Optimist reporters Sandor Gyarmati and Ian Jacques caught up with a couple dozen shoppers during opening day Wednesday to get their take on Tsawwassen Mills, the 1.2-million-square-foot addition to Greater Vancouver’s retail landscape. Here’s what they had to say about the $600-million mall:
What’s the best bargain you found?
Tanya Corbet
Tsawwassen First Nation
“I got a pair of good shoes at a good price. Yes, I was looking for shoes.”
Ann Muirhead
Ladner
“We went to Guess and we found 40 per cent off on top of the price. There’s a pinwheel you get to spin and it gives you something additional off. So we got some jeans.”
Vanessa Morrell
Tsawwassen
“I’m very excited. I found my favourite pair of running shoes for like 70 per cent off. It’s really good and I just got started.”
Brenda Godin
Aldergrove
“It also took me three hours to get in and out of the Lululemon, probably the best bargain.”
Has the mall lived up to your expectations?
Linda Rankin
Coquitlam
“Oh yes it is. It’s a very well designed mall and the food is reasonably priced and there’s lots of seating.”
Dorothy Robb
Tsawwassen
“Yes, I’m very excited. We’ll be back tomorrow. This is a treat for us. But I am concerned about some of our own stores in Tsawwassen.”
Eileen Varil
North Vancouver
“I think it’s a beautiful mall. I think they have lots of interesting stores but I’m not sure about the bargains.”
Thomas Ellis
Tsawwassen
“Absolutely. There’s a lot more to do in here than go in all the shops.”
Tim Lundquist
Surrey
“There are stores here you don’t see in other malls, so yes. The Bass Pro Shops in Calgary is a little larger and little better selection but this one has just as nice a layout and better selection on fishing gear.”
What store were you looking forward to visiting?
Patty Crich
Parksville
“I used to live in Ladner and came over just for this. We want to hit Marshalls and Designer Shoe Warehouse and Saks (OFF) 5TH Avenue. Those are stores you don’t normally see elsewhere.”
Mike Cole
Prince George
“Definitely the Bass Pro Shops. We were on our way to Victoria and thought we’d come to Tsawwassen to do some shopping.”
Amanda Harris
White Rock
“I am hoping to check out Marshalls. That Bass Pro also looks really cool, actually. This place is pretty big and amazing, so we’ll be looking at a few places.”
Susan Blakney
Tsawwassen
“I had no idea what stores were here but wanted to see. I have to admit I’ve been pleasantly surprised. There’s places I’ve never even heard of, but is there going to be a Walmart?”
What store impressed you the most?
What store impressed you the most?
Kristyna Walsh
Ladner
“A few of the stores made a real effort to make it a unique experience and you get a much different vibe than at some of the other malls.”
Christelle Termulo
Burnaby
“I really wanted to check out the Nike store. It was good. Some excellent deals.”
Renee Coady
Tsawwassen
“DSW – Designer Shoe Warehouse was our first stop and we all got free shoes thanks to the gift cards.”
Sharon Tica
Richmond
“DSW was my first stop. It was so busy, but it was cool to look around and there were some great deals.”
Courtland McKenzie
Tsawwassen
“Bass Pro was a must see for me and my friends. We must have spent like 45 minutes to an hour inside the store and I’m not even into that kind of stuff. But I want to go back because it’s just so cool.
How much of an effort did you make to get to the mall?
Pat Wolchuk
Victoria
“We came on the ferry this morning specifically for the opening. We were walk-ons on the ferry and they picked us up in the free shuttle, gave us a welcome bag and a gift card. We’re both feeling pretty royal.”
Jag Gill
Richmond
“The drive out here was good this morning. The tunnel traffic was not too bad and it was easy to get around in the parking lot. There is lots of parking, which was good.”
Allison Krause
Tsawwassen
“I got here are at a quarter to eight and was 639th out of 1,000 in line, so I got the free gift card.”
Rag Muni
Surrey
“Traffic was good. I took the day off because I wanted to check it out and see what it was all about.”
Peter Yu
Vancouver
“The traffic getting here was not too bad, but it’s a hike walking inside for sure.”
What do you think of the overall appearance of the mall?
Sonja Gill
Richmond
“The mall has a real nice feel to it. The floors look fantastic and the biggest thing for me is the wonderful TFN culture that is all around. That is really quite appealing. I will come back for sure.”
Ken Fok
Richmond
“It is a different layout than in most malls and I like that, but the Mills map is wrong. HMV was the store that I really wanted to get to and I was ticked off a bit that it was located wrong on the map, so that was a little bit of a negative impression right off the bat. Plus I asked customer service and they didn’t know either.”
Pat Lee
Ladner
“The look is very appealing. The natural feel and the artwork is very nice. It has been an interesting day. I will, of course, be back because I have my $50 coupon to spend.”
Kandie Kelly
Tsawwassen
“I love the natural light and the wood certainly sets off a nice feeling when you are inside. I’m also looking forward to walking around and seeing all the artwork.”
