A number of retailers will open their first-ever outlet stores in B.C. next month, and they鈥檝e chosen the new Tsawwassen Mills shopping centre as their premiere location.
Lululemon Athletica, Michael Kors, Saks OFF 5th, Browns, Lucky Brand Jeans, and Harry Rosen will all offer their first outlets in the province at the new South Delta mall.
These unique offerings could be a strong draw for Tsawwassen Mills as outlet stores have seen a recent surge in popularity 鈥� according to a Cowen & Co. Consumer Tracker Survey released this summer, consumer traffic to U.S. outlet malls reached a two-year high in July. (MarketWatch, which reported on the study, noted the growth in traffic was largely driven by men and millennials ages 18 to 34).
While many shoppers will be attracted to the discounted prices at these exclusive outlet stores, Tsawwassen Mills has also secured a diverse mix of more than 150 tenants and boasts a 1,100-seat food hall.
Additional stores that will be 鈥渇irst-to-market鈥� in B.C. include Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Pro Hockey Life, and Uncle Buck鈥檚 FishBowl and Grill, a bowling lane and restaurant that can be seen from Highway 17. Anchor tenants such as DSW - Designer Shoe Warehouse, Marshalls, H&M, and a Nike Factory Store were among the other tenants announced in August.
Developed by Ivanhoe Cambridge on Tsawwassen First Nation land, the 1.2 million square feet mega-mall officially opens in early October.
From Oct. 5 to 10, Tsawwassen Mills will host a grand opening celebration featuring $50 gift cards for the first 1,000 guests, gifts with purchases, a $10,000 shopping spree to one lucky winner, plenty of give-aways, and all-ages entertainment.
Tsawwassen Mills is modeled after the successful Calgary-based CrossIron Mills and Vaughan Mills mall in the greater Toronto area, both of which also offer a shopping experience of more than 1.2 million square feet.
鈥�We know shopping,鈥� says marketing director Kristina Shier. 鈥淎nd with a brand new centre set to open Oct. 5 in the Lower Mainland, we wanted to show that we鈥檙e more than just your average trip to the mall.鈥�
The shopping centre is also bringing approximately 3,000 jobs to the area. Ivanhoe Cambridge hosted a job fair in mid-August with many of its incoming retailers and restaurants participating.
The mall is located on Highway 17 and Sea Salish Drive (5000 Canoe Pass Way), on the way to and from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. As such, the shopping centre will offer a free shuttle service between the ferry terminal and the mall.
鈥�All our efforts revolve around the shopper,鈥� says Shier. 鈥淔rom the stores to the food, from the prices to the entertainment that delivers to the whole entire family, a trip to the Mills mall is hard to match. We know that you will love everything about Tsawwassen Mills when we open on Oct. 5.鈥�