Today we visited Vancouver’s new 70,500 square foot sixth-floor men’s store at The Hudson’s Bay Company (“The Bay”). Merchandise is still being organized, and some designer merchandise (men’s Lacoste, G-Star Raw) have not yet arrived. The Bay is taking its time, as the men’s store grand opening isn’t scheduled until November 8th, 2012.
What’s interesting is The Bay is waiting to introduce some ‘edgier’ men’s designers until after company President Bonnie Brooks and Chairman Richard Baker arrive in Vancouver for the floor’s November opening. Further labels will also be launched Spring 2013. The store is currently encouraging customer feedback along with the sixth-floor’s ‘soft launch’ this week.
The ‘edgier’ designers will be carried in a department called ‘White Space for Men’, which will be located under a historical skylight (image above). Below is a floorplan of the store showing men’s ‘White Space’ and a new men’s Lacoste shop. Three chandeliers will be added below the skylight to provide better evening/winter lighting under the skylight area.
Men’s White Space will be a fairly sparse retail area, with only about 10 racks of interesting designers. Think 3.1 Phillip Lim, McQ Alexander McQueen, Surface-to-Air, and possibly Martin Margiela, among others.
We received confirmation that one of the store’s four passenger elevators will be dedicated to just levels Sub-basement, TopShop/TopMan and 6 via the ground floor. This will provide a more express access to the men’s store, which is important since it’s sometimes hard enough to get (heterosexual) men shopping as it is, let along six-floors above ground (see floorplan above).
We think this will be the most beautiful and possibly the most ‘interesting’ men’s store in town. It will include a ‘trend bar’, where shoppers can put together fashion-looks on iPads. In the same area there will be a DJ, beverages and special events.
A men’s ‘lounge’ will be located beside the Ted Baker/J.Lindberg shops on the West-side of the sixth-floor. It will be small, clubby and include a washroom.
A made-to-measure section with a seating lounge will be located on the other side of the J.Lindberg shop.
A new ‘premium denim’ area has been set up, including designers Filippa K, vince., Nudie Jeans, 7 For All Mankind, allegri and DL 1961.
We’ll start posting photos of the men’s floor after merchandise has been laid out. We can confirm that it’s looking great so far, and we’ll be spending a substantial amount of money at The Bay in the coming months.
Hudson’s Bay Company website: www.thebay.com
