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Victoria retail thread: retailer news, comings and goings


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#7301 Mike K.

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Posted 22 May 2022 - 09:18 AM

It’s a seasonal thing, too, in Victoria. Way more jobs March-September for young people and service workers than October-February.

Consider how many jobs have disappeared just among hotels. A dozen have closed down over the last decade. That’s going to make recruitment easier for the ones still operating in theory, but it gets tricky when restaurants also promise untaxed tips in addition to $18-22/hour as they fiercely compete for labour in a market over saturated by restaurants and booze.
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#7302 Benezet

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Posted 22 May 2022 - 12:33 PM

i've heard from friends that Walmart on Hillside is finally opening on June 6. It was supposed to open sooner but apparently a recruiter said they had trouble hiring people.

If only there were some way for such businesses to attract more workers…

Edited by Benezet, 22 May 2022 - 12:34 PM.

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#7303 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 22 May 2022 - 02:33 PM

If only there were some way for such businesses to attract more workers…


Yes, apparently it can’t be done.

#7304 LJ

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Posted 22 May 2022 - 07:11 PM

Ate at Zambris Saturday night, server said they had lots of staff.


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#7305 Matt R.

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Posted 22 May 2022 - 07:15 PM

We are fully loaded as well these days, lots of returning staff, front and back.. always nice to see. That doesn’t mean I have any interest in adding hours back to the opening times though. We closed an hour earlier than normal the last year, sales up, overtime down, everyone out before 11 every night.

Why bother?

I think Zambri’s probably inspires a fair bit of loyalty from their crew, and for good reason.
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#7306 spanky123

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 09:48 AM

^ That is my earlier point. Smart operators (like you) have done the math and figured out the optimal hours to open and the optimum staffing levels to meet their needs.

 

I went out for dinner last night and the restaurant I ate at now closes an hour earlier than in the past. The owner told me the same thing, same number of customers (last eaters just show up earlier) lower wage costs to help offset inflation.


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#7307 Barrrister

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 10:25 AM

I wonder if restaurants are going to be the first ones hit as inflation and higher mortgage rates shrink some peoples wallets.



#7308 spanky123

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 10:28 AM

I wonder if restaurants are going to be the first ones hit as inflation and higher mortgage rates shrink some peoples wallets.

 

They can pass those costs on to some extend and/or reduce portion sizes but when many people are living on fixed incomes there is only so much people can afford to absorb.

 

In addition, my experience has been that when people start cutting it is the high margin items like appies, booze and desserts that go first.


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#7309 Matt R.

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:05 PM

We are just about done on our highest grossing day, ever. I wonder how recession proof our business is? The location is unbeatable, but the grocery store buy was surely a hedge.

#7310 Mike K.

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:17 PM

Excellent!

Lots of tourists?

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#7311 Matt R.

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:29 PM

Yes, lots. I think I mentioned this but there were 30 soccer teams in the tournament this year, 12 more than 2019. That equates to about 1000 people just for the soccer. The sail around the island this weekend, nice weather too so lots of weekend market traffic.

May long is typically the busiest weekend of the year on salt spring, everywhere would have been packed all weekend but we get the double whammy because they all need to leave the island and most of them go back via fulford. Ganges would have been quiet after 5 today, but we kept rocking until.. well, I think they are still cooking!

Every ferry except the first and last were overloaded today, the middle four extremely so and what else is there to do in Fulford for two hours?

We sold them ice and liquor and groceries all weekend too, busy all around. This pace isn’t sustainable for us but a few weekends a year it’s nice for everyone to get the extra income boost.
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#7312 Redd42

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:32 PM

Where do an extra 1000 people stay on SSI? Wasn't the only motel converted to more permanent housing?



#7313 Nparker

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:41 PM

Where do an extra 1000 people stay on SSI? Wasn't the only motel converted to more permanent housing?

I keep wondering where sports teams are going to stay when visiting Victoria, especially with the loss of the Comfort Inn on Blanshard.


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#7314 Matt R.

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:45 PM

Oh lots of camping, both public and private and illegal, lots of airbnbs (lol?), the soccer people had their own tenting site near the fields I’m told. There is one larger hotel, one smaller one, and I think that’s it.

The motel you are referring to has been housing for homeless people for a couple of years. BC housing didn’t want to buy it to make it permanent so the hospital foundation bought it.

I wonder what the passenger count on bc ferries to salt spring was this weekend, because that soccer tournament is always a big draw but it’s not the only reason people come.

#7315 Matt R.

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:46 PM

I keep wondering where sports teams are going to stay when visiting Victoria, especially with the loss of the Comfort Inn on Blanshard.


Indeed! It’s a problem here too, but at least on salt spring you can pitch a tent in someone’s back forty five minutes from town.

#7316 Nparker

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:48 PM

...at least on salt spring you can pitch a tent in someone’s back forty, five minutes from town.

In Victoria, the 900 block of Pandora serves a similar purpose.  <_<


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#7317 Redd42

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 08:20 PM

I was wondering about the motel situation in Victoria as I walked back to my car from the Highland Games sunset ceremony. (Was great by the way and FREE.). Lots of HG attendees and participants travel to the event. Add to that the various out of town bands in the Monday parade. Then the regular tourists for a long weekend.



#7318 Mike K.

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 08:41 PM

Downtown felt very quiet on Sunday. The streets were noticeably void of the melee you’d expect.

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#7319 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 01:40 AM

I was wondering about the motel situation in Victoria as I walked back to my car from the Highland Games sunset ceremony. (Was great by the way and FREE.). Lots of HG attendees and participants travel to the event. Add to that the various out of town bands in the Monday parade. Then the regular tourists for a long weekend.


For various reasons the US bands did not come this year.

#7320 Matt R.

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 11:39 AM

Anyone know if there is a document shredder in Victoria that takes walk up customers?

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