Toronto Lawrence Allen Centre | ?m | 4s | RioCan | Pappas

[sixrings]

I used to think they should just bomb the place but the renos are so nice I try to convince people how nice it is. But unless they see it for themselves they are skeptical. Then when I go inside Woodbine mall I always want to send them the Lawrence Square construction company phone number. Now I like Lawrence Square but I still wish Marlee didn't just dead end stop. Also this is so close to the subway I wish a large part of it could be turned into condos.

 

[alklay]

They've gotta get a different assortment of stores from Yorkdale if they want to survive, and, um, a little more downmarket is where they need to take this… so I'm surprised this looks so much better than I had expect inside. I was definitely expecting less.

42

No need to worry: this mall is definitely downmarket. It is almost near empty inside most of the time and there are no national or international brand small chains inside this sucker. And yes, I am too surprised that it is not being redeveloped, if only for the sake of providing a larger and better audience for the mall.

 

[DavidCapizzano]

The mall isn’t busy but the Fortinos, Homesense and Canadian Tire do pretty well. There's also a 24 Hour Fit 4 Less here.

This is what the inside used to look like. Definite improvement if you ask me...


1980s Interior Of Lawrence Square Shopping Centre/Mall, Toronto Ontario

by Greg's Southern Ontario (catching Up Slowly), on Flickr

Another shot of the new food court:

Lawrence Allen Centre ::: Redevelopment

You can also look at some other photos here: https://riocan.propertycapsule.com/property/output/center/detail/slug:lawrencesquare/activeTab:4/

 

[sixrings]

I'd be very happy if the shoppers from just west of here was to move into this mall. It would add another good store into the mall and then the current shoppers location could be the home of another condo.

 

[interchange42]

The mall isn’t busy but the Fortinos, Homesense and Canadian Tire do pretty well. There's also a 24 Hour Fit 4 Less here.

This is what the inside used to look like. Definite improvement if you ask me...


1980s Interior Of Lawrence Square Shopping Centre/Mall, Toronto Ontario

by Greg's Southern Ontario (catching Up Slowly), on Flickr

Another shot of the new food court:

View attachment 207246

Lawrence Allen Centre ::: Redevelopment

You can also look at some other photos here: https://riocan.propertycapsule.com/property/output/center/detail/slug:lawrencesquare/activeTab:4/

Thanks for the pics and links David! Based on the first one, no wonder so few people used to visit the place: that pic makes me a bit nauseous…

42

 

[Johnny Au]

It has an oddly Walden Galleria vibe.

AoD

Both opened in the same year: 1989!

 

[Johnny Au]

Thanks for the pics and links David! Based on the first one, no wonder so few people used to visit the place: that pics makes me a bit nauseous…

42

For the longest time, Lawrence Square had the reputation of being the poor man's Yorkdale.

Rebranding the mall as Lawrence Allen Centre is a poor attempt to make a mall more posh than it actually is. Lawrence Allen Centre is still a poor man's Yorkdale, just less obvious.

Being the poor man's Yorkdale isn't actually bad. It's just that the stuff in Lawrence Allen Centre is much more affordable. Lawrence Allen Centre is my local mall (my bias is showing).

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

For the longest time, Lawrence Square had the reputation of being the poor man's Yorkdale.

Rebranding the mall as Lawrence Allen Centre is a poor attempt to make a mall more posh than it actually is. Lawrence Allen Centre is still a poor man's Yorkdale, just less obvious.

Being the poor man's Yorkdale isn't actually bad. It's just that the stuff in Lawrence Allen Centre is much more affordable. Lawrence Allen Centre is my local mall (my bias is showing).

RioCan rebranding Lawrence Square to Lawrence Allen Centre seems to be RioCan’s naming format - naming their renovated malls/shopping centre/plaza after the nearby major arterial roads - followed by “Centre” IE:
- Eglinton Centre renamed Yonge Eglinton Centre
- Sheppard Centre renamed Yonge Sheppard Centre
- Bathurst College Centre
- King Portland Centre

 

[Johnny Au]

RioCan rebranding Lawrence Square to Lawrence Allen Centre seems to be RioCan’s naming format - naming their renovated malls/shopping centre/plaza after the nearby major arterial roads - followed by “Centre” IE:
- Yonge Eglinton Centre
- Yonge Sheppard Centre
- Bathurst College Centre
- King Portland Centre

That makes sense.

 

[sixrings]

And here I thought the rebranding was a result of two shootings in the mall relatively close to each other.

 

[sixrings]

For the longest time, Lawrence Square had the reputation of being the poor man's Yorkdale.

Rebranding the mall as Lawrence Allen Centre is a poor attempt to make a mall more posh than it actually is. Lawrence Allen Centre is still a poor man's Yorkdale, just less obvious.

Being the poor man's Yorkdale isn't actually bad. It's just that the stuff in Lawrence Allen Centre is much more affordable. Lawrence Allen Centre is my local mall (my bias is showing).

I mean I shop at both malls but I think they serve two different needs. Although a mall Lawrence Allen center has more big box type stores. Winners, homesense, Canadian tire, and a grocery store. Also there's a college in it, a gym and a service Canada. They both serve different needs. Poor man's yorkdale I think was more in reference to the shape of the building before renovations. However it is true that the store selection has improved with the renovations. Before renovations it was more zellers, a cheap sports store, a cheap lingerie store, and a food court which looked like your meal would come with complimentary roaches.

 

[pw20]

RioCan rebranding Lawrence Square to Lawrence Allen Centre seems to be RioCan’s naming format - naming their renovated malls/shopping centre/plaza after the nearby major arterial roads - followed by “Centre” IE:
- Eglinton Centre renamed Yonge Eglinton Centre
- Sheppard Centre renamed Yonge Sheppard Centre
- Bathurst College Centre
- King Portland Centre

Yonge Eglinton was always Yonge Eglinton Centre!

 

[Johnny Au]

I mean I shop at both malls but I think they serve two different needs. Although a mall Lawrence Allen center has more big box type stores. Winners, homesense, Canadian tire, and a grocery store. Also there's a college in it, a gym and a service Canada. They both serve different needs. Poor man's yorkdale I think was more in reference to the shape of the building before renovations. However it is true that the store selection has improved with the renovations. Before renovations it was more zellers, a cheap sports store, a cheap lingerie store, and a food court which looked like your meal would come with complimentary roaches.

The renovations really made Lawrence Allen Centre a much more attractive place to shop, and yes, it serves a different niche from Yorkdale, which is always a good thing.

 

[Tuscani01]

RioCan rebranding Lawrence Square to Lawrence Allen Centre seems to be RioCan’s naming format - naming their renovated malls/shopping centre/plaza after the nearby major arterial roads - followed by “Centre” IE:
- Eglinton Centre renamed Yonge Eglinton Centre
- Sheppard Centre renamed Yonge Sheppard Centre
- Bathurst College Centre
- King Portland Centre

That makes sense.

*Waits for new branding for The Well*

Front Spadina Centre? Wellington Spadina Centre?

 

[yoshirocks702]

RioCan rebranding Lawrence Square to Lawrence Allen Centre seems to be RioCan’s naming format - naming their renovated malls/shopping centre/plaza after the nearby major arterial roads - followed by “Centre” IE:
- Eglinton Centre renamed Yonge Eglinton Centre
- Sheppard Centre renamed Yonge Sheppard Centre
- Bathurst College Centre
- King Portland Centre

Don't forget the Albion Centre lol (although to be fair this has been named albion centre for a long time, previously Shoppers World Albion)