The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[SpongeG]

I noticed a few weeks ago that Le Chateau on south granville had shut down - they have closed a few of their stores around the city lately

its a pretty cool space where they were very bright and open - i haven't noticed if anything else has or is moving in yet

[SpongeG]

was out at park royal on saturday and they have some hoarding up inside the mall which says it will be a new entrance, and some of the shops along the outside under the parkade in the parking lot are all clsoed up and gone to make room for the expansion as the signage says - so seems its finally getting going

[SpongeG]

i wonder if starbucks will take over where payless shoes was or the BG...

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Kitty-corner Vancouver Starbucks to close down

Vancouver will soon no longer be city that has two Starbucks outlets kitty corner to each other.

One of the duelling coffee shops at Robson and Thurlow streets will close at the end of May due largely to a planned rent increase that has proved too steep — even for one of the most successful companies in the world.

Employees of the store on the southwest corner, underneath the Red Robin restaurant, were told Sunday night that the outlet will close at the end of May after a 24-year stint at that location.

The Starbucks that has occupied the northeast corner for 23 years, will remain.

"The lease was coming up, they couldn't come to agreement and so we are closing down," said employee Rodney Liong.

Starbucks said it's not because sales were down.

“There was enough business to stay open, absolutely,” said Starbucks vice-president Cindy Bokitch.

The details of the new lease demands are confidential, but CBC has learned that some Robson Street owners are demanding rents of up to $250 per square foot, or $375,000 a year for a 1,500-square-foot space.

“We would like it to be fair market because we do a lot of business in Vancouver, so we know what a fair market rent is,” said Bokitch.

Another sticking point was the notice provision. The owners wanted to be able to evict Starbucks with one-month's notice if it decided to demolish the building and redevelop the site.

...

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/kitty-corne...013459808.html

and what about that last part - redevelop the site? can they do that? it was done not that long ago and isn't robson street only allowed to have smaller buildings anyway?

[rxp]

Originally Posted by LotusLand

Pink by Victoria Secret is opening at metrotown.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/04/v...polis-burnaby/

some progress atleast.... cant wait for the full one!

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i wonder if starbucks will take over where payless shoes was or the BG...

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Kitty-corner Vancouver Starbucks to close down...............

Another sticking point was the notice provision. The owners wanted to be able to evict Starbucks with one-month's notice if it decided to demolish the building and redevelop the site. (bolding mine)
...

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/kitty-corne...013459808.html

and what about that last part - redevelop the site? can they do that? it was done not that long ago and isn't robson street only allowed to have smaller buildings anyway?

That caught me, too. Got me thinking, that with new zoning regulations, if passed or on the books, someone might have something, er, "less traditional" in mind. Hmmm . As you say, just what?

[LeftCoaster]

This wasn't supposed to be public yet but oh well...

HBC in talks to bring Bloomingdale’s to Canada
MARINA STRAUSS — RETAILING REPORTER
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, May. 01, 2012 6:00AM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, May. 01, 2012 8:20AM EDT


Hudson’s Bay Co. is in talks with New York-based Bloomingdale’s to bring the luxury department store to Canada.

The move to provide space to Bloomingdale's as a “store within a store” would represent a pre-emptive strike on the part of HBC chief executive officer Richard Baker, who is aiming to grab a bigger piece of the high-end fashion retail market before other foreign players arrive, industry sources said.

U.S. upscale department store chain Nordstrom Inc. (JWN-N55.86----%) is speaking to landlords in Canada to find space for its first stores in this country. But attractive retail space is at a premium and a bevy of merchants are chasing a limited number of choice locations, putting pressure on incumbents such as the Bay to move quickly to raise their profile and fight off rising competition.

“It’s the Bay’s way to fight fire with fire,” said Jeffrey Berkowitz, president of Aurora Realty Consultants, which advises retailers on picking real estate space. “It’s part defensive, and it’s part offensive. Nobody wants to be the one left behind.”

Mr. Baker, who would not comment, has already had a hand in reshaping the Canadian retail landscape since acquiring HBC in July of 2008. In a landmark $1.8-billion deal last year, the CEO sold most of the company’s discount Zellers store leases to U.S. rival Target Corp. The purveyor of cheap chic will open its first stores in Canada starting early next year, raising the stakes for a wide range of domestic retailers.

At the same time, the U.S. real estate magnate is racing to improve the ailing Bay under the leadership of seasoned merchant Bonnie Brooks, and the efforts are starting to pay off. She’s added an array of higher-end lines to the Bay, dropped poor sellers and introduced affordably fashionable TopShop boutiques in a licensing agreement with its British parent.

Now sources say Mr. Baker is in discussions to seal a similar deal with Bloomingdale’s, which is owned by Macy’s Inc. (M-N41.02----%) While the Bay has moved more upscale, it’s not generally as pricey as Bloomingdale’s, which is closer to Nordstrom in its price positioning. HBC’s U.S. department-store chain Lord & Taylor also doesn’t have as expensive an offering as Bloomingdale’s.

Bloomingdale’s, which doesn’t break out its results, has outperformed its parent’s namesake stores, holding on to its well-off customers with contemporary and stylish lines, said Mark Cohen, marketing professor at the Columbia Business School in New York and a former chief executive at Sears Canada Inc.

He said the Bay, along with Sears, Canadian Tire Corp. and others, is feeling the heat to fortify itself against anticipated stresses from the arrival of both Target and Nordstrom, if the latter comes here.

“I think Bloomingdale’s would be a welcome brand in Canada in select markets,” Prof. Cohen said.

The Bay is contemplating putting Bloomingdale’s shops within its Toronto store on Bloor Street West as well as inside one store apiece in Vancouver and Calgary, the sources said. Bloomingdale’s could begin rolling out in-store boutiques in Canada as early as the fall, they said.

The move would help Mr. Baker to fill space productively at his massive downtown Bay stores, Prof. Cohen said. “He’s got way too much space.”

Bloomingdale’s, which launched an e-commerce site in Canada last year, has benefited from a pattern of high-end North American retailers faring better than their mid-priced counterparts as affluent shoppers recovered faster from the recession than others, said Ian Thomas of retail specialist Thomas Consultants in Vancouver.

“Canadians are wealthier and healthier now on a per-capita basis than Americans,” he said. “Canadians have a greater appetite now for luxury goods.”

And foreign retailers have an appetite for Canada. Its shopping malls outperform their U.S. counterparts by almost 50 per cent in sales per square foot, Colliers International reported last week. While the average mall performance in the U.S. in 2011 was just above $400 (U.S.) per square foot, Canadian malls generated an average of almost $600, it found.

Nordstrom executives have said they’re looking for store locations in Canada but finding it tough to find them. The company is believed to be in negotiations with mall owner Cadillac Fairview over three outlets whose leases it recently bought back from Sears in Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ontent=2418504

Also there will be big news coming regarding Nordstrom in mid June.

[dreambrother808]

Great news. Love Bloomingdale's.

So this is perhaps what will be going in on the floor Men's is leaving, with Topshop below?

It makes sense now why they did that barebones reno of the Hugo Boss area.

Other benefits include fixing the outdated ceilings and floors on that level.

[SpongeG]

speaking of the bay - the diesel shop has moved to the basement since the old one is under renovation, part of the entrance on granville is hoarded up - is that where the new entrance to the top shop will go? and the sports store that was in the hallway from skytrain is now closed - they moved to seymour

[officedweller]

Personally, I think a "store within a store" for The Bay and Bloomingdales would be better with a vertical split - maybe with Bloomingdales taking the area around the set of escalators at the northeast corner of the store (which covers 4 floors from Skytrain level to level 2).
That would give the store a grand main level (high ceiling) and allow separation of men's and women's departments.
It could even have its own front entrance from the street and liven up that stretch of Seymour.

[VancouverguyDowntown]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Personally, I think a "store within a store" for The Bay and Bloomingdales would be better with a vertical split - maybe with Bloomingdales taking the area around the set of escalators at the northeast corner of the store (which covers 4 floors from Skytrain level to level 2).
That would give the store a grand main level (high ceiling) and allow separation of men's and women's departments.
It could even have its own front entrance from the street and liven up that stretch of Seymour.

Good suggestion. It would be great to have high ceilings. However the one issue I see is 'The Room' is located on the 2nd floor of the Northeast corner of the store, and it's a unique luxury concept generally not addressed within current Bloomingdale's stores. 'The Room' carries some of the same designers as the 'Designer Paradox' department at Bloomingdale's, but Nicholas Mellamphy's 'The Room' addresses a different strategy with more "fashion pieces" and fewer shops-within-store.

[suburbanguy25]

Bluenotes next to Zara will be closing at Metrotown by the end of this month.... also Sirens next to Tommy will close too.

[SpongeG]

making room for better stores eh, i heard metrotown has not been renewing a lot of leases in order to get more new retailers in

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by VancouverguyDowntown

Good suggestion. It would be great to have high ceilings. However the one issue I see is 'The Room' is located on the 2nd floor of the Northeast corner of the store, and it's a unique luxury concept generally not addressed within current Bloomingdale's stores. 'The Room' carries some of the same designers as the 'Designer Paradox' department at Bloomingdale's, but Nicholas Mellamphy's 'The Room' addresses a different strategy with more "fashion pieces" and fewer shops-within-store.

If they co-locate similar departments (i.e. target market, rather than merchandise mix) on the same floors (using a vertical split) - there could be better synergy than if they separated them by several floors (if all of Bloomingdales was in the basement) (i.e. customers wouldn't have to walk to different parts of the building).

[LotusLand]

Urban Outfitters at west 4th avenue opens may 10. 2 floors 8k sq ft.
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/05/u...s-may-10-2012/

[SpongeG]

best buy mobile has opened in lougheed town centre and coquitlam centre

lougheed has lost a lot of stores lately - urban behaviour, american eagle and has quite a few spots that are empty - seems to be hurting lately and the bay is always like empty of customers - yet the mall always seems to attract people - i guess they all shop at the walmart

also Novus TV has an office and maybe studio in the space above the 7-11 at alberni and thurlow - dollar tree still in the construction mode in the basement

[SpongeG]

the apple store looks like its going to be a big one in Coquitlam Centre - at least the size of the metrotown one - i can't recall what all the stores were here but it seems to be taking over 4 of their spots - tristan/america, mexx, crabtree & evelyn and one more at least used to be located here - there is a spot to the left that is currently empty

pics by me

[GeeCee]

Wow, that looks massive! I'm surprised that they would agree to take space in the 'old' part of the mall, however.

[SpongeG]

it's right open to the one east entrance so its got good sight lines

not really anywhere else in the mall would be a good spot for it

oh the jacob store in the mall has been downsized - almost half the store is no longer - some kind of pre-teen girls shop is opening up in the part closed off by jacob

[LotusLand]

The full TOPSHOP and TOPMAN open in October. Vancouver will apparently have the largest international shop in the world.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/05/t...-october-2012/

[officedweller]

Big article in today's vancouver Sun about the Bay's reno for Topshop/Topman and the new awning - WITH RENDER!

http://www.vancouversun.com/business...531/story.html

This render shows the Granville entrance with escalators direct to Topshop/Topman and the renovated Bay entrance adjacent to it. Nice to see the double height display windows restored.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business...531/story.html