708 replies to this topic

[D.L.]

The new style of this mall seems wrong to me. It's impersonal and cold. Anyone else think this?

[Nparker]

I really like the new look. Hillside was looking VERY dated. Much more contemporary now. Let's just hope they can lease all the spaces.

[jonny]

I think it is a massive improvement.

[Holden West]

Let's just hope they can lease all the spaces.

 

If filling the mall was a concern to them they wouldn't have evicted some of the previous tenants.

[AllseeingEye]

I think it is a massive improvement.

Agree with this assessment; last Sunday Mrs. ASE and I decided to check out Hillside (Target specifically) which I have to say was a huge improvement over Target's Tillicum location, although were I in a glib mood I could observe that it wouldn't take much to represent a considerable leg up on the Tillicum outlet. Yet I digress. Overall like Jonny I thought the updated mall was light years ahead of the old one, which IMO by comparison was darker, rather pedestrian and dated  in a 1970's sort of way and offered little in the way of amenities in stark contrast to the 2014 version. Two thumbs up.

[D.L.]

I dislike the "short attention span" our society has in regards to design where a mall with a 1990s design is considered dated and needs updating.

 

The Bolen Books facade is a prime example. It was distinctive and well designed, actually used by the store as it's logo. But it's wasn't new enough so it was trashed and a replaced by a plain glass wall which just happens to be the style that is currently in vogue.

[sebberry]

The glass box around Bolen Books was a very poor design decision.  It doesn't update or modernize the building in any way. 

[Bingo]

The sign says all way stop, but I didn't see pedestrians stop before walking out diagonally in any direction. The crosswalks are not marked.

 

[Holden West]

^Yeah, it's a bit confusing there.

 

Marshall's is underwhelming. Basically a Winners clone. H&M would have been a far better fit for the mall. I don't know how Hillside let that one get away.

[sebberry]

Thought this was interesting and I'll put it here as it specifically mentions Target and Sears. 

 

 

 

Big retailers finding Canada a challenging consumer market

 

For years, Canadians would cross the border to the United States to shop at Target. Exporting its cheap chic there seemed like a no-brainer.

 

But a year after opening more than 100 stores north of the border, Target has found business isn't so easy.

 

Shelves are hard to keep stocked. Shoppers complain the prices are higher than at U.S. stores. Sales have been weak, and the retailer lost nearly a billion dollars in Canada for the year.

 

[...]

 

 

http://www.therecord...onsumer-market/

[sdwright.vic]

Once again a sh*tty mens department with Marshalls.

[G-Man]

For me there is something to be said for having to cross the border for the deals.

[VicHockeyFan]

For me there is something to be said for having to cross the border for the deals.

 

It really is odd.  It seems extremely inefficient to have a whole whack of individuals going across the border for deals.  When a smart retailer could bring the deals here in bulk.

[Mike K.]

Canadians would rather drown in taxes than support government initiatives that reign in the costs of doing business. Look at the opposition to Harper's initiatives in some circles, meanwhile those same people will be the first to complain that prices in Canada are higher than in the U.S.

[G-Man]

^ I have not seen a lot of work on the part of the feds to reign in business costs and certainly nothing big that would ensure that those cost savings are passed onto consumers. The sports equipment import tax removal is a good example. 

[Mike K.]

The Conservatives dropped the GST to 5% from 7%, decreased corporate taxes and thus allowed corporations to become more financial stable, increased the value of goods that can be brought in duty-free from the US and they are working to reduce the number of Canadians reliant on government for employment.

 

Meanwhile under their leadership the value of the Canadian dollar soared and this gave Canadian's higher buying power throughout the world and gave industry the opportunity to become more efficient and profitable through acquisition of foreign machinery, etc., and made exporters leaner and more efficient in order to maintain their positions in a global marketplace.

 

The ultimate goal is to make doing business in Canada easier and cheaper than it currently is. The feds admit that there remains a great deal more to be done to make Canadian businesses more competitive and to reduce prices for Canadian consumers.

[ZGsta]

The Conservatives dropped the GST to 5% from 7%, decreased corporate taxes and thus allowed corporations to become more financial stable, increased the value of goods that can be brought in duty-free from the US and they are working to reduce the number of Canadians reliant on government for employment.

 

Meanwhile under their leadership the value of the Canadian dollar soared and this gave Canadian's higher buying power throughout the world and gave industry the opportunity to become more efficient and profitable through acquisition of foreign machinery, etc., and made exporters leaner and more efficient in order to maintain their positions in a global marketplace.

 

The ultimate goal is to make doing business in Canada easier and cheaper than it currently is. The feds admit that there remains a great deal more to be done to make Canadian businesses more competitive and to reduce prices for Canadian consumers.

 

Hold the campaigning there, the election's not for another year at least.

[lanforod]

Hold the campaigning there, the election's not for another year at least.

October 19, 2015.

 

I think Target needs to rethink their business in Canada, now that they've got a taste of it. They can make it here, but unless they can reposition themselves as true competitors to RCSS and Walmart in Canada, it isn't going to happen. I think too many people are going to the latter thinking they are better priced, whether that is 100% true or not.

[Mike K.]

Hold the campaigning there, the election's not for another year at least.

 

Thank you for proving my point

[Bingo]

An afterthought?  Marshall's expansion? customer service? postal boxes