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First stores open in Victoria’s expanded Mayfair shopping centre

Construction project will add about 100,000 square feet of retail space and 400 parking stalls
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The Douglas Street entrance to Mayfair will provide an area for pedestrian dropoff and taxi pickup. Work on the $72 million expansion is expected to be completed in September. (Photo submitted)

Shoppers can now browse the aisles in the first tangible signs of the major expansion taking place at Mayfair shopping centre.

Mayfair’s $72-million transformation is taking a significant step forward with this month’s opening of Sport Chek, Saje Natural Wellness and a new, bigger Aritzia store at the rapidly expanding shopping centre.

“All three of those stores are in the new expansion area,” said Mayfair marketing manager Sara Park. “A few more stores are opening later this year and we’ll see some more stores trickle in probably next year.”

READ MORE: Why do these commercial lots sit vacant in Greater Victoria

The expansion will add about 100,000 square feet of retail space to Mayfair, bringing the shopping area to 520,000 square feet, creating room for about 20 new stores.

“We are proud to have in-demand retailers like Aritzia, Sport Chek and Saje Natural Wellness for shoppers on Vancouver Island,” said Mayfair general manager Laura Poland. “As we work towards our fall 2018 completion date, I want to thank our customers for their patience and support during this exciting time and invite them to visit our new stores.”

Mayfair’s revitalization project also includes significant upgrades to the exterior of the property to improve customer access, parking and safety.

READ MORE: More entrances, pedestrian plaza all part of Mayfair Mall expansion

A new entrance ramp will be constructed off Finlayson Street, with two new levels of rooftop parking adding about 400 spots to bring the total number of parking stalls to 2,030.

Other features will include a new urban streetscape with street lighting, extensive landscaping, a lay-by entrance on Douglas Street, a new escalator and elevators to the parkade and improved wayfinding for simpler navigation of the entire property that sees four million visitors each year.

“The entrance on Douglas will sort of be a drop-off area, with taxi pickup and pedestrian dropoff with a few parking stalls,” said Park, who expects the construction to be wrapped up in September.

The expansion work started nearly two years ago and Park says it’s exciting to see the first of the new stores start to come online.

“We saw a need to bring more of an experience to our shoppers,” she said. And there was definitely a desire for more unique brands to come into Victoria.”

Other stores coming to Mayfair include Olsen Europe, Roots, MAC Cosmetics and Ann-Louise Jewellers followed by Indigo which will open later this year.

READ MORE: Victoria Chapters moving to Mayfair Shopping Centre

Vancouver-based Aritzia, is an upscale women’s fashion retailer with more than 80 locations across North America, Sport Chek is Canada’s largest retailer of sports clothing and equipment, and Saje Natural Wellness is one of Canada’s fastest growing companies, selling 100 per cent natural essential oils and blends, body care and home environment products in 73 locations across North America.

On Oct. 1, Mayfair will launch Connect, a fall collective designed by local design house Studio Robazzo. Connect will feature Victoria’s top local artists, designers, artisans and vendors all in one space.

editor@saanichnews.com


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Dan Ebenal

About the Author: Dan Ebenal

Throughout my career, I've taken on roles as a reporter and editor in more than a dozen newsrooms across the province.
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