Canada’s Largest Outlet Mall to Expand and Include ‘LegoLand® Discovery Centre’

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Vaughan Mills (Image: whattodotoronto.com)

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Suburban Toronto’s Vaughan Mills is about to enlarge by 150,000 square feet, bringing in about 50 new retailers and three anchors, including ‘LegoLand Discovery Centre’. This isn’t just significant for Toronto… Canada is about to see a boom in outlet mall shopping.

Vaughan Mills isn’t just an ‘outlet mall’, however. It’s got some ‘concept stores’ as well as some full-priced retailers, and it also considers itself to be an ‘entertainment venue’. Entertainment will be important to future retailing, as we described in yesterday’s Retail Insider article about the future of retail.

Vaughan Mills will grow to about 1.274million square feet. Construction starts either late April or early May, according to a source at landlord Ivanhoe Cambridge. The mall will spend a reported $87million on the expansion. When completed, Vaughn Mills will have 250 stores and 19 ‘major tenants’ (large in size, we presume).

According to their press release, the expanded Vaughn Mills will include:
-50 new retail concepts and 3 new major tenants including LegoLand® Discovery Centre
-An entirely newly-designed Entertainment court that will build off the existing “Discover Ontario” theme which celebrates the beauty and diversity of the province within an innovative and contemporary setting
-Renovations to the common areas and the food court
-A highly visible and distinctive new entrance as part of the centre’s unique design and existing neighbourhood extension
-450 new parking stalls for a total of over 6,500 stalls
Upgraded common area elements, including floor and ceiling treatments, in addition to energy efficient LED lighting

Vaughan Mills’ current floorplan. Source: searchingtoronto.com

“Today, over 13.5 million shoppers, families and tourists visit Vaughan Mills year after year for a shopping experience that includes: 16 specialty anchors, brand fashion, 50%+ brand and luxury outlets, entertainment components and unique dining options all within 6 themed neighbourhoods and 6 themed transition courts.

Vaughan Mills includes attractions such as Bass Pro Shops and the world’s largest Pro Hockey Life. Its powerful retail mix offers many Canadian retail “firsts” and “exclusive-to-Vaughan Mills” concepts, such as Holt Renfrew Last Call, Michael Kors Outlet, Juicy Couture Outlet, J. Crew Factory, UGG Australia Outlet, Calvin Klein, Lacoste Outlet, A/X Armani Exchange Outlet, North Face Outlet, Banana Republic Factory Store, and many more.”

We’re still doing our homework on other outlet mall retail coming to Canada. We’ve reported on some already. Soon, there may be no desire to cross the Canadian border to shop in the United States for bargains or otherwise. 

Source: Ivanhoe Cambridge Press Release
Vaughan Mills website: www.vaughanmills.com

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