[Moncton] Retail Thread - Page 244

NBNYer · #**4861** Posted **Jan 15, 2018, 12:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gehrhardt

There is quite a bit of activity going on at the new Costco site. A lot of excavation has already been done. Does anyone know what the proposed opening date is?

In the fall for sure. I think I remember someone mentioning a November opening date but not sure how reliable that is.

HanSoloCup · #**4862** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 1:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NBNYer

In the fall for sure. I think I remember someone mentioning a November opening date but not sure how reliable that is.

I believe late September or early October but probably October.

Scarface · #**4863** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 8:37 PM**

The old Tommy Hilfiger is all boarded up, and there is work going on but not sure what its going to be. No signs on the outside to say what it will be, or when it will be open.

DyAm00394 · #**4864** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 9:46 PM**

A Special Message To Moncton From "Celebrate"....

"Thank you Moncton!

After receiving overwhelming support from our Saint John customers, we decided to open a holiday pop-up shop in Moncton - and we were not disappointed! The shop is now closed for the season, but we hope to be back next year! Thank you for welcoming us into the community!"

Official Post On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celebratedi...type=3&theater

So Their Moncton Location Really Was A Pop-Up Holiday Location.

Anyways, I Hope You Guys Visit Their Store Here In Saint John!!!
(They're Located At Eastpoint Shopping Next To FYI Doctors & Across From The GAP At 11 Fashion Drive)

It's Such An Awesome Store To Shop At!!!!
I Love It So Much & I Hope You Do Too!!!

Thier Official Website: http://celebratedeals.com/

micks5477 · #**4865** Posted **Jan 17, 2018, 1:45 AM**

Now that we all now the future for Costco, thoughts have moved to what might become of the old Costco location. Here is an interesting read on the IKEA small scale stores expanding. Would Ikea be interested in the old Costco once they move???

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...showroom-mazes

MonctonRad · #**4866** Posted **Jan 17, 2018, 3:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by micks5477

Now that we all now the future for Costco, thoughts have moved to what might become of the old Costco location. Here is an interesting read on the IKEA small scale stores expanding. Would Ikea be interested in the old Costco once they move???

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...showroom-mazes

I think a smaller sized "pick-up & order point" IKEA is entirely plausible in the Moncton market. I think IKEA has committed to at least double their footprint in Canada by 2025. Some of these new stores will be of the smaller format variety. Most of these will be located in exurban areas around the big three Canadian metropoli, but there could be room for such stores in mid sized smaller Canadian markets as well.

Do I really think a pick-up & order point IKEA is on tap for Moncton? Not really, but it isn't beyond the realm of possibility. IKEA might be interested in establishing a presence in NB, and if so, Moncton would be the likely choice. Knowing Costco is moving, it would behoove CREIT (and perhaps Moncton city staffers) to approach IKEA to see what their intentions are, and to let them know about potential opportunities in the greater Moncton area.

The old Costco store will eventually be torn down. It will be replaced by a new retail plaza, probably consisting of 3-4 smaller sized big box stores. IKEA could occupy one of these retail units. The chances of an IKEA are slim, but only time will tell..........

MonctonRad · #**4867** Posted **Jan 19, 2018, 12:54 AM**

Structube is hiring a store manager for their new location in the Mapleton Centre.

https://ca.indeed.com/jobs?q=retail&...0bbd02d1c80147

MonctonRad · #**4868** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 2:57 AM**

Cara Foods has acquired the Keg for $200M

Quote:

Cara Operations Ltd. has further solidified its foothold in a more upscale dining mass market, acquiring Keg Restaurants Ltd. more than two decades after setting its sights on the Canadian steakhouse chain.

Cara, which has fortified its stature as the largest full-service dining operator in Canada through a series of acquisitions over the past four years, will also change its name as it seeks to distance itself from its legacy airline catering business that was sold off in 2010, chief executive Bill Gregson said Tuesday.

“Today’s announcement is about really making our brands better,” Gregson said, announcing details of the $200 million deal alongside David Aisenstat, the Keg’s chief executive. Aisenstat is joining Cara’s board as vice-chairman and will run a division of Cara dedicated to its premium restaurants. In addition to the Keg, the portfolio includes Milestones, Bier Markt, and Landing. Cara’s corporate name change was not revealed Tuesday, but will be made public after the deal closes this spring.

http://business.financialpost.com/ne...g-in-200m-deal

Cara basically owns the casual dining market in Canada. I wonder if they are potentially interested in the restaurant going into the new Hyatt Hotel next to the events centre? We've been speculating on Baton Rouge, but Bier Markt would be an ideal franchise to be located next to an arena. Milestone's would also be good, but speculation has been that Milestone's might locate in the Holiday Inn development off Mapleton Road, co-located with a Jack Astor's restaurant.........

gehrhardt · #**4869** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 12:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Cara Foods has acquired the Keg for $200M

http://business.financialpost.com/ne...g-in-200m-deal

Cara basically owns the casual dining market in Canada. I wonder if they are potentially interested in the restaurant going into the new Hyatt Hotel next to the events centre? We've been speculating on Baton Rouge, but Bier Markt would be an ideal franchise to be located next to an arena. Milestone's would also be good, but speculation has been that Milestone's might locate in the Holiday Inn development off Mapleton Road, co-located with a Jack Astor's restaurant.........

Mmm, +1 on Bier Markt

MonctonRad · #**4870** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 3:45 PM**

Toys "R" Us Canadian Stores Safe!

Recopied from the Fredericton thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddypop

No surprise....All 83 Canadian Toys R US to remain open. Company to close 180 stores in the US

https://www.bnn.ca/toys-r-us-to-shut...tores-1.977105

No surprise really, TRU (Canada) was always profitable, so it would make no sense to shutter any stores up here. 20% of the US locations however are going to close..........

Scarface · #**4871** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Toys "R" Us Canadian Stores Safe!

Recopied from the Fredericton thread:

No surprise really, TRU (Canada) was always profitable, so it would make no sense to shutter any stores up here. 20% of the US locations however are going to close..........

Good on Toy's R Us Canada.

I will say thought Unfortunatly it seems Safeway Canada is closing 20 more stores. Might mean more problems for Parent Company Sobeys They seem to be either selling off parts of the company, or just flat out closing stores for the passed decade+.

MonctonRad · #**4872** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 4:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarface

I will say thought Unfortunatly it seems Safeway Canada is closing 20 more stores. Might mean more problems for Parent Company Sobeys They seem to be either selling off parts of the company, or just flat out closing stores for the passed decade+.

It was always the western unit (including Safeway) which was causing grief for Sobeys. They were doing fine before they opted to sell off Empire Theatres and use the money to fund a western expansion.

I think they have just been seeing the folly of their ways and have decided to close some western stores which have always been underperforming. I don't think it was wise of Sobeys to go nationwide. They've been off balance ever since they adopted this strategy. I think they are gradually righting the ship. If anything they should be pruning their western footprint more vigorously than they already are......

MonctonRad · #**4873** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 4:43 PM**

Both Toys "R" Us locations in Maine are closing!!

The fate of the Bangor store may not be surprising (seeing how hollowed out the Hogan Road retail district is now), but I am really shocked that the Portland store is closing too!!!

I remember 20 years ago making the pilgrimage to Bangor with several excited children to shop at TRU a couple of times a year. Fond memories that now reflect a past that has disappeared forever......

EDIT:

The Portland store that is closing is a Babies "R" Us, so the TRU in Portland appears safe.

Ire Narissis · #**4874** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 6:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

It was always the western unit (including Safeway) which was causing grief for Sobeys. They were doing fine before that opted to sell off Empire Theatres and use the money to fund a western expansion.

I think they have just been seeing the folly of their ways and have decided to close some western stores which have always been underperforming. I don't think it was wise of Sobeys to go nationwide. They've been off balance ever since they adopted this strategy. I think they are gradually righting the ship. If anything they should be pruning their western footprint more vigorously than they already are......

I wish they'd kept their theatre business; I rather preferred the SJ theatre as it was under the Empire banner than as it is now. How's the Moncton location holding up?

MonctonRad · #**4875** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

I wish they'd kept their theatre business; I rather preferred the SJ theatre as it was under the Empire banner than as it is now. How's the Moncton location holding up?

Crystal Palace location is doing fine.

The Wheeler Park location is being neglected a bit, and during non holiday periods, usually they only have the theatre operational for the early evening showings (except on weekends when there are full-time hours). The Wheeler Park location badly needs to be revamped. I don't think the location is in jeopardy however as Crystal Palace only has eight screens. Moncton needs at least 12 screens (but with Wheeler Park has a total of 16 screens). For this reason, I'm hoping for a revamp of the Wheeler Park location at some point.......

MonctonRad · #**4876** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 12:49 AM**

And in the "take it for what its worth department", I was over at Champlain Place this evening and chatted up one of the clerks in a store down in the Sears wing of the mall.

I said to her that the wing was a lot quieter now with Sears gone (fishing for some information).

She responded in the affirmative but spontaneously volunteered that there was a new store already slated to move into the Sears space.

"Really" I said, "only a single store, I wonder who that could be"

She said she couldn't quite remember the name, but that it was a "department store", and that it was "out of Quebec" and that its name started with an "S".

Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that she was referring to Simons.

I wonder if this is the first concrete evidence that Simons is moving into Champlain Place, or if she was just repeating a circular rumour. Only time will tell, but she seemed pretty convinced that her information was accurate.

MonctonRad · #**4877** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 3:02 AM**

The Moncton PAC has deferred discussion of a request for variance for the new Costco on Granite Drive pending receipt of a traffic study.

This obviously won't impact the decision to build the new Costco here. That decision has already been made. In addition, despite the delay, Costco wants to open on time in the fall and I don't expect to see any change in the pace of site preparation while waiting for the decision.

stephan.richard · #**4878** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 4:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Both Toys "R" Us locations in Maine are closing!!

The fate of the Bangor store may not be surprising (seeing how hollowed out the Hogan Road retail district is now), but I am really shocked that the Portland store is closing too!!!

I remember 20 years ago making the pilgrimage to Bangor with several excited children to shop at TRU several times a year. Fond memories that now reflect a past that has disappeared forever......

EDIT:

The Portland store that is closing is a Babies "R" Us, so the TRU in Portland appears safe.

Wow talk about a decline in the what used to be the hot retail scene of the city of Bangor. I am thinking some of the decline started after the decline of the Canadian dollar. But I hope that the cities retail scene will improve over time.

MonctonRad · #**4879** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 12:49 PM**

This article in the Toronto Star states that since the future of the Canadian Toys R Us stores is ultimately tied to the fate of the US parent, that we shouldn't be rejoicing over the fact that the 83 Canadian stores have dodged the bullet (this time).

https://www.thestar.com/business/eco...us-stores.html

Toys R Us (Canada) is profitable, and indeed was profitable over the most recent holiday season too, but the US stores face stiff competition from Walmart, Target and Amazon. If the US unit ultimately fails, they could still drag Toys R Us (Canada) into final bankruptcy.

MonctonRad · #**4880** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 2:17 PM**

As just reported by a contributor to the Retail Talk & Share FB page:

The lululemon store at Champlain Place is to become permanent!!!

The Christmas pop-up shop was to test the market. I guess they were sufficiently pleased with the results to make the store permanent.

I wonder if they will refurbish the location they are currently in, or will they move into one of the vacant units elsewhere in the mall?

Again, FWIW, the sales clerk I was talking to last night at the mall who said that Simons was moving into the old Sears space, also mentioned that lululemon was going to become permanent. Maybe she knows what she's talking about.........