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(04-26-2025, 12:34 AM)Acitta Wrote: (04-25-2025, 10:53 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: Ikea stores are in the range of about 320,000 square feet. All of Fairview Park is around 750,000 square feet. So I don’t know how much floor space Hudson’s Bay is, but I don’t think it’s half of a typical mall that it would be in.
Ikea is a big store.
I haven't been to an Ikea since the 1990s, when I still lived in the GTA, so I don't remember how they compare in size. Anyhow, I don't see why they can't sell a lot of their stuff in a smaller store.
IKEA has been testing new formats recently. They have the one downtown Toronto location as well as the location in the former sears at Scarborough Town Centre. So it’s not impossible. But they do tend to only open in areas with more than 1M or more in the CMA. Heck, Buffalo NY doesn’t have a location, most of them drive to Burlington. Cleveland Pop 2M+ in its MSA doesn’t have a location.
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(04-25-2025, 10:53 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: (04-25-2025, 08:49 PM)KevinL Wrote: By which I presume you mean the Hudson's Bay locations. Those are all in shopping malls, which Ikea does not generally go for.
That said, a large tenant could move from what is currently an isolated property into one of those vacant mall units, which could allow Ikea to take their old space, hermit crab-style.
Ikea stores are in the range of about 320,000 square feet. All of Fairview Park is around 750,000 square feet. So I don’t know how much floor space Hudson’s Bay is, but I don’t think it’s half of a typical mall that it would be in.
Ikea is a big store.
Isn't the Bay three floors? (Admittedly have not been to Fairview for years now.)
If the size is OK, i don't expect that a connection to the mall would be a problem. Probably the bigger issue with mall locations is that the rents are typically much higher. Might not be the case any more, though.
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(04-26-2025, 09:01 AM)neonjoe Wrote: (04-26-2025, 12:34 AM)Acitta Wrote: I haven't been to an Ikea since the 1990s, when I still lived in the GTA, so I don't remember how they compare in size. Anyhow, I don't see why they can't sell a lot of their stuff in a smaller store.
IKEA has been testing new formats recently. They have the one downtown Toronto location as well as the location in the former sears at Scarborough Town Centre. So it’s not impossible. But they do tend to only open in areas with more than 1M or more in the CMA. Heck, Buffalo NY doesn’t have a location, most of them drive to Burlington. Cleveland Pop 2M+ in its MSA doesn’t have a location.
IKEA had tested a fulfillment centre format near Sportsworld over 5 years ago as I recall.
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(04-29-2025, 12:28 AM)plam Wrote: (04-26-2025, 09:01 AM)neonjoe Wrote: IKEA has been testing new formats recently. They have the one downtown Toronto location as well as the location in the former sears at Scarborough Town Centre. So it’s not impossible. But they do tend to only open in areas with more than 1M or more in the CMA. Heck, Buffalo NY doesn’t have a location, most of them drive to Burlington. Cleveland Pop 2M+ in its MSA doesn’t have a location.
IKEA had tested a fulfillment centre format near Sportsworld over 5 years ago as I recall.
There is a Plan and Order Point location on Fairway. I’m not sure where the pick up point is, I recall that it used to be on Gage.
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(04-29-2025, 12:28 AM)plam Wrote: (04-26-2025, 09:01 AM)neonjoe Wrote: IKEA has been testing new formats recently. They have the one downtown Toronto location as well as the location in the former sears at Scarborough Town Centre. So it’s not impossible. But they do tend to only open in areas with more than 1M or more in the CMA. Heck, Buffalo NY doesn’t have a location, most of them drive to Burlington. Cleveland Pop 2M+ in its MSA doesn’t have a location.
IKEA had tested a fulfillment centre format near Sportsworld over 5 years ago as I recall. I went there a couple of times to pick up parts.
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Hudson's Bay sold 28 locations of their properties to a Chinese-Canadian businesswoman called Ruby Liu. Her plans are to use the locations to start a new brand of department stores which would include shopping, entertainment, dining and other features.
While I have no idea which properties were purchased - apparently it's spread out across 3 provinces, too - I wonder if she acquired the one here. It is quite a massive building that could easily be repurposed for another department store. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think once upon a time they had a restaurant on the upper floor which had a balcony overlook the interior of the mall. If the goal is to include dining space, that could be turned into a restaurant again.
Just please if you have this Liu don't ruin the OG modernist design of the facade. Thanks.
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05-26-2025, 09:01 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-26-2025, 09:03 PM by razzie13.
Edit Reason: Bids were placed, but no sales of leases have been made.
)
(05-26-2025, 04:49 PM)ac3r Wrote: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think once upon a time they had a restaurant on the upper floor which had a balcony overlook the interior of the mall. If the goal is to include dining space, that could be turned into a restaurant again.
Acer you are correct - Fairview Park Mall's Bay has this. It wasn't a big space but it would be great to have that opened again.
In related news, the Conestoga Mall Bay lease has been bid on but no word by whom.
https://storeys.com/primaris-reit-hudsons-bay-leases/
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The former DTK beer store--which closed at the end of April--location will be reopening as a Pet Valu. Good for pet owners (of whom there are many in DTK) as there are no pet food stores within a few km of downtown, I think the nearest is next to the Highland Rd LCBO.
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Great to see downtown retail diversifying to meet local residents' needs. Hopefully we get a general-purpose grocer soon.
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(05-31-2025, 11:09 AM)KevinL Wrote: Great to see downtown retail diversifying to meet local residents' needs. Hopefully we get a general-purpose grocer soon.
It's funny how those work together too. I grocery shop on Highland because downtown doesn't meet my needs (except for smaller or niche things I pick up downtown), so I'll probably continue going to the Highland Pet Valu during those trips.
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I noticed some kinda small "market" opening in the ground floor of the tower that went up on the next block to city hall.
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I noticed in the planning applications that there’s a request to turn the old Peavy Mart by Conestoga college into a FreshCo. Down south only has a Zehrs so another grocery option is good for the area.
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(08-24-2025, 05:28 PM)neonjoe Wrote: I noticed in the planning applications that there’s a request to turn the old Peavy Mart by Conestoga college into a FreshCo. Down south only has a Zehrs so another grocery option is good for the area.
That really big news, that whole area is a total desert for anything resembling daily needs.
local cambridge weirdo
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Woah, didn't think the building would be anywhere near big enough, let alone have enough parking for a grocery store
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08-26-2025, 01:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2025, 08:02 PM by KevinL.)
Looks to be around 25000* sqft, bit on the small side but still serviceable. As for parking, there's additional spots at the side; and a lot of their customers (Conestoga students) will be on foot.
*edited due to typo
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