The Retail Thread

[Policy Wonk]

Is 'haymarket books' still around?

It was a weird little anarchist book store always good for a laugh.

[Jimby]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

Is 'haymarket books' still around?

It was a weird little anarchist book store always good for a laugh.

lol! that lasted a couple of months!

[Myke]

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

time for an updated list of new stores opening at Chinook...

Aerie
Abercrombie & Fitch
Anthropologie
A/X Armani Exchange
Boathouse
Burberry
Hollister Co.
Flatiron Grill
Michael Kors
BCBG MaxAzria
Mexx (relocation/expansion)
Teenflo
Diesel
Kiehl's
Coach
Godiva
Guess
Lacoste
Lego Store
Oakley
Skechers
Geox
Harry Rosen
Miss Sixty/Energie
Guess by Marciano
Apple
Forever XXI
Chop (outparcel next to theatres)
Phil & Sebastian
Chachi's
Swarovski
Browns
Calvin Klein Jeans
Via Uno
Joneve
DC Shoes
Le Crueset
Le Chateau Menswear
Bench
Lush
Steve Madden
Crisca
Volcom Jeans
Levis Store
Urban Outfitters
Magneta

A couple more added to the list...

Fossil
Stuart Weitzman
Roots (relocation)
Pusch
Nine West
Judith and Charles
Costa Blanca

[Plus15]

Clothier Brooks Brothers opens Calgary location
By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald August 17, 2010 9:25 AM

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/busines...#ixzz0wsYDfLLv


CALGARY - Legendary American clothier Brooks Brothers opens is third Canadian location in Calgary today - a three-storey retail store as part of the redevelopment of the downtown CORE shopping centre.

The 22,000-square-foot store will feature the brand's complete collection for men and women.

"We're thrilled to bring Brooks Brothers to Calgary and expect that the store will be welcomed as a fresh addition to the city's growing fashion market," said Claudio Del Vecchio, chairman and CEO of Brooks Brothers, in a news release. "Calgary has a rich corporate culture rooted in traditional clothing, but it is rapidly evolving to include new elements of style and comfort. As such, it is the ideal location for Brooks Brothers' next Canadian location."

Established in 1818, it now operates stores in the United States, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Chile, Canada and Dubai.

The first Canadian store opened in May 2009 in Vancouver with a Toronto store opening in August 2009.

[freeweed]

The BB location at Cross Iron looks ready to open any day now, too. Shelves fully stocked when I was there a few days ago.

[Myke]

^They're suppose to open tomorrow.

Here's an updated list on Chinook's expansion to open Sept 29th off their website.

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

*Note this is only the new stores in the expanded part not the existing mall

I noticed a couple of stores disappeared from the list; Diesel and DC Shoes.

[Plus15]

The CORE location has some great display windows on 8th Ave, new awnings and nice signage on the corner of the building. It carries Black Fleece, which is their higher end line, and the main level is actually 'Brooks Brothers Country Club' which is a casual line. Its a good score for the Core.

Crossiron Mills will be a Factory Store, so will either take sell-off merchandise from the main stores, or offer made-for-factory products that are of lesser quality.

[Plus15]

Also noticed that Eddie Bauer is relocating to the expansion, freeing up their current spot - and I have discovered that the adjacent Gap store is consolidating/downsizing its huge store into the south half of its current space. This will create a HUGE space for a new retailer...

PS - Thanks Myke for the updated list!

[Myke]

Update on CrossIron Mills stores coming soon.
-Disney Store Outlet (September)
-Pink by Victoria Secret (September)
-Lowe's (September)
-Costco (October?)
-Michael Kors Outlet (Fall 2010)
-Levi's Outlet
-Crocs
-Spirit Halloween
-Boathouse
Rest of the Entertainment Wing (late 2010)
including Boston Pizza

[Vascilli]

Bliss Cupcakes is moving into Chinook. If I recall it was by the Shoppers Drug Mart.

[Policy Wonk]

Will this Levi's outlet be a consolidated Levi/Dockers or just Levi?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Vascilli

Bliss Cupcakes is moving into Chinook. If I recall it was by the Shoppers Drug Mart.

This cupcake fad is going to end badly, with many bankruptcies. The market is far too over-saturated for what is a very niche product.

When it was unusual, and in out of the way "hip" places like Kensington, it was a special treat and people lined up all day long. Now that it's in shopping mall kiosks, I never see anyone buying any let alone lineups.

I give it a year tops before most of these places are completely broke. I hope Crave survives though, their stuff is still awesome.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by freeweed

I give it a year tops before most of these places are completely broke.

Bliss (and Crave and Buttercream) sell more than cupcakes. But I heard EXACTLY the same sentiment, word for word ("I give them a year, tops") from somebody when the first Crave was opening up. And that was, what, five years ago? Some trends die; some become routinized. 1980s fro-yo died. Sushi, which some people absolutely saw as a trend that would die a quick death in North America back in the Valley Girl days, has obviously gone in a different direction. Same with, say, futons. They never died. You just never know.

But as to Bliss- their best products aren't their cupcakes at all, IMO, but those fruit tarts they sell. Fantastic!

Also- Kensington is "out of the way"? You need to get out more.

[Innersoul1]

I imagine that Crave and Bliss make a killing on Weddings and parties alone.

I was watching a food show about Dean & Deluca and how they bought a ridiculous amount of balsamic vinegar back in the day and marketed it as "the latest and greatest thing." It was a "fad" that had lived to this day. Somewhat unrelated but interesting nonetheless.

[Jimby]

New Costco opening in Okotoks on August 26.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Also- Kensington is "out of the way"? You need to get out more.

Might have been not exactly the wording I meant, but I think you know what I mean. Kensington, for the vast majority of this city, is not a place you can just hop in the car and easily go on a regular basis. Parking is a nightmare and suburbanites are loathe to take the LRT anywhere. It's a "destination" for most people, ie: somewhere special. Not the place you go 10x a week with the kids and the mini-van and poochie in the cage in the back while you quickly run in for something. I'd have to think Kensington gets just a bit fewer shoppers than Chinook on a given day, with its acres of free parking.

There's a reason used book stores and head shops survive in such "out of the way" places. And why no one opens these types of stores in Chinook. Is a cupcake store more like that, or more like SportChek? I guess we'll have to see. I find people are willing to spend a fair bit extra at these "special" places. When they're at "the mall", most people are just going to look down the hall and thing "shit, for $3 I can get much more than a lousy cupcake".

I'm not claiming that *cupcakes* are a fad - that'd be stupid. Unlike sushi or balsamic vinegar, places have sold cupcakes for decades if not centuries in this country. What I think may be a fad is $3 buttercream cupcakes. When something appears completely out of the blue, and suddenly there are 10 of them everywhere, maybe it survives and maybe it doesn't. Again, I saw constant lineups at Crave but I've hardly seen anyone even eating the ones at Cross Iron.

Who knows, the cookie place is still going 25 years later...

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Bliss (and Crave and Buttercream) sell more than cupcakes. But I heard EXACTLY the same sentiment, word for word ("I give them a year, tops") from somebody when the first Crave was opening up. And that was, what, five years ago? Some trends die; some become routinized. 1980s fro-yo died. Sushi, which some people absolutely saw as a trend that would die a quick death in North America back in the Valley Girl days, has obviously gone in a different direction. Same with, say, futons. They never died. You just never know.

But as to Bliss- their best products aren't their cupcakes at all, IMO, but those fruit tarts they sell. Fantastic!

Also- Kensington is "out of the way"? You need to get out more.

I don't see how cake, in any form, could be considered a trend.

[cityscape_enthusiast]

Originally Posted by freeweed

This cupcake fad is going to end badly, with many bankruptcies. The market is far too over-saturated for what is a very niche product.

When it was unusual, and in out of the way "hip" places like Kensington, it was a special treat and people lined up all day long. Now that it's in shopping mall kiosks, I never see anyone buying any let alone lineups.

I give it a year tops before most of these places are completely broke. I hope Crave survives though, their stuff is still awesome.

I believe the Crave on 17th ave is already shut down. :s

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

I don't see how cake, in any form, could be considered a trend.

Cupcakes have existed for a long time (centuries?). I'm not claiming they're a trend.

However, it's hard to deny the fact that up until a few years ago, not a single business relied on cupcakes alone. Was this just some massive untapped market with limitless potential? Or could it just possibly be that people are hooked on the "new" thing, but there's no staying power?

I find it amazing that none of you can even conceive of this. Plenty of sole-product business ideas have failed miserably in the past. ESPECIALLY when one appears out of nowhere, and within a short period of time there are dozens of imitators. That has every hallmark of being a trend/fad.

Will people buy $3 cupcakes in 20 years time? I guess we'll find out. I still eat the damn things all the time, but it's hard to deny the evidence - Crave used to see lineups all the time. Its competitors see very little traffic. Crave may survive but I have a hard time envisioning a cupcake stand in every shopping mall 10 years from now.

[MichaelS]

Could the same argument be said about Smoothies? Booster Juice and all of its competitors still seem to be doing alright, and that is a relatively new "trend" I would say.