Canadian Retail Thread

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

Do you guys actually get excited that all these American stores are opening here?

yes, yes I do

[freeweed]

When you live in Toronto and already have these stores, it's no big deal. But hell yes I get excited about them. When I travel to the US, I do nothing but shop. Sorry, but TipTop only has so much in the way of nice affordable men's dress clothing. Plus, it really really pleases the females in our lives (and as they say, happy wife = happy life).

As of right now, Calgary has maybe 10-20% of the stores I can find in any sizeable city in the US. It's a vast difference down south. Mind you, this will eventually take a lot of the fun out of vacations, so it's a mixed bag.

[WhipperSnapper]

If it looks good and the price is right than who cares if it's American or Swedish. I also don't care if it's from some massive multi-national chain either. It's mostly all manufactured in the same city factories anyways.

[Jay in Cowtown]

speaking of which, here's the new stores opening in the Chinook Centre expansion at the end of September...

A/X Armani Exchange (opening Dec 2010)
Abercrombie & Fitch
Aerie
Anthropologie (opening Nov 2010)
Apple
BCBG Max Azria
Bench
Bloke & Bird
Boathouse
Browns
Buffalo
Burberry
Calvin Klein
CHACHI's
Coach
Costa Blanca
Crisca
Discovery Hut (store expansion)
Ecco/Sole Comfort
Eddie Bauer
Femme by Sandra Angelozzi
Flatiron Restaurant & Bar (opening 2011)
Forever 21
Fossil
Geox
Godiva Chocolatier
Guess?
Harry Rosen
Hollister
Iris
Joneve Shoes
Judith & Charles (Teenflo)
Jugo Juice
Kiehl's
Koodo
Lacoste
Le Chateau Menswear
Le Creuset
Lush
Magenta
Marciano
Mexx/Mexx Kids
Michael Hill
Michael Kors
Miss Sixty / Energie
Nine West
Oakley
Pandora
Phil & Sebastian
Pusch
Roots
Skechers
Stuart Weitzman
Urban Outfitters (opening Nov 2010)
Via Uno

not to mention Lego, Volcom & Levis which opened recently

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by freeweed

When you live in Toronto and already have these stores, it's no big deal. But hell yes I get excited about them. When I travel to the US, I do nothing but shop. Sorry, but TipTop only has so much in the way of nice affordable men's dress clothing. Plus, it really really pleases the females in our lives (and as they say, happy wife = happy life).

As of right now, Calgary has maybe 10-20% of the stores I can find in any sizeable city in the US. It's a vast difference down south. Mind you, this will eventually take a lot of the fun out of vacations, so it's a mixed bag.

Surely Calgary has lots of good independent clothing outlets? It's the boutiques that have all the neat stuff. The chains are a giant snore. Honestly, I don't think I've ever stepped foot in the majority of these chains and I love clothes. Then again, I don't seem to be nearly as materialistic as most other people. Lining up for the opening of a store? Good grief! Are people's really lives that tedious and dull? (Not directed at any one in particular!)

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Surely Calgary has lots of good independent clothing outlets? It's the boutiques that have all the neat stuff. The chains are a giant snore. Honestly, I don't think I've ever stepped foot in the majority of these chains and I love clothes. Then again, I don't seem to be nearly as materialistic as most other people. Lining up for the opening of a store? Good grief! Are people's really lives that tedious and dull? (Not directed at any one in particular!)

As mentioned by someone else above, I don't care if it's a tiny 3' wide shop, or a large faceless chain. What I care about is variety and quality of merchandise, and price. Independent clothing stores (or "boutiques") tend to be either ridiculously expensive, open only during the day (you know, when real people work), or sell a lot of used garbage that hipsters think is great clothing. Which places like Hot Topic have now commoditized.

Do I personally line up for a store opening? Hell no. Do I look forward to some more retail variety and competition? HELL YES!

And to be honest I don't see anything different between lining up for an opening of a store, or lining up to get concert/show tickets (FAR more common occurrence). I just don't smugly assume that people's lives are "tedious and dull" because their interests are different than my own.

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by freeweed

As mentioned by someone else above, I don't care if it's a tiny 3' wide shop, or a large faceless chain. What I care about is variety and quality of merchandise, and price. Independent clothing stores (or "boutiques") tend to be either ridiculously expensive, open only during the day (you know, when real people work), or sell a lot of used garbage that hipsters think is great clothing. Which places like Hot Topic have now commoditized.

Do I personally line up for a store opening? Hell no. Do I look forward to some more retail variety and competition? HELL YES!

And to be honest I don't see anything different between lining up for an opening of a store, or lining up to get concert/show tickets (FAR more common occurrence). I just don't smugly assume that people's lives are "tedious and dull" because their interests are different than my own.

Exactly, I can remember not too long ago ('05) having to head south to buy almost everything I wore, now everything is here with the exception of a few sports stores that are light years better than Sport Chek... and I like the fact my money is staying in this city instead of Vegas, Houston, etc when I shop now.

I hope somebody has the balls to ask the hundereds of kids that will line up in front A&F and Hollister on Sept 29 why they aren't lining up at a small boutique instead.

[freeweed]

Annoyingly, clothing is still far cheaper down south. We're finally starting to see decent sales in Calgary but until very recently, I could easily save 30-50% on the exact same items by buying in the US. Especially shoes, we've noticed.

There still seems to be a good 20-25% premium on clothing up here. The same $20 shirt in the US is $25 here, that sort of thing. It doesn't exactly pay for a trip anymore, but it sure does make it cheap to hit up Vegas for a weekend and stock up for the year - if you avoid the casinos!

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by freeweed

There still seems to be a good 20-25% premium on clothing up here. The same $20 shirt in the US is $25 here, that sort of thing. It doesn't exactly pay for a trip anymore, but it sure does make it cheap to hit up Vegas for a weekend and stock up for the year - if you avoid the casinos!

Very True! but I swore if these stores opened here I would patronize them, and I'm sticking by it, now the problem I'm faced with is trying to find a pair of jeans I'd actually wear... I'm a little old to be wearing jeans with stupid flaps over the pockets or rips & tears!

I still buy all my running shoes and anything with a sports team logo on it in the US... way cheaper and way more selection than just fucking NHL stuff like here!

[miketoronto]

To be honest, I don't see the cheaper prices in the USA. I visit the US a lot and the exact same clothing is about the exact same price in Canada and the USA. In the only thing I found that really had a cheaper price in the USA was a jacket I just bought. The jacket was $100 cheaper in the USA. But other than that, shirts, pants, etc I never find are cheaper. And if they are only by a dollar or two.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

To be honest, I don't see the cheaper prices in the USA. I visit the US a lot and the exact same clothing is about the exact same price in Canada and the USA. In the only thing I found that really had a cheaper price in the USA was a jacket I just bought. The jacket was $100 cheaper in the USA. But other than that, shirts, pants, etc I never find are cheaper. And if they are only by a dollar or two.

Much of it obviously depends on what you buy and where you shop. The ones that came to mind earlier are some Banana Republic t-shirts I'm newly fond of. $20 in the US, $25 in Canada for the exact same shirt, exact same store. And the US stores have far more frequent sales (20% off, etc), although again that's finally changing here with the recession and all.

Canada also does not have a lot of selection for cheap Men's dress clothes - Van Heusen as a start. You simply cannot find a $12 Men's dress shirt in this country that isn't at Value Village. But it's more than just that. Even slightly better brands (Geoffrey Beene) that are regularly on sale at Macy's just never seem to get cheap here. $30 US, $50+ at the Bay in Canada.

You guys in Toronto might face stiffer cross-border competition so stores there might have to lower their prices. Calgary unfortunately is too far to do a day trip to anywhere in the US for shopping. Maybe that's part of it.

Hint for Jay re: jeans without rips/flaps in Canada: Old Navy. They still sell some of the plainest jeans around. They're definitely not designer fashions but they're comfy as all hell, and cheap.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Surely Calgary has lots of good independent clothing outlets? It's the boutiques that have all the neat stuff. The chains are a giant snore. Honestly, I don't think I've ever stepped foot in the majority of these chains and I love clothes. Then again, I don't seem to be nearly as materialistic as most other people. Lining up for the opening of a store? Good grief! Are people's really lives that tedious and dull? (Not directed at any one in particular!)

the store give away gift cards thats why they line up - when H&M opened they gave cards away as high as $500 most were not that hight but ranged from $10 + up free stuff is worth lining up

as for more US stores here - when you can't get to the states everyday its nice to have the stores here - besides online shopping has made it less exciting anyway - loads of US stores without stores physically in canada ship here so you can shop there

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

To be honest, I don't see the cheaper prices in the USA. I visit the US a lot and the exact same clothing is about the exact same price in Canada and the USA. In the only thing I found that really had a cheaper price in the USA was a jacket I just bought. The jacket was $100 cheaper in the USA. But other than that, shirts, pants, etc I never find are cheaper. And if they are only by a dollar or two.

you must shop high end or something - most clothes expecially shoes are so much cheaper - maybe its in the west where things are cheaper - you can get converse at ROSS for $15 plus a pair of sketchers which is like $100 here is like $45 at Kohls

[SpongeG]

Buffalo Wild Wings to expand operations to Canada


BANGALORE (Reuters) - U.S. restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings said it plans to expand into Canada and would open more than 50 company-owned and franchised restaurants in the next five years there.

The expansion, which will be its first outside the United States, will add over 3,500 jobs, with each restaurant looking to hire between 50 to 75 employees, the casual dining chain said in a statement.

The company, known for its Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings, said Southern Ontario will be home to the first two locations, slated for spring 2011.

Minneapolis-based Buffalo Wild Wings, which has over 680 locations across 43 U.S. states, will also look to expand in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, it said in a statement.

...

http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/1...ns-canada.html

http://www.buffalowildwings.com/

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the store give away gift cards thats why they line up - when H&M opened they gave cards away as high as $500 most were not that hight but ranged from $10 + up free stuff is worth lining up

My favourite hobby ... lining up for free stuff ... beats working ... usually some eye candy too

[jlowry24]

Kohl's and Target have talked about expanding to Canada in the next few years, so that should help. I've probably bought about 90% of my clothes in the US the past few years - better prices, service and selection, not to mention actual outlet malls (CrossIron Mills doesn't count!) I wonder if Zellers could survive Target coming to Canada? I'm always surprised by how junky their stores are, even the ones that were recently renovated.

[miketoronto]

Originally Posted by jlowry24

Kohl's and Target have talked about expanding to Canada in the next few years, so that should help. I've probably bought about 90% of my clothes in the US the past few years - better prices, service and selection, not to mention actual outlet malls (CrossIron Mills doesn't count!) I wonder if Zellers could survive Target coming to Canada? I'm always surprised by how junky their stores are, even the ones that were recently renovated.

I do 90% of my clothes shopping in Quebec. Better selection, unique designs you can only get in Quebec, and great prices. And they are local Quebec only stores which give back to their communities.

Target is just like Zellers. I don't understand why people think these stores are so much better than Zellers. They all carry the exact same stuff. Really there are only so many cleaning products and cheap plastic closet dividers. And Zellers has them all.

I think we are stuck with the grass is greener on the other side.

[SpongeG]

zellers is not the same

target teams up with hot designers like john derian, michael graves, rachel ashwell, jean paul gaultier, liz lang, jemma kid, zac posen, thomas o'brien, liberty of london etc.

zellers teams up with Alfred sung


thisislavie.com


thisislavie.com


sweetcontemplation


3.bp.blogspot.com


daily vogue


4.bp.blogspot.com

[jlowry24]

I (and many other people) think Target is better because...well, it's better. Both stores have red colour schemes; that's the only similarity as far as I'm concerned. Zellers stores tend to be old, dark and dingy, with merchandise strewn all over the floors. The one closest to me (Market Mall, Calgary) was renovated a couple of years ago, but even so it looks about one step above a flea market. On the few occasions I go there to look for something specific, I'm usually greeted by an empty shelf. Target stores are clean, bright and attractive. I can always find what I'm looking for, and the clothes I've bought there over the last few years have held up really well.

It's not just a case of "because it's American, it's automatically better"...I think that Wal-Mart and Sears in Canada are nicer than their American counterparts. I'm just really not sure how Zellers stays in business, and I don't think they'd last long if Target made a major expansion here. Of course, they could just buy Zellers (as has long been rumoured) and kill two birds with one stone!

[ZeDgE]

Originally Posted by jlowry24

I'm just really not sure how Zellers stays in business, and I don't think they'd last long if Target made a major expansion here. Of course, they could just buy Zellers (as has long been rumoured) and kill two birds with one stone!

That would be nice. Zellers are shit for the most part. I would rather go to Walmart SuperCentre. I would also like to see ROSS come up here and buy out Winners.

Cross Iron is not too bad though. Funny story. Picked up a pair of Lucky Jeans in the states for $30 bucks, thought that was an awesome deal. Was at Cross Iron a few weeks ago and went into the Lucky store, picked up the same pair (slightly different color) for $19.95. LOL Score one for Canada!