The Ottawa Citizen carried a business article about "Lifestyle Centres".

Lifestyle Centres are a new (and very popular) retail creation in the USA. Basically a small town downtown is recreated, and filled with "upscale" global multinational stores. People tired of the the same old, same old malls and big box farms are flocking to these centres... presumably because of the small town atmosphere, even though these are the same old, same old mall stores dressed in new clothing.

I wrote a "letter to the editor" (currently unpublished).

Re: Drolet - The Return of the Pedestrian Friendly Mall

I read Daniel's article with great interest. He says

It seems a shame to recreate the feeling of a vibrant city centre, when existing downtowns offer the real thing.

How true! It is also true that many existing downtowns sometimes don't realize the power of attraction of a "lifestyle centre" and strive to move towards the now failing models of "malls" and "big box farms", inadvertently destroying their downtowns.

Case in point is nearby Perth, where my wife and I have operated urbanMarket - Perth for the last 10 years. Fortunately, the downtown is still surviving intact even though undergoing some major changes. Our customers tell us they greatly enjoy the heritage buildings, the large variety of shops and restaurants and the friendly shopkeepers and townsfolk. We are told that the flowers on the streets, the downtown Stewart Park, the downtown Perth Museum, the Perth Farmers' Market, the downtown Studio Theatre, the vibrant arts/artisan community and the fact that all stores are in walking distance from all parking lots, all contribute to the small town atmosphere. Shopping in Perth is indeed a different experience from shopping at malls and big box farms.

One thing Perth can't be accused of is being "fake". Many original buildings constructed since it's founding as a military outpost in 1816 have been carefully preserved and restored. Even your travel column declared Perth to be "Christmas Shopping the way it was meant to be" when Kathyn Young visited last Christmas.

The lifestyle centres being constructed in the style of small town downtown are still only the global multinationals dressed in different clothing and will be in danger of failing eventually. At a recent cultural planning seminar held in Perth, in the keynote address by Glen Murray, former mayor of Winnipeg, made the point

when every place looks the same, there is no such thing as place anymore.

Downtown Heritage Perth has the advantage that besides being totally unique, almost every store in town is a "mom and pop" store with the owner/buyer on the floor. Yes, there are "upscale" stores, but there is also the young entrepreneur opening an urban wear store for teens. Yes, you can buy fancy Cuisinart appliances, but you can also find a store that is a paradise for scrap bookers. You can find lower end "souvenirs" but also the most wondrous brass kaleidoscope you are likely to find anywhere on the planet. You can find this mix, because the decisions as to what products are carried are distributed across the many owners based on customer need, not controlled by corporate headquarters focussing only on double digit return on investment to their
Shareholders.

I would argue, contrary to Lambert's assertion, that Canada already has lifestyle centres and Perth is a good example of one that has been evolving since 1816. Come visit us online at shop-heritage-perth.com.

W. Hugh Chatfield
UrbanMarket - Perth
40 Gore Street East