BURST
Hundreds of shoppers lined up outside Vancouver’s Oakridge Park on Thursday morning, spilling across the plaza in front of the mall’s towering three-storey wooden revolving doors ahead of its long-awaited reopening.
Inside, workers in aprons were still making last-minute preparations when a tray of champagne flutes suddenly crashed to the floor, sending glass skidding across the polished lobby minutes before opening. The sound echoed through the atrium, but staff behind the entrance kept their composure.
At 11 a.m., security began letting the cordoned line inside, marking the grand unveiling of the city’s largest redevelopment project in history. Crowds poured in steadily, many immediately lifting their phones to film the soaring atrium.
Once inside, many visitors said the same thing: While the mall’s sleek design and luxury stores made a strong first impression, it quickly felt more like a place to browse than to buy, with prices well beyond what they expected.
Vancouver resident Anthony Le bolted ahead of the crowd, then jogged up one of the mall’s wide wooden staircases and through its north atrium toward the food court Time Out Market.
The internationally-known food hall is making its second Canadian debut at the mall. It features 20 Metro Vancouver kitchens, bars and cafés — about half focused on Asian cuisine — inside a 51,000-sq.-ft. space with three bars, a DJ booth, 1,000 reconfigurable seats, and a 10,000-sq.-ft. outdoor patio.
Le lined up at the DownLow Chicken Shack stall, where the first 100 customers were promised free nuggets.
“I’m really excited,” he told Postmedia.
He said the new space feels a world away from the old suburban Oakridge mall, which closed nearly a decade ago to begin the phased redevelopment by QuadReal Property Group and Westbank.
“There is so much more space and light in here,” Le said.
While the former Oakridge Centre had an upscale reputation, the redeveloped mall places a much stronger emphasis on luxury retail . The first phase of the $6.5-billion project opened Thursday with about 50 retailers, including brands such as Versace, Valentino, Acne Studios, Miu Miu, Dolce & Gabbana, Coach and Bvlgari, alongside nearly 1,400 residential units and 720,000 sq.-ft. of office space across eight city blocks.
In the atrium, waiters moved through the crowd with trays of complimentary champagne and desserts as music filled the space.
On the second floor, Ahmet Gurses paused to examine a scale model of the 10-tower mixed-use development. One of Oakridge Park’s towers, at 518 feet and 52 storeys, is now one of the tallest buildings outside downtown Vancouver.
He pointed to a more modern setup throughout the mall — instead of a traditional information desk, there is a concierge, while underground parking has been replaced with valet service and a “Find My Car” system that lets shoppers scan a code to locate their vehicle.
“Vancouver is finally catching up,” the 26-year-old said, noting the upgrades. “My father is from Turkey, where malls of this scale with high-rise apartments above them are normal.”
Gurses said he went to Oakridge hoping to buy a new pair of dress pants, but quickly realized much of the mall was out of his price range.
“One basic dress shirt I saw was $450,” he said. “I definitely can only afford to window shop here.”
Still, he welcomed the inclusion of green space, pointing to the 7.5-acre rooftop park shown in the model, which will become a City of Vancouver park managed by the Park Board and maintained by the property owner.
“I’m glad we didn’t entirely lose the roots of Vancouver,” he said.
About 500,000 square feet of retail space was open Thursday, including Harry Rosen, Peninsula Seafood Chinese Restaurant, and Sporting Life. Several Vancouver-based brands, including Aritzia and Arc’teryx, drew steady crowds.
Some flagship tenants, including Chanel, Dior and Chaumet, are not yet open, along with larger anchors such as a Safeway grocery store and B.C. Liquor Store relocating from nearby Cambie Street.
Simon Chandler was among those lined up outside the new Rolex boutique, which includes an indoor bar. He said access to sought-after watches often depends on already being on the brand’s client list.
“New stores typically don’t have a list of clientele,” said Chandler, who owns a collection of the watches. “I want to be able to purchase a Rolex.”
After a short wait, his name was added to a clipboard list and he was told staff would follow up, as appointments were no longer being taken.
By noon, a lineup had formed outside Time Out Market.
Vancouver’s Noor Balolia, who came specifically to dine there, waited with her family while pushing a stroller in line.
“I didn’t expect there to be a wait,” she said.
Balolia said she used to shop at the old mall but expected the new one would be beyond her family’s budget.
“I wish they brought back the Lego store,” Balolia said.
Anthony Mah, who grew up nearby, said the transformation has changed the character of the site.
“It’s like Rodeo Drive now,” he said. “It’s no longer catering to everyday people like me, but the ultra-wealthy.
“I remember going into Hudson’s Bay with my parents. You could still find sales there.”
The next phase will add 200,000 square feet of retail space with more than 40 additional tenants. When fully complete in 2029, Oakridge Park will span 850,000 square feet with nearly 150 retailers.
Retail analysts say it remains unclear whether the project’s luxury focus will succeed in a market still under pressure from rising living costs.