For most of its history to date, the heritage building at the northeast corner of the intersection of Burrard Street and Robson Street in downtown Vancouver has served as the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library.
In more recent decades, the ground-level spaces of the 1957-built building at 969 Robson Street (750 Burrard Street) have seen various prominent ground-level tenants come and go, including Canada’s first Virgin Megastore (later HMV), Planet Hollywood, and, more recently Victoria’s Secret.
Other existing tenants at the building entail Shoppers Drug Mart and the offices and studios of Bell Media.
When Victoria’s Secret first opened in the former HMV space in 2013, it was the retailer’s largest international store. After more than a decade of business at the location, the Victoria’s Secret store suddenly closed in January 2024, and Daily Hive Urbanized reported at the time that this would become a new Adidas Vancouver flagship store.
Lesley Hawkins, the Vice President of Retail for Adidas Canada, recently told Daily Hive Urbanized the store is now set to open just in time for the start of the upcoming Christmas season — opening by early December 2024.
The entirety of the 35,000 sq ft of Victoria’s Secret’s former two-storey retail space — spanning most of the building’s ground level and a basement level — will become another Canadian retail first, as this will be Adidas’ first “Home of Sport” concept in Canada and the United States.
“This concept is rooted in sport and amplified through culture. It represents everything that sport was, is and could be,” Hawkins told Daily Hive Urbanized.
“The Home of Sport concept is our most versatile and modular concept to date, making it easy for the consumer to interact with and navigate our product assortment. The concept is flexible to meet the needs of all consumer types and creates a service-centric environment.”
Artistic rendering of the new Adidas Vancouver flagship store. (Adidas)
Artistic rendering of the new Adidas Vancouver flagship store. (Adidas)
Artistic rendering of the new Adidas Vancouver flagship store. (Adidas)
The ground and basement levels will feature the brand’s latest collections of sports performance, lifestyle, and original products for all genders.
In addition to the collections and the Run Lab for customization, the store space will be flexibly designed for events, special guest appearances, running clubs, community partners, and local cultural celebrations.
“Robson Central is an iconic heritage building, so highlights of the remnants of the original building’s architecture will be intentionally exposed and integrated it into our design,” she continued.
“In addition, we are restoring some of the original finishes that were removed in part by previous tenants. We want to bring the history of this building back to life for the city of Vancouver to enjoy once again.”
Future Adidas flagship store at 750 Burrard Street, Vancouver, replacing Victoria’s Secret. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
Future Adidas flagship store at 750 Burrard Street, Vancouver, replacing Victoria’s Secret. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
Hawkins notes that all of Adidas’ existing locations in Metro Vancouver will remain, including the nearby Adidas Originals store — which recently underwent an expansion — located about three city blocks to the east at 848 Granville Street.
Other Adidas stores in Metro Vancouver are located at West 4th Avenue in Vancouver, The Amazing Brentwood in Burnaby, McArthurGlen Vancouver Airport Outlet Centre, Tsawwassen Mills, Grandview Corners Shopping Mall in South Surrey, and Willowbrook Commercial Core in Langley Township.
The Adidas flagship store in downtown Vancouver will be among the largest retailer changeovers on Robson Street in years.
Other changes to the retail strip in the immediate area include Roots’s departure from its longtime Robson Street flagship location just across the street. It will be relocating to a smaller retail unit nearby, next to the Peloton showroom. JD Sports is also replacing Club Monaco’s two-storey Robson Street space.
Additionally, Winners is leaving its longtime space on the third level of 798 Granville Street (above Best Buy) at the northeast corner of Robson and Granville streets for a new replacement and expanded location within a 40,000 sq ft, two-storey space previously occupied by Steve Nash Fitness World at 660 Granville Street (immediately next to Hudson’s Bay and SkyTrain Granville Station). The new Winners location will open on October 16, 2024, and the existing location is expected to be repurposed for another TJX-owned retail brand, such as Marshalls.
And later this fall, Cineplex is slated to finally open its The Rec Room entertainment centre in the Granville Entertainment District, spanning 45,000 sq ft over three levels at 855 Granville Street, replacing Empire Granville 7 theatres.
As for Victoria’s Secret, it is maintaining its downtown Vancouver presence by opening a smaller location within CF Pacific Centre shopping mall.
Exterior of the future Winners store location at 660 Granville Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)