MEC breaks ground on new flagship store at eastern gateway to Olympic Village

VANCOUVER – MEC, Canada’s go-to place for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration, broke ground today on its new Vancouver flagship store. The three-storey, 60,000-square-foot building will be located at the eastern gateway to Olympic Village, one of the world’s most sustainable neighbourhoods and an area that offers great synergy with the MEC brand.

Through the new store’s products and services, programs and passionate employees, MEC Vancouver’s reputation as a hub for outdoor activity promises to grow, in complement to the active lifestyles available in Olympic Village.

Rendering of MEC Vancouver’s new flagship store (CNW Group/MEC)

Joined at a news conference by Vancouver’s mayor as well as the president of Beedie Development, which owns the site, MEC CFO Sandy Treagus said: “Today marks a milestone in the 46-year history of our co-op in Vancouver. In two years, MEC’s stunning new flagship store will serve our 450,000 local members from an area that is teeming with outdoor spirit, as well as target environmental and conservation standards that align with our brand.”

Designed by Proscenium Architecture & Interiors to a LEED Gold standard, the development will include two levels of retail, a third floor with office and amenity space, three levels of underground parking and more than 50 bike parking stalls.

Beedie has owned the site at 2^nd Avenue and Quebec Street since 2007. When construction of the new store is complete in mid-2019, MEC will operate the purpose-built, high-performance green building on a leasehold basis from Beedie for at least 20 years.

“It’s hard to imagine a more perfect fit than MEC for our gateway site to Olympic Village,” said Ryan Beedie, president of Beedie, a local company founded more than 60 years ago. “We are thrilled to partner with such an iconic and respected local company, and we appreciate the active involvement of the City of Vancouver in helping us all make this project a reality.”

“It’s exciting to break ground on MEC’s new flagship store in Olympic Village, which will give a boost to one of Vancouver’s core green and active neighbourhoods,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. “MEC has long been a cornerstone of Vancouver’sgreen economy, creating jobs for people who live and work in Vancouver, and contributing to our efforts as we strive to become the greenest city in the world by 2020. MEC’s flagship store will enhance Vancouver’s urban active community by connecting residents to the outdoors, and I’m looking forward its opening.”

MEC’s Olympic Village location will replace its store at 130 West Broadway, which the Vancouver-based retailer has occupied since 1995. Not only is that building coming to the end of its useful life, MEC’s lease on the property will have expired.

SOURCE MEC