[TOareaFan]

I know for a fact the Queen Street location will never turn into Saks Fifth Avenue. That store is HBC's baby. It wouldn't make sense for them to convert it, especially when they have invested so much money into the location over the past five years under the Hudson's Bay name.

As for Bloor Street, the whole stretch of shops is high end. It would make sense for HBC to retire the Hudson Bay name on Bloor and convert it to something that can compete with Holts. Saks Fifth Avenue is arguably a higher class brand than Hudson's. They will push that name on Bloor out of all locations they have to choose from. The less ritzy Hudson's brand can stay on Queen and cater to the middle-class demographic that shop near the Eaton Centre.

Mark my words, there will only be one Saks in all of Toronto. Saks isn't like a Nordstrom, they usually don't build multiple locations in one city. Hudson's at Sherway can renovate, and as for Yorkdale, it'd be a bit risky considering Nordstrom and Simons are also pushing for the mall.

I happen to agree with the opinions you express.....but I have to point out they are opinions and my favourite, smirk inducing, posts in any threads are the ones that start with the words "I know for a fact..." then express opinions (valid or not)

 

[officedweller]

Toronto doesn't need a mall anchor in the form of Saks. I was very surprised at the two 416 Nordstrom stores that have been announced are at Sherway and Yorkdale while Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa are downtown. It doesn't make much sense to me (can you tell that I'm not a car person?).

That's just the commercial real estate market and the absnece of an exitsing retail space big enough, and in a desirable location, to house Nordstrom.

For the Bloor-Yonge Saks, I could see the interior space being opened up with interior atriums.
The low ceilings would be tolerable if double height ceilings punctuated the space every 50 ft or so.
I also doubt that Saks would need all of the current retail space, so a reconfiguration could reduce square footage.
That would make for some interesting retail spaces.

I happen to agree with the opinions you express.....but I have to point out they are opinions and my favourite, smirk inducing, posts in any threads are the ones that start with the words "I know for a fact..." then express opinions (valid or not)

I'd add that "Hudson's" was a department store that was demolished in Detroit some time ago.

 

[rdaner]

Is a total teardown of the Bloor Street Hudson's Bay an option? Without having to excevate a basement you could have a new structure up in just over a year. Miserable waste as it is now as they aren't really maximising revenue.

 

[pw20]

"He said he will locate Saks’ stores in areas close to existing Holts outlets such as at the Hudson’s Bay store at Bloor and Yonge Streets in Toronto. He envisions up to seven Saks stores in Canada – in existing Hudson’s Bay outlets, replacing them with Saks or even in newly built stores – and as many as 25 Off Fifth discount outlets."

Seven seems high for mainline Saks stores in Canada, considering there are 40 something odd in the US. I'd be surprised if there were more than 4 or 5. Few American cities have more than one Saks.

Regardless - i'm excited to see what they do with the Yonge/Bloor location.

 

[devjohnson]

I happen to agree with the opinions you express.....but I have to point out they are opinions and my favourite, smirk inducing, posts in any threads are the ones that start with the words "I know for a fact..." then express opinions (valid or not)

I really meant that "I'm quite definite" these changes will happen. Considering the circumstances, it just seems very likely. Didn't mean to smirk induce and attack any opinions!

 

[TOareaFan]

http://business.financialpost.com/2...-to-block-us2-4-billion-hudsons-bay-takeover/

 

[prosperegal]

http://business.financialpost.com/2...-to-block-us2-4-billion-hudsons-bay-takeover/

What's the likelihood of the block to go through?

 

[TOareaFan]

What's the likelihood of the block to go through?

Who knows.....that's what judges are for.

 

[Hamiltonian]

Drove past Yorkdale Mall today and they've already put up to new logo signage, looks snazzy. Also, I drove by Hudson's main flagship store...no new signage.

 

[DavidJamesTO]

I was there over the weekend and saw the new signage. Amusingly, I could also see the ghost signage for The Bay and Simpsons!

 

[soundmuseum]

Renovations continue on at the Queen and Yonge flagship store:

The previous Women's and Men's Shoe department on the 2nd floor is being remodeled. The basement is also undergoing further renovation, with the wooden floors being ripped out in the old luggage/bedding section.

On the ground floor Beauty department, new counters for Tom Ford and Shu Uemura are in the process of opening, and are partially stocked with product. It looks like Holt Renfrew no longer has those brands as an exclusive. The Christian Dior counter was also under construction while I was passing by.

 

[Skeezix]

The basement is also undergoing further renovation, with the wooden floors being ripped out in the old luggage/bedding section.

They had a flood in part of the basement earlier this week. It ruined some of the hardwood floors in the southeast quadrant of the floor.

 

[DTowner]

I do like the new men's department on the second floor. Not quite like "The Room", but better than it was before. Now if only they would put all the men's items on the same floor.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Don't mind it actually. Their Hudson Room and Black & Brown shirts aren't bad for the price, and if there's a sale I'll quickly pick one up and/or a tie (especially as my shirt size tends to sell out right away) and scurry right back down to the PATH. As for the West End Room, I've gotten some unbelievably good deals on Strellson up there.

 

[Skeezix]

scurry right back down to the PATH

I wonder how the sales of men's ties, dress shirts and accessories have been since those products were all moved to the basement (and, correspondingly, how sales of towels and sheets fared since moving to the 6th floor). Anecdotally, the men in my office seem to be wandering back from lunch or errands more often with recently purchased socks, ties, etc.

I've gotten some unbelievably good deals on Strellson up there

Me too.