Around the Sound
SHOP
Tsawwassen Mills Outlet Mall WRITTEN BY FRANCES BADGETT PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA KARLBERG
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our holiday shopping just got a little easier, thanks to our neighbors to the north. Tsawwassen Mills Outlet Mall opened in October, and brings to our area many premium stores like Saks Off Fifth, Aritzia, Michael Kors. The mall boasts 180 stores, 6000 parking spaces, 1.2 million square feet of space, and many installations and art displays. Built by Ivanhoe Cambridge, it is one of the largest malls in Canada. And it’s waiting for us, right over the border. Built in partnership with the Tsawwassen First Nation, who own the land, it cost $600 million to construct and employs 3,500 people, 20 of whom are members of the Tsawwassen First Nation. The B.C. Assembly of First Nations and the Business Council of B.C. signed a memorandum of understanding to make the project possible. This agreement is the first of its kind in B.C., and could serve as a model for tribalprivate-non-tribal governmental agreements. Through the lease agreement, the Tsawwassen First Nation will receive ongoing revenue to support social services, health, and education. The stores are not atypical of what you’d find in any premium outlet mall, with one exception — the Bass Pro Shop. It not only serves as an outfitter to the recreation set, the store includes a massive aquarium stocked with sport fish like bass and trout, an indoor archery range, and an undersea-themed restaurant called Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill, and a bowling alley. Armed and dangerous, this massive store offers thrills and the “wow” factor that retail seeks these days as it competes with the convenience of online shopping. The food court is built to replicate a First Nations’ long house, and has a wonderfully cozy feel. The mall also offers a shuttle service from the SkyTrain, so shoppers can commute to it car-free. So make your list check it twice, and maybe hop the border for some great gifts and a shopping experience that will put you in the holiday mood.
December 2016 37