8289 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

we will see how it all goes.  the tourists DO like the bay.

[Mike K.]

A comment on our Facebook page:

 

Another sad day in the legacy of Mayor Helps and her councillors who support her, Loveday, Issit, Dubrow and Potts. If/when The Bay decides to close their store I’m not sure if the downtown will ever recover.

 

 

[Redd42]

Don't imagine the tourists buy many couches or china or sheet sets - the top 2 floors of the downtown Bay.

 

Too bad the Mayfair Bay is so dumpy. The downtown store is much more attractive but downtown itself, not so much. 

[Kapten Kapsell]

The Bay is an anchor tenant in both Mayfair and Bay Centre, and as such enjoys favourable lease rates in both locations. 

I tend to think that the Bay will keep both locations open.  There are certain factors that the downtown location has going for it; in addition to space/size, allowing for higher gross sales, the downtown location is a far more suitable space for a possible Topman/Topshop store-within-store, which the Bay tends to open in downtown locations to appeal to younger demographics etc.  I have no indication that they plan to open one in the future in Victoria, but retaining the Bay Centre location allows them to keep their options open.

[gstc84]

... the downtown location is a far more suitable space for a possible Topman/Topshop store-within-store, which the Bay tends to open in downtown locations to appeal to younger demographics etc...

 

Except.... https://www.blogto.c...eaving-the-bay/

 

"Topshop is closing all stores in Canada and leaving The Bay for good" 

[Sparky]

I see W&J Wilson is closing their downtown store.

Their customers would rather shop in Oak Bay and Sidney. Too much crime and panhandling downtown.

[Barrrister]

I have used their Oak Bay location precisely for those reasons.

[Belleprincess]

I know a couple of retailers at the Bay Centre and they tell me that with the loss of tourists and office traffic business is down 80%. I wouldn't be surprised to see a number of retailers relocate or close.

I was at the Tillicum Mall the other day and about 1/2 of the stores on the lower level have now closed. Basically you have the cell phone companies, personal care and the dental office.

80% is crazy & scary. But yes, the loss of office works is absolutely HUGE. People don’t often think about that, it makes up a massive chunk of weekday business. Between the perception of downtown, the pandemic, lack of tourism and far less people working downtown - it’s not an easy situation. Even one of those things is a challenge but all four? Glad the restaurants are back open, believe it or not, that helps. I hope downtown is saved somehow

[Victoria Watcher]

and the public sector will be the last to go back to downtown offices.  look at teachers in the US or Ontario that still will not go back.

 

we had 12 new cases on the entire island today.  and government offices are near empty.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 May 2021 - 06:12 PM.

[spanky123]

^ At least some Government offices are vacant because staff have raised safety and security concerns with management (ie homeless people with knives running around). That won't be addressed with a vaccine.

[Belleprincess]

^ At least some Government offices are vacant because staff have raised safety and security concerns with management (ie homeless people with knives running around). That won't be addressed with a vaccine.

The downtown situation is overblown at this point. Yes, there’s been a shift but it’s not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. If one sticks to the shopping areas, it’s fine. I don’t go to certain parts of Douglas and Pandora - I primarily shop on fort, government, Johnson etc. And it feels fine.

[Mike K.]

We’ve had multiple high profile assaults on women and random pedestrians in shopping areas, too. It’s time for law and order in a big, visible no nonsense sort of way but we won’t see it from this council, I don’t think.

[Barrrister]

Belle: We dont go downtown anymore if we can avoid it. There are other shopping alternatives that are just more comfortable for us. A surprising number of our neighbours have mentioned the same thing to us. I feel sorry for the downtown businesses but I dont really see the business community pushing for change either. 

[mbjj]

When we visited a huge flea market area in Paris known for loads of pickpockets, the only thing that made us feel safe were groups of police, like three or four in a group like they do in Paris, wandering around. I'm all for that. I'm sure Isitt would feel oppressed. He wouldn't like Paris. 

[Belleprincess]

Belle: We dont go downtown anymore if we can avoid it. There are other shopping alternatives that are just more comfortable for us. A surprising number of our neighbours have mentioned the same thing to us. I feel sorry for the downtown businesses but I dont really see the business community pushing for change either.

I think the business community is just trying to keep their heads above water. Any time a business does speak out, they get attacked by the SJWs. Whether it be bike lanes or the homeless situation. It will be phone calls, negative reviews, social media posts - they’re scared to speak out. People that complain about downtown rarely, if ever, go there and they are basing their perception from social media posts. Yes, the situation needs to get better. Yes, it has gone downhill. But the narrative that there’s a high probability that you’ll get stabbed if you go downtown is ridiculous and simply not true

[Mike K.]

It does not sound like a winning strategy to worry about fake reviews from people who will never be customers, and to dismiss the sincere concerns of customers or would-be customers.

W&J Wilson closed because they couldn’t take it any more. White Spot closed because they could no longer promise a family-friendly experience. The only saving grace is everyone’s favourite pariah, the Frat Boy Clique, the group who when times were good were the proverbial bad (remember everyone saying the panhandlers are ok but it’s the drunk 20-somethings who were the big threat?). And now things are so bad, they’re the lifeblood of downtown if the excitement towards excess drinking indoors is any indicator to go by.

[VIResident]

Daily digest of news, media reports, personal reports from

others consistently reporting crimes, and those very criminals being re-released into the public etc. clearly contradicts statements made by those who state they feel safe.

For a moment consider 'who' is not feeling safe.  Who are 'they' and 'why'?

[Greg]

Are we really sure White Spot didn't close so they could sell the property to Chard? Seems like that corner is going to become more vibrant, rather than less.

 

Remember when this was Vibrant Victoria, rather then Clouds of Doom?

[A Girl is No one]

Belle: Wouldn’t the DVBA’s role be to advocate for downtown businesses as a whole to avoid the kind of SJW bullying you refer to?

Edited by A Girl is No one, 28 May 2021 - 11:11 AM.

[Mike K.]

Are we really sure White Spot didn't close so they could sell the property to Chard? Seems like that corner is going to become more vibrant, rather than less.

Remember when this was Vibrant Victoria, rather then Clouds of Doom?

Yes, we all do.

VV has always been about a dose of reality, but don’t let the name fool you into thinking we’re going to pretend the current political reality isn’t so much that made Victoria vibrant.