News on retail chains (was: New Mall Retail)

[Duke-of-East-York]

Would an expansion for Sherway ever be in the cards? They could easily handle and attract top tenants to a 30 store expansion.

Getting rid of key retailers like Nike and Miss Sixty shows they are struggling on the space front. These are prime tenants to have and a feather in any mall's cap. Others like Starstruck - I'm glad to see go. Starstruck did not fit in at all with the mall, and looked like something from Woodbine Centre than anywhere else.

I hope Sporting Life gets a renovation. The store looks like it hasn't been touched since the early 1990s, when they always have elaborate store displays and strong sporting goods brands for sale.

 

[Dan416]

Would an expansion for Sherway ever be in the cards? They could easily handle and attract top tenants to a 30 store expansion.

Getting rid of key retailers like Nike and Miss Sixty shows they are struggling on the space front. These are prime tenants to have and a feather in any mall's cap. Others like Starstruck - I'm glad to see go. Starstruck did not fit in at all with the mall, and looked like something from Woodbine Centre than anywhere else.

I hope Sporting Life gets a renovation. The store looks like it hasn't been touched since the early 1990s, when they always have elaborate store displays and strong sporting goods brands for sale.

There's been talk of Sherway adding a second floor for a couple decades now.

 

[Kingsway]

I don't think Sporting Life did ANY renovations after they took it off Bretton's hands. It was supposed to be a trial deal and SL got a sweetheart deal, obviously things have worked out for both parties. Its funny, I was sitting waiting for my wife to try something on and I noticed the same thing about how dated the base building was. Your eyes get thrown off by the cool displays and piles and piles of merch.

If Sherway was to expand I believe they will contemplate another racetrack that would loop from the Pottery Barn entrance over to the Lululemon entrance. Holts apparently wants to add a second floor. I think a second floor on the whole mall would be way too much. Ideally Sears would disappear and they could proceed with Whole Foods and maybe a small section of "lifestyle" mall and good restaurant pads.

 

[urbanizer]

sherway is missing so much and seeing a store like nike go is really weird, also they dont have any restaurants at all (only pickle barrel i believe)?? They could easily do with at least two more, if they were to get an expansion i could picture a huge cheesecake factory going in as the first canadian location.

 

[Dan416]

Yes Cheescake Factory please!

 

[urbanizer]

Yes Cheescake Factory please!

that would be really awesome if that did happen, I wish we could just get one already...

 

[emcee]

that would be really awesome if that did happen, I wish we could just get one already...

Sadly, not going to happen anytime soon. A close friend of mine met the guy who handles new locations for Cheesecake at a trade show, he said that they would be looking to expand to Europe before Canada. I really don't understand this, but apparently they are concered about the logistics of opening up one or two only in Canada. The shareholders of Cheesecake should demand they open throughout Canada. I'm sure it would be a huge success. Keep on emailing them...I do every so often, maybe someone there will wake up. I think they just don't understand Canada, it's too bad considering how much better our economy is.

 

[urbanizer]

yea they could easily do with at least 5 locations to start up with like in whistler, vancouver, toronto, calgary and maybe in quebec too?
how about niagara falls?

 

[emcee]

I think they would all be huge money makers. Can't imagine them not doing better then their latest opening in out of all places.....Delaware :0

 

[Dan416]

yea they could easily do with at least 5 locations to start up with like in whistler, vancouver, toronto, calgary and maybe in quebec too?
how about niagara falls?

They could definitely do a couple locations in the GTA, one in Vaughan and one in Mississauga. One in Montreal, one in Vancouver, one in Calgary. I could see the problem with them just having one store in each city though. Though I don't think logistically speaking Europe would be easier for them to do. Abercrombie & Fitch opened here before in Europe.

 

[Tuscani01]

You would think an Eaton Centre location for any store would be a very well performing store. I wonder if Pottery Barn is leaving by choice or whether their lease was up and someone else offered more money for the space?

Well performing, but rent is probably way too much, even for large retailers to actually profit there. I know Canadian Tire has yet to profit at the Eaton Centre, yet it has more customers than any store in Canada. Its the only store downtown that does not offer profit sharing to employees because there is not enough to be shared.

 

[Dan416]

Well performing, but rent is probably way too much, even for large retailers to actually profit there. I know Canadian Tire has yet to profit at the Eaton Centre, yet it has more customers than any store in Canada. Its the only store downtown that does not offer profit sharing to employees because there is not enough to be shared.

If that's the case, why is the Canadian Tire still there?

 

[pw20]

They could definitely do a couple locations in the GTA, one in Vaughan and one in Mississauga. One in Montreal, one in Vancouver, one in Calgary. I could see the problem with them just having one store in each city though. Though I don't think logistically speaking Europe would be easier for them to do. Abercrombie & Fitch opened here before in Europe.

I think large companies such as Cheesecake Factory have issues with higher raw food prices in Canada versus US. You can't compare Abercrombie in terms of raw material costs... Remember Olive Garden closed most of their Canadian locations. In terms of opening a Quebec location - often its the last stop when entering the Canadian marketplace for a foreign company. Old Navy, Banana etc... opened up in Quebec years after they opened in Alberta/Ontario.

Canada's chain resto marketplace is very different - Milestones/Earls don't compare in terms of pricing and food offering.

Not to say the Cheesecake Factory won't open - but there are sig barriers to entry.

 

[khris]

I decided to e-mail The Cheesecake Factory, and suggest them to open in Toronto. Here is the response:

Dear Mr. Ranger:

Thank you for your interest in The Cheesecake Factory. We are flattered that you feel that our brand would be a success in Toronto, Canada. Our plan at this time however, is to focus on growing our company within the continental United States and Hawaii, rather than other markets. We hope that you will have the opportunity to visit us very soon.

Thank you for contacting us and have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,
Valarie Newell
Guest Services Coordinator

 

[Tuscani01]

If that's the case, why is the Canadian Tire still there?

Its a way to get the brand out there. A form of advertising. No dealer wanted to run that store because of that. Home office had to provide incentives in order to get someone to run it.