{"id":15608,"date":"2025-07-17T06:24:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T06:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/promenade-shopping-centre-accelerates-transformation-with-new-tenants-entertainment-and-community-vision\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T06:24:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T06:24:14","slug":"promenade-shopping-centre-accelerates-transformation-with-new-tenants-entertainment-and-community-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/promenade-shopping-centre-accelerates-transformation-with-new-tenants-entertainment-and-community-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Promenade Shopping Centre Accelerates Transformation with New Tenants, Entertainment, and Community Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>
\n<\/p>\n

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The Promenade Shopping Centre in Thornhill, just north of Toronto, is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Once facing the pressures many enclosed malls across Canada are experiencing, Promenade has seen a substantial reversal of fortune under new direction, tenant investment, and a strategic shift toward mixed-use and experiential retail.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust over a year ago, there were a lot of closures. The centre was in a very different place,\u201d said Darren Woodworth, General Manager of Promenade Limited Partnership. \u201cNow it\u2019s a completely different story. There\u2019s momentum, excitement\u2014and we\u2019re not slowing down.\u201d<\/p>\n

From new tenants and entertainment attractions to educational institutions and updated infrastructure, the 535,000-square-foot shopping centre is redefining itself as a community hub that extends far beyond traditional retail.<\/p>\n

One of the most talked-about additions to the centre is Bowls & Blasters<\/em>, a 25,000- square-foot indoor entertainment complex that opened in mid-May.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just a bowling alley,\u201d explained Woodworth. \u201cIt\u2019s bowling, bumper cars, laser tag, a massive arcade, birthday party rooms, and a high-end lounge area with food and drinks\u2014all under one roof.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Woodworth, the opening was a major success. \u201cPeople were lining up by 2 p.m. on opening day. And since then, they\u2019ve broken records\u2014particularly on their vending machines, which is how they track early traffic. They\u2019ve booked a ton of birthday parties and were packed during Ribfest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The addition of such a vibrant entertainment concept is already paying dividends. \u201cIt\u2019s driving traffic, especially to the upper level, which had historically been quieter,\u201d Woodworth said.<\/p>\n

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Bowls & Blasters at Promenade. Image supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The past few months have also seen the arrival of multiple new tenants. Pur<\/em> & Simple<\/em>, a popular breakfast and brunch concept, opened next to LifeLabs<\/em>, which recently launched its medical testing facility in the centre.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just in LifeLabs, and people were coming in for appointments and then heading over to Pur & Simple for breakfast,\u201d said Woodworth. \u201cThere\u2019s real synergy between the tenants now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other food-focused additions include Fat Bastard Burrito<\/em>, Pizzaiolo<\/em>, Bagel Stop<\/em>, and Eat <\/em>Some More<\/em>, a new restaurant featuring African-style cuisine. \u201cIt\u2019s all about variety,\u201d added Jamie DeRose Dragozet, who supports marketing efforts for the centre. \u201cWe\u2019re building a retail mix that reflects our diverse community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Construction is underway for GoodLife Fitness<\/em>, which will span two levels and is expected to open by the end of the year\u2014strategically timed for New Year\u2019s resolutions. Another addition currently under construction is Picklep<\/u>lex<\/em>, an indoor pickleball facility that aims to open by late summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve completed demolition on both. The GoodLife opening is targeted for December, and Pickleplex should be open around August,\u201d said Woodworth. \u201cPermits delayed things a bit, but both are now moving forward quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Future Pickleplex at Promenade. Image supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The vision for Promenade has clearly expanded beyond retail. In September 2025, the Canadian<\/em> National Institute of Health <\/em>(CNIH) will open a campus at the centre focused on dental hygiene, dental assisting, and ultrasound technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re expecting about 400 students, and it\u2019ll be located on the upper level at the far end of the mall,\u201d said Woodworth. \u201cIt\u2019s another big driver of daily foot traffic and adds to the overall ecosystem we\u2019re building here.\u201d<\/p>\n

This evolution has not gone unnoticed. \u201cWe keep hearing people refer to the Promenade as a community centre,\u201d said Dragozet. \u201cWith education, healthcare, dining, and entertainment all here, it really is becoming that kind of destination.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Promenade Rendering. Photo: Cushman & Wakefield.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From Groceries to Condos<\/h2>\n

Another standout tenant is Olive Branch Kosher Supermarket<\/em>, the first and only kosher grocery store of its kind in Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re doing incredibly well and are even looking at expanding the store,\u201d said Woodworth. \u201cThey\u2019re a unique anchor that brings in a very loyal and specific customer base with Kosher groceries and a mix of other items for everyone.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The successful opening of two residential towers\u201430 and 35 storeys with more than 780 units\u2014has also changed the landscape. The towers offer direct internal access to the mall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just opened the internal connection from the condos to the mall,\u201d Woodworth added. \u201cResidents can literally walk downstairs in their slippers and shop. It\u2019s been extremely well received.\u201d<\/p>\n

A key part of the strategy has been to bring people into the mall through events. Promenade has hosted everything from Persian New Year celebrations <\/em>to Ribfest<\/em>, Hanukkah events<\/em>, and even the Royal Canadian<\/em> Circus<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur traffic numbers for Ribfest this year were up over 10,000 people compared to last year,\u201d said Woodworth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s exactly the kind of engagement we want to foster\u2014events that bring people in and help them discover what\u2019s new.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dragozet echoed the importance of community connection: \u201cSome visitors have told us they\u2019ve been coming here for 40 years. Now they\u2019re seeing a real transformation and feeling proud to call Promenade their mall again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Image: Promenade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite the buzz and renewed activity, management is taking a measured approach to leasing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more inquiries than ever,\u201d said Woodworth. \u201cBut we\u2019re being very strategic about who we let in. We want to leave room for national retailers and ensure long-term sustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is currently some availability in the mall due to tenant shuffling and new configurations, but Woodworth confirmed that the team is focused on creating the right retail mix to complement the broader transformation.<\/p>\n

With Promenade\u2019s 40th anniversary approaching in 2026, plans are already underway to commemorate the milestone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re planning to do a full front-facade refacing and may modify the entrance to accommodate one large restaurant or two smaller ones,\u201d revealed Woodworth. \u201cThere\u2019s significant investment being put back into the building.\u201d<\/p>\n

The long-term vision includes continued interior upgrades, new co-tenants, and additional phases of residential and commercial intensification.<\/p>\n

The surrounding retail plaza, also owned by the same group, will see further residential intensification with new units coming in the near future.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reflecting on his first year at the Promenade, Woodworth sees an evolution few properties experience in such a short period.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never worked at a centre that has had this much activity all at once,\u201d he said. \u201cA year ago, the outlook was uncertain. Now we\u2019re full of life, full of promise. I can\u2019t wait to see where we\u2019ll be in another year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dragozet agreed. \u201cWe\u2019re hearing it from everyone\u2014from shoppers to tenants to people who\u2019ve lived here their whole lives. There\u2019s energy again. And that\u2019s something special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Promenade Limited Partnership is owned in partnership by Serruya Private Equity and a Liberty Development managed corporation. The Property is managed by Cushman and Wakefield Asset Services.<\/p>\n

As Promenade Shopping Centre continues its bold redevelopment, it is emerging not just as a retail success story, but as a template for how malls across the country can reinvent themselves for the future\u2014through diversity, density, and deep community engagement.<\/p>\n

More from Retail Insider: <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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