Woodbine Centre

[kade1064]

Also here is a newly video on (Woodbine Mall)...not done by me.

 

[kade1064]

And the owner's name & info for Woodbine mall is here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/issa-el-hinn-ba449b191/?originalSubdomain=ca

 

[J-M-Z]

Hypothetically speaking here, do you think Maggiano's would have fared better in the Woodbine Racetrack? The track is a better known tourist attraction, brings in more traffic, and has enough space to accomidate a full-sized restaurant.

 

[kade1064]

Hypothetically speaking here, do you think Maggiano's would have fared better in the Woodbine Racetrack? The track is a better known tourist attraction, brings in more traffic, and has enough space to accomidate a full-sized restaurant.

it could have worked

 

[J-M-Z]

Still trying to figure out what to get your loved ones this Christmas? Maybe product suggestions from this 25 year old
Woodbine Centre article (dated December 11th, 1997) can help:

Credit: Eugenio Arcilesi (Vintage Rexdale).

Going back to the present, the next picture made me do a double take:

At first glance, this pairing of kiddie rides in the Fantasy Fair might not seem out of place. The train on the left, however, contains the
face of Zeddy The Bear; the former mascot of Zellers..

The presence of Zellers continues to loom over the Woodbine like a nostalgic spectre.

 

[Maco in the 6]

Woodbine Center 1990

 

[J-M-Z]

Woodbine Center 1990

Excellent video. Older photos of Rexdale malls from the 70's - early 90's are hard enough to come by; but video footage? That's just something else.
Woodbine in it's prime with lots of promise.

 

[kade1064]

Looks like Burger King at (Woodbine Mall) is going to have competition...Slaps Burgers (Westwood Square Mall)

 

[ShonTron]

Here's the complete tenant list for Woodbine Centre in 1992. The mall was only 7 years old, and was owned and managed by Cadillac Fairview. From the 1993 Canadian Directory of Shopping Centres:

Anchors: The Bay and Sears (just opened, was Simpson's before), Marks & Spencer
Children's wear: Flora's, Just Kids
Ladies' wear: Addition-Elle, Antel's, Au Coton, Braemar, Braemar Petites, La Cache, The Cavery,, Cotton Plus, D'Allaird's, Dalmy's Emotions, Fairweather, Irene Hill, Jacob, La Jolie, Karuba, Lady Footlocker, Limite, Lindor, Liz Porter, Mia, Northern Reflections, Ports Int'l, Reitmans, Ricki's, Shirley K Maternity, Smart Set, Suzy Shier, Tabi Int'l, Tan Jay, Tristan, Tucci Fashions.
Men's wear: Casa Angelo, Petrocelle Uomo, Randy River, Star's Men's Shop, Steel, Tip Top, Tuxedo Royale.
Unisex/family wear: Benetton, Boca, Bootlegger, Canary Island, Le Chateau, Cotton Ginny, Frenz Leather, Jean Machine, Levi's 1850, Pantorama, The Pro Image, Stitches, Thrifty's, Willow Ridge.
Footwear/leather goods: Agnew, Aldo, Bata, Belinda & Brother, Bentley, Calderone, Florsheim, Foot Locker, Fredelle, K. Jamson, Kinney, The Little Shoemaker, Moneysworth & Best, Naturalizer, Pegabo.
Jewelry/accessories: Accessories for You, Ardene, The Joy of Sox, Mappins, Peoples, Relexions, Young's Jewelers.
Banks: Bank of Montreal, Canada Trust
Books and stationery: Classic Bookshop, Garfield, Grand & Toy, Hallmark, Moyer's The Teacher's Store, WH Smith.
Cleaners: Parker's Cleaners
Electronics: Bell Canada, Compucentre, Majestic, Radio Shack, Safe & Sound
Fabrics/sewing: Needle 'n Thread
Florist: Woodbine Florists
Furniture/furnishings: Brass Imports, Clocks Unlimited, Concept Galleries, Diamond Furniture, Lighting Unlimited, Pictures.
Gifts: A. David Soloway, China Panda, Den for Men, Jinny's China and Gifts, Party Hut, Rafters, Le Rouet
Hairstyling: The Cut Above, Da Vinci, You'nique Hairstyling
Hardware: Key Man, St. Clair Paint & Wallpaper
Health & beauty: Body Reform, Caryl Baker Visage, Enchante Perfume, Meryl Norman Perfumes, Shoppers Drug Mart, Tanatastic
Hobby/craft: Lewiscraft
Home appliances and housewares: House of Knives, Pot Pourri, Shaver Centre Fine Blade
Medical/dental: Eye-Exam Centre, Procare Medical Centre, Woodbine Dental
Music/ records and tapes: A&A, Discus, Music World
Optical: LensCrafters
Photo/camera: Black's, Japan Camera
Restaurants (stand-alone): McDonald's, J.J. Mugg's, Manfred's
Restaurants (food court): A&W, Abacus Cusine, Jimmy the Greek, KFC, London Style Fish & Chips, Los Rios, Made in Japan, Manchu Wok, Mr. Sub, New York Fries
Specialty food & drink: Baby O'Donuts, Baskin-Robbins, Bulk Barn, Dutch Treats, Kernels, Laura Secord, mmmarvellous mmmuffins, Timothy's Coffee, Yogurty's
Variety/convenience: Lottery Kiosk, Silver Dollar Store, United Cigar Store
Theatre/entertainment: Cineplex, Orville & Wilbur Family Games, Wizard's Castle
Toys: Toy World
Travel: Marlin Travel

 

[J-M-Z]

More classic Woodbine Centre pics and ad clippings. Courtesy of Eugenio Arcilesi:

A favourite location for many visitors of yesteryear: the long-gone JJ Muggs. On the right: the also vacated Sportchek.

Two patrons going towards the upper level of JJ Muggs. Circa 2007.

Not to mention, vintage ads:

 

[J-M-Z]

For the last two months, I was working as both an actor and team lead at the Distillery District's Winter Village.
Like the Woodbine Centre, the Distillery also contains a lovely Italian restaurant (Archeo) that is closed off to the general public.

Unlike Maggiano's however, Distillery's Italian restaurant continues to bring in revenue as the restaurant itself is available to be
rented out for private functions. Weddings, corporate events, seminars - I've seen them all during my stay; which got me thinking:
"why not Woodbine?"

Granted, the Woodbine is nowhere near downtown, nor is our beloved mall considered a tourist attraction by any stretch. But, it
does have lots of vacant spaces. Not to mention, Highway 27 all the way up to Albion rd. has been littered with banquet halls for
decades. If the owner isn't going to fill the spots with actual stores, rent them out to clients that will make use of them.

Just my random thoughts for the day.

 

[J-M-Z]

After a decade-long hiatus, Zellers is returning to Canada with 25 pop-up locations. Unfortunately, the Woodbine Centre isn't part of the list (yet)...

Here is where 25 new Zellers stores will open in Canada this year

After a years-long hiatus, Zellers has announced the locations of its first 25 store 'experiences.' The stores are set to open within Hudson's Bay locations across Canada in 2023. Here is a list of the locations.

www.ctvnews.ca

Do you think a full-scale Zellers like the days of old would help save Woodbine in 2023?

 

[Tim MacDonald]

After a decade-long hiatus, Zellers is returning to Canada with 25 pop-up locations. Unfortunately, the Woodbine Centre isn't part of the list (yet)...

Here is where 25 new Zellers stores will open in Canada this year

After a years-long hiatus, Zellers has announced the locations of its first 25 store 'experiences.' The stores are set to open within Hudson's Bay locations across Canada in 2023. Here is a list of the locations.

www.ctvnews.ca

Do you think a full-scale Zellers like the days of old would help save Woodbine in 2023?

No. Woodbine can only be saved if the owner wants it to be saved and quite clearly, he doesn't. That property is dying by a thousand cuts.

 

[kade1064]

No. Woodbine can only be saved if the owner wants it to be saved and quite clearly, he doesn't. That property is dying by a thousand cuts.

The SLUM lord owner for Woodbine mall...it's a shame, Zellers could actually work in that space...but...i think that Zellers should go to the empty Walmart space at Westwood square mall in (Mississauga/Malton)

 

[swigg]

Funny because there was a zellers there way back in the day.