8289 replies to this topic

[Jackerbie]

Does the CoV publish business licensing data?

Yes, it's on the open data website. Last updated January 2020. http://opendata.victoria.ca

[Victoria Watcher]

$115,000

 

613 Johnson St

 

"Paradise Boutique" is a women's fashion, swimwear, beachwear business which has been running in Victoria since early 1990's. Ideally located in Victoria's tourist and shopping centre near all the offices, banks and newly built residential towers on the booming downtown area. This turn key business can be easily run by 1 or 2 staff and is a great opportunity for a full time operator on owner.

 

https://www.realtor....ctoria-downtown

[Victoria Watcher]

does anyone know what modern retail development should look like?

 

small stores are really a thing of the past aren't they?  is there any growth whatsoever in that area?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 July 2020 - 05:28 AM.

[Rob Randall]

Ten years ago our friend Yule posed the same question and used Baggins Shoes on Johnson as an example of a bricks and mortar retail experience that also has a strong online presence. Bottom line, a well-managed store can offer a superior in-person local shopping experience no website can match, especially in an age of overwhelming choice.

 

https://blogs.harvar...tail-realities/

[Greg]

You have to offer something that is not easily available online. That's hard to do with some products, but even then it is sometimes possible to accomplish with personal service. I think a lot of people still buy bikes locally, because they want the bike setup for them, and they want someone that will service it.

 

If you can fix things, let me "test drive" things, set things up, maintain things, customize things, tailor things, that's the differentiation for me. If on the other hand you hire people who know less about the product than an online blurb, and provide mediocre customer service, I'm actually fine with you being replaced by an online business.

[Victoria Watcher]

see: Canadian Tire in that last regard.

[spanky123]

You have to offer something that is not easily available online. That's hard to do with some products, but even then it is sometimes possible to accomplish with personal service. I think a lot of people still buy bikes locally, because they want the bike setup for them, and they want someone that will service it.

 

If you can fix things, let me "test drive" things, set things up, maintain things, customize things, tailor things, that's the differentiation for me. If on the other hand you hire people who know less about the product than an online blurb, and provide mediocre customer service, I'm actually fine with you being replaced by an online business.

 

Add in things that people want now and/or are too expensive to ship to make it economical. That is where Canadian Tire, Costco and Walmart thrive. Almost every product on their shelves fits into one of these categories.

Edited by spanky123, 09 July 2020 - 02:23 PM.

[Rob Randall]

Following on from the Auto Trading thread: Regarding retail in general, I was told that supply lines were fine through the spring because retailers were still pulling stock from suppliers and other warehouses in Canada. As summer arrived, those lines dried up as expected shipments from crippled manufacturing plants in Asia and Europe were still struggling to get up to speed. Some shippers are overwhelmed or have cut back on deliveries so items that used to ship in one or two weeks are now taking two to four weeks.

[Redd42]

As someone who is waiting for a personal online retail purchase and shipments from my wholesale suppliers (my suppliers are all in the east of Canada and the USA), and who ships items to customers, I can verify that deliveries are VERY slow at the moment.

[LJ]

Yeah we are waiting two months now for some outdoor blinds, fortunately haven't really been needed with this weather so far.

 

We were in the Lazyboy store Saturday, 14 weeks minimum for delivery.

Edited by LJ, 13 July 2020 - 07:17 PM.

[Nparker]

On the other hand, a friend of mine ordered a custom ottoman from Dodd's furniture on June 29^th and it was ready to be picked up on July 11^th.

[Mike K.]

I’m looking for a truck canopy and to receive the one I wanted, which was a standard model, would take 8-12 weeks. The salesman said “I’m actually quite confident it’ll be here by nine.”

Gee. Thanks. I didn’t think I was ordering a Tesla.

[Matt R.]

Looking at a door for the house, nothing custom or anything, right out of the catalogue. Six weeks.

Also, why are doors so expensive.

Matt.

[Victoria Watcher]

a door has to be made with aaa quality dried and aged lumber and cross grain laminated and glued to prevent warping. it’s quite an art to put together a free hanging wood piece like that. all the other wood in your house has multiple fastening points to keep it in check. the door is alone.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 July 2020 - 11:13 AM.

[Matt R.]

Fibreglass. Maybe they don’t make them until they are ordered, who knows. I’ve never bought a door myself before.

Matt.

[Nparker]

My purchase from The Brick - made July 3rd - is ready to be delivered today.

[Kapten Kapsell]

It looks like the nail salon planned for the site of the former Grocery Plus at View/Quadra isn't going to open.  It appears that work has stopped and the deal may have fallen through (given the pandemic).

[gstc84]

It looks like the nail salon planned for the site of the former Grocery Plus at View/Quadra isn't going to open.  It appears that work has stopped and the deal may have fallen through (given the pandemic).

 

I thought it was going to be an optometry clinic? Lots of interior work had been done to subdivide the space into different rooms.

[Victoria Watcher]

any word on that safeway for fort street?

[Victoria Watcher]

My purchase from The Brick - made July 3rd - is ready to be delivered today.