These are the new sliding doors.

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Very nice. Anyone go through them today and get shots of Nordstrom?

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Terrific! Automatic doors are perfect for high traffic areas such as the CFEC. They are ubiquitous in Japanese cities, and they keep pedestrian traffic moving along while removing barriers for the disabled and those carrying things. Do we know whether the other doors will be converted too?
 
I checked it out. It's nice (certainly much nicer than the Sears that was there before), and there is at least some windows that let in some natural light in the mens floor, which I don't think were there before. A ton of employees there to help out customers. But, like Saks, I can't imagine ever buying anything, at least not unless on deep discount.
 
I walked through it today and there didn't relly seem to be a lot of space. The hallway off of the young street entrance seems to be a lot of wasted space. Inside it seems to be relly small and not a lot of walking space (I get that was crowded because it was new but the aisles seemed to be relly narrow.) Also the ceiling looked like the contractors hadn't finished part of it and the abr on the men's floor just seemed odd I really wonder how they got a liquor licence for it. There also relly isn't much of amens floor relly to speak of it's mostly taken up by shoes and kids stuff with a small corner by the main eaton centre end.
 
Terrific! Automatic doors are perfect for high traffic areas such as the CFEC. They are ubiquitous in Japanese cities, and they keep pedestrian traffic moving along while removing barriers for the disabled and those carrying things. Do we know whether the other doors will be converted too?

I really hope they replace the doors to the subway stations, those things are so heavy for no good reason. I'm not sure why they need 2 sets of them either since the other side is still indoors? Is it a fire code thing?
 
Thanks for sharing! Wished I was in town. Once Uniqlo and "mystery Canadian retailer" opens, that currently semi-darkened corridor will be even livelier.

Did not realize the automatic sliding doors were on BOTH sides of the mid-mall entrances(!)
 
September 17, 2016

View from Nordstrom

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I really hope they replace the doors to the subway stations, those things are so heavy for no good reason. I'm not sure why they need 2 sets of them either since the other side is still indoors? Is it a fire code thing?

The entire subway system is open to the outdoors.
 
I'm not sure about fire-code; however, one of the primary reasons you would use two sets of doors or other door systems such as revolving doors is because of the issue of changing air pressures in a building. Essentially think of the inside of the building and the outside of the building as requiring an air-lock like if it was a space station. This "air-lock" is particularly important when the temperature inside the building and outside of the building is great (such as a cold winter day or a hot summer day) when convection currents can reek havoc on occupants and energy bills.
 
Terrific! Automatic doors are perfect for high traffic areas such as the CFEC. They are ubiquitous in Japanese cities, and they keep pedestrian traffic moving along while removing barriers for the disabled and those carrying things. Do we know whether the other doors will be converted too?

CFEC? What's that?

If you mean Cadillac Fairview Eaton Centre, that's wrong. It's the Cadillac Fairview Toronto Eaton Centre, or CFTEC. Which is ridiculous. Just call it the Eaton Centre, like everyone else around here does.
 
CFEC? What's that?

If you mean Cadillac Fairview Eaton Centre, that's wrong. It's the Cadillac Fairview Toronto Eaton Centre, or CFTEC. Which is ridiculous. Just call it the Eaton Centre, like everyone else around here does.

Yes ShonTron, you're right, it is the "Cadillac Fairview Toronto Eaton Centre". :)

A number of my colleagues visited the CFTEC for the first time this past summer (some visited Canada for the first time actually), and they were impressed by its sheer size, delightful dynamism and sense of safety. Americans are generally unfamiliar with the significance of the "Eaton" name. Some may(?) be aware of the "The Hudson's Bay Company". I've yet to find anyone unsurprised to learn that the venerable "Saks 5th" is actually majority owned by the HBC. And once upon a time HBC was itself owned by the American luxury retailer "Lord and Taylor". Things change so much and so fast in retail ownership it's hard to keep up(!)

Nordstrom is well-liked and well-respected in the mid-to-upper luxury U.S. market, but its bricks-and-mortar businesses have been struggling on a/c of online shopping which had forced it to close some U.S. locations. This is a common affliction among American retailers from Macy's (closing another 100 stores) to Walmart.

I am looking forward to my next visit to Toronto to see Nordstrom. I think I will not experience the disappointment I had when I first ventured into a Canadian Target shortly after their opening, which experience allowed me to feel absolutely no surprises when T left Canada with tail between legs. I think Nordstrom has taken many cues from T's mistakes (and hubris).

I seem to recall the old Eaton store went all the way to the seventh floor. I think the days of having two 7-story department stores from Dundas to Queen is over :(, for now :) With Toronto's population increasing, it'll be just a matter of time before the population size and overall purchasing power incentivize more retail expansions.

And the uber-cool Uniqlo is opening in 12 days(!)
 

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