[Richard White]

Doesn’t CF have minimum build standards to avoid making the Eaton Centre look like some strip mall out in the boonies?

When I first saw it, it reminded me of the Warden and Eglinton flea market.

 

[torontowest91]

I’ve never understood how some retail merchandisers see prime window space and then cover it up with bookcases and vinyl wraps.

View attachment 705642

there aint much outside - the path along queen and hoarded up wall from Ontario Line construction...

 

[PL1]

Aaniin is a pop-up

 

[daptive]

Aaniin is a pop-up

I think even for a pop up that's extremely rough. The SHEIN pop-up at least had fixtures from Banana Republic. Pretty sure The Collectors Vault in the photos is also temporary.

 

[PL1]

I would assume CF/Eaton Centre have minimum standards for pop-ups. I'm a bit surprised this is it. Aaniin had a shop last year as well. But to presume they have a store only for "inclusion and equality purposes" is cringe, tbh.

 

[Tuscani01]

It is.

I get that they are likely there for inclusion and equality purposes but even still, they need to have standards.

Even the Tims store was a pop-up for the holidays and it was well done.

You're comparing a multinational company doing this likely at a loss because they can afford to, vs. an Indigenous owned business where 100% of the proceeds go back to Indigenous peoples.

Kudos to CF for making this space available to them. More corporations should be doing the same, and maybe over time the aesthetic will improve as the brand grows.

 

[daptive]

But to presume they have a store only for "inclusion and equality purposes" is cringe, tbh.

I hope that isn't a reply to my comment. I love the idea of Aaniin, I just wish they had a more complete space to showcase their products.

 

[PL1]

I hope that isn't a reply to my comment. I love the idea of Aaniin, I just wish they had a more complete space to showcase their products.

It was another comment that appears to have been deleted.

 

[Richard White]

You're comparing a multinational company doing this likely at a loss because they can afford to, vs. an Indigenous owned business where 100% of the proceeds go back to Indigenous peoples.

Kudos to CF for making this space available to them. More corporations should be doing the same, and maybe over time the aesthetic will improve as the brand grows.

I am not against inclusion and equality but there has to be standards. You can't just give them space without any standards otherwise you will tarnish the brand.

The Eaton Centre is a brand unto itself. It is that hip, urban mall with upscale stores and is a major destination. This is not a community mall like Woodside, Bridlewood, Cloverdale or the like where you can get away with slapping a store together from 2X4s and plywood.

Can you imagine if they put this in Yorkdale, Louis Vuitton and Cartier among others would tear CF a new one for diminishing their brand by association.

I will say though that despite good intentions, these types of spaces don't always last long. Case and point, "Black Owned Toronto" in STC which was there for 2.5 years before closing up. They were on life support from the get-go and eventually succumbed due to a lack of business. See here: https://www.thestar.com/business/it...cle_7da890a8-c531-11ee-9cfa-a7bc586f62bb.html

 

[Tuscani01]

I am not against inclusion and equality but there has to be standards. You can't just give them space without any standards otherwise you will tarnish the brand.

The Eaton Centre is a brand unto itself. It is that hip, urban mall with upscale stores and is a major destination. This is not a community mall like Woodside, Bridlewood, Cloverdale or the like where you can get away with slapping a store together from 2X4s and plywood.

I think you may have missed my "kudos" to CF for this move. It's a positive addition and something that would make me go to the Eaton Centre over any of those other malls. In fact, I already found something I want to purchase.

If their brand is highlighting smaller companies that do good, its a plus to me. (and obviously to them if they are willing to do it) I'm sorry you seem to have a problem with diversity.

I will say though that despite good intentions, these types of spaces don't always last long

It's a pop up...

 

[mcbg1]

You're comparing a multinational company doing this likely at a loss because they can afford to, vs. an Indigenous owned business where 100% of the proceeds go back to Indigenous peoples.

Kudos to CF for making this space available to them. More corporations should be doing the same, and maybe over time the aesthetic will improve as the brand grows.

that business won't operate for much longer if that's the best they can do

 

[a2z]

I will say though that despite good intentions, these types of spaces don't always last long. Case and point, "Black Owned Toronto" in STC which was there for 2.5 years before closing up. They were on life support from the get-go and eventually succumbed due to a lack of business. See here: https://www.thestar.com/business/it...cle_7da890a8-c531-11ee-9cfa-a7bc586f62bb.html

Scarborough Spots recently opened up a second shop at STC, and it seemed to be quite busy when I last passed it a couple weeks ago. (I've never seen the Eglinton Square location actually open though.)

I didn't see any problem with the aesthetic of Aaniin's pop-up from last year when I passed it (apparently this is their fourth consecutive holiday pop-up at Eaton, so I imagine there has to be some reason for the unfinished touch?),

But they don't seem to have much of a loyal following, have historically been reliant on grants/scholarships (Mastercard, Meridian CU), and are not profitable yet, so would imagine yes its days are unfortunately likely to be numbered sooner or later.

 

[Richard White]

Scarborough Spots recently opened up a second shop at STC, and it seemed to be quite busy when I last passed it a couple weeks ago. (I've never seen the Eglinton Square location actually open though.)

I love Scarborough Spots but I find they are very niche.

Alot of their stuff is hyper specific to Scarborough and very kitschy. I was concieved, born and raised in the City of Scarborough but alot of their merchandise is not appealing to me. I did get a Scarborough Recycles mug for nostalgia purposes but who needs a shirt that says "Warden Station Patties" on it.

I also find they charge a stupid amount for some things, so much so that I cannot justify the cost.

 

[soundmuseum]

I think maybe the aesthetic of Aaniin depends on what space they're given for their pop-up shop? Last year I think they were in part of the former Le Chateau which ended up also being a temporary pop-up for American Eagle while they were undergoing renovations before Aaniin took over. So I think they were able to take advantage of the fixtures and lighting that were already there in that space. This year, they've been given the former "Free People" location which has been shut down and empty for years and I think had some kind of construction going on while they were building Simons, Eataly and Nike upstairs. The brick walls still look like remnants from Free People, not sure about all the exposed ductwork above, though.

 

[matrix]

You're comparing a multinational company doing this likely at a loss because they can afford to, vs. an Indigenous owned business where 100% of the proceeds go back to Indigenous peoples.

Kudos to CF for making this space available to them. More corporations should be doing the same, and maybe over time the aesthetic will improve as the brand grows.

To toss my hat into the ring, I agree with this sentiment. I will add that I think this is more on CF than Aaniin when it comes to the aesthetics of the store- other pop-ups retained fixtures, but it seems like CF handed them a gutted lease and they probably didn't have the funds to make it look super nice. Not saying CF is malicious here, but that's just the way it goes I guess, and that's what was available. Sure, we can all agree it looks a little crummy, but I think it's a net positive that it's there at all.

As others have said in this thread, generally other pop-ups at the Eaton Centre don't look this bad, but that's because the leases weren't gutted beforehand. Shein's pop-up in the former Banana Republic Men store had the fixtures, only because no one ripped them out yet. Shein probably wouldn't have went for that if they did- but Aaniin isn't on the same level.