B.C. billionaire Ruby Liu has now officially received the keys to her first real retail store. The location, at the Tsawwassen Mills mall, is a historic former Hudson’s Bay site in Delta, British Columbia. Liu doesn’t want this space to simply become a black retail outlet. She wants it to become a cultural, educational, and tourist destination that will attract people from the tri-state area and beyond. Her plans are lofty, to turn the storied building into an inviting destination filled with apparel, jewelry, makeup and one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences.
One element of her broader strategy is under way as Liu hopes to gain control of 25 more Hudson’s Bay leases throughout Canada. This shift has garnered some caution among landlords who are still nervous about what exactly she plans to do with these buildings. Liu plans for flagship and retail stores to be named “Ruby Liu.” Each store will be uniquely tailored to serve customers of all backgrounds.
Plans for the Tsawwassen Mills Store
Liu’s ambitions for the Tsawwassen Mills store go far beyond having the right ambience. To do this, she wants to ensure children’s play areas, entertainment options, food experiences and cosplay zones are included. To achieve this, her vision is to replicate the feeling you’d get from a well-curated modern department store. This idea is sure to please families and tourists both.
“Because we are taking over the lease, we are following the land use of the lease, operating as a modern department store. For anything (I’m) talking about, that’s under the condition that we will get the landlord’s support,” – Ruby Liu
Liu has debuted a business plan timeline for her retail operations, aiming to open within three to six months. She admits that flagship stores will need big rewrites and renovations before they’re allowed to start trading.
Financial Commitment and Inventory Plans
She’s allocated $84 million to turn that vision into reality. She wants to restore all of the buildings associated with the Bay leases she hopes to win. Further, she’s committed $96 million to speed up inventory by eight months. This major financial investment underscores her faith in the success of the endeavor.
Liu is now on day nine of his quest, taking meetings with more than 50 former suppliers of Hudson’s Bay. Most of them would love to sell or consign their wares in her upcoming new stores. She is confident that these joint ventures will make for a healthy pipeline that serves her desired market.
“Based on location, current traffic, and sales,” – Ruby Liu
Navigating Landlord Concerns
However ambitious Liu’s plans might be, they have some landlords running scared. Even they are gun shy though because of all the unknowns about her plan for the format stores she wants to acquire. Liu has promised them that she’s committed to developing a state-of-the-art shopping experience that brings new life to these signature establishments.
Her proposal would bring new energy to repurposed former Hudson’s Bay locations. It tries to radically change British Columbia’s retail market. Liu has great business sense and a deep bench of investment support. She’s poised to be a game changer for the retail sector.
