[Moncton] Retail Thread

[pierremoncton]

Structube is pretty cool. It's like a cheapo Ikea or Wayfair showroom. They have limited stock on site so you typically order then pick up from the store.

[stephan.richard]

Originally Posted by pierremoncton

Structube is pretty cool. It's like a cheapo Ikea or Wayfair showroom. They have limited stock on site so you typically order then pick up from the store.

At least Mapleton Center is filling up and its filling up faster than CF Champlain just saying. But cant wait to see where Hot Topic will go in the mall and hope it will be a trend for new retailers to come to Moncton.

Also have anyone heard if it was 100% that costco was moving to Elmwood?

[SpongeG]

hot topic is emo heaven

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[OUIR@random]

Structube is a nice addition to the market and will be unique in New Brunwick. To top it off it's Canadian. Nice find!

From their website the stuff is stylish and I'm sure some pieces are as good of a quality as an IKEA product, will check it out when it opens. IKEA is mid-level stuff too, I like their stuff as much as the next person, but it's not some super high-end stuff people. I've seen some very cheap and flimsy products there too.

[MonctonRad]

After our little reveal about Structube, I see that Jeff Boucher of Retail Talk & Share sent a query to the company and it is confirmed that they are coming to Moncton. The reply suggested an opening date in late December.

[NBNYer]

There's a rumour around town of LuluLemon setting up shop in the old Coach location at CF Champlain. Definitely not very reliable, just wondering if anyone else had more concrete information.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

There's a rumour around town of LuluLemon setting up shop in the old Coach location at CF Champlain. Definitely not very reliable, just wondering if anyone else had more concrete information.

This would was HUGE for Moncton. To get Lululemon & Hot Topic this fall would be the big additions to the market we've been waiting for.

[MonctonRad]

And it's official - Toys R Us has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US (and will do so in Canada as well).

I'm personally not too worried about the Moncton store. It's clear that this filing is being done in an attempt to help the retailer restructure it's debt so it can carry on. Some stores may close, but I think out store is probably safe......

Now Sears on the other hand - the latest plan would see over half of the retailers remaining stores shutter. The CF Champlain location may have escaped the axe the first time. I'm not so sure about the second time.........

[Taeolas]

Yeah as I said in the Freddy thread (I think), TRU's protection is troubling, but it doesn't feel as dire as the Sears situation; especially with the Christmas Season coming up. With the XMas bump and a chance to ditch some dead weight, TRU should be able to recover enough to stabilize and keep going. The Freddy and Moncton stores have always seemed decently busy so they should be pretty safe. (Never been to the SJ store so can't call that one). Might be good if they could find some cash for some store renos; the look is getting quite stale IMO.

Sears is in much worse shape and not looking good by any indication. The Moncton and Freddy stores never seemed that busy; I could see one or both on the chopping block. I could see Sears Canada chopping all of the Maritimes even, to save on the logistics and costs of shipping out here. (Especially if there are so few stores left).

[OUIR@random]

Regarding Sears; let it go and let's bring in Hudson's Bay at Champlain already!

[stephan.richard]

Whats going on in the old Swiss Chalet on Champlain street i have seen they started working in that old location.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

Regarding Sears; let it go and let's bring in Hudson's Bay at Champlain already!

I posted the same thing on another Thread, and someone replied with a news article talking about HBC taking a massive financial hit. There fate might be the same as other Big Box stores.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Scarface

I posted the same thing on another Thread, and someone replied with a news article talking about HBC taking a massive financial hit. There fate might be the same as other Big Box stores.

Yes, HBC is suffering the effects of expanding too quickly and swallowing too many high end retail chains stateside. This and their European expansion has caused them problems.

Last year I would have been quite confident about them swooping into CF Champlain and taking over the Sears space. This year, I'm not so sure........

[MonctonRad]

Also, the Toys R Us Canadian unit is apparently profitable. This gives me confidence that the stores up here will escape relatively unscathed from the current bankruptcy filing.

[Taeolas]

How profitable was the Bay store in Moncton before it closed? Considering its location, if it was profitable at all, it would show the Moncton market is viable and a Champlain Place location should be even better with the higher traffic and improved visibility.

I'm still reasonably confident that HBC will look to snap up the Moncton (and possibly Freddy) Sears locations when/if they become available.

Sure HBC is showing cracks from its growing pains, but expansion in NB should be pretty low risk and/or a no brainer in just about any model they would have. (Unless they are in as dire situation as Sears is). They already have the distribution available in the region (due to stores in Sydney and Halifax), so a new store or two in NB shouldn't be a strain.

[MonctonRad]

According to my son who used to work there, HBC in Moncton was "marginally" profitable, but that was in a dying mall, and as you say, the situation would likely be better at Champlain Place.

HBC is a multinational now and, although considered a Canadian company, is for all intents and purposes controlled by US investors. A truly Canadian company probably would be interested in reestablishing a presence in NB. I'm not so sure about a multinational conglomerate though.

Maybe I'm just being pessimistic this morning. It's the general gloom I feel over Trudeau's small business tax plan getting me down.......

[OUIR@random]

The department store format is hurting in North America, but HBC is a strong multinational and own many of their locations instead of being renters. The company owns a large chunk of real estate everywhere, their flagship Saks Fifth Avenue in New York alone is worth over $3.7 billion. Yes with a B.
They have strong brands and they're unlike Sears in many ways, but they do have challenges ahead. They must and will continue to reinvent themselves.

[L'homard]

When they were in Moncton, as well as when they were leaving Moncton, every public statement HBC made about the Metro Moncton marketplace was that they couldn't wait for the opportunity to arise that would allow them to come back.
I have a pretty good "BS detector" and I remember thinking that their statements didn't smell like BS at all. You can usually tell when someone is simply being diplomatic, versus someone genuinely excited about something. HBC's public pronouncements seemed genuine. For what that's worth anyway.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by L'homard

When they were in Moncton, as well as when they were leaving Moncton, every public statement HBC made about the Metro Moncton marketplace was that they couldn't wait for the opportunity to arise that would allow them to come back.
I have a pretty good "BS detector" and I remember thinking that their statements didn't smell like BS at all. You can usually tell when someone is simply being diplomatic, versus someone genuinely excited about something. HBC's public pronouncements seemed genuine. For what that's worth anyway.

I absolutely agree with you. I also thought their regret over leaving Moncton was genuine and that they had every intent on returning.

Times change though, and now they have hedge fund investors in their corporation who care about nothing but maximizing their return. These sort of vultures couldn't care less about Moncton.

I remain modestly optimistic though. I'm just guarded in my optimism. We shall see.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Yes, HBC is suffering the effects of expanding too quickly and swallowing too many high end retail chains stateside. This and their European expansion has caused them problems.

Last year I would have been quite confident about them swooping into CF Champlain and taking over the Sears space. This year, I'm not so sure........

HBC when it was a fully Canadian Company they wanted back in to Moncton, and now it does not seem to be the same sentiment with the vultures seemingly in charge of picking locations. HBC was fairly busy despite being in a dying downtown mall, an would have. Probably done better in another location like the Sears location in Dieppe. Despite the mall being dead except Sobeys most of the food court, and The Bay it seemed they where keeping each other up.

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Also, the Toys R Us Canadian unit is apparently profitable. This gives me confidence that the stores up here will escape relatively unscathed from the current bankruptcy filing.

There is some damage to T.R.U. Canada. I'm wondering if they tried to rob Peter to pay Paul as some would say, and it backfired, and cause the damage we see.