# Rideau Centre's connections mean likely Apple store



## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

I had a minor (if obvious in retrospect) revelation today.

To date, virtually all of the malls that host (or will host) an Apple store in Canada are owned by Cadillac Fairview. That includes Carrefour Laval, two of three Toronto stores (including the Eaton Centre), and the future Market Mall store in Calgary.

In Ottawa, there's just one Cadillac Fairview mall, and that's the Rideau Centre.

It stands to reason then that, regardless of the location's advantages (arguably, parking is better at Place or Bayshore), Rideau will probably be chosen as Apple's Ottawa location simply because of established relationships.

I'd keep my eyes peeled for any vacant but reasonably-sized storefronts at the mall, especially on the third floor (the "upscale" area, which Apple usually prefers) or the first (more foot traffic from Rideau Street).


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## ericlewis91 (Jul 12, 2007)

So this means that if its Cadilac Fairview

then Masonville Place in London

also the same company

will get one too


I hope so...London needs one bad

its also 5 minutes from my house


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Although Apple do try to make deals with developers like this, I assure you that it's not a guaranteed thing. Apple is an exceedingly rich company and weighs factors like average income in the mall's service area and how new/elegant the place is (and who the surrounding stores will be, how much tourist trade another factors) into the equation on where to build.

I know this because that used to be one of the things *I* did for Apple. 

I'm not "shooting down" the theory that other Cadilac Fairview malls will be chosen, I don't know anything about the malls you mentioned so I couldn't say. You may well be onto something.

I'm just saying that if a CF mall is the "poorer" of two or more choices in a particular town, Apple has the resources to deal elsewhere.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Ahem, I deduced this connection two years ago.

http://www.ehmac.ca/anything-mac/37655-2-new-canadain-apple-retail-stores-coming.html

There was a Masonville rumor long ago that was shot down by ifoApplestore and my investigations. And Rideau had been discussed as having too many transient people versus "fashion mall" clientelle.


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## boxlight (Mar 20, 2008)

Commodus said:


> In Ottawa, there's just one Cadillac Fairview mall, and that's the Rideau Centre.


Interesting. Seems to me the most likely locations for an Apple Store in Ottawa are one of the three big malls:

1) Rideau Centre; the downtown mall with the classiest stores

2) St. Laurent; nice big mall, lots of nice stores, with tonnes of walk-through traffic

3) Bayshore; passable place, but not that compelling; Les Ailes lost a tonne of money with a failed high-end department store there

Or if they go a little more suburban, maybe in the Centrum area of Kanata, or possibly the IKEA plaza at Pinecrest.

My money would be on the Rideau Centre, my hopes would be in Kanata.


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## msprint (Mar 3, 2005)

Eric, you are the dude that created all of the rumors for a Masonville Apple store in London. The only problem is that your rumors are not based on any kind of evidence that Apple wants to open a store in London. I think that there are a lot largers cities than London that Apple wants to open first. I think London will get an Apple store one day, but not for a few years.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

boxlight said:


> My money would be on the Rideau Centre, my hopes would be in Kanata.


It won't be in the Centrum, and good - they should put a moratorium on new construction there. The parking lots are shrinking and the stores are increasing in what is already a mish-mash of one-way curvy streets that you can't find your way around. Heck, I go there about once per week and it still boggles me what a failure of urban planning that place is.

If Kanata, maybe the Signature Centre, but I really think it'll be the Rideau Centre if anywhere in Ottawa. Parking is ample there (just not free parking) and it's a tourist area with lots of high-end stores.


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## tedj (Sep 9, 2004)

On the other hand, Blue Oasis is gone from their HUGE corner location just a block or two east on Rideau. It's a good location, big windows, etc. I just live a couple blocks away, so that would rock my world.

Are there any Canadian Apple stores outside of a mall?


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

boxlight said:


> Interesting. Seems to me the most likely locations for an Apple Store in Ottawa are one of the three big malls:
> 
> 1) Rideau Centre; the downtown mall with the classiest stores


agreed - good location and has the fanciest, most upscale boutiques especially on the top floor.



boxlight said:


> 2) St. Laurent; nice big mall, lots of nice stores, with tonnes of walk-through traffic


definitely a nice big mall with lots of traffic, but I'm not sure if it's Apple's type of mall. I wouldn't mind personally if they opened a shop there as I go by there everyday and it's close to home.



boxlight said:


> 3) Bayshore; passable place, but not that compelling; Les Ailes lost a tonne of money with a failed high-end department store there


Please no. Personally it's too far. It also reminds me of Place d'Orleans (too big), but at least it's not as deserted as Orleans. I swear Orleans is dying a slow death. Does anyone go to that mall? And now that the stores opened on Innes in Orleans, I think Place d'Orleans is emptier.


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## boxlight (Mar 20, 2008)

tedj said:


> On the other hand, Blue Oasis is gone from their HUGE corner location just a block or two east on Rideau. It's a good location, big windows, etc. I just live a couple blocks away, so that would rock my world.
> 
> Are there any Canadian Apple stores outside of a mall?


They're building a big downtown street store on St. Catherine Street in Montreal:

http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2008/02/03/montreal-store-details-revealed/


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

While I could see a different mall happening, the most likely to me is still the Rideau Centre, 3rd floor. It's not just the previously mentioned upscale shops on that level -- it's that it's still considered something of a destination, not just that building you walk through to go from the Mackenzie-King bus stop down to the streets.

Also, when I lived in the Orleans area, I visited Place all the time. Granted, it was a five-minute trip, but it was often hopping whenever it wasn't an anti-shopping period (mid-week in the middle of summer, as an example). Compared to Rideau, though, it can be relatively quiet.


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## ericlewis91 (Jul 12, 2007)

OK

in the states the 10 largest cities have Apple Stores

now in Canada

the 10 largest cities are

Toronto (Mississauga) have 3...maybe 1 flagship
Montreal (Laval) have 1..soon another store (flagship)
Vancouver (Surrey) getting 1...im assuming another one eventually
Ottawa-Gatineau likely
Calgary getting one
Edmonton getting one
Quebec City (Lévis) nah whatever
Winnipeg soon to get one i bet
Hamilton (Burlington) eventually
London maybe in 5 years?


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## innermind (Nov 17, 2007)

Would make no sense for apple to open a store anywhere other than rideau center IMO , Ottawa's a pretty small city so they'd need to put it in the busiest area and highest income area aswell

Bayshore would make no sense at all, and as someone already said place d'orleans is a ghost town.

I really hope one opens soon though, regardless of where.. any time I need anything for my mac in this city it's a nightmare.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

Rideau Centre? An Apple store there would be handy, giving easy access to the biggest collection of junkies, bums, hookers and pushers in the whole city! Oh yeah, and by the smell I guess the RC parking area would be a convenient urinal and barfatoreum. Hope Apple does it's homework and stays the f__k away from that sewer.


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## Chris (Feb 8, 2001)

I don't think we should rule out St-Laurent. There are a number of stores moving to the new big-box development near the railway station, which means that Apple will be able to pretty much configure the floor space it wants. And St-Laurent is positioning itself as a "fashion" mall, so it does make some sense.

As for the Rideau Centre, I still think it is slightly ahead of St-Laurent, mainly because of the new transit developments that will be occurring in coming years. Yes, city council has to pull its collective thumb out and make some decisions, but I'm convinced we'll see a light-rail transit system with a station or terminus at the Rideau Centre, especially given the re-development of the Congress Centre.

Gee, it's fun to speculate!


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## (( p g )) (Aug 17, 2002)

If Apple wanted to do something really, really daring they could offer to occupy a sizeable chunk of retail on Sparks Street. Heck it could turn an entire block into a destination. But given that they'd have to deal with the NCC and an army of corduroy-clad bureaucrats, I just don't see that happening. 

If they want to play it safe, they'd likely open a store on Level 3 at Bayshore. That mall moves a lot of premium product and has proximity to two of the city's most affluent and populated areas. 

But all of this assumes that Apple sees Ottawa as an under-serviced market that's worth the investment.


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## Zoiks (Sep 5, 2005)

(( p g )) said:


> If Apple wanted to do something really, really daring they could offer to occupy a sizeable chunk of retail on Sparks Street. Heck it could turn an entire block into a destination.


This is the exact type of thinking the NCC needs. I agree. An apple store would bring some business back to sparks!


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## joemulder (Mar 9, 2008)

ottawa is not on apple's futurestores list..


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

A lot of people questioned Calgary as a destination for an Applestore. There's no reason to rule out Ottawa as a possibility for the future.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

There's something a lot of people seem to forget:Ottawa is a part of the Outouais region--when you include the population of the people in Gatineau, who live just across the river, your population and traffic increases to another 300k people. That gives you almost. 1.2 million people in the area--not unlike Calgary.

It may be a government/university town but when you factor the tourism as well as the creative/design community, there really is no reason to not have an Apple store here. There is a lot of shopping that happens in the downtown area, make no mistake. Rideau may not be the ideal place, but certain Sparks St. attracts a lot of foot traffic year-round.

That said, Ottawa suffers from a sort of middle child syndrome -- it's often overlooked because it sits in the middle of two of Canada's largest destinations: Toronto and Montréal.


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## teeterboy3 (May 22, 2005)

Masonville is 5 minutes from me too, Eric. Wait! Are you squatting on my property? 

I've long hoped that we'd get an Apple Store here, but ain't going to hold my breath. The only thing that London and Masonville has in it's favour is that it's down the street from UWO, which doubles our population with kids that have parents with lots of money. Masonville/UWO could have enough business to carry a store here, but we're a few years away, yet.

And. That said, we have two local Apple authorized dealers here that are completely reasonable to deal with. MacOutpost & Mostly Digital. So its not like we're under serviced.


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## Corbeau (Apr 25, 2008)

For those who proposed Sparks Street, but felt the NCC-reaucrats would be a hassle to deal with:



> NCC to add sizzle to Sparks Street
> Two boarded-up buildings, parking lot to be replaced with residences, offices, restaurant
> Patrick Dare, The Ottawa Citizen
> Published: Thursday, July 03, 2008
> It's been a dream at the National Capital Commission since the 1980s: Breathe some life into Sparks Street with a distinctive new building where people live. Now the commission feels it finally has the right plan that will make it happen.


(rest of story at this link.)

Can someone spell "flagship"?


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## shonline (Nov 9, 2007)

Corbeau said:


> Can someone spell "flagship"?


I think Montreal will be the first flagship store in Canada....


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

I thought Toronto has (or will have) a flagship store?


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## shonline (Nov 9, 2007)

MannyP Design said:


> I thought Toronto has (or will have) a flagship store?


We have 3 mall stores. I have not heard plans for a Toronto flagship - but do know they are well on the way to putting a flagship in downtown Montreal.

Stu


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## GrapeApe (Aug 4, 2004)

I can't see St. Laurent being a possibility, it's not high-end enough for Apple.

Incomes in Ottawa tend to be higher towards the west, which means other than Rideau (which is the obvious choice) the most likely location is Bayshore.

Another possibility for a secondary store, after a Rideau Centre store is in place, would be Westboro. There are lots of high end shops there, tons of new expensive condos going up and it is considered Ottawa's trendy, up-and-coming neighbourhood.


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## ericlewis91 (Jul 12, 2007)

OTTAWA apple store is coming!!!


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## Zoiks (Sep 5, 2005)

That is excellent news! I'll be taking advantage of the seminars to be sure.


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## reidjr (Feb 10, 2009)

innermind said:


> Would make no sense for apple to open a store anywhere other than rideau center IMO , Ottawa's a pretty small city so they'd need to put it in the busiest area and highest income area aswell
> 
> Bayshore would make no sense at all, and as someone already said place d'orleans is a ghost town.
> 
> I really hope one opens soon though, regardless of where.. any time I need anything for my mac in this city it's a nightmare.


I would not say ottawa is a small city ottawa alone has a population of around 1 million.Then you ad gatineau which is about 247,000 residents.Ottawa has more then one major shopping centre.As for the highest income you aslo have to look at kanata and barrheaven.A store at college square would aslo make sense.


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