IMPROVE - Canada’s largest home improvement centre

[James]

I didn't see any existing threads on this large mall in development around Keele & Steeles but it definitely sounds like an interesting retail project. Apparently 320,000 sq.ft. designed for around 400 retailers in the construction and home renovation industry. I'm curious to see the level of impact on Home Depot, especially when there's one just a half block away on Steeles.

http://www.improvecanada.com/

 

[Johnny Au]

The home improvement centre is actually closer to Keele and 407 at the intersection of Keele and Snidercroft.

 

[interchange42]

Here's what it looked like when I went by on June 25th:

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[James]

Thanks for adding the update photos. Looking at the renderings online, it looks like this mall will end up similar to, say, Pacific Mall in Markham or Shops at Aura downtown, where each vendor acquires a "booth."

Some of the "booths" look to be a little larger and open concept. Reminds me kind of an industry tradeshow.

 

[interchange42]

Does Improve portend the death of the annual home shows?

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[cruzin4u]

I was actually going to suggest that it looks like a permanent home show or rather a reno pacific mall.

 

[James]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Pacific Mall cubicle/booth style retail space. I find it a little too cookie cutter and gives me the impression of a "pop up" store.

From a home show perspective, I agree, it would seem kind of like a Construct Canada tradeshow or a Fall Home Show by the "exhibition hall" style design and layout of the retail space. I'm very curious if this format will work successfully or if it will turn people off due to the open market feel of the mall.

 

[Johnny Au]

At least the corridors' names are for internal use only, unlike Pacific Mall, where the corridors are named after streets in Hong Kong.

 

[James]

I was also curious how the retailers in this mall would handle inventory. Are these booths intended primarily to be an front office / marketing booth for the vendor? Or are they actually going to stock construction/home reno related products in here?

The space seems limited so I initially figured it'd just be like a mini showroom where the customer would come in for "consultations" or to examine their "mini showroom" but would have to go to the vendor's main warehouse to pick up the actual items. If it does work this way, I'm not sure that they'd really be a competitor to Home Depot since most shoppers at Home Depot simply walk in, grab what they need off the shelf, pay and leave.

Anyway, I'm probably overthinking this whole mall concept and should just visit it when it's fully open for business.

 

[James]

At least the corridors' names are for internal use only, unlike Pacific Mall, where the corridors are named after streets in Hong Kong.

Interestingly enough, I've never actually used or identified the corridors at Pacific Mall by those street names. I don't go to that mall much at all, so I usually just wander around aimlessly until I finally locate the retailer I was looking for!

 

[howdy]

Took a visit to this. Seems only half full right now. Not sure when it opened.

 

[Mel Pizza Nova is My Fav]

This is scary . . . I live right in the area and I didn't even know they were there. Doesn't bode well for traffic. I hope they do okay because I always liked independents more than big box stores.

 

[James]

^ Well, it's been a year since this thread began and, to date, I still haven't really heard much or seen a lot of marketing for this mall. I also haven't talked to anyone who has actually been inside (myself included).

 

[someMidTowner]

^ Well, it's been a year since this thread began and, to date, I still haven't really heard much or seen a lot of marketing for this mall. I also haven't talked to anyone who has actually been inside (myself included).

There are commercials on the radio and CP24 every day. I have seen it on bus stops out in the burbs too.

 

[James]

There are commercials on the radio and CP24 every day. I have seen it on bus stops out in the burbs too.

That's good to know. Thanks for pointing that out. I've somehow managed to avoid running into any kind of marketing for this center!

I do still intend on checking this place out when I get a chance.