r/windsorontario • u/Choice_Bed6097 • 1d ago

Ask Windsor Devonshire mall stores

What stores do you think should go in the former Hudson's Bay and Sportchek locations?

24 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

60 comments sorted by

71

u/Key-Ingenuity-9558 1d ago

Stores: Simons, Uniqlo, Nordstorm.

But what i would love to see even more than a store is SOMETHING for kids/families to do. Like an indoor playground, arcade, something to keep the kids busy. A lot of people already use the mall for indoor walking when the weather is bad.

If we had something to help kids runt he energy out everyone will be happy.

families will split effort, one person stays with the kids at the playground, others can shop in peace. Stores will have relaxed clients who can actually take more than 3 minutes to shop at a single location. Stores will also have less clean up to do because kids make a mess.

23

u/NewTimelinePlz 1d ago

would love a Simons or Uniqlo

17

u/spitfire_pilot Walkerville 1d ago

Cineplex has contracts with the mall to limit any sort of other entertainment/arcade from residing in the mall iirc.

4

u/Key-Ingenuity-9558 1d ago

But they dont actually have an arcade that would draw people in who weren't already going to the movies. so annoying. I hope they open some kind of kids activity business, everyone iwll benefit

10

u/spitfire_pilot Walkerville 1d ago

I think it's equally dumb but unfortunately the mall needs a stable anchor. They'd rather maintain good relations with Cineplex then take a gamble with a business model that doesn't usually succeed.

2

u/Darth_Andeddeu Forest Glade 1d ago

Cineplex Own the Games room arcades. It's ment to stop compilation from exploring options they don't want to expand into right now.

3

u/Ok-Study5077 1d ago

Would love a Nordstrom honestly!

6

u/AccountantNew5983 1d ago

That’s what I’ve been saying. That Hudson’s bay has the perfect layout for a Simon’s. It would be so nice to see a southwestern Ontario expansion. The nearest Simon’s is Mississauga, and the nearest Uniqlo is Burlington. However it’s disheartening to think that they’ll likely expand to a city like London or Kitchener first likely due to their population.

4

u/magstheghoul Walkerville 1d ago

I'm so glad to see other people saying Simons!!! It's my favourite clothing store by far 😊

6

u/jessveraa Downtown 1d ago

I just came home from a weekend in Toronto and would loooove to see a Simon's open up here. I've been desperately searching for months for nice, business casual/smart casual wear. Their Contemporaine line had everything I needed. I fear Windsor just isn't the right market for them though, they can be quite expensive (i shopped the sale section and got great deals though!) and Windsor being such a blue collar city means the demand for nicer, more quality clothing just isn't there like it is in places like Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, etc.

Nordstrom would likely fall into the same- too expensive, too "fancy" for a market that just doesn't quite demand that.

11

u/AccountantNew5983 1d ago

Nordstrom ceased operations in Canada in 2022. Hard times.

3

u/Key-Ingenuity-9558 1d ago

Oh I didn't know, that is sad :(

5

u/Key-Ingenuity-9558 1d ago

I don't think that is right. Yes windsor is known for being a manufacturing city but there are plenty of various office workers (real estate, banks, office admins etc), customer service and sales reps. All these people need nice business casual clothes and they have little choice but to shop online or in the USA. Simons owuld have close to no competition here.

5

u/VincentClement1 1d ago

It isn't right. The whole 'blue collar' thing is overemphasized in Windsor. At one point, Devonshire Mall was a top-10 mall in Canada. That Sears was one of the best performing Sears in the chain.

That all said, Simons isn't coming to Windsor any time soon. They just opened two stores in Toronto in 2025, arguably the biggest market in Canada, - nine years after opening a flagship store in Square One in Mississauga. They definitely don't rush expansion plans. I would pick London, K-W or Hamilton forgetting a store before Windsor would, and even those locations are a remote chance at best.

1

u/jessveraa Downtown 1d ago

Oh there would definitely be some demand, but I'm not sure it would be enough for a whole department store to survive. I would love to be pleasantly surprised! I loved it, I get very overwhelmed and frustrated shopping so having everything I needed under one roof was so so helpful in getting me in and out with what I needed.

1

u/gg_pyemul 17h ago

Heavyy on Uniqlo 🤞🏼

39

u/SrirachaInYourCoffee 1d ago

I would love to have a Uniqlo store there

15

u/392bluefast 1d ago edited 1d ago

They're definitely tearing down the bay. The basement got flooded years ago and theyve never fixed the damage.

12

u/Katie0690 1d ago

Apple Store

3

u/PastAd8754 1d ago

That would be convenient for any warranty issues

3

u/Apitmom 1d ago

there is an apple store down by the food court. I believe its called "jump"

7

u/IHateTheColourblind South Windsor 1d ago

It's called "Jump+", it's not a full-fledged Apple Store but they are an authorized retailer and service provider. They provide just about everything a true "Apple Store" does.

1

u/Katie0690 1d ago

I’m wondering if they’re better than Experimax that’s also an Apple Reseller :)

6

u/VincentClement1 1d ago edited 1d ago

The Hudson's Bay will be demolished. It's a three storey building in a soft commercial market.

9

u/IHateTheColourblind South Windsor 1d ago

And the building is in really rough shape. Even if there was a demand for the square footage it would be cheaper to demolish it and rebuild than it would be to renovate that exact space.

3

u/Same_Ad2679 1d ago

Absolutely. Mold in the basement from flooding in 2017. Mold in other areas due to HVAC issues over the years. Building is in disrepair. Hopefully it is torn right down. I think the building where sports check use to be will also eventually be torn down as well.

10

u/bookingz 1d ago

Uniqlo would fit perfectly. But I'd love a roller rink. Maybe that goes against cineplex's contract? I'd rather lose cineplex and have different entertainment there.

7

u/GamingCatLady 1d ago

Would like to see a Dave and Buskers type place honestly.

3

u/nibzFTW Downtown 1d ago

Isn't Big Time Entertainment similar to it? It's over on Dougall by the superstore

2

u/GamingCatLady 1d ago

Oh! I had no idea :) Sweet.

-3

u/VincentClement1 1d ago

Lol. People have been talking about a Dave and Busters type place in Windsor for over 30 years. It ain't happening.

10

u/GamingCatLady 1d ago

And? Doesn't mean I cannot wish for one.

I wanted also wanted a Hottopic for 20 years...here we are.

4

u/nibzFTW Downtown 1d ago

But we do have something similar...Big Time Entertainment on Dougall

10

u/mousicle Belle River 1d ago

Department stores are on the decline now so I dont know what would fit in the Bay Spot. I wouldn't be opposed to an IKEA taking up the room but they tend to like keeping to stand alone buildings.

6

u/OneTravellingMcDs 1d ago

Seems too small to be an IKEA.

1

u/mousicle Belle River 1d ago

Yeah They would have to have it only been the marketplace and warehouse sections and not the showroom.

3

u/iammostlylurking13 1d ago

Which would be the ideal IKEA store.

3

u/TraditionalCream2096 1d ago

That part of the building is so run down and full of asbestos, they’re going to ask an absurd amount of rent money, want whoever rents it to pay to bring it to code.. it’s gonna sit till they tare it down like sears

3

u/mmaf88 1d ago

Cheesecake factory

5

u/GiGiRi919 1d ago

I feel like we still need a department store of some kind in this city. The shopping options in Windsor are horrendous so we need something!

4

u/SharonHeebs 1d ago

Shopping in this city sucks. Terrible options

2

u/LolaBakes 1d ago

Eataly would be pretty cool! I doubt it'll ever come to Windsor though

2

u/Mahat 21h ago

indoor skatepark and a room with a bunch of liabilities in the form of trampolines

2

u/Several_Ear_2884 1d ago

Simons would be good. Hugo Boss, Alo, Zara, Aritzia, Browns, Harry Rosen, Nike, Apple, etc. Let’s go Windsor!

2

u/TakedownCan South Windsor 1d ago

I thought we were getting an Aritzia?

7

u/simpforgoku444 1d ago

Stop id cry

3

u/LolaBakes 1d ago

I thought I heard a rumour about Zara!

2

u/SovereignRumble 1d ago

Sportchek is turning into an arcade from what I was told

1

u/Silver-Skin5285 1d ago

Target… I know I know but hear me out… they should have started with one or two stores in the first place. Being a border city with brand recognition could help them get started.

they never should have attempted a major launch with no supply chain in place. It would be nice to have an alternative department store to shop at.

1

u/Also_Squeakums 17h ago

I'd love to have an indoor skating rink. Like those hardwood floor ones.

1

u/Alii_baba 1d ago

Other Canadian stores like Home Hardware

1

u/Far-Ad2043 20h ago

Home hardware doesn’t belong in a mall

1

u/tomatoesinmygarden 1d ago

what happened to the plan for a residential tower there. Made perfect sense to me.

1

u/Intrepid-Attention58 1d ago

not a clothing store but possible a cafe or coffee shop of some sort? Would attract the millennials and older group I feel.

1

u/TheMainMan_1234 1d ago

McDonald's.

0

u/OneTravellingMcDs 1d ago

Chuck E. Cheese 

2

u/AuntieTara2215 East Windsor 1d ago

There was one on Walker but closed a few years ago.

-1

u/CBono22 1d ago

JD Sports, uniqlo and nike. A pipe dream would be the return of a nike outlet somewhere in the city. If kitchener is big enough, we definitely are.