[AlbertC]

Or at least get rid of that awful (perfume?) scent that have in the BB&B. I felt nauseous a couple minutes after entering there and quickly looked for the exit. After seeing the thoughtless and generic design of the store, I doubt I would ever visit there again.

 

[someMidTowner]

Or at least get rid of that awful (perfume?) scent that have in the BB&B. I felt nauseous a couple minutes after entering there and quickly looked for the exit. After seeing the thoughtless and generic design of the store, I doubt I would ever visit there again.

Although BB&B clearly fails as a destination capable of drawing in pedestrians, it will no doubt be financially successful with close to 1000 condos opening above in the future. The retail here is not going to please visitors to downtown, but it will sure serve Aura's residents well. Kind of unfortunate, but money dictates everything - and this will make lots of money.

 

[Ryan_T]

I've always thought BBB was an odd choice. Then again, I have no idea what I'd put in its place.

What do you think should go in that space? pubs? restaurants? galleries? pottery-barn(other nicer furniture store)? boutiques(Bayview Village style)?

 

[bmiller]

You could put a Tim's in there and draw people for miles. Brew, Bagel & Bedsheets.

 

[Torontovibe]

I've always thought BBB was an odd choice. Then again, I have no idea what I'd put in its place.

What do you think should go in that space? pubs? restaurants? galleries? pottery-barn(other nicer furniture store)? boutiques(Bayview Village style)?

If they wanted to go low end, maybe Target would have been a better choice. I think they should have gone mid priced, with stores like Simons, H & M or The Gap. (I don't mean those actual stores, just something like that) BB&B is an OK store, it's just the design, that I dislike.

By the way, Marshal's on John Street seems to be empty, every time I go in there. It's not pulling in the crowds like I expected. Well, until I actually went in and discovered that they had nothing I wanted and few deals on anything. I much prefer Winners, to Marshal's.

 

[themarc]

If they wanted to go low end, maybe Target would have been a better choice. I think they should have gone with a mid price range, with stores like Simons, H & M or The Gap. (I don't mean those actual stores, just something like that) BB&B is an OK store, it's just the design, that I dislike.

By the way, Marshal's on John Street seems to be empty, every time I go in there. It's not pulling in the crowds like I expected. Well, until I actually went in and discovered that they had nothing I wanted and few deals on anything.

The US retailers (except for Target) may be discovering that Canadians are a slightly more sophisticated and much more fickle bunch than their US counterparts.

Is it possible that they looked at Walmarts success and just assumed it would be THAT easy to crack the Canadian market place???

 

[Big Daddy]

The US retailers (except for Target) may be discovering that Canadians are a slightly more sophisticated and much more fickle bunch than their US counterparts.

Is it possible that they looked at Walmarts success and just assumed it would be THAT easy to crack the Canadian market place???

Americans and even moreso American retailers see Canada as a "blue collar" country. Can you think of any upscale stores or department stores that are Canadian? (except Holts - and its not like they are a national brand) Name a successful Canadian department store - The Bay? successful only because they had no competition and hardly high end - and not long for this world. If The Bay struggled before, Nordstrom will provide the final nail. Even JC Penny thought of coming here years ago but thought we were more of a "Walmart" demographic. And lets be honest, we love to buy American - even we Canadians believe American is better.

One laments the whole Canadian shopping experience. Every power centre in Canada is comprised of the same handful of stores and restaurants - the only difference is the distance to your home.

 

[caltrane74]

Well, I don't know if they consider Toronto Blue Collar? Just not big enough, Toronto has the money, but is it worth it to come to Canada when really, you can only really make your money at Yorkdale, Eaton Centre, and Sherway ?

I understand that Yorkdale is one of the highest grossing per square foot, on both the top line and bottom line for retailers. That is what makes Toronto an interesting test case for US International Expansion, even if the Canadian Expansion also stops at Toronto.

 

[Traynor]

One laments the whole Canadian shopping experience. Every power centre in Canada is comprised of the same handful of stores and restaurants - the only difference is the distance to your home.

I refuse to lament for the overly greedy Canadian retail sector that (which for years) inexplicably overcharged for the exact same merchandise. No wonder high-end brands never came to Canada. The retailers here would have charged such an exorbitant price-point that they could never have survived.

Finally after 40 years of Canadians crossing the boarder for better prices, Canadian retailers stopped whining about it and offered Black Friday-style pricing. It's about fricken' time.

Time and again the Minister of Trade has looked into pricing and can't figure why there has always been such a discrepancy in prices, sometimes up to %35 or %40 percent higher in Canada. (Don't try the old "Higher Duty/ Lower Dollar Value" excuse either! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada has dispelled those excuses.)

Canadian retailers deserve to go broke for 'choking the golden goose' all these years. And I am a person who tries to shop locally but enough is enough.

 

[gabe]

I know retail sales were down in Canada during the summer largely because the cross-border shopping limits were increased. Canadian stores better start lowering their prices and bring in better quality of goods if they want keep shoppers in Canada.

As of June 1, cross-border shoppers on an overnight trip are allowed to declare $200 worth of purchased goods. Before they were only allowed $50. For people on a jaunt of between two and seven days, the limit has doubled to $800 from $400.

i was amazed when i was at the malls in the Buffalo last month, the cars with Ontario plates outnumbered the cars with American plates! They also make us feel welcome, something Canadians stores could learn from.

BB&B is PERFECT for this location, it's a much better store than Home Outfitters.

 

[bmiller]

My wife, being the big mall shopper in our house, has stated many times over the years that all malls, in Ontario anyway, comprise of the same stores. When we
vacation in the States, she likes the differing variety. I could care less. I find Target a glorified Zellers, and never usually buy anything anyway. In most cases it's
the name of the store and the buzz from advertising that attracts the attention. The goods are all made in the same places in the third world.

 

[caltrane74]

Its on!

 

[uwaterloo2010]

Theres already a BMO attached to CP1 at Bay and College, now one here. Too close or does everyone use BMO in downtown?

 

[DtTO]

That BMO looks a lot better than BBB if you ask me.

 

[themarc]

Americans and even moreso American retailers see Canada as a "blue collar" country. Can you think of any upscale stores or department stores that are Canadian? (except Holts - and its not like they are a national brand) Name a successful Canadian department store - The Bay? successful only because they had no competition and hardly high end - and not long for this world. If The Bay struggled before, Nordstrom will provide the final nail. Even JC Penny thought of coming here years ago but thought we were more of a "Walmart" demographic. And lets be honest, we love to buy American - even we Canadians believe American is better.

One laments the whole Canadian shopping experience. Every power centre in Canada is comprised of the same handful of stores and restaurants - the only difference is the distance to your home.

I think you are thinking that "sophisticated" means exclusively "expensive" - and in so doing so you have proven my point how US retailers have pigeon holed the Canadian retail experience as "easy pickings".

Canadians are fickle, they like quality, value and they like "relevant" selection.

Take the CFL as a case in point. Not the premier uber league that the NFL is - but just the right selected blend to be attractive. As is the CBC, VIA Rail, Porter, Tim Hortons. They all found something simple yet sophisticated in the Canadian market place and made it work - a US company trying to sell their wares up here better figure this out.