Have you noticed the giant, red balls and walls turning green outside Lansdowne Centre this week?
It’s more than a paint job, it’s a very large sign of things to come at Richmond’s oldest, existing shopping centre.
Opening next summer — and filling the south-east anchor spot vacated by the Target flop in April 2015 — will be the city’s third and newest T & T Supermarket.
The deal to bring in T & T, which specializes in Asian produce, as Lansdowne’s latest anchor has been in the works for more than a year and is a huge boost to the centre, according to the mall’s marketing manager Bronwyn Bailey.
T & T — which has 23 stores nationwide, including at Richmond’s Yaohan Center and Hollybridge Way — will occupy the 74,000-square-foot, first floor of the former Target and Zellers store.
“The deal was a long time in coming, so it’s great to see it finally happening,” Bailey told the Richmond News on Wednesday.
“We’re really excited about this, as the unit has been vacant since April 2015. It’s going to be a big breath of fresh air for the mall for the rest of its life (10 years).
“Until then, T & T is going to be huge for the centre.”
The 50-acre Lansdowne Centre site is slated for huge residential and commercial development over the next few years, although it’s understood the early phases will be built around the existing mall.
Bailey added that the second floor of the unit in question is still vacant, saying that “nothing is certain yet; it will depend, perhaps, on who would like to fit in (with T & T).”
What is almost certain from the T & T move is a major spike in customer traffic at the centre.
“The boost in traffic is going to be incredible for everyone; we expect it might attract other tenants,” said Bailey, adding that although the centre does have a relatively high occupancy rate, there are a few smaller units available.
