Portage Place — Attraction in Winnipeg

I first went to Portage Place in the mid 90s, and I've been walking through it for the better part of 2 decades. Cliff notes - it's gone downhill but was never really 'uphill' to begin with. It's fine enough during the day to grab a bite or for very particular thing, but I wouldn't recommend it to a tourist for what you'd normally consider 'shopping mall activities'.

Pros: Great people watching, if that's your thing. The skywalks are convenient in escaping Winnipeg's cold while traversing downtown. Some of the food court options are unique AND delicious - the Sushi place, Shawarma and Indian options (try the veggie korma w/seasoned rice!) are personal favorites in the food court , and the fish and chips place on the second floor is delightful if you're in the mood. Some of the long term anchors (Prairie Theatre Exchange & the YMCA particularly) shine as reasons to go and Staples is the only real game in downtown for office supplies. Security is visible and helpful. True north Dental clinic is fantastic (and reasonably priced for a dental clinic).

Cons: First and foremost the "patrons". I use quotes because that word normally implies people BUYING something, but during the days you'll discovered this mall is populated by a healthy mix of: office drones stretching their legs, U of W students going to/from class homeless people, bored people with nothing else to do, and bored, homeless people with nothing else to do. Very few of whom seem to actually BE buying anything.

After 5:30, the university students and office drones go away, and (except on Jets home game nights) that 'healthy mix' becomes 'pretty much just the bored, the destitute and the homeless'. Shockingly, they too seem to not buy much of anything.

In the last four years alone I've personally: watched prescription drugs being peddled (in broad daylight) in the parking lot through the north entrance, have witnessed at least two separate shoplifting attempts devolve into someone screaming at the top of their lungs incessantly while they were detained and once had to assist a lady and her young child get to security to report what could only be described as a 'public indecency' incident (and to their credit, Security came RUNNING and in numbers on that one, as you'd hope).

Then there's actually sitting IN the food court. I'd recommend... not. To steal a line from a stand up comic (from a decade ago - this isn't sudden) the ethos of the food court patrons can be summed up with "quick, buy a coffee before security evicts us". Its crowded almost all the time, though so if you DO chose to eat there, you will have the simultaneous joy of trying to find seating in a crowded food court (where only 30% of the patrons are actually eating).

Of note regarding food and drink would be the Starbucks which, in my estimation may actually hold the world record for being the SLOWEST Starbucks worldwide. Trust me, if you need consistently mediocre coffee with a four person line up (that inexplicably takes ten minutes), this is the place for you!

Aside from all that - it's a 'shopping mall' with an almost complete lack of actual shops in the mall (except the food court and cell phones carriers, for some reason). At my last count, there were 7 empty storefronts in the mall and its surrounding skywalks, with numerous former storefronts now occupied by government services or NFP/outreach programs. Most of the remaining stores seem completely devoid of patrons whenever I pass by - with the exception of Shoppers Drug Mart and the Dollar Store, who do brisk business.

In summary - if you have a specific reason to go, sure. If you're in the area and need to grab a quick bite to go or a printer cartridge, absolutely. But if you're legitimately looking for a "mall" in the more traditional sense of the word, you're much better off going elsewhere - Polo Park is a 15-25 minute bus ride on the #11 west of here, and can be on the north side of Portage, across the street...

Now we lament the death of Winnipeg's downtown.

At once the premiere mall in Winnipeg with 2 movie theaters (an IMAX, and a multiplex), first class retailers, a busy food court, a fountain, and one of those floor tile chess boards, now, Portage Place is a shell of its former self. The majority of storefronts are empty, as is the food court. Security patrols are more common than anything else.

What remains? A Shoppers, a Service Canada location, Bell/Rogers/Telus stores, a couple of fashion retailers, a sports memorabilia store, and a handful of restaurants.

Surprisingly though it is still pretty well maintained.

I heard of a plan once to tear the mall down and replace it with condos. This would have been a shame. The mall serves an important function as a meeting place downtown (especially in winter) and a hub for the enclosed bridge system. The economics of retail downtown, however, clearly don't work anymore. Eaton's, the bay, and soon Portage place, have all failed.

It looks like the former staples location has been filled with an indoor skate park (it was closed as I walked by it today so I don't know if it is permanent, or a business, or what). I found it encouraging. This is where a space like this could excel. Transitioning from a retail space to a downtown community centre of sorts could save it. Is there an appetite for that? Maybe, but there certainly is appetite to fund it.

I think for the most part people who work in and visit downtown are mostly afraid of the place (why? - mostly racism and discomfort with being conducted by the realities of income disparity and poverty). Whereas, people who live downtown are a mixture of low income and, increasingly, high income, not the best mixture to develop a sense of community. Ultimately this is probably the reason for the downtown's fall, people who hang on fighting to hang on and people who take fighting...

Security seems to have an issue with actual patrons, but completely fine with gangs, drug dealers and beggers loitering and hogging the few benches left in the mall. And heaven forbid you sit momentarily on the huge, marble planter ledges. There is not many stores to go to anymore. HMV, Staples, Claire's and I think that's it. The food court is the only bustling place, but I really hate the seating set up. Very crowded. When Imax and most of the other stores closed up, there really is no reason to come here unless I was in the area and need to replace my earbuds. The fountain used to be the highlight about 20 years ago, and now it's in a decrepit state. The one high spraying jet runs but none of the others. It's not even as lit up as it used to be. It's a shame. The washrooms are something to be avoided. I would rather go to The Bay or trek to City Place to go to the washroom. I caught cleaning staff sloppily using just plain water to wipe down the mirrors and sinks. The mens and women's washroom is uncomfortable too close together with not much privacy between the entrances. There is even a mirror that is aimed at the washrooms so others can see in. I am just very confused to where this so-called mall is headed. It often feels like they are trying to convert it into some sort of homeless shelter or...