Jan. 15, 2011 The Richmond Review

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the richmond

richmondreview.com

REVIEW ESTABLISHED 1932

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2011

Richmond is winnable, says Liberal leader Page 3

40 PAGES

Target could be on Richmond

Shark attack

American retailer scoops Zellers, could go head-tohead with Walmart here by Martin van den Hemel Staff Reporter

Don Fennell photo Steveston-London Sharks Grade 12 guard/forward Jamie Wheeler shows great determination in fighting for the ball against the Terry Fox Ravens during play in the Bob Carkner Memorial Basketball Classic Thursday. The host Sharks won their opening game 54-49 with Anmol Mattu netting 30 points. The high school girls’ final goes Saturday at 6 p.m., followed by the boys’ final at 7:45 p.m. See page 16 for story and more photos.

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Does Thursday’s news that popular American department store Target Corporation has purchased 220 Zellers stores across Canada mean the red bull’s-eye is coming to Richmond in 2013? Gail Spurgeon, director of leasing and operations at Lansdowne Centre for Colliers International, doesn’t have any insider knowledge, but believes the fit would work. “I do happen to think that this one might be taken over,” Spurgeon said Friday, noting that construction of the Walmart on nearby Alderbridge Way has already begun. Target likes to go head-tohead with Walmart, and that new Richmond location is expected to be open before Christmas 2012, she said. “Absolutely exciting news,” Spurgeon said, adding she’s heard rumours but was unaware of the deal until reading in a newspaper Thursday about the purchase. “I think it would be an exciting development.” The $1.83-billion deal is for 220 Zellers stores, and Target expects to open between 100 and 150 outlets across the

TONY LING

country over a two-year period starting in 2013. It plans to spend millions of dollars on renovating the stores, thereby creating more than 20,000 net new jobs in Canada and potentially over $1.5 billion in renovation work, according to a Hudson’s Bay Company press release. Spurgeon hopes that if Target comes to Lansdowne, that it will retain the formula that’s proven to work south of the border. “Canadians love it,” she said. “Target will attract a lot of different people to stay here and shop (rather than driving to the U.S.).” Calls to SmartCentres, which is developing the Richmond location of Walmart, were unreturned by press time Friday. Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said consumer choice is always good, and having a range of merchandise at affordable prices is a positive. But he’s concerned about the impact a Target and Walmart might have on local retailers, especially smaller ones. “It could be a dramatic effect,” he said. In the meantime, Brodie hopes that Richmond residents will continue to support long-time local retailers.

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