036 - a few shopping centres on No.3 Road in Richmond

a few shopping centres on No.3 Road in Richmond

1. Richmond Centre is a classic mainstream shopping mall. The decor/atmosphere is vibrant.
(The Skytrain, Canada Line, at the time of this writing, has completed the track concrete foundation from the North next to Richmond Centre.)


2. North several blocks, and just west off of No.3 road, is the new location of XS Cargo.

A store, selling discounted and refurbished items.

3. Around the 4600 block on the west side of the road is The Real Canadian Superstore.


4. Across the street is Hon's Wun-Tun House restaurant.



5. Next to (North of) Hon's is Parker Place (百 家 店), an Asian retail mall.



Photo by Arnold C and Buchanan-Hermit
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parkerplace.jpg

6. Across the street northbound fom Parker Place is the Aberdeen Centre,
時 代 坊 another Asian mall.

Photo by Christopher Dewolf; cross reference with http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/03/08/gung-hay-fat-choy-notes-from-vancouver/

This mall has your typical Asian retail boutiques much like Parker Place. There is a neato food-court on the 3rd floor. Two stores caught my attention though.
--i) Daiso http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/english/ is a Japanese version of a "dollar store". If you have 5 or 10 bucks burning a hole in your pocket, then, this is the store for you. Actually, not all of the (cra*), I mean goods, are a waste. There are many items which are practical. However, if you can't tell what a product is for and you can't read Japanese, then the best advice is not to buy it. Funny though, all these Japanese labeled goods are made in China. No surprise here as the cost of labour/manufacturing is lower.
--ii) Cube inc. is the other neat store. http://www.cubeinc-bc.com/ I am so mad at myself for not being able to come up with a retail concept like this store. It is a paradigm shift for me. This store is on the 3rd floor. It rents/leases clear plexiglass cubes to other retailers. The store staff have keys for each locked cube. When a customer sees an item he/she is interested in, the staff opens up the cube and sells them the item. All the proceeds go to the cube renter. The store itself just makes money on the rental fees. If you just have to see one store in Aberdeen Centre, make it this one.

7. President Plaza 統 一 廣 場 is 1 block north on No.3 Road at Cambie Road.

Photo by Arnold C and Buchanan-Hermit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pres-ext1.jpg

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It is comprised of retail and professional services including the 2 main companies T and T Supermarket 大 統 華 超 級 市 場, and the Radisson President Hotel.



8. North of President Plaza is the Yaohan Centre 八 佰 伴 中 心


Photo by SqueakyMarmot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37804160@N00/285237963/

.
(These pics come from their website http://www.yaohancentre.com/) . This mall is best summarized as: "An Asian supermarket with an adjacent Asian food court beneath some small shops."
The supermarket here is called OSAKA Supermarket 大 阪 超 級 市 場
It is a sister store of T n T Supermarket 大 統 華 超 級 市 場. It is a busy place. If you like Chinese/Asian fast-food, this is one the best place to go for variety.

9. North of the Yaohan is Canadian Tire near Capstan Way.