Woodgrove Centre
A major enclosed shopping centre in Nanaimo, British Columbia, and the largest shopping centre on Vancouver Island.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Woodgrove Centre is an enclosed shopping centre in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. Located on Vancouver Island, it serves Nanaimo and a broad surrounding trade area, including communities in central and northern Vancouver Island. With approximately 724,713 square feet (67,328 square metres) of retail space and more than 150 stores, it is described as Vancouver Island's largest shopping centre. Its tenant mix combines department-store and mass-market anchors with apparel, sporting goods, grocery, entertainment, specialty retail, food service and personal-service operators. The centre opened in 1981 with Eaton's and Woodward's as its principal department-store tenants. These original anchors reflected the conventional Canadian shopping-centre model of the period, in which large department stores generated customer traffic for smaller retailers arranged around enclosed concourses. Woodgrove's anchor composition changed substantially over the following decades as Canadian department-store retail underwent consolidation and several chains entered bankruptcy or exited the market. Woodward's filed for bankruptcy in 1993, after which its space was taken over by The Bay, the department-store banner operated by Hudson's Bay Company. Eaton's later closed following its 1999 bankruptcy. A major expansion completed in 2000 increased the centre's area from about 530,000 square feet to approximately 724,713 square feet and added or established major tenants including Sport Chek and Winners. The Bay subsequently moved into the former Eaton's premises. The former Woodward's and Bay space was demolished and redeveloped for Walmart, which opened at Woodgrove Centre on July 11, 2002, following the closure of Walmart's Country Club Centre location in Nanaimo the previous day. Other important tenants have included Toys "R" Us, Save-On-Foods, Chapters, Landmark Cinemas and a range of national and local retailers. The centre's tenant roster has evolved as individual brands have closed, relocated or been replaced. Former occupants have included Marks & Spencer, SAAN, Safeway, Sports Experts, Woodwynn and Hudson's Bay. The closure of Hudson's Bay and Toys "R" Us is identified in the reference material as occurring in 2025, although the precise operational and redevelopment consequences are not established here. Woodgrove Centre was historically owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge. On September 1, 2020, Weihong Liu's Central Walk acquired the property from Ivanhoé Cambridge. The transaction changed the centre's ownership while retaining its role as a major regional retail destination. Central Walk, described as a subsidiary of Ruby Liu Commercial Investment Corporation, owns and manages the property. As a physical retail property rather than a conventional consumer product brand, Woodgrove's competitive position depends on location, scale, accessibility, tenant diversity, anchor performance and its ability to provide shopping, services and entertainment for Vancouver Island consumers.
History
Woodgrove Centre opened in Nanaimo in 1981 with Eaton's and Woodward's as its principal anchor tenants. The centre was developed as a substantial enclosed retail destination for Vancouver Island, bringing department-store shopping and a broad collection of smaller retailers together under one roof. The property's anchor structure changed during the 1990s. Marks & Spencer, Sports Experts and Woodwynn are listed among former tenants, while Safeway left in 1994 and was replaced by Toys "R" Us. Woodward's entered bankruptcy proceedings in 1993. Its space was subsequently occupied by The Bay, the Hudson's Bay Company department-store banner. This change reflected the wider restructuring of Canada's department-store sector. Eaton's closed in 1999 after the chain's bankruptcy. Woodgrove then underwent a major expansion in 2000, growing from approximately 530,000 square feet to 724,713 square feet. Sport Chek and Winners are identified as having opened at the centre in 2000. Following the expansion, The Bay moved into the former Eaton's location, while the earlier Woodward's and Bay premises were demolished for a new Walmart store. Walmart opened at Woodgrove Centre on July 11, 2002, after the retailer closed its nearby Country Club Centre location the previous day. The Walmart development reinforced Woodgrove's role as a destination for both department-style general merchandise and everyday shopping. Over time, the centre's tenant mix also came to include Toys "R" Us, Save-On-Foods, Chapters, Landmark Cinemas and numerous apparel, service, food and specialty retailers. For much of its modern history, Woodgrove Centre was owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge. On September 1, 2020, Central Walk, associated with Weihong Liu and described as a subsidiary of Ruby Liu Commercial Investment Corporation, acquired the property from Ivanhoé Cambridge. Central Walk is identified as the owner and manager after the transaction. The centre remains a major retail property in Nanaimo and is described as Vancouver Island's largest shopping centre by retail area. Its history illustrates the evolution of Canadian shopping centres from department-store-led formats toward diversified tenant mixes anchored by mass retail, sporting goods, off-price retail, grocery, entertainment and services. The reference material records Hudson's Bay as closing in 2025 and Toys "R" Us as closing in late 2025; the available information does not establish the later replacement tenants or any redevelopment plans.
- 2025
Hudson's Bay closes
[1]Reference material identifies Hudson's Bay as closing at the centre in 2025.
- 2025
Toys "R" Us closes
[1]Reference material identifies Toys "R" Us as closing at the centre in late 2025.
- 2020
Ownership changes to Central Walk
[1]Central Walk acquires Woodgrove Centre from Ivanhoé Cambridge on September 1.
- 2002
Walmart opens
[1]A Walmart store opens at Woodgrove Centre on July 11 after the retailer closes its Country Club Centre location the previous day.
- 2000
Major expansion completed
[1]The centre expands from approximately 530,000 square feet to 724,713 square feet. Sport Chek and Winners are identified as opening at the property during this expansion period.
- 1999
Eaton's closes
[1]Eaton's closes after the chain's bankruptcy, prompting a later reconfiguration of the centre's department-store space.
- 1993
Woodward's files for bankruptcy
[1]Woodward's enters bankruptcy, and its Woodgrove premises are later taken over by The Bay.
- 1981
Woodgrove Centre opens
[1]The shopping centre opens in Nanaimo with Eaton's and Woodward's as its principal tenants.
Products and positioning
A large regional enclosed shopping centre positioned as Vancouver Island's leading destination for broad-based retail, grocery, entertainment and services.
Mass merchandise anchor · 2002
Walmart
Walmart is one of Woodgrove Centre's major destination anchors. The store opened on July 11, 2002, replacing the retailer's former Country Club Centre location in Nanaimo. Its general-merchandise, grocery and everyday-needs offer broadens the centre's appeal beyond discretionary shopping.
Off-price apparel and home retail · 2000
Winners
Winners is identified as a current anchor and opened at Woodgrove Centre in 2000. The off-price format contributes apparel, accessories, home merchandise and rotating branded inventory, helping the centre attract value-oriented shoppers and repeat visits.
Sporting goods · 2000
Sport Chek
Sport Chek is identified as a current anchor and opened at the centre in 2000. Its assortment covers sportswear, footwear, equipment and outdoor-oriented products, adding a destination specialty format to Woodgrove's broader retail mix.
Department store · 1993
Hudson's Bay
The Bay, later branded Hudson's Bay, took over Woodward's space after Woodward's bankruptcy in 1993 and later moved into the former Eaton's location after the 2000 expansion. It served as a long-standing department-store anchor before closing in 2025 according to the reference material.
Toys and children's products · 1994
Toys "R" Us
Toys "R" Us occupied a major retail position at Woodgrove Centre after replacing Safeway in the 1990s. The reference material lists it as a former anchor and states that it closed in late 2025.
Cinema and entertainment
Landmark Cinemas
Landmark Cinemas is among the entertainment-oriented tenants associated with Woodgrove Centre. Its cinema operation complements the centre's retail offer by providing a leisure and evening-visit component within the shopping destination.
Grocery
Save-On-Foods
Save-On-Foods is identified among the centre's major tenants. Its grocery role supports regular, needs-based visits and adds food retail to Woodgrove's otherwise predominantly general-merchandise and specialty-shopping profile.
Books and media
Chapters
Chapters is listed among Woodgrove Centre's notable tenants. The bookstore format contributes books, stationery, gifts and related products to the centre's specialty-retail offering.
Brand decisions
2020
Central Walk acquires Woodgrove CentreM&ABackground
After a period of ownership by Ivanhoé Cambridge, the property was sold to a new investment and management group.
Action taken
Central Walk, associated with Ruby Liu Commercial Investment Corporation and led by Weihong Liu, acquired the shopping centre on September 1, 2020.
Aftermath
Central Walk became the owner and manager of the centre, while Woodgrove retained its role as a major regional shopping destination.
2002
Open a Walmart anchorProduct launchBackground
Following the redevelopment of former department-store space, Woodgrove Centre added a Walmart store as a major mass-merchandise anchor.
Action taken
Walmart opened at Woodgrove Centre on July 11, 2002, after its Country Club Centre location closed the preceding day.
Aftermath
The opening strengthened Woodgrove's position as a destination for general merchandise and everyday shopping in Nanaimo.
2000
Expand the centre and reposition its anchor mixStrategyBackground
The closure of Eaton's and the changing Canadian department-store market created a need to reorganize Woodgrove Centre's anchor space and strengthen its overall retail offer.
Action taken
The property expanded from approximately 530,000 square feet to 724,713 square feet. The Bay moved into the former Eaton's location, while the former Woodward's and Bay premises were cleared for later Walmart development.
Aftermath
The expansion established the centre's current large-scale format and supported the addition or consolidation of destination tenants such as Sport Chek and Winners.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/woodgrove-centre · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled