Square One Shopping Centre

[Dan416]

Holt's is a bit out of place at Square One. But I wouldn't say all the luxury brands are misplaced at Square One. I think certain ones make some sense. Like I wouldn't necessarily call Zara "high end" but it is a higher price point and it seems to be doing well. I think an Abercrombie or Hollister wouldn't be out of place at Square One. But anything super high end wouldn't really do well.

Square One is a regional mall, and it's a big mall. It can support both low end and some high end. I don't see any problem with them catering to both high and low end customers. They're more like Eaton Centre than Yorkdale or Sherway.

 

[sixrings]

it really does feel like that. i've heard lots of stories about them screwing people out of their leases or forcing renovations, so i feel like that's what's going on right now- if you can't move your store, you're pretty much going to get shut down for a bigger, busier retail store. for the past year, every time i'd go, there was a store i saw closing every week. i even saw the Journeys and Conspiracy Comics get shut down in real time where the manager is boxing up products with the gates down, taking down decals etc... the mall's losing usefulness for me

sleep country is in the high-markup business of mattresses, having a sleep country in your mall is pretty much a guarantee on rent for that reason. it's a money printing business. sunrise/HMV got booted out of square one for a sleep country, go figure

as for holt's at square one, i've never seen that place busy. i think more people go to walmart than holts, which seems obvious, but i feel like that highlights an oversight in how Oxford is trying to run that place. i dont think people are bustling for luxury items these days

Of course more people go to Walmart. But a scarf at Holts is the same cost as a weeks groceries at Walmart. That’s how they turn a profit and it’s why luxury malls are striving and owners are trying their best to cater to that crowd.

As for oxfords leasing practices. The Yorkdale formula is once your lease expires you have to move. Which means that stores are always renovated. Which keeps the mall upscale. If you can’t afford to renovate then Oxford doesn’t want you in there anyways. I think it’s pretty tough but the user experience is what matters and it seems to work.