Waterloo Town Square Mall

[Anderson3133]

If you have a town with two shoe stores, they will each do stronger sales if located next to one another than if they are far apart. I suspect that when it comes to luxury products and services (like iPads, et al.) this phenomenon is doubly true. It's partly what makes retail districts (malls included) such attractive, successful destinations: they drive discretionary spending as people shop as a form of recreation, as opposed to shopping only for real needs.

With the recent arrival of Google (and potentially Facebook in the near future) in the North-end of Downtown, the rebranding of the Warehouse District to the Innovation District, and the growing desire for urban activity centres in general, a focused cluster of like-minded tech retailers might do quite well (even if they're all selling iPads).

But this comparison is different. Shoe stores tend to carry different varieties, colours, etc. whereas Carbon Computers was acting as a supplement to Apple and its lack of presence in the region.

However, I agree with Panamaniac in that this should get back on track to The Shops and LuLuLemon's seasonal store. As far as I'm aware they are looking at longer term options, based on rumblings from a friend within the company, and will likely look for a downtown core spot or mall presence. Ideally, they would locate in Uptown near two of the major Yoga studios which are Moksha and Bikram Hot Yoga on Belmont.

[metropolis]

The popup store this year has a considerably bigger presence than the store last year did. We are talking a proper sign (if memory serves there was no sign last year), double to store size and therefore a much better selection of wears. If this store does not draw the volume of traffic and sales they desire then there is no market Uptown for LL. Last year's store it could be argued was setup to fail with its limited size and selection.

[Anderson3133]

The popup store this year has a considerably bigger presence than the store last year did. We are talking a proper sign (if memory serves there was no sign last year), double to store size and therefore a much better selection of wears. If this store does not draw the volume of traffic and sales they desire then there is no market Uptown for LL. Last year's store it could be argued was setup to fail with its limited size and selection.

I still find that a lot of people are unaware that LuLuLemon is here or that it was here in the past. I think a stronger marketing effort would ensure seasonal success especially to the student population in the region.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Out with one florist, in with another. Convallaria Floral Design (Unit 57) is opening Friday January 27th. Here's a link to their website.

January 25, 2012

[Section ThirtyOne]

The new flower shop noted above was opened today and I had a quick look inside. Quite nice, very similar to Lilies White but not quite as colourful in decor. The items on display were beautiful though.

Side note: Saw someone in the mall snapping a few pics with their cell phone. A fellow WW'er perhaps?

[Trogdor]

Yet one more store disappearing here. I was told by a friend that Matter of Taste in the mall will be closing Friday. I always found that store to be quite active compared to the rest of the mall so I'm shocked to say the least. Unless there's another tenant to move in that location, the mall is looking to be incredibly desolate soon since I think it will be below 50% occupancy!

[markster]

So, who else is looking forward to the return of Liquidation World?!?

[panamaniac]

Yet one more store disappearing here. I was told by a friend that Matter of Taste in the mall will be closing Friday. I always found that store to be quite active compared to the rest of the mall so I'm shocked to say the least. Unless there's another tenant to move in that location, the mall is looking to be incredibly desolate soon since I think it will be below 50% occupancy!

I'm surprised by that as I also thought the WS location was busy. I usually go to the shop Downtown and really enjoy it. Only place I've ever seen in Canada that sells Salvadoran coffee beans.

[mpd618]

Based on how much I have heard about ridiculously high rents specifically in the Waterloo Town Square, my running theory is that First Gulf is charging far more than market rent for small tenants to make it easier to support redeveloping the site.

[BuildingScout]

Based on how much I have heard about ridiculously high rents specifically in the Waterloo Town Square, my running theory is that First Gulf is charging far more than market rent for small tenants to make it easier to support redeveloping the site.

Absolutely. This is their obvious objective. Developers often do this, because city councils reject all repurposings when asked nicely but fold like a leaf when confronted with the possibility of a boarded up business downtown.

The Waterloo Hotel seems to be trying a similar tack, at least until rather recently, preferring to keep the spots empty rather than bring down the rent to comparable rates nearby.

[Lugnut]

But why would they have had all that work done to the frontage with Shoppers and Beertown if the plan is to rip it all down?

[BuildingScout]

But why would they have had all that work done to the frontage with Shoppers and Beertown if the plan is to rip it all down?

I don't recall anyone here saying all.

Likely they cannot move Beertown, Shoppers and Value-Mart. Those stay. The rest are on short term leases. You can easily board up the inside and build anything else you like there, while keeping the three big customers happy. It's not like they depend on other traffic for sales.

[Trogdor]

I don't recall anyone here saying all.

Likely they cannot move Beertown, Shoppers and Value-Mart. Those stay. The rest are on short term leases. You can easily board up the inside and build anything else you like there, while keeping the three big customers happy. It's not like they depend on other traffic for sales.

I would add Cora's to that list too. But again, all of those businesses are on the outside of the building so they could all be fairly easily adapted to a closure of the inside of the mall. Although, they did just completely renovate the inside of the place including the ceilings and fixtures so it's hard to see them changing soon, but who knows.

I had never considered this idea before about closing the inside of the mall, but it really does make sense now that I think about it. Are you guys envisaging something along the lines of what happened at Westmount Place where they just popped a tower on top and sold it off to Sunlife or do you think we'd be looking at something different?

[mpd618]

I had never considered this idea before about closing the inside of the mall, but it really does make sense now that I think about it. Are you guys envisaging something along the lines of what happened at Westmount Place where they just popped a tower on top and sold it off to Sunlife or do you think we'd be looking at something different?

In a location like this, I would be thinking much taller, and probably involving a reworking of the ground floor as well.

[Brenden]

What about the possibly of expanding valumart?

[panamaniac]

What about a real City Hall or a performing arts centre or something eles that real cities have?

[DHLawrence]

A performing arts centre would compete with The Aud and Centre in the Square too much. My best guess is more commercial. I doubt it will be Westmount style; they tore one of those down when they made it what it is now. Would be a logical place to put another hotel if the demand is there.

[dunkalunk]

It would be really great to see the integration of some sort of high rise residential (10-15 Stories) into this building. a 3 level parking structure with streetfront retail would fit well in the block to the immeate north. As for a real city hall, I would hope that they could repurpose the current Clay and Glass Gallery site.

[DHLawrence]

Having not been inside it, can someone tell me what's wrong with the current one?

[mpd618]

Having not been inside it, can someone tell me what's wrong with the current one?

I assume you mean the current Waterloo City Hall? It's off on an edge of uptown, and feels inside and outside like just a generic office building, which for some reason has the offices of the city government in it. The city does in fact lease out space, including the street-facing units.

It is not grand, it is not inviting, it's not terribly easy to find your way around. The Council chamber frankly sucks, at least if you're outside the horseshoe; too small, awkward access, level seating. The whole thing is uninspired and uninspiring.