Cape Breton mall to add popular home décor store and other new retailers

SYDNEY, N.S. — Greater than 40 years after first setting sail on the retail waters of Cape Breton, the Mayflower Mall continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing situations on the ocean of gross sales.

Now, after enduring two years of COVID-related restrictions and limitations, jap Nova Scotia’s largest procuring advanced is welcoming numerous new tenant shops together with the increasingly-popular HomeSense, a Canadian low cost house furnishing operated by the identical company that owns Winners.

HomeSense, together with Winners and Marshalls, is owned by Massachusetts-based TJX Corporations. The chain has greater than 140 areas in Canada, together with six within the Maritime provinces. There are presently HomeSense shops in Halifax, Dartmouth, New Minas, Fredericton, Moncton and Charlottetown. A brand new retailer can also be slated for Bedford.

The Charlottetown-based Guardian newspaper, a sister paper of the Cape Breton Put up and member of the SaltWire Community, reported on the 2015 opening of HomeSense’s Charlottetown retailer. The story acknowledged that the road to get into the brand new retailer stretched across the constructing earlier than the doorways had even been opened.

Optimistic response

The spring 2023 coming of HomeSense is welcome information to retired Sydney resident and procuring fanatic Louise MacDonald, who claims it’s certainly one of her favorite shops.

“When me and the ladies go on a visit, I name them procuring journeys, one of many first locations is we hit is all the time HomeSense whether or not we’re in Halifax or Charlottetown,” mentioned MacDonald, who can also be a frequent customer to the Winners’ Mayflower Mall location.

“I’m very glad they’re opening a HomeSense right here. I’ll store there. However that doesn’t imply we received’t go on any out-of-town procuring journeys.”

Howie Centre resident Sheri Steele, who was discovered leaving the native Winners retailer on Sunday, mentioned she hadn’t heard concerning the plans for a brand new HomeSense.

“I didn’t know, nevertheless it’s nice to listen to,” she mentioned.

“I’ve shopped there in Halifax and I prefer it. Now all we’d like in Cape Breton is a Costco.”

Given the social-media consideration surrounding the information of the HomeSense’s intent to open a brand new retail outlet in Sydney, it seems the opening can be considerably of a coup of the Mayflower Mall, which casually introduced it on Fb final week.

The put up garnered greater than 1,400 likes, 470 feedback and a few 600 shares.

The feedback, which had been largely temporary utterances of approval included “Nice”, “YES!”, “Can’t Wait”, “Woohoo”, “Thrilling”, “Superior” and “Hooray.” There have been additionally just a few posts from these not within the learn about HomeSense, together with “What’s a HomeSense? I’ve by no means heard of 1.”

Extra mall happenings

Mayflower Mall common supervisor Greg Morrison mentioned HomeSense can be a welcome addition to the Grand Lake Street procuring centre that opened in August 1980 with Hudson’s Bay, Dominion and Woolco serving as the unique anchor shops. Right now, its anchor shops embody the Bay, Finest Purchase, Winners, Sport Chek, Staples Depot, Michaels and Mark’s (previously referred to as Mark’s Work Wearhouse). The mall is run by Canada-wide McCOR Administration.

“The McCOR leasing division has been engaged on attracting new tenants, together with HomeSense, which we’re thrilled about,” mentioned Morrison.

“We even have Bluenotes/Aeropostle opening in Might, the brand new Reitman’s retailer will open in June and a brand new City Children will open this summer time.”

Different mall strikes embody the relocation of Emerald Isle’s E2 shops from the Winners finish of the advanced to the Bay facet of the procuring centre and the opening of a brand new Ricki’s retailer, which has been sharing a retailer with Cleo throughout the walkway from Sport Chek.

The final large addition to the Mayflower Mall was in March 2021 when Outdated Navy opened a location close to the meals courtroom.

There are nonetheless a few vacancies. The empty areas can be found for lease.

In the meantime, McCOR Administration has but to substantiate the place the brand new HomeSense retailer can be situated, however persistent rumours have surfaced that it could take over the present Finest Purchase location on the west finish of the mall with the electronics big shifting to a different website inside the advanced.

Rebound

When it opened greater than 4 a long time in the past, many noticed the Mayflower Mall as the start of the tip for downtown retail within the communities that now comprise the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Downtown Sydney just isn’t solely surviving, nevertheless it’s additionally going by a rejuvenation of types with the development of Nova Scotia Group School’s new waterfront campus nicely underway. There’s additionally $9 million earmarked for downtown redevelopment and upgrades.

Satirically, on-line procuring and residential supply have been a problem for the brick and mortar retail outlets each downtown and on the mall.

Nevertheless, mall common supervisor Morrison believes individuals are greater than able to return to in-person procuring.

“All these developments are extraordinarily optimistic,” mentioned Morrison.

“It’s been a tough go along with COVID however our prospects have continued to help the mall and we really feel we’re in a extremely good place now, a spot that we’ve anticipated over the previous few years. There’s an vitality within the native market that we haven’t seen in a very long time in our neighborhood. It’s thrilling.”

The Mayflower Mall is situated on Grand Lake Street simply east of Sydney on the way in which to Glace Bay.