Real Canadian Superstores to Open

[jdobbin]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/20...tore-hours.html

Several Real Canadian Superstore locations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan will be open 24 hours a day during the holiday shopping season in December, officials confirmed Thursday.

It's the first time Superstore in Canada has opened for around the clock shopping, pitting itself against retail rival Wal-Mart. Earlier this year, a Wal-Mart store on McPhillips Street in Winnipeg became the first in Canada to operate 24 hours on a regular basis.

In Winnipeg, the stores will open 24 hours between between Dec. 10 and Dec. 22, but revert to regular hours on Sundays, when shopping is prohibited except between 12 and 6 p.m. It's not clear what Sunday plans are in Saskatoon and Regina, which have less restrictive Sunday shopping rules.

Two stores in Winnipeg — on McPhillips Street and Regent Avenue — will stay open all night, said Robert Ziegler, head of the union that represents Superstore employees in Manitoba.

Ziegler said he did not believe the new hours would create many new jobs, since he expects workers from other Superstore locations will cover many of the new shifts.

I figured it was a matter of time after Wal-Mart announced the first 24 hour store in Winnipeg.

[capricorn]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/20...tore-hours.html

I figured it was a matter of time after Wal-Mart announced the first 24 hour store in Winnipeg.

Could this also be a move to compete with internet shopping for US goods due to the strong loonie? I mean, killing 2 birds with one stone so to speak?

[jdobbin]

Could this also be a move to compete with internet shopping for US goods due to the strong loonie? I mean, killing 2 birds with one stone so to speak?

I think it has been a trend for a few decades now to have stores open longer and on more days of the year. Sunday shopping didn't have much to do with the U.S. since they began opening when the dollar was low. It was a market shift from people wanting another day of the week to shop on.

Likewise, stores like 7-11 and Mac's have been 24 hours for a few decades to serve a market that wants the convenience of a place that is always open.

Shopper's Drug Mart has been opening more 24 hour stores as well and finding success.

Wal-Mart and Superstores have been opening longer hours over the last few years but since the stores are already open at nights to stock shelves, it seems a logical step to open the store to customers. We'll see if the cost of opening a few cash registers pays for itself.

[Moxie]

I can't image shopping in the middle of the night unless I'm half dead from the flue and well frankly it's the other halfs job to save me by driving to a 24 hour store.

[geoffrey]

Great news really. There is nothing worse than Superstore during it's open hours, buzy as hell. Would be nice to go at midnight or something and shop undisturbed by all the uh... crazy folks.

[jbg]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/20...tore-hours.html

I figured it was a matter of time after Wal-Mart announced the first 24 hour store in Winnipeg.

Fishkill, New York also has a 24 hour Walmart. It is at the junction of Interstate 84 and the always busy Route 9. It is hard to see the economics in those stores, other than possibly during the Holiday seasons, unless people, maybe, get off the highway for a quick snack, and thenwind up filling the trunk with merchandise.

In general, I just don't see it, though gas stations have operated 24 hours for a while.

[Guest coot]

It is hard to see the economics in those stores...

I can understand how it might work with a grocery store, because people need to visit one at least every week or so, and a lot of people work shift work. What I don't get is the 24-hr Home Depots in the U.S. Sometimes they're even in relatively small towns, although usually close to the Interstate.

[August1991]

It is hard to see the economics in those stores, other than possibly during the Holiday seasons, unless people, maybe, get off the highway for a quick snack, and thenwind up filling the trunk with merchandise.

In general, I just don't see it, though gas stations have operated 24 hours for a while.

The main cost is inventory (including plant & equipment) which appears as a fixed cost to the business. The marginal cost of staying open late is the minimum wage of having a few people around and this is mitigated by lower insurance premiums and the fact that restocking is often done at night anyway. In addition, the store gets the reputation for "always being open".

Quebec's opening laws are almost as bad as Germany where I think that it's still illegal to open after 6 pm. (Quebec made an exception for pharmacies and Jean Coutu, a local pharmacist, became rich because of the loophole.)

Edited October 28, 2007 by August1991

[jdobbin]

I can't image shopping in the middle of the night unless I'm half dead from the flue and well frankly it's the other halfs job to save me by driving to a 24 hour store.

There are a lot of shift workers out there that benefit from having some stores that are 24 hours.

I can still remember the claims that Sunday shopping would only redistribute the pie rather than adding to it. In provinces that have gone to Sunday shopping, there has been an expansion of the retail market and more workers have been hired rather than just distributed to longer hours.

[jdobbin]

Fishkill, New York also has a 24 hour Walmart. It is at the junction of Interstate 84 and the always busy Route 9. It is hard to see the economics in those stores, other than possibly during the Holiday seasons, unless people, maybe, get off the highway for a quick snack, and thenwind up filling the trunk with merchandise.

In general, I just don't see it, though gas stations have operated 24 hours for a while.

Since Wal-Mart stores are open all night for re-stocking, I imagine that it doesn't cost that much more to have some cash registers open for sales, especially when the store is beside a busy Interstate. Many people in large cities are on the road before 5 AM. Other people are just getting home from late shifts after midnight.

[jbg]

Since Wal-Mart stores are open all night for re-stocking, I imagine that it doesn't cost that much more to have some cash registers open for sales, especially when the store is beside a busy Interstate. Many people in large cities are on the road before 5 AM. Other people are just getting home from late shifts after midnight.

Good points, except in general large Interstates are a suburban/rural phenomena. The highways in cities tend to be older, car-only highways in the US, like the FDR drive (3 narrow lanes, 65 km speed limit).

[jdobbin]

Good points, except in general large Interstates are a suburban/rural phenomena. The highways in cities tend to be older, car-only highways in the US, like the FDR drive (3 narrow lanes, 65 km speed limit).

I'm sure Wal-Mart has done its homework on store openings. If there is a market for it, they will supply it.

The Wal-Mart that is going 24 hours in Winnipeg is not even on a highway. Neither are the Superstores.

[geoffrey]

I can understand how it might work with a grocery store, because people need to visit one at least every week or so, and a lot of people work shift work. What I don't get is the 24-hr Home Depots in the U.S.

We have 24 hour home depots in Calgary. I've used one at 2am finishing up a project. I loved it, but only used it once. Needless to say, that one save in the middle of the night certainly created some brand loyalty.

[mikedavid00]

Great news really. There is nothing worse than Superstore during it's open hours, buzy as hell. Would be nice to go at midnight or something and shop undisturbed by all the uh... crazy folks.

A lot of the dept's are closed at night. The shopping isn't good at all. The stores feel closed down when you go in at night.

[mikedavid00]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/20...tore-hours.html

I figured it was a matter of time after Wal-Mart announced the first 24 hour store in Winnipeg.

Reading the title,

you forget to realize that you know the country is in good shape when...

(not the store being open, but the fact that it's a topic)

[jdobbin]

We have 24 hour home depots in Calgary. I've used one at 2am finishing up a project. I loved it, but only used it once. Needless to say, that one save in the middle of the night certainly created some brand loyalty.

Zellers unannounced they are going 24 hours in Manitoba as well.

[jbg]

A lot of the dept's are closed at night. The shopping isn't good at all. The stores feel closed down when you go in at night.

An interesting counter-trend has developed in my area. Many formerly 24/6 Stop 'N Shops are now open only till midnight. Some formerly 24/7 gas stations are only open till 11 PM. I suspect it's the scarcity of help, with our sub-5% unemployment.