German brand adidas will be opening a massive concept store in the former Victoria’s Secret location in downtown Vancouver’s Robson Central building.
The new adidas will span about 35,000 square feet over two levels. Further details on the concept store will be released soon as the brand prepares to start building what will be its largest store in Canada, by far. The addition of the new adidas store spells confidence in downtown Vancouver, with adidas also recently having reopened an expanded adidas Originals store on Granville Street.
Mario Negris and Martin Moriarty of Marcus & Millichap negotiated the lease deal on behalf of adidas. Morguard is the landlord of the building at 969 Robson Street where adidas will be located. Victoria’s Secret will be relocating into a retail space nearly 9,000 square feet at CF Pacific Centre, most recently occupied by Hollister which relocated in the mall.
The iconic heritage-designated Robson Central building at the northeast corner of Burrard and Robson Streets also houses a Shoppers Drug Mart and Clearly store, as well as Bell Media/CTV upstairs. The building was built in 1957 and was Vancouver’s main library branch from that year until 1995, when it was converted to a commercial building with a Virgin Megastore occupying the base and a Planet Hollywood upstairs. The Virgin store was converted to an HMV in 2005, where it operated until its closure in early 2012. Planet Hollywood shut in 1999 after the company’s bankruptcy.
In 1997, the upper levels were taken over by an independent television station, which was then taken over by CTV — various media productions take place in the space now.
Victoria’s Secret opened its 35,000 square foot store in late August 2013 in the building to considerable fanfare. Sales were said to be mediocre. Shoppers Drug Mart opened an 11,000 square foot store on the Burrard Street-facing side of the building in 2014.
adidas operates a network of stores across the country under various sub-banners. That includes adidas Originals, sport stores, outlet stores, and a new ‘halo store’ at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. The brand also wholesales in various multi-brand retailers across the country, ranging from sporting goods retailer to department stores depending on the collection.
The addition of the new adidas concept store is exciting news for downtown Vancouver. Various other retailers have been opening on Robson Street, with Esprit’s first Canadian store set to soon open on the north side of the 1000 block. Other changes include the closure of Brooks Brothers on Alberni Street, which is expected to be subdivided into three smaller retail spaces for high-end brands.
The 230,000 square foot Nordstrom space, currently vacant, is expected to see multiple tenants. A TikTok video from URBA Vancouver recently claimed that Quebec City-based retailer La Maison Simons would be taking over the top two levels of the former Nordstrom, making the store the largest in the chain at about 140,000 square feet. The video also claimed that Zara and Nike would occupy the main floor of the former Nordstrom, although that information is unconfirmed.
We’ll follow up with this story as details become available.
