Landlord QuadReal announced this week that it is expanding the Willowbrook Shopping Centre in Langley BC by adding a new 27,500 square foot section called THE COURTYARD. Included will be 10 new food and beverage options and an entertainment area in an outdoor village-like configuration as part of an effort to attract shoppers and increase dwell time at the retail centre.
Construction on THE COURTYARD starts this month with a completion date expected to be a year from now. Design features will include a firepit, a water feature, and a pedestrian experience that will boast enhanced landscaping and lounge areas for social gatherings, entertainment and events.
“We are building for the future of the Langley community and looking forward with a positive lens,” said Larissa Jacobson, VP of retail leasing at QuadReal. “We’re excited about the new development. This is the next step in curating Willowbrook’s unique offerings.”
The first confirmed food and beverage operators at THE COURTYARD include:
- AO Ramen – an upscale Japanese restaurant with the only teppanyaki bar south of the Fraser River,
- Chachi’s – gourmet sandwiches and comfort food,
- Good Taco – fresh, homemade tortillas and authentic fillings,
- Trattoria Italian Kitchen – classic Italian cuisine with a ‘neighbourhood feel’, and
- OEB Breakfast Co. – an all-day breakfast and lunch restaurant that offers ‘familiar classics’.
THE COURTYARD’s goal is to attract shoppers to Willowbrook by offering multiple food and beverage options that in themselves will be attractions on top of any entertainment that would be featured. Food and beverage is shown to increase dwell time at shopping centres which in theory would translate to increased sales in stores and other businesses.
QuadReal has positioned Willowbrook Shopping Centre as a premium offering for the Fraser Valley region which is located east of Vancouver. Willowbrook has seen millions invested in the centre over the past several years including upgrades to the centre as well as new tenants.
We reported last year that three junior anchor tenants would be aded to the centre including TJX-owned Winners, T&T Supermarket and Nordstrom Rack. In 2018 we reported that QuadReal was expanding the centre by 190,000 square feet in an outdoor configuration, adding retailers such as Toys R Us and Sport Chek in the mall’s former Target space as well as a new H&M store.
QuadReal also owns several other shopping centres in Canada seeing redevelopments including the Oakridge Centre in Vancouver, Bayview Village in Toronto, Cloverdale Mall in Toronto, and others.
