[Mr. Rexdale]

In other news, Google lied to me. Despite being listed as 'permanently closed', Frugo at the Woodbine is still open.

Stores, people, places and events operate differently in the Woodbine Twilight Zone.

 

[RGB_11]

Woodbine centre is still a nice mall. It could be better, but I've seen worse.
Thank god the Bay is still there. Without it that whole mall would just go further and further downhill.

 

[Mr. Rexdale]

The Woodbine is like a museum.

A glimpse into the past.

A walking time capsule of a distant memory

.....from a distant era

........ of a distant timeline that closely resembles our own.

Like an old friend, nostalgia waits for us inside the Woodbine.

It's face weathered by years of neglect and decrepitude. It's eyes tired from watching the sands of time steal away it's
youthful appearance and busy storefronts. It's visage little more than an empty shell of what once was .......and what used to be.

In it's own Fantasy, the Woodbine has endured a lifetime of pain.

The pain of watching crowds come and go.
Trends started and ended.
Businesses founded and folded.
And the flame of passion once bright and ignited ...now only a flicker traipsing into the shadows.

But the Woodbine still greets us with open arms. It's dated hallways echo with the sound of footsteps. The murmurs of voices, all but a whisper
in the distance. It's lights dimmed and despondent; as if silently lurching towards the end.

I shall weep for you on that day, old friend. For that is a Fantasy that I would not wish upon even my greatest of enemies.

- J.M.Z.
- Poet, Writer, Woodbine Enthusiast.

 

[SubHuman]

... I have never seen that many people there.

Apart from all the empty storefronts in much of the mall, you'd almost think the place was thriving now with the crowds of people that were apparently there on Saturday, as seen in this video.

 

[RGB_11]

Apart from all the empty storefronts in much of the mall, you'd almost think the place was thriving now with the crowds of people that were apparently there on Saturday, as seen in this video.

The dude did not know that instead of getting off @ Islington station and taking a 35 minute bus ride to the mall, he could have gone to Kipling station and taken an express bus to that same mall (with minimal stops along the way) and gotten there a lot faster.
He also failed to point out that there is STILL a SEARS sign on a pole near the entrance. If he saw that he would know that, while the store may have once been an Eaton's, it was also a Sears.
It's good to see this mall doing so well. I hope it never gets torn down.

 

[Maco in the 6]

Canada's leading distributor of Pinball Machines just opened a store in the Woodbine Centre (upper level). Their website can be found here

 

[kade1064]

Canada's leading distributor of Pinball Machines just opened a store in the Woodbine Centre (upper level). Their website can be found here

View attachment 630549

Wait a minute...why are they opening new stores at woodbine mall...isn't the mall going to get shut down...and most of the stores that were their before, had to leave due to the rent increasing...I don't get it

 

[Towered]

That's...so random. You'd think a funky business like that would want to open somewhere edgier than a mall in the middle of nowhere that's on life support.

 

[RGB_11]

That's...so random. You'd think a funky business like that would want to open somewhere edgier than a mall in the middle of nowhere that's on life support.

The mall's not on life support. It just needs a new owner with some better love & care.
As I already said several times before, as long as the Bay is there, the mall will do just fine.
It's a very busy place on Saturdays.

 

[Towered]

Uhhh....ok.

 

[RGB_11]

Uhhh....ok.

I'm actually quite serious. The Bay wouldn't be there if something wasn't working out right. There's videos of a very busy Woodbine Centre on Saturdays.
If the Bay ever leaves, I'll gladly climb on the "It's over" train, but for now, Woodbine Centre has life in it still and it is doing well enough...

 

[Maco in the 6]

That's...so random.

Is it? Probably the cheapest rent out of all the GTA malls influenced their decision

 

[Towered]

Is it? Probably the cheapest rent out of all the GTA malls influenced their decision

There's a reason it's cheap - zero visibility or cool factor. Not to mention stranded in no man's land.

 

[FW36]

Two things can be true at once.

1. Monday through Thursday the mall is empty and on life support.

2. On Fridays, Weekends, and Holidays the mall does see some crowds, especially around Fantasy Fair, the Bay, and the food court.

Perhaps with new stable owners, the mall can see better weekday crowds. The biggest threat to Woodbine Mall in the future is the Woodbine Racetrack development. The current plans include adding retail around the Casino which sees 6 million visitors and generates roughly $290 million in revenue. If I am a retailer looking to expand why would I open shop at Woodbine Mall, when the Casino already sees large crowds regularly? Also, Woodbine Mall needs basic repairs done which will be costly. Long-term the mall most likely will be torn down, it makes the most economic sense. Woodbine Mall should have never been sold to Chris Hinn. If the Mall was sold to a better owner in the 2010s and quickly responded to changes in the retail field I could have seen the mall surviving but I think it is too late.

-When Target pulled out of Canada the Owners of the Mall should have looked for replacements. The Upper Floor of Target Could have been converted into a grocery store (Like Freshco), In early 2010 Planet Fitness expanded into Canada, so perhaps the Lower level could have been converted into a fitness center.
-When Sears was dying the mall could have replaced the space with a HART department store on the Lower level and pushed for Winners to move from across the street into the upper level.
-When Sportchek left the mall the space could have been converted into additional space for the Fantasy fair such as a mini golf course or some sort of entertainment for children. Considering the Fantasy Fair still draws families into the mall I am surprised the owners didn't lean into that and tried expanding.
-The mall did not have to die but due to mismanagement, it did and it most likely too late to revitalize it

 

[RGB_11]

and pushed for Winners to move from across the street into the upper level.

That idea might seem smart, but maybe a sister store might do better, like Home Sense. Something there so that when people visit the Winners and look around, they might think "oh yeah...Homesense" and go across the street.
If it's just another Winners store, why bother?