The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Waders]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

After Home Outfitters closed on the basement level of the Grand Court, the mall has been renting the space out on an apparent short-term lease. I had guessed that they were planning on waiting for some other stores to close on the first floor so that they could create a two-level store similar to what they did with Forever 21 and H&M, eliminating a ton of dead-mall space.

After Home Outfitters was closed, the basement level of the Grand Court was occupied by Accents@Home. But now Accents@HOme has moved into Target/Zellers old spot on ground floor. I haven't go inside to check out the place but it seems the whole ground floor space is being used to display furniture and other product.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

The Strøget in Copenhagen is an amazing retail high-street that was incrementally made car free and I believe it boasts some of the highest retail real estate value and sales per square metre in Europe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Str%C3%B8get

I've been there and it's great! It's also apparently stagnating as the homogenization of high-street retail continues unabated and authentic independent stores are priced out.

I also love The Strøget, I attribute some of the success of pedestrianized streets in Europe to the ease at which you can navigate in foul weather. In Vancouver, navigating with umbrellas on narrow sidewalks is a nightmare, when given the width of a pedestrianized street, it's a breeze and a pleasure.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Sheba

It's not so easy. I knew someone who was homeless for awhile - there are nowhere near enough shelter beds. Then add in that you're sharing a space with complete strangers, plenty of whom are sketchy. It's no wonder that when the weather was decent he'd much rather sleep in the park and be ready to move before the morning rush (police would wake them up super early to move).

That's why I'm calling the government to build better shelters (complete with showers, lockers and detox clinics) than to invest in really expensive housing that can only house a few. Why are some selected to live downtown in expensive neighbourhoods and plush housing while many others can't even get proper shelters? Fix the shelters, then talk about bigger things. It's actually very easy, but there just isn't any political will power or guts for that matter to do it right. End sufferers are retailers, enforcers, residents and the homeless themselves having to face harsh problems.

Pacific Centre mall is generally doing a pretty good job at ridding the homeless on their sidewalks, except for this persistent lady who spreads out all her belongings near the bus stop at Nordstrom. It always seems that she is intentionally trying to block as much pedestrian walking width/space as she can. The police don't seem to care about that, even at rush hours. So much for "police would wake them up super early to move".

[SpongeG]

not to keep off topic but I know people who work in social services and something that frustrated them is people either move here or ship people here from other provinces due to the weather and the social programs we have and they get clogged up, this is beyond something the city can deal with.


Anyway, fingers crossed for uniqlo at metrotown. And will hopefully get to check out the muki pop up.

[officedweller]

From Granville twitter -
I guess the hipster "market" concept failed (this isn't Mt. Pleasant)...


Concept @westelm market is now a @westelm bed/bath 2915 Granville. Main store still @westelm 2947 Granville #retail
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

[Genauso]

If the Four Seasons is being developed soon, I would like to see the question "What would I M Pei build there today" be the theme for it and the Pacific Center expansion

I think it's fitting for the present time and place

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Granville twitter -
I guess the hipster "market" concept failed (this isn't Mt. Pleasant)...


Concept @westelm market is now a @westelm bed/bath 2915 Granville. Main store still @westelm 2947 Granville #retail
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

The West Elm Market concept died chain wide. Its been a while now. At least they kept the vancouver space for the bedding.

[WarrenC12]

Always seemed dumb to have the "market" location about 2 doors down from the regular store... if a business is trying a different concept, they usually have a specific location type in mind that is somewhere their regular stores don't quite fit.

[SpongeG]

most of the market stores were inside their main store or connected with it. Didn't seem to work. They might still exist as an online store, i never really looked.

[connect2source]

Large sections of Park Royal South being demo'd for the new H & M, much of it was the original 1960's section.

Photos by : connect2source

[SpongeG]

wow, that's gonna be a big store. Are they gonna have a 2 level store?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Does it need a sheltered arcade? I lived in Northern Europe, the promenades are not sheltered.

The problem with sheltered arcades is they tend to become homeless shelters/toilets/shooting galleries.

[bc2mb]

MUJI has officially confirmed they will be opening a Vancouver store this year:



Wonder where it will go? My money is on Metrotown or Pacific Centre... although I can't see where there is free space at Pacific Centre currently for a location, unless they are going to wait until the atrium replacement is constructed.

Source: http://urbanyvr.com/muji-to-open-vancouver-store-soon

[SpongeG]

but the atrium won't be done by this year will it?

Is there any good space in gastown? I could see it fitting in there for at least one of what could be a few stores.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Waders

After Home Outfitters was closed, the basement level of the Grand Court was occupied by Accents@Home. But now Accents@HOme has moved into Target/Zellers old spot on ground floor. I haven't go inside to check out the place but it seems the whole ground floor space is being used to display furniture and other product.

I went in there today. About half of the ground floor is being used as display space, with curtains up to block off the rest (probably being used for storage). You can tell it's a temp space for them as there's been no work done on it (the floors look like crap).

Why oh why is Metrotown still waiting to lease it out as a massive two floor store when they'd have better luck leasing it out as two large single floor stores?

[officedweller]

From the suburban thread.

That anchor looks to be in the style of a NORDSTROM to me:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks for posting - here are the pics:

Richmond Centre


https://twitter.com/WestcoastWood/st...03280914681856

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Granville twitter -
I guess the hipster "market" concept failed (this isn't Mt. Pleasant)...


Concept @westelm market is now a @westelm bed/bath 2915 Granville. Main store still @westelm 2947 Granville #retail
https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

I don't think Williams and Sonoma is hurting, As west elm, pottery barn and a few more are all subsidiaries and occupy a good part of Granville

[SpongeG]

there are two west elms now

[Retail-Insider]

Muji has just announced 2 Vancouver stores. More details to follow: http://www.retail-insider.com/retail...muji-vancouver

*Update: Both stores will be the largest in Canada when they open. Considerably larger than in Toronto.

[SpongeG]

so its on the same block as CB2? <3 great location