Guess Who’s Coming to P.G.?
Prince George, B.C. – There’s a buzz in the City of Prince George as Lowe’s has announced it is taking over the leases of 13 former Target Canada locations. 
(At right, a Lowe’s storefront, image courtesy Lowe’s Canada)
Management at the Pine Centre Mall has not yet responded to 250News’ request for an interview.
Lowes Canada issued a release earlier today saying it has also entered into an agreement to buy Target’s Milton, Ontario distribution centre for a total purchase price of approximately C$151 million. This acquisition came as part of a real estate auction following Target’s decision to cease operations in Canada.
As a result of the transaction, approximately 2,000 jobs will be created in Canada.
The proposed acquisitions are subject to court approval in Target Canada’s proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and certain other customary conditions. The court run process is expected to be completed by June 30, 2015.
Comments
Never say this one coming. Seems like a strange addition to a mall. Unless of course the rumours of Sears impending demise come to fruition. Does Lowe’s sell housewares and furniture/appliances as well as home improvement?
I meant to say never saw this coming
Lowes is comparable to Home Depot & Rona.
We shop at Lowe’s a fair bit. It’s very similar to Home Depot but I find it to be a much nicer store as far as design, layout and overall feel goes. The locations out here also have a much greater selection of appliances than Home Depot did in PG, but that could just be the square footage coming into play, I’m not too sure on that.
IMHO, Home Depot sort of feels like a old school hardware store in comparison to Lowe’s, which take on a more modern retail design. I’d say prices are similar. Some stuff is cheaper at Home Depot and some stuff is cheaper at Lowe’s.
I think it will be a good addition to PG, but it will be interesting to see if the market can bear it and a Home Depot. They are both very large stores serving much of the same market.
Yes Vikingnuck, they sell everything you mentioned. Appliances, BBQ’s, lawnmowers, lights, mirrors, flooring, lumber, doors, electrical, plumbing, etc. They also usually have garden centres.
This is great news for everyone east of Vance road needing to go to a home improvement store with a large selection, conveinent hours and good prices. Central Building Supplies and Rona are going have to up their game to stay competitive. Good news for the city, more jobs, taxes, visiters etc.. less traffic at 16 and Dimano.
They do have a garden centre and a lumber “yard” for 4×4 and cedar planking and fencing normally, will be interesting how they configure the store, maybe a fenced off section on the side of the building…?
Oh yah this is totally what I go to the mall for
They certainly need something in Pine Centre,. At the moment you could shoot a cannon through that mall and not hit anyone.
If it doesn’t get going soon, everyone in there will go broke.
I wonder why they would go there, instead of just buying the failed parcel at the old PGG&CC driving range? Seems like an odd spot, if true. What’s the deal with that creepy Rona store nobody goes to? Could buy that place and turn it around, perhaps.
“What’s the deal with that creepy Rona store nobody goes to?”
That Rona store is too small to be a home improvement store. Which is my chief concern with the mall location for a Lowes. How on earth can it compete with the sheer size and variety at the Home Depot? When I am off picking out building supplies, (which I do surprisingly often) I like to see the stuff I am buying. By keeping their lumber in a different building, Rona does not offer me that ability. When I am looking for just the right thing to make something, Home Depot will have it. I love a home improvement store, and will definitely give the new one a chance, but I have serious concerns about the size.
Hopefully the Windsor Plywood, located close to Pine Center doesn’t go under because of Lowes, because it’s got a great staff.
I think this will be great for Pine Center and great for PG. I bet it brings in more foot traffic than did Target, and its a good fit for bringing new selection to Pine Center.
It will be nice having this option more centrally located and I wonder if their timing has anything to do with the big hotel build out in PG over the next couple of years essentially right in their back yard.
I have heard rumors that Rona has not been doing well, so I think if one was to suffer then likely Rona will take the biggest hit. IMO if Rona does go under, then the Peden Hill intersection should be closed to traffic crossing the highway and have the lights removed to facilitate the smooth flow of highway traffic and safety concerns in the winter months.
No doubt Lowes will want Pine Center to facilitate as soon as possible the connector road past the Golf and Curling Club to the new hotel and dealerships along highway 16.
Rona pulled a boo boo, they should have built where the new mini mall is going now instead of buying the old Irly Bird. They owned the lot between the Brick and the Sandman but the way this City Hall is so business friendly it made more sense to buy the lots where they are now and build a warehouse there and just sell the lot on highway 16. What a difference a few blocks makes, Rona would have done well if they had stuck to their original plan.
Does anyone know what the square footage is of the old Target/Zellers location in the mall?
Just for a frame of reference, the Lowe’s I normally shop at is around 140,000 square feet. I don’t think the mall location is anywhere near that, but it would be nice to know the available space just to get an idea of what may be planned.
I’m sure that Lowe’s has a number of different design/store options. Perhaps with their acquisition of the Target properties, they are using it as an opportunity to expand their brand into mid sized markets, using a new concept. I believe it was reported that IKEA and other retailers were doing similar things (e.g. huge stores for the largest markets and scaled down locations for medium to small markets).
As per the Pine Centre website, the square footage of that space is 117,785.
A HomeSense store in that location would make more sense.
Interesting, logistically it seems a odd place for a Reno place..I am sure someone has looked at layouts etc to make it work. Palopu is right with the mall being empty.. Maybe this will make guys want to go there.
“IMO if Rona does go under, then the Peden Hill intersection should be closed to traffic crossing the highway and have the lights removed to facilitate the smooth flow of highway traffic and safety concerns in the winter months.”
That would make no sense, as there are a number of businesses on that side not just Rona. Plus Cowart will likely expand to a larger artery if anything with new developments like Malaspina Ridge and Creekside.
I think the biggest loser will be Rona. They’re small, lack selection, and their prices are higher than many of the small businesses in town. This will be more convenient for those doing renovations, won’t have to go all the way to College Heights for a one-stop shop. Weird location though.
The mall location is actually larger than the Home Depot by about 15,000 sq ft
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