Big American brands moving onto Robson Street take the thrill out of cross-border shopping
When I was a kid, a long weekend often meant a chance to go to the U.S. for a bit of cross-border shopping. My family would drive down to Bellingham and wander what felt like a cavernous Bellis Fair Mall, or we’d drive a little further to Seattle and window-shop downtown.
I remember the excitement I felt when I discovered Old Navy—“It’s like Gap, but cheaper!”—and how I pined for an Abercrombie & Fitch rugby tee as a teenager (It was the early 2000s). I recall roaming the neon aisles of Target, and marveling at a swish department store called Nordstrom.
There was a time when a Vancouverite had to drive for a good 1.5 to 2 hours before they spotted a Victoria’s Secret, or J. Crew, or Forever 21 store. Now, all you need to do is take the bus or Skytrain to Robson Street—the city’s hub for good old American shopping.
In the past few years, we’ve seen familiar shops and restaurants close and clear the way for bigger, flashier brands on Robson Street.
In early 2012, home furnishings store CB2 was one of the first of what would be a new wave of American brands to set up shop on Robson. The Chicago-based off-shoot of Crate & Barrel—which opened its first Vancouver location at Oakridge Centre a year later—parked itself on the street level of the renovated Pacific Palisades hotel and apartments.
A few months later, J. Crew opened its first B.C. store at 1088 Robson. The popular American clothing brand brought more preppy, classic women’s and menswear to a block that already housed Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic.
Across the street from J. Crew, a significant chunk of the city block was under construction. A handful of restaurants—the family-owned Kalypso and Caffé de Medici restaurants included—were demolished to make way for a gargantuan two-storey Forever 21 store.
Then in 2013, HMV shuttered its prime location at the corner of Robson and Burrard. In its place that summer came glitzy lingerie company Victoria’s Secret. The 35,000 square-foot two-storey store is filled with swimwear, sportswear, loungewear, and—above all else—lots and lots of underwear.
On the east end of Robson Street’s shopping district, Old Navy opened its first downtown store at the end of 2013. Across the street, construction workers have been turning the aging Sears department store into the more upscale Nordstrom, which is slated to open in early 2015.
With the gradual Americanization of Robson Street, we shouldn’t be surprised that U.S. beauty brand Sephora is set to open its Vancouver flagship location—the largest in Canada—at 1045 Robson Street on Friday (October 31). The store will cover 8,600 square feet of retail space and offer more than 200 (mostly American) makeup, skincare, fragrance, and haircare brands.
There are still some big Canadian brands renting space on Robson Street, including Roots, Joe Fresh, Aldo Shoes, Dynamite, Le Chateau, and La Vie en Rose. Vancouver-based clothing companies are also fairly well represented: Plenty, Aritzia, TNA, Blue Ruby, Boys’ Co, and of course the recently opened lululemon athletica flagship.
However, gone are the days when Vancouverites need to drive across the border to shop for big U.S. brands. There are still the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip, but Metro Vancouver will be getting one of those soon too—a designer outlet mall at YVR is slated for 2015.
Comments
4 Comments
cathy
Oct 30, 2014 at 6:34pm
Beware of these so called "outlet malls". These are just money grabs by the big brands with lower quality clothes and merchandise not good enough to sell in their regular higher end stores.
Be interesting to see what Nordstroms strategy will be here especially after the Target's disastrous money losing first year in Canada.
Different demographic but shoppers here are savvy and not dazzled by big american names moving in if they can get it cheaper somewhere else.
Don't think The Bay has anything to worry about but Holt Renfrew could be hit by Nordstoms.
Anyways i'll continue with my boho chic from thrift stores.....much more shopping fun.
ursa minor
Oct 31, 2014 at 8:36am
So many things to buy, such tiny little condos to put things in...
Barb
Nov 2, 2014 at 11:25pm
Sephora is a French company, not a U.S. Brand!
MARY
Nov 3, 2014 at 9:29am
YES SEPHORA IS FRENCH! and l'occitane too! so robson is not "all american" after all !