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Hudson's Bay Company

Well, seems like things are pretty much over (aside from the Oxford/Riocan drama)

Ruby got rid of her retail team (via Retail Insider)

Some other interesting things to note from the article:
  • HBC seems to have given up on selling the leases and has moved to disclaim them. This means that as long as landlords don't object, they'll take control of the former stores on Nov 27.
  • HBC disclaiming the leases basically kills any ability for Ruby to appeal the court decision, which she had planned to do
 
I could see Mark's morphing into an Eddie Bauer or LL Bean type of store focused on workwear and outdoor clothing, possibly combined with some of CT's sporting goods department (i.e. camping), which ties into HBC's "outfitter" history.
 
TossYourJacket said:
Well, seems like things are pretty much over (aside from the Oxford/Riocan drama)

Ruby got rid of her retail team (via Retail Insider)

Some other interesting things to note from the article:
  • HBC seems to have given up on selling the leases and has moved to disclaim them. This means that as long as landlords don't object, they'll take control of the former stores on Nov 27.
  • HBC disclaiming the leases basically kills any ability for Ruby to appeal the court decision, which she had planned to do
Click to expand...
Well, thankfully these leases will be in safe hands after months of nail-biting. I imagine the creditors are upset but I'm sure HBC would be bleeding cash to keep these leases any further.

It's too bad Ruby paid $6M for leases that would have been hers again anyway. And now, they aren't even planning on doing anything Ruby Liu related with them, when she's all the way in Thailand without a care in the world. This stuff makes you wonder, truly.
 
I've mused about converting the lower level of The Bay into a continuous part of the PATH and it's certainly looking that way. Cadillac Fairview has partitioned the lower level into PATH like "city blocks".

Without much imagination, you can see these becoming rows of stores.

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It continues onto the newly redeveloped PATH under the Sheraton Centre.

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With the legal process winding down, I wonder if we'll begin to see hints of leases down here, likely first along the busy route from the Bay Adelaide Centre PATH to the Queen subway, then later filling in with stores towards the Sheraton Centre.
 
junctionist said:
What are these landlords going to bring in to fill the empty department stores with? A food hall or a giant Nike store? Another Target or Nordstrom whose credentials will impress the landlords but who won't try hard here and will fail after a couple of years? I'll take the new homegrown department store idea over any of that, even if it seems crazy.
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There are rumours that Queen Street, between Church and York, could remain permanently closed to vehicles even after the Ontario Line opens. This would create an expansive civic precinct linking City Hall, Old City Hall (soon to potentially house the Toronto Museum), the Cenotaph, and a pedestrian promenade. The lower floors of the former Hudson’s Bay could be reimagined to front this new public space with flagship retail stores. Since CF owns both the Eaton Centre proper and the former Simpson’s building, there wouldn’t be internal competition for tenants — creating an opportunity for some of the mall’s flagship brands, such as Roots, Indigo, or Apple, to “move outside” while still remaining part of CF’s portfolio.
 
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JasonParis said:
There are rumours that Queen Street, between Church and York, could remain permanently closed to vehicles even after the Ontario Line opens. This would create an expansive civic precinct linking City Hall, Old City Hall (soon to potentially house the Toronto Museum), the Cenotaph, and a pedestrian promenade. The lower floors of the former Hudson’s Bay could be reimagined to front this new public space with flagship retail stores. Since CF owns both the Eaton Centre proper and the former Simpson’s building, there wouldn’t be internal competition for tenants — creating an opportunity for some of the mall’s flagship brands, such as Roots, Indigo, or Apple, to “move outside” while still remaining part of CF’s portfolio.
Click to expand...

I'm going to tell you that the former Mayor's office shot this idea down. It would have allowed less/no disturbance of the Osgoode Hall forecourt/garden.

****

Putting that one side, I don't know whose starting these rumours, but the main access to the City Hall parking garage is going nowhere. So a total closure is not on. Its not that I'm opposed, its that it would almost certainly require the complete shutdown of the garage, and I'm not aware of anyone taking that idea seriously.

Shutting Queen between Yonge and Bay, on the other hand is viable.

York to University is also viable.

Its that middle bit that causes issues. Creating/enlarging any other access point creates or worsen as many problems as it solves.

The middle section could be dramatically improved though, w/the the removal of the slip lane at Bay/Queen, the south side entrance to the parking garage, and possibly eliminating one lane EB entirely.
 
nightstreak said:
I've mused about converting the lower level of The Bay into a continuous part of the PATH and it's certainly looking that way. Cadillac Fairview has partitioned the lower level into PATH like "city blocks".

Without much imagination, you can see these becoming rows of stores.

It continues onto the newly redeveloped PATH under the Sheraton Centre.

With the legal process winding down, I wonder if we'll begin to see hints of leases down here, likely first along the busy route from the Bay Adelaide Centre PATH to the Queen subway, then later filling in with stores towards the Sheraton Centre.
Click to expand...

The plans are to simply re-open the PATH through the site through a pathway that meets fire code. Lena is re-opening at the south-east corner, and the bridge to the Eaton Centre will be reopening too. WeWork and Arcadian Court are also still operational so these changes are just making sure connections exist between all of these uses, the street, PATH, and TEC.

There are no plans for retail or continuing PATH retail into the space in the interim.
 
nightstreak said:
I've mused about converting the lower level of The Bay into a continuous part of the PATH and it's certainly looking that way. Cadillac Fairview has partitioned the lower level into PATH like "city blocks".

Without much imagination, you can see these becoming rows of stores.

View attachment 693882
View attachment 693879View attachment 693888View attachment 693887

It continues onto the newly redeveloped PATH under the Sheraton Centre.

View attachment 693885View attachment 693886

With the legal process winding down, I wonder if we'll begin to see hints of leases down here, likely first along the busy route from the Bay Adelaide Centre PATH to the Queen subway, then later filling in with stores towards the Sheraton Centre.
Click to expand...
So the basement of the former Hudson’s bay will be a new PATH corridor with new shops?
 
JasonParis said:
Since CF owns both the Eaton Centre proper and the former Simpson’s building, there wouldn’t be internal competition for tenants — creating an opportunity for some of the mall’s flagship brands, such as Roots, Indigo, or Apple, to “move outside” while still remaining part of CF’s portfolio.
Click to expand...

You know, it never crossed my mind but yes, I can see that. Apple has a penchant for restoring old buildings into flagship stores. The Smpson's building is obviously way too big but I could see them taking Saks' Queen and Yonge corner, maybe a couple of floors. Between the newly restored 2 Queen West, the old Bank of Montreal heritage building (soon to be an Ontario Line entrance) and a restored Simpson's building, it'll be quite a beautiful intersection.
 
torontowest91 said:
it can be nice to get into the mall without going through queen street subway (especially if you are shopping on Level 2 or 3)
Click to expand...
Oh yeah. Personally I often come into the former HBC store from the PATH from the Sheraton Centre, then have to cross over into TEC via Queen Station which understandably is very busy at rush hour. Being able to just go up to the second floor inside the HBC store, avoid Queen station and already be on the floor I want to be on to exit the mall from at Yonge-Dundas would make my commute home a lot nicer.
 
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