYCguys]

I could totally see this becoming a reality. The requisite Walmart is already there on it's own pad.

I have never understood why an indoor mall was built in that location. It's a horrible location for that type of mall.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by Elbownian

With all these high-end and low-budget department stores displacing our old mainstays, where the heck is the middle class supposed to shop these days?

The bay downtown. It has more selection than the others. Also there are quite a few independent stores that are good as well.

[polishavenger]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

My understanding is the Sears is being demolished to make way for a free standing power centre format expansion on the S.E. corner of the propery.

I have a printed rendering of it somewhere. I suspect in time the entire mall will be demolished in favor of the power centre format.

thats probably what will go there which is unfortunate. If I owned the property I'd be looking at a major office development.

[Jimby]

Originally Posted by Elbownian

With all these high-end and low-budget department stores displacing our old mainstays, where the heck is the middle class supposed to shop these days?

Costco?

[Policy Wonk]

This is from a PowerPoint presentation from last fall, I cropped it because it was a weird size. You will note the existing mall is being broken up into three with new free standing structures all over the site.

[Doug_Cgy]

Just speculation, but perhaps the Sears at Deerfoot could become a Nordstrom Rack? Might be what that mall needs for a kick start, and it's outlet style, so it would kind of fit?

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by Doug_Cgy

Just speculation, but perhaps the Sears at Deerfoot could become a Nordstrom Rack? Might be what that mall needs for a kick start, and it's outlet style, so it would kind of fit?

I think the space is far too large. Most Rack locations aren't any bigger than a Winners with the largest being the one in Downtown Seattle.

[Plus15]

Yes, Nordstrom Rack stores are usually around 30,000 square feet and prefer a single level layout. If a 'Rack' store ever comes to the Calgary market, it would most likely choose Crossiron where there is already an established fashion-seeking traffic base.

[Plus15]

Quick update on new mall retailers around Calgary:

-Puma and Hugo Boss are opening outlet stores at Crossiron Mills

-Jack & Jones is opening stores at Chinook & Southcentre

-BCBGeneration (First in Canada) just opened at The CORE

-Free People (First in Canada, part of the Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie group) is scheduled to open at Chinook this summer

-Michael Kors is opening a 2nd Calgary store at Southcentre

[Full Mountain]

I noticed there was work going on in the SE corner of TD Center today, looks like prep work for a tenant.

[Henry07]

Rona in creekside nw is shut down, do you guys know what store will be going in there?

[Jimby]

freak lunchbox a candy store chain from Halifax has opened their first western location beside Una on 17th Ave. It definitely adds some colourful pizazz to the street.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Jimby

freak lunchbox a candy store chain from Halifax has opened their first western location beside Una on 17th Ave. It definitely adds some colourful pizazz to the street.

Indeed- great place to fill my US candy bar needs. They have 100 Grand, Charleston Chew, Heath, all my childhood faves.

Gummi Boutique http://gummiboutique.wordpress.com/ will be opening a second location in Kensington on 10 St NW where for a brief while there was a doggie bakery. Lots of candy around these days.

[DizzyEdge]

Apparently Freak Lunchbox also carries the coveted... bacon soda.

[Innersoul1]

I was in Seattle last month and the opportunity to check out the new urban format Target in Seattle's downtown. Seattle is very similar to Calgary in that the past decade has resulted in a lot of condos popping up in the CBD. Seattle also has a very unique by-law in effect that forbids big-box retailers within the city limits. Target has seemingly managed to fit in and fill the niche. Their urban format store also uses specific studies of urbanites to determine what they stock on their shelves. Walking through the store it wasn't your typical Target. Many of the items on the shelves were things that you would need if you lived downtown, but also items that cater to tourists like Seattle souvenirs.

It would be really cool to see something like this in the Beltline.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog...arget/#6468-16

[Innersoul1]

Just received a notice via email that the new Apple Store at Market Mall will be having its grand opening on the 18th at 9:30AM.

For those of you who didn't know about this their location will be on the south end of the mall where Tommy Chillwigger used to be.

[Innersoul1]

Zellers at Market Mall is officially closed and they have set up a construction staging area for the renos required for the Target. I am interested to see how this will look! Wonder how much of the outside they will be changing?

[Plus15]

I stopped by the new Market Mall Apple store on opening day - the store is huge- and much better and brighter than the previous location.

I'm also wondering to what extent Target at Market Mall will renovate the exterior. Right now it's pretty nasty - stained brutal concrete slabs and that god awful sloped brick base. Should be interesting.

[Plus15]

Two new higher-end stores opening soon;

Michael Kors (The Core, ex-Birks corner location on the +15)
Tory Burch (Chinook, main floor across from Armani Exchange by the entrance)