FEBRUARY 9, 2016

ASSIGNMENT #1
MARKETING GEOGRAPHY GGR225

VALERIA BARANOVA
999-696-155
University of Toronto
Introduction

This assignment is based on the comparison of two different types of retail: the first being within the

underground walking PATH south of King Street, and the second being the retail strip located east of Bathurst

Street on Queen Street. The main goal focuses on assessing the character and market orientation of each area.

The first section provides two maps indicating the types of stores, their approximate locations, as well as a

legend. The second section of the assignment is a table comparison of the two areas. Finally, the third section

of the assignment will conclude with a discussion concerning the retail areas.

Please note that a portion of the maps are drawn on tracing paper, which can be quite fragile.
1.0-Mapping of the Area and Legend

The first map portrayed is that of the underground ancillary area called the PATH. It features the

immediate area south of King Street, north of Wellington Street. The pedestrian count was taken on Monday,

February 1 2016 at 5:35 PM.

The second map portrayed is that of the retail strip located on Queen Street, east of Bathurst Street.

The pedestrian count was taken on Monday, February 1 2016 at 4 PM.

Legend
49 Michel's Bakery and
1 Court Cleaners 17 Rexall Pharma Plus 33 Cereal Bar Caf
2 FYi Doctors 18 Body Shop 34 Unrented 50 EB Games
3 Glam and Glow 19 One Stop Ticket Shop 35 Petit Four 51 Hair f/x
4 Heels Top Quality Shoe
Repair 20 Construction 36 Piazza Manna/Far Niente 52 Construction
5 Stivali Shoes 21 Canada Post 37 Sushi-Q 53 Construction
6 Taylor and Colt 22 Reitman's 38 Travel Centre 54 Mmmuffins
7 Unrented 23 Construction 39 Pure Health 55 Construction
24 Zteca Gourmet
8 Mos Mos Burritos 40 Unrented 56 Construction
9 Tropical 25 Mr. Sub 41 Unrented 57 Construction
10 Necessities 26 Swiss Chalet/Harvey's 42 Fast Fresh Foods 58 Dr. Ennis Dental Care
11 Gateway Newsstand 27 Bagel Stop 43 Druxy's/Jump Caf and Bar 59 Woolridge Shoes
12 Construction 28 Unrented 44 International News 60 SZ Jewelers
13 Construction 29 Jimmy the Greek 45 Greenhouse Juice Co 61 Brava Boutique
14 Print Three 30 Fit for Life 46 Construction 62 CIBC
15 Kim's Alterations 31 China Wok 47 Construction 63 Tidy's Flowers
16 Construction 32 Heidi's Deli 48 Construction

Beauty and Styling

Shopping (food)
Construction
Eatery
Banking
Shopping (clothing and items)
Pharmacies
Services
Gym and Physical Activities
Sign in front of store
Handicap accessible
2.0 Table Comparison

PATH Ancillary Retail south of King Retail Strip on Queen Street east of
Street Bathurst Street
Monday, February 1 2016 Monday, February 1 2016
Date & Time of
5:35 PM 4 PM
Visit
Outside temperature: +6 C Outside temperature: +6 C
Type of Retail Underground ancillary area Retail strip
Pedestrian Total: 637 people Total: 384 people
Count Average: 43 people per minute Average: 26 people per minute
Age Age
*approximation *approximation
Under 40 y/o: 372 (58.4%) Under 40 y/o: 225 (58.6%)
Over 40 y/o: 265 (41.6%) Over 40 y/o: 159 (41.4%)
Ethnicity Ethnicity
Caucasian: 302 (47.4%) Caucasian: 186 (48.4%)
Middle Eastern: 163 (25.6%) Asian: 122 (31.8%)
Asian: 110 (17.3%) Middle Eastern: 49 (12.8%)
African: 62 (9.7%) African: 27 (7%)
Gender Gender
Male: 354 (55.6%) Female: 228 (59.4%)
Female: 283 (44.4%) Male: 156 (40.6%)
Income Income
*approximation *approximation
Demographics High: 461 (72.4%) High: 58 (15.1%)
*measured in Work in PATH: 133 (20.9%) Middle: 226 (58.9%)
people and Students: 43 (6.8%) Lower: 100 (26%)
percent
The majority of the pedestrians walking through the The majority of the pedestrians in the area
PATH do not seem to shop, but rather use it as an seem to not shop, but rather just past by or
alternative to the above streets for either warmth window shop. Due to war, weather in February,
or convenience. The flow of people is relatively people tend to come out more.
equal in either direction at the pedestrian count There is a streetcar stop at the intersection
point proving that point even more. which may also be a destination people are
The researched block of the path includes a food heading towards. Approximately 30% of the
court, where approximately 13% of the pedestrians pedestrians stop in the cafes and eateries that
visit. There is an entrance to King subway station are within the area. The household
inside the PATH, thus a proportion of the composition of the residential areas nearby is
pedestrians will use the underground pathway to go quite high, with apartments and homes being
to and from the station. located directly above ground floor retail and
around. The majority of people living in this
area would be coming through here.
Store Types Store Types
Total: 63 Total: 43
Retail: 29 (46%) Retail: 13 (30.2%)
Independent: 17 (27%) Independent: 28 (65.1%)
Construction/unrented: 17 (27%) Construction/unrented: 2 (4.7%)
Type of Stores A rather large 27% are lots that are either under Independent stores prevail in this area, with
construction or unrented. This could potentially be 65%, leaving retail stores at 30%. The strip
the result of leases or contracts ending at the features a couple of unique stores, such as
beginning of 2016. Retail stores certainly prevail in Herbies Herbs.
the area, although 27% is given to independently
owned stores.
Planned or This researched block area of ancillary retail is The researched retail strip is unplanned
Unplanned planned retailing. This segment is owned by the retailing. Most store categories are placed
 British Columbia Management Organization and has
been expanding into the areas under the financial
district of the city. The PATH block has entrances in
all four ends of the map, which provides convenient
passage to and from buildings within the financial
district, although forces you to go through the
whole block. The researched block includes,
staircases, elevators, washrooms, an information
screen, as well as three direct exits to the street.
There is also a TTC subway entrance located on the
east side and a food court located in the south half
of the block.
The researched block area of ancillary retail is
privately owned, by British Columbia Investment
Management Corporation (bcIMC)1. There are a
Public or
number of committees that participate in the design
Private owned
and overview of the path, along with bcIMC, which
includes the Promotions and Communications,
Urban Design and Traffic committees.
Although the PATH block includes a map, with the
high volumes of people going through the area, one
might get lost quite easily. Although, it is important
to note that navigation help is placed in a couple of
Navigation
points throughout the researched block. The PATH
is easily accessible from the TTC King subway
station, the outside, as well as the buildings that
overtop.
Overhead Space
On the ground level immediately above the PATH
block there are office buildings that as a complex
are known as Commerce Court. It serves as a home
to capital investments firms, as well as mining
companies, banks and other businesses.
Hotel Victoria is located on the east side of the
block. It has a couple of retail locations adjacent to
it.
Land and
Surrounding Area
Surroundings
Adjacent to the Commerce Court block, there are
other office buildings. Almost each building has a
boutique caf or restaurant located in it. The St.
Lawrence market is to the east of the area, which
also includes various shops and markets.
The Hockey Hall of Fame, as well as the Sony Centre
for the Performing Arts is located just south of the
block, and the the Hudsons Bay with neighboring
Eaton Centre are just north a couple of blocks.
The business hours of the stores within the retail
block vary, although generally are shown to be from
approximately 7AM to 5-6 PM on average. The
hours are chosen based on the traffic of people
Business Hours
within the buildings overtop the block.
Busiest Time
The busiest time is definitely during the rush hours
at 8-9 AM and 4-6 PM.
randomly throughout the strip. Although, it is
important to note that most stores that have
the theme of furniture shopping are located in
the south west corner of the west, which
probably developed over time and was not
planned. There is a small cluster of eateries on
the north west side of the strip, which also
recently appeared. There is no information
regarding the area in or around the retail strip.
The researched retail strip is considered public.
The separate stores in the strip are privately
owned, although the area (space) in which
the stores are located are monitored and
administered by the government.
The researched retail strip is very easily
accessible both by foot and by the TTC
streetcar. Easy to navigate. To roam around the
area one must exit at the Bathurst Street stop
on the 501 Streetcar on Queen St. However,
the closest subway stop from this area is
approximately 2 kilometers east, making
people take a transit.
Land Use
The retail strip consists mostly of two to five
story buildings, in which stores are located on
the ground floor, following residential suites
and apartments on the upper floors. No
residential houses were directly on the
researched retail strip. The TTC has streetcar
tracks laid out on Queen Street.
Surrounding Area
The area surrounding this strip is also mostly
concentrated on retail. The Fashion District is
located to the west, whereas to the east there
is Chinatown a couple of blocks down. There is
a residential area, as well as a hospital to the
north of the strip.
The business hours of the stores within the
retail strip vary, although generally are shown
to be from approximately 10-11 AM to 6-7 PM
on average. Eateries go on later into the night,
whereas some stores close earlier.
Busiest Time
The weekends midday, as well as rush hours at
7-9 AM and 4-6 PM.
3.0 Discussion

Today shopping plays a very vital role in peoples lives. It has become a major hobby for the greater

portion of the community. This being said, the different aspects of retail shopping play an important role in the

growing development of this industry.

The following section will discuss two retail shopping areas: the ancillary retail block located in the PATH south

of King Street West and north of Wellington Street West, and the retail strip located east of Bathurst Street on

Queen Street West. These two retail activities portray a multitude of differences between each other, although

have the same goal: to attract more people into the area for shopping. Focusing on the aspects of location,

accessibility, market orientation, degree of specialty and design & composition of the retail spaces, this

discussion will further explore the comparative table shown in the previous section.

3.1 Location and accessibility

Location is a trigger when it comes to shopping. It determines whether a customer would have to

travel to a retails location or just walk outside in the middle of downtown; whether a store is in the hectic

financial district or in the authentic area of western Toronto. Moreover, it influences a persons outlook on the

retailer itself-if located in a luxurious area, the retail experience can be thought of as high end and the opposite

occurs for a more remote location. This being said, the locations of the two researched retail districts will portray

certain aspects of the retail experience.

The facility called PATH is downtown Torontos underground walkway which used to be just a subsurface

route within the Eaton Centre and is now a major ancillary retail destination that stretches to nearly 30

kilometers throughout all of downtown Toronto2. The researched block of ancillary retail is situated in the

financial district, one of the busiest sectors of the city, but also a boutique area for residential condos. With the

PATH being so close to a few residential buildings, it is definitely close to primary customers. Commerce Court

standing overtop the researched area is an office building which homes a number of major capital investment

firms. The majority of people walking through the PATH use it solely as walkway from one financial tower to

another. The TTC subway station is situated inside the facility, making it easy for public transportation users to
access the shopping area. Adjacent to the block, there is parking lot which has a stairway directly leading to the

PATH, making it easy for car users to access the area as well. With two hotels, Victoria Hotel and One King West,

being located directly above the area, it makes it convenient for city visitors to explore the underground retail

block.

The retail strip on Queen Street is rather convenient and appropriate for the general area of the Fashion district,

which is located just west of the strip. The area can be reached via the TTC tram, as well as by car with some

parking options just south of Queen Street West, although it should be noted that parking spaces are quite

limited. All of the stores are located in older buildings, which have steps to their front door, which block access

for handicapped people, although some stores offer a stopgap ramp, such as Rock Lobster Food Co. Some stores

of the same category are clustered in one area of the strip, making it convenient for customers to shop for a

specific kind of item. With residential areas being just around the corner, the retail strip is close to primary

customers, as well as secondary customers who travel.

3.2 Market Orientation

As mentioned before, the PATH is located in the busiest city sector, meaning that the people

working within the area are very time conscience. In order to satisfy the diverse needs of the customers, the

PATH features a large variety of stores and services. To facilitate and cut down the wait times for health

concerns for the employees in the area, the block has both types of major health services, such as an

optometrist office, FYi Doctors and a dental clinic, Dr. Ennis Dental Care; Rexalls PharmaPlus is also located

within the block. Professional services, such as the eastern CIBC block, prove that employee needs are satisfied

by a convenient location within the financial district. A number of beauty salons, along with healthy lifestyle

eateries and shops take up approximately 16%, a rather high percentage. The food court also mostly serves the

employees working in nearby offices. For the most part, the underground ancillary retail walkway is used by

people who have quick access to the area and do not have the time to go to further and larger shopping areas.

There is also a number of various independent stores which satisfy the different needs people in a hurry might
have. In general, the block is open to all types of shoppers varying from students to elderly people of both

genders.

The retail strip on Queen Street West is oriented for all types of customers from neighboring areas. The strip is

located close to Torontos Fashion District, which explains the large spectrum of stores in the are. CB2 and

Design Republic are both minimalistic new age furniture stores, which attract a certain crowd type to the area,

mainly those who are interested in authentic art and furniture pieces. Coffee and artisan pastry lovers can also

rejoice with the two coffee shops, Constantinople and Early Bird Espresso, located across one another on the

strip. However, the rest of the stores are quite diverse and meet a variety of needs for customers. There are

two major banks, BMO and RBC, clothing shops, antiques shops, a record store and a couple of bars.

3.3 Degree of Specialty

Although both the underground ancillary retail area and the retail strip on Queen Street West both

feature a multitude of stores, their degree of specialty is extremely different. The PATH features 46% of retail

chain stores; if the number of stores which are under renovation or unrented are removed from the equation,

the percent of retail stores drastically increases to 63%, which is twice as many independent stores. This

suggests that the degree of specialty in the PATH is quite low. The retail chain stores can be found in multiple

locations in Toronto, as well as across Canada and the world. When looking at the retail strip on Queen Street

West, there is a higher diversity in selection. The percentage of independent stores in this area is 65%, which is

similar to the case of retail chain stores in the PATH, but displays an opposite result-the degree of specialty on

Queen Street is high. All of the stores on the strip feature stores with relatively low price merchandise allowing

people from various income brackets to shop in the area, whereas the stores in ancillary retail are more gauged

towards an audience with higher income.

3.4 Design and Composition

The underground ancillary area is designed in such a way where a person has to walk across a

multitude of stores in order to get around to their desired location. All entrances, escalators, elevators and exits

are located at all extremities of the block, which forces shoppers to go through the entire walkway underneath
Commerce Court. This especially concerns the pedestrians who walk through the PATH to either escape the cold

weather or take a shortcut in their path. They are immediately exposed to a multitude of stores which are placed

in a way which will ultimately attract a persons attention. Moreover, the variety of stores featured in the PATH

are geared towards all kinds of people, making anyone a potential shopping target. This design has been carried

out by the British Columbia Investment Corporation (bcIMC) and is maintained by a group of professionals

within the company. They make sure that certain stores do not repeat throughout this particular block of the

PATH and ensure certain pop up stores to be in an open and noticeable spot. Another point to mention is that

when a location like the PATH is maintained by a company, they provide up-to-date information to the

customers by placing information screens throughout the underground walkway. This ensures that if shoppers

are looking for a specific store, they are bound to find it.

The retail strip located on Queen Street West, on the other hand, is not designed in any particular way. The

various properties are owned by different people and/or companies, making maintenance and management of

the area to be virtually impossible. There is no planned management, which explains the huge variety, but at

the same time clusters, of stores within the strip. Although, because of the general area of the location, the

stores are a little bit aimed towards the idea of authentic and antique shopping. Another point to mention is

that due to the different managements for every store, the opening and closing times of the various stores can

actually vary depending on the owner interests; although generally store hours sway in one direction and

bars/restaurants are open later.

3.5 Controlled/Managed Environment

In a way, both areas are controlled and managed environments. The PATH more so, due to it being

privately owned by bcIMC, as well as maintained by the company and GWL Realtors. It focuses on being a

convenient shopping location for employees working in adjacent buildings located above ground, but also for

pedestrians walking through the PATH. On the other hand, the retail strip is controlled due to the general area

of the district the strip is located in. The Fashion District contains intricate and authentic fashion/furnishing
stores-that being said, one would not find a high end fashion store in this district. Although a lot less control is

performed in this retail strip location.

References

[1] Ownership [Online]. Available: http://commerce-court.com/the-complex/overview/ownership

[2] PATH-Torontos Downtown Underground Pedestrian Walkway [Online]. Available:

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=f537b454b35a2410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RC

RD&vgnextchannel=04708b7a29891410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD