Penhorn Mall Closing?
Richard T.
I was talking to a friend who claims there is an article in
Saturdays Herald that stated Penhorn Mall was going to be closed down
and demolished to build Condo's. I can't find this article online. Can
anyone enlighten me as to what the truth is. This plan sounds like BS to me.
oldtrout
Library Services: (Research or reprints): phone: (902) 426-3080/3384, email. lib...@herald.ca
Or call the reference section of the library on Sp. Garden Rd.
oldtrout
Steve
spaces for lease. I jokingly call it "The dirt mall" Once Wal-Mart leaves
and builds its rumored store by home depot, that mall will likey go way down
hill.
"Richard T." <Sppa...@gmail.deletethiscom> wrote in message
news:36fkr9F...@uni-berlin.de...
PBMJ
"oldtrout" <no-...@home.ca> wrote in message
news:4sg501tbtl47flts1...@4ax.com...
there, its in mighty small print.
Brian Smith
"Steve" <bit...@yourmom.com> wrote in message
news:sFzMd.42$rB6.26@edtnps91...
>I heard rumors of it... I was in there last weekend and noticed alot of
> spaces for lease. I jokingly call it "The dirt mall" Once Wal-Mart
> leaves
> and builds its rumored store by home depot, that mall will likey go way
> down
> hill.
More accurately you mean to call it the Shoplifting Centre {;^)
It doesn't have very far to hit bottom, it has more stores with paper
banners for signs than anywhere.
Brian
wmd
> I heard rumors of it... I was in there last weekend and noticed alot of
> spaces for lease. I jokingly call it "The dirt mall" Once Wal-Mart leaves
> and builds its rumored store by home depot, that mall will likey go way down
> hill.
I wonder what Sears would do, if Wal-Mart were to leave? And Sobey's,
for that matter. For Sobey's, they could always build a stand-alone unit
somewhere by Home Depot to compete with Superstore, but a stand-alone
Sears would be a bit odd.
In any case, the Woolco/Wal-Mart anchor has long seemed to be the big
draw for Penhorn Mall. Well, that and the flea market! In fact, I
wouldn't be surprised if more people go to Penhorn for the flea market
on Sunday, than for regular shopping in an average week!
wmd
oldtrout
>Steve wrote:
>> I heard rumors of it... I was in there last weekend and noticed alot of
>> spaces for lease. I jokingly call it "The dirt mall" Once Wal-Mart leaves
>> and builds its rumored store by home depot, that mall will likey go way down
>> hill.
>
>
>I wonder what Sears would do, if Wal-Mart were to leave? And Sobey's,
>for that matter. For Sobey's, they could always build a stand-alone unit
>somewhere by Home Depot to compete with Superstore, but a stand-alone
>Sears would be a bit odd.
They got them in Chain Lake.
oldtrout
Brian Smith
"wmd" <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:AmAMd.225162$Np3.9...@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
>
> I wonder what Sears would do, if Wal-Mart were to leave? And Sobey's, for
> that matter. For Sobey's, they could always build a stand-alone unit
> somewhere by Home Depot to compete with Superstore, but a stand-alone
> Sears would be a bit odd.
Sears used to be a stand alone operation in Halifax, before the West End
Mall was added to the building. Correction, Sears was inside of the
Simpson's building.
> In any case, the Woolco/Wal-Mart anchor has long seemed to be the big draw
> for Penhorn Mall. Well, that and the flea market! In fact, I wouldn't be
> surprised if more people go to Penhorn for the flea market on Sunday, than
> for regular shopping in an average week!
There's more to see at the flea market then the mall has in it through the
week.
Brian
wmd
> Sears used to be a stand alone operation in Halifax, before the West End
> Mall was added to the building. Correction, Sears was inside of the
> Simpson's building.
Interesting! The West End Mall has been there for as long as I can
remember; I didn't realize that Sears was there before the mall. Did
Sears and Simpson's co-exist in the same building, at one time?
Also, did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax
at the Sears bargain basement!
> There's more to see at the flea market then the mall has in it through the
> week.
True enough. It's a shame that the mall doesn't do better. Up until I
was seven, I lived in the Penhorn Lake area, and even after we moved to
Cole Harbour my father used to shop at the Penhorn Sobey's for years
(because he "liked it better" ?? :) I used to go with him to hang out in
the mall. There's been a lot of change over the years.
wmd
Bill the second
"wmd" <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote in message
> Brian Smith wrote:
>
>> Sears used to be a stand alone operation in Halifax, before the West End
>> Mall was added to the building. Correction, Sears was inside of the
>> Simpson's building.
>
> Interesting! The West End Mall has been there for as long as I can
> remember; I didn't realize that Sears was there before the mall. Did Sears
> and Simpson's co-exist in the same building, at one time?
>
> Also, did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
> all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax at
> the Sears bargain basement!
Simpson's and Sears were the same outfit. Or so my Simpson's-Sears Kenmore
appliances would lead you to believe.
Bill the second
> spaces for lease. I jokingly call it "The dirt mall" Once Wal-Mart
> leaves
> and builds its rumored store by home depot, that mall will likey go way
> down
> hill.
Bayer's Road has had a lot of vacant spots for years. They even renovated.
Still, nothing. If Zellers leaves it would implode.
Brian Smith
"wmd" <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote in message
>
> Interesting! The West End Mall has been there for as long as I can
> remember; I didn't realize that Sears was there before the mall. Did Sears
> and Simpson's co-exist in the same building, at one time?
Yes. Simpson's was the retail side and Sears was the catalogue business. The
Sears catalogue pickup was between the main floor and the basement floor of
Simpson's.
> Also, did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
> all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax at
> the Sears bargain basement!
No, Simpson's just faded away into oblivion.
> True enough. It's a shame that the mall doesn't do better. Up until I was
> seven, I lived in the Penhorn Lake area, and even after we moved to Cole
> Harbour my father used to shop at the Penhorn Sobey's for years (because
> he "liked it better" ?? :) I used to go with him to hang out in the mall.
> There's been a lot of change over the years.
'Liked it better' is another way of saying, I know where everything is in
the store, and it takes me less time to go there than it does to try to find
what I what at another store.
Talk about mall's changing over the years, all of them do. Take the Halifax
Shopping Centre, when first opened it was a small one level building with
Sobey's, Kresege's(sp?) and Eatons as the anchor stores. It also had an
aquarium with fish and crustaceans from local waters, on display for a short
length of time. With parking on top of the building and a single story level
of offices on the roof. Now look at it, the only thing remotely the same as
how it looked when it was first opened is the property it sits on.
The Spryfield Town Centre, started life out as a strip mall. It expanded to
become a full mall, then was downsized to a strip mall (for the most part)
again in it's later life. The Dartmouth Shopping Centre went through similar
changes, reverting back to a strip mall, with even less stores in it than it
started with originally. Then we have Scotia Square, but why do we have it?
It's basically just there for the office workers that work in the Duke,
Cogswell and Barrington Towers to have a place to use during their lunch
hours.
Brian
Brian Smith
"wmd" <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote in message
>
> Interesting! The West End Mall has been there for as long as I can
> remember; I didn't realize that Sears was there before the mall. Did Sears
> and Simpson's co-exist in the same building, at one time?
Yes. Simpson's was the retail side and Sears was the catalogue business. The
Sears catalogue pickup was between the main floor and the basement floor of
Simpson's.
> Also, did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
> all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax at
> the Sears bargain basement!
No, Simpson's just faded away into oblivion.
> True enough. It's a shame that the mall doesn't do better. Up until I was
> seven, I lived in the Penhorn Lake area, and even after we moved to Cole
> Harbour my father used to shop at the Penhorn Sobey's for years (because
> he "liked it better" ?? :) I used to go with him to hang out in the mall.
> There's been a lot of change over the years.
'Liked it better' is another way of saying, I know where everything is in
Brian Smith
"Lucretia Borgia" <Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote in message
news:dum6011ra36nnkqj3...@4ax.com...
>
> It was purchased by Hudsons Bay, that happened as the new Bay store
> opened at the other end of the Mall. Simpsons was a great store, I
> often think of it when I see all the stuff piled around in the Bay
> looking ugly, like a warehouse.
I didn't remember that, sorry for the misinformation. The clutter makes you
well aware of the fact that it's just another Zellers store.
Brian
KD
> so where it actually seemed to be succeeding - quite the hub of
> activity on upper and lower levels then the biggies like Consumers
> Distributors, Dominion/IGA left and they just have two anchors,
> Zellers and Lawtons.
>
> They get some business with Crafts Canada and Fabricville in the
> middle there, but not enough I would think. The people going there
> do not bother with the rest of the stores.
I think a big part of Bayers Road's downhill slide started with the
renovations, when it became "The Village at Bayers Road," turning it
from a traditional mall into a strip mall. Rents were always very high
in that mall, and they tossed out tenants when they went to do their
renovations. They never came back.
I had also heard at that time, that they had run out of cash partway
through renovating.
Between that, and the fact that the IGA out front got flattened and
turned into a big parking lot, contributed to their current status of
being a faded shadow of what was once a decent shopping centre.
KD
gman99
Isn't the biggest revenue generator there the flea market ??
Rick Walker
"gman99" <gma...@canada.com> wrote in message
news:1107523115.9...@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Isn't the biggest revenue generator there the flea market ??
No, that would be Wal-Mart. Sobey's works too. But the rest of the
mall keeps changing from bad to worse. LOL, look at the paper signs over
the doors! Is that any indication of the staying power these garbage
merchants have? Good riddance; I hope it's true.
- Rick
gman99
I doubt Wal-Mart is paying much rent...if any. They probably used their
big stick and convinced the mall that they would increase traffic
substantially so shouldn't pay rent...
Gloria
Thriftys's,Reitmans,Fairweather,Suzy Sheer,etc...the mall was always busy
when i worked there.Then 1 by 1 the stores started closing,and the mall
died.I heard they are building a "super center"in Burnside with great
shopping.I Thought that was where the new Walmart was going.It is supposed
to be one with the Grocery Store in it.I though Old Navy would go there but
its being built right at MicMac.
"Bill the second" <as...@asdf.com> wrote in message
news:v0CMd.225224$Np3.9...@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
Rick Walker
> I doubt Wal-Mart is paying much rent...if any. They probably used their
> big stick and convinced the mall that they would increase traffic
> substantially so shouldn't pay rent...
Wal-Mart pays rent to Crombie Properties, a division of Sobey's, if I'm
not mistaken. Sobey's owns more land than one would think. This mall was
originally opened back in '73, I believe, and I started my first full-time
job (outside of my family) in 1974 at Woolco. Back then, the two "anchor"
stores were Woolco and Sobey's, and the mall only went down past "The Old
Favourites" beverage room (now GTO's) to the Penhorn Cinemas. IMO, that's
where it should have stopped, but to compete with Mic Mac at that time,
expansion was necessary.
As it stands today, if that mall suddenly disappeared, I sure as Hell
wouldn't miss a Damn thing!
- Rick
Bill the second
> so where it actually seemed to be succeeding - quite the hub of
> activity on upper and lower levels then the biggies like Consumers
> Distributors, Dominion/IGA left and they just have two anchors,
> Zellers and Lawtons.
>
> They get some business with Crafts Canada and Fabricville in the
> middle there, but not enough I would think. The people going there
> do not bother with the rest of the stores.
There was a while when HSC wasn't as good, HSC renovated and stores went
there.
As KD said they charge higher rent. Who the hell is going to pay higher rent
for a store in an empty mall? You'd want your store in where the action is.
Also it was pretty empty before the village at Bayer's road garbage.
Bowlorama is one of the remaining anchors. I think there's a bank there too.
IGA got flattened because Sobey's bought out IGA nationally, and around here
Loblaws took over IGA because otherwise there'd be Sobey's stores across the
street from each other. So anyways, Loblaws didn't want that tiny little
store, and instead built a larger store next door in the old MT&T lot. They
then renovated and turned it into the monstrosity we see today.
Also notice that Loblaws closed down their Clayton Park store (old IGA)
because it was too small for their format. Now it's become a monstrosity of
a Shoppers.
Bill the second
"Rick Walker" <R...@WR.com> wrote in message
news:vfNMd.225406$Np3.9...@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
>
> "gman99" <gma...@canada.com> wrote in message
> news:1107529881.5...@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>
>> I doubt Wal-Mart is paying much rent...if any. They probably used their
>> big stick and convinced the mall that they would increase traffic
>> substantially so shouldn't pay rent...
>
> Wal-Mart pays rent to Crombie Properties, a division of Sobey's, if I'm
> not mistaken. Sobey's owns more land than one would think.
This is true. They still own the land on Lacewood where the old store was
(where Nubody's and Greco is)
KD
> boutiques. There is a Nubodys going in there too I heard, that
> should do well as there will be plenty of parking.
Yes, the Nubodys is going to be one of those women only facilities.
They have had signs up in the window there for awhile, but it's a long
way from being complete, at least it was the last time I was over that
way.
The Bayers Road IGA wasn't that small, and not nearly as icky as the
one on Wyse Road. Then again, perhaps I'm biased - I worked at the
Bayers Road store for several years. :)
As for the Village at Bayers Road, I don't think that anyone would go
there anymore except for Zellers, and the Red Fox.
KD
oldtrout
Robt. Simpson Ltd was Canadian bought out by Sears, a US company.
oldtrout
oldtrout
>
>"wmd" <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote in message
>news:IUAMd.225186$Np3.9...@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
>>
>> Interesting! The West End Mall has been there for as long as I can
>> remember; I didn't realize that Sears was there before the mall. Did Sears
>> and Simpson's co-exist in the same building, at one time?
>
>Yes. Simpson's was the retail side and Sears was the catalogue business. The
>Sears catalogue pickup was between the main floor and the basement floor of
>Simpson's.
Before Sears bought Simpson's, Simpson's had a big catalogue mail order business . Most of rural Canada depended on
Simpsons & Eatons mail order for EVERYTHING for many years.
When the new catalogues came the old ones was deligated to the outhouse.
oldtrout
cok02
worked there in the late 80's, early 90's and it was a very busy mall. Had
just about everything. Now it's dead, and the Zellers store is a mess.
"Lucretia Borgia" <Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote in message
news:s9k701tfnt3lns68l...@4ax.com...
> I have noticed quite a few going to Crafts Canada and Fabricville and
> that Lawtons does consistently well.
>
> I remember when the IGA in the middle there was a Dominion Stores.
> It was a nice one too, for those days they had a really great
> selection of veggies. I was there one day, picked up a sweet red
> pepper after turning it over to check and put it in my cart. A young
> woman (whom I had noticed standing by the peppers quite awhile)
> suddenly said to me " Would you please tell me, how did you manage to
> find one that was full so easily?" I think of that everytime I buy
> a damn pepper :)
Brian Smith
>
> I remember when the IGA in the middle there was a Dominion Stores.
> It was a nice one too, for those days they had a really great
> selection of veggies. I was there one day, picked up a sweet red
> pepper after turning it over to check and put it in my cart. A young
> woman (whom I had noticed standing by the peppers quite awhile)
> suddenly said to me " Would you please tell me, how did you manage to
> find one that was full so easily?" I think of that everytime I buy
> a damn pepper :)
Then we have the old IGA on Dutch Village Road, that is now a Shoppers Drug,
and the Dominion on Quinpool Road that is a McDonald's and a gym of some
sort.
Brian
Richard Bonner
> did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
> all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax
> at the Sears bargain basement!
>
> wmd
*** Simpson's was bought by Hudson's Bay in the 1970s. They also own
Zellers and another retail chain which name I have forgotten.
Sears bought into Canada by going partners with Simpson's mail order
arm (1950s ?). That became Simpsons-Sears. At some point, (1980s ?) Sears
took it over competely and dropped the "Simpsons" name.
When I get a chance, I shall check my Simpson's reference.
Richard
Gabby
"Richard Bonner" <ak...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
news:cu2jja$i5d$3...@News.Dal.Ca...
> wmd wrote:
>> did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
>> all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax
>> at the Sears bargain basement!
>>
>
>> wmd
>
> *** Simpson's was bought by Hudson's Bay in the 1970s. They also own
> Zellers and another retail chain which name I have forgotten.
Didn't HBC also buy out Eaton's?
Gabby
Richard Bonner
> Talk about malls changing over the years, all of them do. Take the Halifax
> Shopping Centre, when first opened it was a small one level building with
> Sobey's, Kresege's(sp?) and Eatons as the anchor stores.
>
> Brian
*** It was two levels, with Eatons having three including its basement.
The mall's second level had offices but no stores. You can still get a
feel for some of that second level where the iron railings reveal the
second level through openings closest to the Mumford Road side. The
escalator from Sears up to that level is very similar to the way it was
originally.
Richard
Richard Bonner
(Re: Simpson's)
> It was purchased by Hudsons Bay, that happened as the new Bay store
> opened at the other end of the Mall.
*** No, Hudson's Bay bought Simpsons some time before that.
> Simpsons was a great store, I
> often think of it when I see all the stuff piled around in the Bay
> looking ugly, like a warehouse.
*** That's shopping in the 21st century. The discounters have ruined it.
Richard
Bill the second
>> did The Bay absorb Simpson's? I barely remember that store, if at
>> all. Growing up in Dartmouth, we usually only went shopping in Halifax
>> at the Sears bargain basement!
>>
>
>> wmd
>
> *** Simpson's was bought by Hudson's Bay in the 1970s. They also own
> Zellers and another retail chain which name I have forgotten.
Home outfitters. It's like the middle section of Zellers for those that
drive SUVs and feel they are too good to go to Zellers.
demibee
Bonner) wrote:
>*** It was two levels, with Eatons having three including its basement.
>The mall's second level had offices but no stores. You can still get a
>feel for some of that second level where the iron railings reveal the
>second level through openings closest to the Mumford Road side. The
>escalator from Sears up to that level is very similar to the way it was
>originally.
Around 1970/71, just inside the Mumford entrance to the mall, I recall
a stairway that led from the main floor (roughly where the escalator
starts now) to the upstairs corner where that Sears entrance and
MusicWorld are. It consisted of three staircases with circular
platforms between each. But I don't recall an escalator at that time.
db
Brian Smith
"demibee" <dem...@post.com> wrote in message
news:2v3b01l8qffss3vma...@4ax.com...
>
> When I'm walking up from the rotary toward the Halifax Shopping
> Centre, especially if it's cold or rainy, I'll often cut through the
> back of the Bay and out through the front of the mall. And what I've
> noticed is that there are Never as many customers in the store as
> there are staff. In fact, there are times when there's not a single
> customer to be seen on the main floor. What is it that keeps that
> place open?!
Unlocked doors?
Brian Smith
>
> *** It was two levels, with Eatons having three including its basement.
> The mall's second level had offices but no stores. You can still get a
> feel for some of that second level where the iron railings reveal the
> second level through openings closest to the Mumford Road side. The
> escalator from Sears up to that level is very similar to the way it was
> originally.
That's true. I was making reference to the store levels. About the
escalators, you're partly correct. There was only one escalator (it operated
in the up mode only) to get down one had to use the staircase that had (I
believe) three landings. This was at the Mumford Road end of the mall.
Brian
Rick Walker
> You're right. I quite like shopping there for that reason. I expect
> that is why they changed to the system of only having a central cash
> register, rather than tills on every section.
LOL! "Central Booking". I much preferred to have a register in each
department, rather than waiting in one spot, in line to make my purchase.
- Rick
Donna Whitman
>On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:38:40 GMT, wmd <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote:
>
>>Steve wrote:
>>> I heard rumors of it... I was in there last weekend and noticed alot of
>>> spaces for lease. I jokingly call it "The dirt mall" Once Wal-Mart leaves
>>> and builds its rumored store by home depot, that mall will likey go way down
>>> hill.
>>
>>
>>I wonder what Sears would do, if Wal-Mart were to leave? And Sobey's,
>>for that matter. For Sobey's, they could always build a stand-alone unit
>>somewhere by Home Depot to compete with Superstore, but a stand-alone
>>Sears would be a bit odd.
>
>They got them in Chain Lake.
That's just a home furnishings store ... not a full Sears.
Donna Whitman
Bonner) wrote:
The old Simpsons had 4-5 levels. Can't remember what all of them
were but the catalogue shopping centre was on 2. Cosmetics was on 1
(that;s where I worked my summers as a teen).
Richard Bonner
> wmd wrote:
> > did The Bay absorb Simpson's?
> > wmd
> *** Simpson's was bought by Hudson's Bay in the 1970s. They also own
> Zellers and another retail chain which name I have forgotten.
> Sears bought into Canada by going partners with Simpson's mail order
> arm (1950s ?). That became Simpsons-Sears. At some point, (1980s ?) Sears
> took it over competely and dropped the "Simpsons" name.
> When I get a chance, I shall check my Simpson's reference.
> Richard
*** I have the reference in front of me. The short version is that
two executives met one evening at a dinner party in Brazil - one each from
Sears Roebuck and one from Simpson's. They got along well and it was
suggested by the Sears fellow that the Simpson's guy should meet the
chairman of Sears some time.
A few months after he got back to Canada, a letter confirmed this and
they eventually met a year later in 1951. After the meeting, a few months
later, an alliance was suggested by Sears. The partnership was solidified
and in January 1953, Simpson's Sears was born. SImpson's still had full
ownership of its retail part, but was partners in the mail-order business
with Sears Roebuck. It also allowed for Simpsons-Sears retail stores in
locations not served by a Simpson's retail outlet.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> Didn't HBC also buy out Eaton's?
> Gabby
*** No; Sears did.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> >
> >Gabby
Lucretia Borgia wrote:
> No Sears did and tried to run it originally as a high end Sears,
> something along the line of Eatons. Miserable failure. They were
> even issuing new 'Eaton' credit cards.
*** Be aware, they are *charge* cards. They are different from a credit
card, although not by much.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> On Sat, 5 Feb 2005 14:08:35 +0000 (UTC), ak...@chebucto.ns.ca (Richard
> Bonner) wrote:
(Re: Halifax Shopping Centre)
> Around 1970/71, just inside the Mumford entrance to the mall, I recall
> a stairway that led from the main floor (roughly where the escalator
> starts now) to the upstairs corner where that Sears entrance and
> MusicWorld are. It consisted of three staircases with circular
> platforms between each. But I don't recall an escalator at that time.
> db
*** It was an up-only one and was next to the staircase. It may have
been there from the start, but I am unsure on that point.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> "Richard Bonner" <ak...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
(Re: HSC)
> > *** It was two levels, with Eatons having three including its basement.
> > The mall's second level had offices but no stores. You can still get a
> > feel for some of that second level where the iron railings reveal the
> > second level through openings closest to the Mumford Road side. The
> > escalator from Sears up to that level is very similar to the way it was
> > originally.
> That's true. I was making reference to the store levels. About the
> escalators, you're partly correct. There was only one escalator (it operated
> in the up mode only) to get down one had to use the staircase that had (I
> believe) three landings. This was at the Mumford Road end of the mall.
> Brian
*** You are correct. They eventually placed another escalator down at
the Sobey's end.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> "Lucretia Borgia" <Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote:
(Re: The Bay and reduced customers.)
> > I expect
> > that is why they changed to the system of only having a central cash
> > register, rather than tills on every section.
> LOL! "Central Booking". I much preferred to have a register in each
> department, rather than waiting in one spot, in line to make my purchase.
> - Rick
*** Sure, but the predators and discounters took all that away from us.
Richard
Rick Walker
> Rick Walker wrote:
>
> > LOL! "Central Booking". I much preferred to have a register in
each
> > department, rather than waiting in one spot, in line to make my
purchase.
>
> > - Rick
> *** Sure, but the predators and discounters took all that away from us.
>
> Richard
They walked in and took their registers? Why, how can this be? :-)
- Rick
Richard Bonner
> The difference escapes me Richard - what is it ? One is issued in a
> bank's name and one in a stores name.
*** If you cannot get credit on it in the form of monthly payments or if
it does not allow cash advances, it is a charge card. Few stores offer
them anymore because they make much interest money allowing people to
make payments.
A charge card is supposed to be for deferring the payment of purchases
in a given month to the end of that month.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> "Richard Bonner" <ak...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
> > Rick Walker wrote:
> >
> > > LOL! "Central Booking". I much preferred to have a register in
> > > each department, rather than waiting in one spot, in line to make
> > > my purchase.
> >
> > > - Rick
> > *** Sure, but the predators and discounters took all that away from us.
> >
> > Richard
> They walked in and took their registers?
> - Rick
*** No, but they forced the existing stores to downgrade their services
by laying off employees.
Richard
Rick Walker
> Rick Walker wrote:
> > They walked in and took their registers?
>
> > - Rick
> *** No, but they forced the existing stores to downgrade their services
> by laying off employees.
>
> Richard
And those employees migrated to the "predator" stores, correct?
- Rick
Richard Bonner
> The old Simpsons had 4-5 levels. Can't remember what all of them
> were but the catalogue shopping centre was on 2. Cosmetics was on 1
> (that;s where I worked my summers as a teen).
*** The Simpson's store in the 1970s and 80's:
Floor 1 Simpson's Retail. Rail receiving for Simpsons-Sears
and possibly Simpson's
Floor 2 Simpsons-Sears Catalog Sales. Simpsons-Sears Receiving and
heavy warehousing
Floor 2.5 Simpsons-Sears Mezzanine Warehousing
Floor 3 Simpson's Retail. Simpsons-Sears Clearance Centre
Floor 4 Receiving and Warehouse for Simpsons-Sears
Floor 5 Simpsons-Sears Returns Processing. Warehouse
for Simpsons-Sears
As you can see, much of the building was used by Simpsons-Sears. That's
because Simpsons opened that big addition to the main store in 1963 and
moved much of its business into there. It was that long white quartz &
concrete section that faced Mumford Road. It's gone now and today the
land is occupied by Sobeys and Winners.
Richard
Brian Smith
>
> As you can see, much of the building was used by Simpsons-Sears. That's
> because Simpsons opened that big addition to the main store in 1963 and
> moved much of its business into there. It was that long white quartz &
> concrete section that faced Mumford Road. It's gone now and today the
> land is occupied by Sobeys and Winners.
Sears Outlet Store is still in the basement there.
Brian
Richard Bonner
> "Richard Bonner" <ak...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
> > Rick Walker wrote:
> > > They walked in and took their registers?
> >
> > > - Rick
> > *** No, but they forced the existing stores to downgrade their services
> > by laying off employees.
> >
> > Richard
> And those employees migrated to the "predator" stores, correct?
> - Rick
*** Not all of them. Reports say the stores which replaced the
Canadian ones hired fewer workers than the stores which were put out of
business.
Richard
wmd
> *** The Simpson's store in the 1970s and 80's:
>
> Floor 1 Simpson's Retail. Rail receiving for Simpsons-Sears
<snip for space>
Richard, someone once told me that there was a warehouse of some kind
underneath the parking lot of the 'old' West End Mall. They said it was
a Sears warehouse, and it was a huge space underground.
Do you know if there is any truth to this?
wmd
Greg Beaulieu
: Floor 1 Simpson's Retail. Rail receiving for Simpsons-Sears
: and possibly Simpson's
I remember the candy department on this level as well as men's clothing
and shoes. The men's clothing was at the end by the bus turnaround.
Simpson's bags were usually green and white, but if you bought some candy
by the pound it came in a white bag with blue logos.
: Floor 2 Simpsons-Sears Catalog Sales. Simpsons-Sears Receiving and
: heavy warehousing
: Floor 2.5 Simpsons-Sears Mezzanine Warehousing
: Floor 3 Simpson's Retail. Simpsons-Sears Clearance Centre
I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
the catalog order desk.
At the order desk there was a soda machine that dispensed soda by the cup.
Made the fizziest, harshest orange pop I can remember, but it was neat to
watch the machine work.
Beyond the order desk was a large area for order pickup. Lots of
cubbyholes for orders to wait in.
Beyond that was the clearance center.
: As you can see, much of the building was used by Simpsons-Sears. That's
: because Simpsons opened that big addition to the main store in 1963 and
: moved much of its business into there. It was that long white quartz &
: concrete section that faced Mumford Road. It's gone now and today the
: land is occupied by Sobeys and Winners.
I'm trying to remember what was here in the early days. I'm pretty sure
the music department was here in the 60s since I remember my parents
buying me a record or two here. Large appliances too, I think. Furniture
perhaps? Someone help me out...
--
Greg Beaulieu ab...@chebucto.ns.ca Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Greg Beaulieu
: >Didn't HBC also buy out Eaton's?
: No Sears did and tried to run it originally as a high end Sears,
: something along the line of Eatons. Miserable failure. They were
: even issuing new 'Eaton' credit cards.
Along with a new advertising campaign featuring "aubergine", if you
remember.
Too bad they couldn't save it. I loved Eaton's until they went south in
the mid-90s.
Greg Beaulieu
: It was purchased by Hudsons Bay, that happened as the new Bay store
: opened at the other end of the Mall. Simpsons was a great store, I
: often think of it when I see all the stuff piled around in the Bay
: looking ugly, like a warehouse.
When the new store opened, it was still a Simpson's. I never liked the new
store even then, but it was better than The Bay there is now. I seem to
recall having a Simpson's credit card in my wallet until the late 80's,
and remember walking past the main Simpson's store in downtown Toronto
sometime around '86 or '87.
Brian Smith
"wmd" <wmd...@NOSPAMyahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:0DdOd.228711$Np3.9...@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
>
> Richard, someone once told me that there was a warehouse of some kind
> underneath the parking lot of the 'old' West End Mall. They said it was a
> Sears warehouse, and it was a huge space underground.
>
> Do you know if there is any truth to this?
Sears had it's Service Centre under there, as well as shipping and receiving
just on the other side of the wall that ran parallel to Chebucto Lane, by
the old loop driveway by the lower level entrance to Sears. The trolleys ran
around that loop years ago.
Brian
Brian Smith
"Greg Beaulieu" <ab348...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
news:cubpdk$rr2$2...@News.Dal.Ca...
>
> I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
> lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
> with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
> the catalog order desk.
I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
> At the order desk there was a soda machine that dispensed soda by the cup.
> Made the fizziest, harshest orange pop I can remember, but it was neat to
> watch the machine work.
I recall that as well.
Brian
SMB
and they have almost hidden from view public washrooms.
I walked in and wow....it was still the old simpsons store,
complete with those oddly blue/green and white wall tiles.
I actually got a kick out of it....
This was when it was still Sears I think, in the back to
the right. I think it was hidden behind where they sold
sheets, blankets, pillows, etc.
SMB
Brian Smith wrote:
> "Greg Beaulieu" <ab348...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
> news:cubpdk$rr2$2...@News.Dal.Ca...
>
>>I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
>>lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
>>with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
>>the catalog order desk.
>
>
> I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
> travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
Was that the eye-glass place??
Donna Whitman
That's during the 70's and 80's. Before that (like in the 50's and
60's, almost the whole building (or parts of each floow anyway) were
retail).
Donna Whitman
In the earlier period (60's), you got off the elevator on the
second floor and the fron part of it was the catalogue shopping area.
You walked through it to the back area (about 1/3 of the floor) and
that was the bargain centre. Am I the onky one here old enough to
remember that?
oldtrout
>
>"Greg Beaulieu" <ab348...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
>news:cubpdk$rr2$2...@News.Dal.Ca...
>>
>> I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
>> lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
>> with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
>> the catalog order desk.
>
>I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
>travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
Sear Travel, Allstate insurance and Sears eyeglass dispensary.
oldtrout
Marilyn E. Burford
> In the earlier period (60's), you got off the elevator on the
> second floor and the fron part of it was the catalogue shopping area.
> You walked through it to the back area (about 1/3 of the floor) and
> that was the bargain centre. Am I the onky one here old enough to
> remember that?
Nope! *I* remember it well! Gotta a lot of bargains back there in the
early days of my marriage :).
M.
oldtrout
>>On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 10:41:36 GMT, Lucretia Borgia
>><Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>>>"Greg Beaulieu" <ab348...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
>>>>news:cubpdk$rr2$2...@News.Dal.Ca...
>>>>>
>>>>> I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
>>>>> lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
>>>>> with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
>>>>> the catalog order desk.
>>>>
>>>>I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
>>>>travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
>>>
>>>Laura Secord
>>
>>Also a shoe repair and lottery ticket vendor.
They were on the first floor not the small area between the escalators.
oldtrout
>
>That must have been later, I don't think the first one, Olympic
>Lottery, started before 74 or so ?
oldtrout
And the trams before that! : -))
oldtrout
>
>Brian
>
cok02
frame you are talking about. But I remember an optomitrist there.
"Lucretia Borgia" <Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote in message
news:i6qj01pu7u32cf67c...@4ax.com...
> >
>>"Greg Beaulieu" <ab348...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
>>news:cubpdk$rr2$2...@News.Dal.Ca...
>>>
>>> I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
>>> lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
>>> with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
>>> the catalog order desk.
>>
>>I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
>>travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
>
> Laura Secord
Richard Bonner
> <snip for space>
> wmd
*** Hmm, well, I wonder what they mean by the "old" mall. There was a
warehouse under part of West End Mall, but it was not completely
underground. It was accessible from Simpson's Lane. It housed the Sears
Repair centre and much of the heavy warehousing: fridges, furniture, etc.
I think some or all of it might still be there. I will try to remember to
look the next time I am by there.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> Richard Bonner (ak...@chebucto.ns.ca) wrote:
> : Floor 1 Simpson's Retail. Rail receiving for Simpsons-Sears
> : and possibly Simpson's
> I remember the candy department on this level as well as men's clothing
> and shoes. The men's clothing was at the end by the bus turnaround.
*** That is correct. I think the candy department eventually moved to
the third floor into the new (1963) section maybe sometime in the 1970s.
> : Floor 2 Simpsons-Sears Catalog Sales. Simpsons-Sears Receiving and
> : heavy warehousing
> : Floor 2.5 Simpsons-Sears Mezzanine Warehousing
> : Floor 3 Simpson's Retail. Simpsons-Sears Clearance Centre
> I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
> lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
> with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
> the catalog order desk.
*** I think that is right. You could also go up the double escalators
after 1963 to reach the third floor.
> At the order desk there was a soda machine that dispensed soda by the cup.
> Made the fizziest, harshest orange pop I can remember, but it was neat to
> watch the machine work.
*** I don't recall that. Was it near the Simpsons-Sears cafeteria?
> Beyond the order desk was a large area for order pickup. Lots of
> cubbyholes for orders to wait in.
*** Yes. They were made of wood.
> : As you can see, much of the building was used by Simpsons-Sears. That's
> : because Simpsons opened that big addition to the main store in 1963 and
> : moved much of its business into there. It was that long white quartz &
> : concrete section that faced Mumford Road. It's gone now and today the
> : land is occupied by Sobeys and Winners.
> I'm trying to remember what was here in the early days. I'm pretty sure
> the music department was here in the 60s since I remember my parents
> buying me a record or two here. Large appliances too, I think. Furniture
> perhaps? Someone help me out...
> --
> Greg Beaulieu
*** All of that is correct. The music department was very near the
Mumford entrance. Appliances were beyond that.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> Lucretia Borgia (Lucreti...@florence.it) wrote:
> : It was purchased by Hudsons Bay, that happened as the new Bay store
> : opened at the other end of the Mall.
> When the new store opened, it was still a Simpson's. I never liked the new
> store even then, but it was better than The Bay there is now. I seem to
> recall having a Simpson's credit card in my wallet until the late 80's,
> and remember walking past the main Simpson's store in downtown Toronto
> sometime around '86 or '87.
> --
> Greg Beaulieu
*** Hudson's Bay Company did keep some stores as "Simpson's" for quite a
while. They even had a huge Simpson's warehouse in Burnside.
I think the last Simpson's-named store to go was the Toronto one. It's
sad that Canadians abandoned the two cornerstones of Canadian retail and
forced them to go under thanks to them patronising the discounters and
predator stores. )-:
Richard
Richard Bonner
> >Richard Bonner (ak...@chebucto.ns.ca) wrote:
> >
> >: Floor 2.5 Simpsons-Sears Mezzanine Warehousing
> >
> >: Floor 3 Simpson's Retail. Simpsons-Sears Clearance Centre
> That was on a mezzanine as I remember it. I used to walk up the
> stairs in the corner that would be nearest to the rotary, in a manner
> of speaking, it was above the ground floor but lower than the first
> floor.
*** Correct. If you walked into the Simpson's Lane entrance and turned
right, you would walk up to the mezzanine level.
> >Beyond that was the clearance center.
*** I don't recall the clearance centre being on that level, but it
might have been at one time. I always remembered it as being on the next
level up and it was on that floor (third) in the 1980s.
Richard
Richard Bonner
> I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
> travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
>
> Brian
*** Allstate Insurance and an optical store. I think there was a candy
counter there for a while, too.
Richard
oldtrout
>On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 13:28:26 GMT, oldtrout <no-...@home.ca> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 10:57:05 GMT, Lucretia Borgia <Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote:
>>
>>>>On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 10:41:36 GMT, Lucretia Borgia
>>>><Lucreti...@florence.it> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>"Greg Beaulieu" <ab348...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
>>>>>>news:cubpdk$rr2$2...@News.Dal.Ca...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I always got confused here. My memory is taking the elevator up from the
>>>>>>> lower level, passing the Arcadian Room restaurant, possibly some retail
>>>>>>> with vacuum cleaners and such, walking down corridors, until you got to
>>>>>>> the catalog order desk.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I remember on the floor between the two sets of escalators, there being a
>>>>>>travel agency and something else, but it won't come to me at this moment.
>>>>>
>>>>>Laura Secord
>>>>
>>>>Also a shoe repair and lottery ticket vendor.
>>
>>They were on the first floor not the small area between the escalators.
>
>Thats correct. The lottery kiosk was to the right of the escalator on
>the first floor.
>
>I thought the small shoe repair was on the left of the landing as you
>went up...
Yes you are right...on second thought. : -))
oldtrout
oldtrout
>Yes, the sapce was there the last time I looked. The West End Mall
>being refgerred to is the parking garage.
>
>Prior to it being built, that space was the Sears Garage and Auto
>Center and the Maritime Accessories Building. There was also a small
>wooded area.
Thank you I had forgotten all about that.
oldtrout
>
>We used to skateboard there in HS. Would start at Mumford Road at the
>entrance across from St Agnes school, shoot down the driveway, down
>thru where the parking garage is now located and end up at the Sear
>Garage!
oldtrout
Speaking of which does anyone know what the largest item ever shoplifted from Simpson's
was?
oldtrout
>
>Richard
oldtrout
>TV?
Think bigger. Much bigger.
oldtrout
>
>>
>>oldtrout
>>>
>>>Richard
Brian Smith
"Richard Bonner" <ak...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
news:cud5je$fnj$1...@News.Dal.Ca...
>
> *** Hmm, well, I wonder what they mean by the "old" mall. There was a
> warehouse under part of West End Mall, but it was not completely
> underground. It was accessible from Simpson's Lane. It housed the Sears
> Repair centre and much of the heavy warehousing: fridges, furniture, etc.
> I think some or all of it might still be there. I will try to remember to
> look the next time I am by there.
I had called it Chebucto Lane in error, it is still called Simpsons (no
apostrophe) Lane, according to the City.
Brian
Brian Smith
"SMB" <sburns...@gto.net> wrote in message
news:iJWdnZIwRbE...@golden.net...
>
> Was that the eye-glass place??
There was one of those there, yes. Thank you.
Brian