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[Downtown Victoria] 1222-1280 Douglas Street


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#1 Mike K.

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 11:19 AM

Multiple industry insiders say talk of Chapters leaving downtown Victoria, Shoppers Drug Mart taking over its space, and the Shoppers Drug Mart building being redevelopment is the real deal.

 

But this will play out over the span of a couple of years, there are no immediate closures pending and no buildings will be coming down next year.

 

Chapters-and-Shoppers-Drug-Mart-Douglas-Street.jpg

 

Shoppers Drug Mart set to move as Chapters mulls downtown exit strategy

http://victoria.citi...-exit-strategy/

 

The 1200-block of Douglas Street is in-store for a major retailer shuffle as two heavyweight downtown businesses get set for real-estate plays.

 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, industry insiders tell Citified the three-level Chapters bookstore at 1212 Douglas Street is in the midst of a downtown Victoria exit strategy, a plan that will eventually see the operation vacate its retail space of 20-years.

 

Although Chapters’ parent company Indigo Books and Music has been closing locations in secondary markets across Canada, Chapters is expected to maintain a retail presence on southern Vancouver Island. [Full article]


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#2 Mr Cook Street

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 11:28 AM

Will be so great to see that Shopper's site re-developed. Hopefully Chapter's stays in COV and moves into Mayfair rather than Uptown. 

 

Definitely a potential benefit for the downtown booksellers Munro's and Russell's.


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#3 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 11:30 AM

It's too bad in a way.  Chapters could have had the strength to push the CoV into making downtown better.  They are the only major retailer on Douglas, besides Shoppers.  They made a huge mistake going there to begin with, much to Bolen Books delight.  I thought from the very beginning that the person who decided that was a great location was just someone in Toronto looking at a map.


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<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#4 Mike K.

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 11:35 AM

There are no large format bookstores other than Bolen Books at Hillside in any of Victoria's major malls. I don't think most Victorians have caught on to that.


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#5 lanforod

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 11:38 AM

Real book prices are outrageous these days. I like Bolen and Chapters primarily for their games/puzzles area. I don't venture into the stacks much other than to browse for one to buy used or e-book later maybe.



#6 Mike K.

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 11:49 AM

It's too bad in a way.  Chapters could have had the strength to push the CoV into making downtown better.

 

Hmm, that's a good point. But maybe future tenants at 1222-1280 Douglas will have that sway. H&M maybe?


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#7 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 12:20 PM

As a regular shopper at Munro's I can honestly say that their retail stock is superior to Chapters' in terms of the books I like to read.  Despite Chapters carrying more inventory, I frequently find titles at Munro's that Chapters does not have in stock (I use both the Munro's website and the Chapters website to do inventory searches for books I'd like to read).  I think that Munro's- despites its tourist-trip location- does a great job of finding books that the local market *wants to read*; I doubt that there are any buyers for Chapters/Indigo located locally in Victoria.

 

At the corporate level, Chapters/Indigo seems to be doing alright and their retail sales of printed books have held up (e-book sales seem to be declining or flat as customers revert to print books, and last year Indigo's CEO announced an investment in new 'thin' shelves that would allow the chain to increase the number of print books it stocks in its stores).  A location at Mayfair or Uptown would allow them to distance themselves from the strong downtown competition.../


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#8 aastra

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 12:30 PM

Back in 2013 at least one forumer was claiming that Shoppers was staying put for the long haul...



#9 Mike K.

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 12:36 PM

Also back in 2014 that same poster was claiming Chapters was out, Shoppers was in, and 1222 Douglas would be coming down.

 

Be careful of the things you read on the Internet.

 

[Edited to say 2014]


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#10 aastra

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 01:06 PM

Dude, that was 2014.

 

Still, that's a relief. For a minute there I was worried that somebody might have posted a piece of incorrect information on VV's forum.


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#11 aastra

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 01:11 PM

Interesting. In 2013 Brick and Mortar was saying it wasn't going to happen, and then less than a year later he was providing the details for how it was going to happen.


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#12 Jared

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 01:57 PM

I stopped shopping at Chapters years ago when books became consistently cheaper at indigo.ca. Rationally I understand that it's more expensive to run a brick & mortar store, but it's hard to swallow when it's basically being charged as a fee at the register.



#13 johnk

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 04:48 PM

I buy my books at Munro's. Very knowledgeable book lovers selling books. In a beautiful setting. Employee owned, to boot. Vested interest in knowing their stuff and helping you out.
I gave up on Chapters long ago when I couldn't figure out if they were a bookstore or an airport-style gift shop selling standardized crap. I just dont take it seriously as a bookstore.

Edited by johnk, 01 September 2016 - 04:50 PM.

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#14 sdwright.vic

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 06:20 PM

Also back in 2014 that same poster was claiming Chapters was out, Shoppers was in, and 1222 Douglas would be coming down.

Be careful of the things you read on the Internet.

[Edited to say 2014]

I at least got my information from a Shoppers employee in a management position.

Edited by sdwright.vic, 01 September 2016 - 06:20 PM.

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#15 zoomer

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 08:42 PM

The main intersection of Victoria.. where right now sits a bleak little building ordained with tacky art.  As a certain American politician would say - SAD!

 

I propose to build a great building, you're going to love it.. some people are already saying it's the greatest little building they've ever seen. 

 

De08uKL.jpg?1

 

I apologize for the crappy photo editing, still learning folks, still learning. 

 

Ok, so if we're only going to do six stories, make them damn good stories, no?  This is actually 61 Oxford Street in London. 

 

 

61 Oxford Street is the first new build development to be delivered in the regeneration of the iconic shopping district’s previously neglected east end. A joint venture with British Airways Pension Trustees, the 70,000 sq ft six storey scheme comprises 35,000 sq ft of prime retail space occupied by Spanish retailer, Zara, two floors of Grade A office space and six high quality residential apartments.


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#16 zoomer

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 08:58 PM

Of course we could go modern retail and office building...

 

Horribly merged with my photo is this render of a concept for a Shanghai building.

 

As with both designs, it encompasses the Shoppers and the former bank on the corner.

 

9Uf93y2.jpg


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#17 Rob Randall

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Posted 01 September 2016 - 09:25 PM

Portage & Main, Granville & Robson, Times Square, Piccadilly Circus...like it or not, our Douglas and Yates has always been the centre of town. Restoring some of the glamour of this corner is essential.
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#18 Bingo

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Posted 02 September 2016 - 11:36 AM

Portage & Main, Granville & Robson, Times Square, Piccadilly Circus...like it or not, our Douglas and Yates has always been the centre of town.

Restoring some of the glamour of this corner is essential.

 

Old navy vets will remember it as Pussers Corner.

 

Pussers Corner, Victoria, BC, 1948

 

"Anyone who took New Entry Training at Naden in that era or who were stationed on West Coast ships will remember Cunningham Drugstore.

That was the reference point for anyone meeting up in downtown Victoria."

Courtesy of Francis Dowall

http://www.forposter...N-ODDs&Sods.htm

 

ODDS005.jpg

 

 

 

 



#19 2F2R

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Posted 02 September 2016 - 12:06 PM

Portage & Main, Granville & Robson, Times Square, Piccadilly Circus...like it or not, our Douglas and Yates has always been the centre of town. Restoring some of the glamour of this corner is essential.

Someting nice and modern ...

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Edited by 2F2R, 02 September 2016 - 02:21 PM.


#20 johnk

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Posted 02 September 2016 - 04:06 PM

Madoff's nightmare!
I sure would like to see a restoration of the Cunningham Drugs building. It, and the corner, deserve so much better than its current condition.
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