Is a big unit.

There's a cycling place in Howells.

This is extremely good news considering how long this unit has been vacant for, who the previous tenants were, and given the relatively high profile (or at least when it's derelict) of the unit. There are quite a few new openings down this end of queen st now (yes I refuse to give up on this end of queen st despite its troubled past few years), what with cafe nero, the gym and tescto in the capitol shopping centre and evans cycles.

Plus Coffee No 1 due to open in the Aspect.

I haven't been this excited in a while! Could we see armani exchange popping up in the city soon? I came across this job advertisement for a Cardiff Store Manager...

http://jobs.trovit.co.uk/index.php/cod.frame/url.http%253A%252F%252Fwww.retailcareers.co.uk%252Fjob%252Fstore-manager-942390962%253Fsrc%253Dsearch/id_ad.1kS1ca1K1lU1O/type./what.new%20stores%20cardiff%20manager/pos.1/org.1/pop.1/publisher_id./referer_id.1/t.1

Looks like A/X will be joining the cardiff retail scene this Summer, but where will the store be???

please please please let this be true. i've been in mourning since aquascutum went into administration

Jantra, I was in a state of shock on hearing about Aquascutum... Who knows whats around the corner! Anyways A/X too look forward too... I Didn't expect Amarni to enter the city, I must be honest! Happy Days Though!

Quite a bit of good news in this week's planning applications;
Coffee no1 being confirmed for the old sushi unit at aspect,
Evans cycles confirmed for underneath dumfries place car park,
Crocs opening in SD 2, although not sure which unit,
Creperie to open in on of the (i suppose vacant units) in high street arcade.

There does seem to be quite a lot of momentum recently, granted that it is mainly to fill units that have been vacated by failed businesses as opposed to previously unlet units, It would be nice to see this momentum continuing!

I think Crocs are going in the unit between Kamigata and Sole Trader ie. the Tredegar St end of SD2. Also Boots are taking the unit opposite.

On the downside Rebel and Front Up both appear to have shut in SD2.

I think that out of all the stores, these were the most likely to go, they were only short term to begin with!

Although it is never good to see empty units, neither of these stores was exactly an asset to the shopping centre, and with more life down the tredegar st end of the centre one can only hope that this entices more retailers to this end of the mall!

Well, I Didn't expect to see an Amarni brand in Cardiff! & I am actually glad those two stores have closed. They weren't exactly asses to the centre! More space for bigger and better retailers in my eyes.

I've just been into Barkers coffee shop in Castle Arcade for the umpteenth time only to discover that it has been expanded AGAIN. This is now the third expansion since it opened about two years ago. This place really is a prize asset in Cardiff city centre.

The quality of the interior decor is (IMO) a cut above any other coffee place in Cardiff - and the coffee is actually good (unlike many places).

Apparently the clothes shop has been losing (more?) money since SD2 opened, hence the gradual conversion from the rag trade. The remaining retail element of the store now represents approx 30% of the total floor space.

Thanks for the tip-off Wizard - I will try it next time I'm in town. I'm a Coffee #1 regular but somewhere else to occasionally visit would be good!

Jantra - I wasn't going to say anything but yes, we do need more space for bigger and better asses in the city centre as anonymous pointed out. Rest assured , I'm sure that there'll be plenty of them buying overpriced tat in that new shop.

Ian - have a look down at the new bit of Barkers (by the door to the retail bit), it's particularly eclectic.

Yes Barkers coffee shop is very eclectic, but stays the good side of 'wacky'. Apparently it's driving footfall in the arcade as well. Incidently the Dragons Kitchen cafe at the Castle St end of the cafe has closed. Thats about the 4th business to crash and burn in that unit in the last few years whilst Cafe Minuet sees off all contenders and even seems to get busier.

Curzon, who own a number of the arcades are looking to knock through a couple of units in High St arcade and try to replicate the success of Barkers (who have a £10 for any item pop up shop opposite the proposed units).

On the subject of arcades there is also an application in for the old Kiwi's/Rebel Rebel unit in Wyndham Arcade to stay open until 11pm. This must be with regards to the organic indoor market/cafe/restaurant/bar that was reportedly opening as referred to in another thread on this forum and reported in the Echo.

Cafe Minuet really punches above it's weight in the quality of what you get for what you pay. Tis another jewel in that there arcade.

I REALLY hope that the development in Wharton Arcade gets going. It sounds cracking doesn't it.

Yes, the Wyndham Arcade application is for Bill's Cafe and Produce Store. There a few in London now and I went to the Angel branch last week. It's not really a store, just a few sauces etc on sale, the menu looks reasonably priced but the portions are small. The service was chaotic too.

www.bills-website.co.uk

Is it the type of place for a few drinks in the evening or strictly a place to eat?

It's a restaurant essentially with a few bits of grocery on offer.

Over the entire flank in Wyndham Arcade?

I presumed that there would be some sort of mixed set of units offering a bit of everything. I think that I must have run ahead of the facts in the expectation stakes.

Jack Wills have secured a building in Cardiff!
Don't know which building yet, but strong rumours linking it to the old Habitat building!

One of the managers in the Bristol store told me that they have secured a building in Cardiff.

Although I have been scouring the Cardiff Council planning applications and can't see anything yet!

However the Habitat building would be just perfect for JW, I can see it having the same resemblance as the JW in Convent Gardens in London.

I can't wait to apply for a job, but I will be very sad having to leave Gilly Hicks!

Yeh, I think they will use the first two floors and then keep the rest for backstock? But that's just me wondering lol.

I have a manager interview next week for Hollister, so cross fingers! But now JW is coming here, that might hinder my plans!

So excited!

paha! It's the best company I have worked for, not going to lie! It's like working in a hectic party, where everybody gets along with one and other! (NO JOKE) You feel good whipping you Abercrombie associate card out, and people are instantly drawn to it! In Gilly Hicks and Hollister Cardiff, there are 600+ people working in those stores, no joke! You feel exclusive and gives your self esteem a boost!

Some people may call me shallow for my views above, but until you have worked at an Abercrombie store, you have no idea how it feels.

It was just a matter of time. Cardiff is said to take over Liverpool in retail soon and Jack Wills and the Armani Exchange will help this along nicely

One of my best friends worked in the Abercrombie store in London and didn't like it at all. Apart from a few of the girls, apparently the staff fell in to two categories: arrogant straight men, and bitchy gossipy gay men and women. Okay playing on some stereotypes there, but that was his experience.

I find the whole concept a bit vacuous. The dancing upstairs in London looks moronic, and the pricing proves people will buy anything if you associate it with sex appeal. Having said that I own a couple of polo shirts, but only bought in the US where it is half the price.

Don't like the preppy label full stop. What's wrong with the likes of one true Saxon, duffer of st George, lyle and Scott and aquascutum. Crombie, Pringle, Thomas pink, Berwyn and Berwyn and Barbour are all classic uk labels, understated, well cut and smart

most of those labels are available around the city. Barbour on Castle street - the name of the shop escapes me, duffer of St. George in debenhams Aquascutum has recently gone into administration. I think Crombie and Pringle are available in Howells. Would be nice to see a Howies around the place too. They are a Welsh brand that used to have a shop on Carnaby street and retain their one in Cardigan. They make their jeans in Cardigan

Did someone above mention Armani Exchange ? Is it actually opening in the city then ?

Clinton's have gone into administration

In this day and age can a shop really exist by selling naff cards and party accessories? Maybe they will have to close a few stores. Personally I think they should vacate their Queens Street premises because the way they have treated it is disgusting. Such a lovely Art Deco design rotting in the City Centre

Possibly not the correct thread but Brains have announced that they are looking to open up to 30 new Coffe No 1's in the next 3 years across south Wales and the south west of England.

Perhaps they will be looking for a few more city centre outlets especially if Marland House is for the chop (one lives in hope). I could see them taking up one of the proposed units under the new Admiral building, perhaps in SD, maybe St Mary/High St etc.

Coffee No. 1 in Pontcanna was heaving both times I've passed it. Not sure how the trade has affected the (at least two) other coffee shops nearby.

I semi-regularly pass one of their outlets near Bristol as well, that is always rammed, I sometimes wonder if there's actually a recession on at all!

Rumours circling about Lacoste, Barbour and Vivienne Westwood coming to the Hays!!

Great boost to the upper-market shopping that is much needed in Cardiff!

Creperie de Sophie is due to open in the High Street Arcade. It's in the unit that Catapult were in before (who have taken a bigger unit in Duke St arcade).

There is a plan for a cafe for the empty units directly opposite. I think the owners are trying to replicate the success of Barkers coffee shop in the Castle Arcade. That is packed out almsot every day. As a consequence the arcade has quite a high footfall although I wonder if that translates into sales.

Just looking through earlier posts in this thread and I appear to have said almost exactly the same thing on 27 April as I said in my post just a few minutes ago. I've become just like the old bloke in the corner of the pub muttering away to himself....

Does anyone know what's happening with the Bill's produce/cafe development (where Kiwis was)? planning apps are up in the windows and it had been a hive of activity a few weeks ago, but it's all gone quiet.

I noticed on my travels that the harp shop in High St Arcade has closed down. They have moved to Pantbach Rd in Rhiwbina.

I think this makes perfect sense for them - they were likely to be a "destination shop" and in that sense it doesn't matter that they do not have a presence in the city centre. And no doubt quite a lot of what they sold would have had to have been picked up by car or delivered. Pantbach Rd offers that more than High St I guess.

Still I'm quite sad to see them go - it did offer a bit of local flavour and a bit of 'cultural cache'. It's unlikely that there are many cities in the UK with specialist harp shops in their city centre.

Looks like Fred and Graces (expensive kids clothes shop in Morgan Arcade) has bit the dust. Also Suzanne James Wedding Shop in Castle Arcade (where Chessmen used to be) has shut.