Southgate Centre
Southgate Centre is a major shopping centre in south Edmonton, Alberta, combining national retailers, department-store space, restaurants, services, and direct access to Edmonton's LRT network.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Southgate Centre is a large enclosed shopping centre in south Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It occupies just under 80,000 square metres of retail space and serves the surrounding residential districts as well as shoppers from across the Edmonton metropolitan area. The centre is positioned beside Whitemud Drive and 111 Street, across from a bus station and adjacent to Southgate LRT station, giving it an unusually strong combination of automobile, bus, and rail access for an Edmonton shopping destination. The centre opened on August 12, 1970, as Southgate Shopping Centre. It was developed by Woodward's and The Bay and was notable at the time for being the largest shopping centre west of Toronto and Alberta's first centre designed around two anchor department stores. Project supervision and overall design coordination were associated with Gus Doornberg, whose civil-engineering and architectural background was noted in contemporary Edmonton reporting. The original anchor-led format established Southgate as a regional retail destination rather than a small neighbourhood mall. Southgate has repeatedly adapted its tenant mix and physical layout in response to changes in department-store retailing. A substantial 1982 expansion added 80 stores on the west side, a third floor for The Bay, an enlarged Woodward's food floor, and more parking. Woodward's bankruptcy in 1993 led to the conversion of its department-store space to Eaton's and its food floor to Safeway. When Eaton's failed in 1999, its space became a Sears store the following year. A $13.2 million renovation announced in 1998 modernized the interior with new floors, ceilings, lighting, skylights, a second level for specialty stores, and an enlarged food court. The project was completed in March 1999, and the centre adopted the shorter Southgate Centre name. The site also housed an Edmonton Public Library branch from 1971 until 2002; after the library moved to nearby Whitemud Crossing, its former space was later occupied by Dollarama. From 2007 through 2009, Southgate underwent a $114 million expansion adding approximately 150,000 square feet, more than 30 stores and services, a new food court, and a two-level parking deck above the expansion. The centre's grand reopening took place in August 2009. Its position within Edmonton's transportation network strengthened further when Southgate station opened as part of the south extension of the Edmonton LRT system in April 2010. The centre has also attracted a number of prominent or first-in-market tenants. Apple's second Edmonton store opened at Southgate in May 2010. Restoration Hardware opened an Edmonton location in November 2010 in the former food-court area, and Crate & Barrel opened its first Edmonton location there in October 2011. Edmonton's first LEGO store opened in June 2013. In 2014, Southgate became the first Edmonton mall to provide electric-vehicle charging stations. Retail restructuring continued after Sears closed on January 8, 2018, following the company's creditor-protection filing. The vacant space was temporarily used by Big Comfort between July 2018 and autumn 2019. A further $93 million redevelopment beginning in 2020 repurposed the former Sears area into a new three-level common area, with London Drugs and H&M among the tenants occupying the redeveloped space. The project was completed in 2022. Sporting Life opened its first Edmonton store at Southgate in November 2022, and Winners opened on the lower level in March 2025. The Hudson's Bay store closed permanently in June 2025. Southgate remains an active, owner-operated regional shopping centre whose identity is based on convenience, accessibility, national retail tenants, and ongoing reinvention of former department-store space.
History
Southgate Centre began operations on August 12, 1970, as Southgate Shopping Centre in south Edmonton. The project was created by Woodward's and The Bay and was distinguished by its two-anchor department-store configuration. At opening, it was described as the largest shopping centre west of Toronto and the first Alberta centre to house two department-store anchors. Contemporary Edmonton Journal coverage identified Gus Doornberg as project supervisor and credited his civil-engineering and architectural experience in coordinating the centre's overall design. The first major enlargement arrived in 1982. The west side gained 80 new stores, The Bay received a third floor, Woodward's food floor was expanded, and parking capacity increased. The centre's anchor strategy changed as Canada's department-store sector weakened. Woodward's entered bankruptcy in 1993, after which its department-store area became an Eaton's and the food floor became a Safeway. Eaton's itself failed in 1999, and its space was converted to Sears the following year. On April 1, 1998, Southgate announced a $13.2 million renovation. The plan included replacement flooring, new ceilings and lighting, skylights, an additional level for specialty shops, and a larger food court. The work finished in March 1999, and the centre adopted the Southgate Centre name. A branch of the Edmonton Public Library operated inside the mall from 1971 until 2002, when it moved to nearby Whitemud Crossing; Dollarama later occupied the former library premises. Between 2007 and 2009, the property received a much larger $114 million expansion. The project added about 150,000 square feet, more than 30 stores and services, a new food court, and a two-level parking deck over the expansion. Southgate held a grand reopening in August 2009. Its accessibility improved again in 2010 when Southgate LRT station opened on April 24 as part of Edmonton's south LRT extension. Apple opened its second Edmonton store at the centre on May 28, followed by Restoration Hardware on November 15. The centre marked its fortieth anniversary in August 2010. Southgate continued to build a differentiated tenant mix. Crate & Barrel opened its first Edmonton store there on October 6, 2011, while Edmonton's first LEGO store arrived in June 2013. In 2014, Southgate became the first Edmonton mall identified in the reference material as offering electric-vehicle charging stations. The next major anchor transition followed Sears Canada's creditor-protection filing in 2017. Southgate's Sears store closed on January 8, 2018. Big Comfort used the space temporarily from July 2018 until autumn 2019. In 2020, the former Sears area was selected for a $93 million redevelopment that replaced the traditional anchor-box format with a three-floor common area and new retail accommodation. London Drugs and H&M were among the tenants associated with the completed project, which finished in 2022. The post-redevelopment period brought additional tenant changes. Sporting Life opened its first Edmonton location at Southgate in November 2022, and Winners opened on the lower level in March 2025. Hudson's Bay, one of the centre's original department-store associations, closed its Southgate location permanently in June 2025. Southgate is owned by Primaris REIT and remains an active regional shopping centre, with its long-term role shaped by transportation access, a broad tenant roster, and the conversion of former department-store areas into flexible retail and public circulation space.
- 2025
Winners opens and Hudson's Bay closes
[1]Winners opened on the lower level in March, while the Hudson's Bay location closed permanently in June.
- 2022
Redevelopment completes
[1]The former Sears redevelopment was completed, with London Drugs and H&M among the new or expanded occupants.
- 2022
Sporting Life opens in Edmonton
[1]Sporting Life opened its first Edmonton location at Southgate in November.
- 2020
Former Sears redevelopment begins
[1]A $93 million project began to replace the former anchor space with a three-level common area and new retail accommodation.
- 2018
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store closed on January 8 after Sears Canada entered creditor protection.
- 2014
Electric-vehicle charging introduced
[1]Southgate became the first Edmonton mall identified in the reference material to offer EV charging stations.
- 2013
First Edmonton LEGO store opens
[1]The first LEGO store in Edmonton opened at Southgate in June.
- 2011
Crate & Barrel opens first Edmonton store
[1]Crate & Barrel opened its first Edmonton location at Southgate in October.
- 2010
Southgate LRT station opens
[1]The adjacent LRT station opened on April 24, materially improving transit access.
- 2010
Apple and Restoration Hardware arrive
[1]Apple opened its second Edmonton store at Southgate in May, followed by Restoration Hardware in November.
Products and positioning
A centrally accessible, regional Edmonton shopping centre focused on a broad national tenant mix, convenient multimodal transportation access, and continual redevelopment of its anchor and common areas.
Apparel and footwear · 1970
Fashion and apparel retail
Southgate's fashion offer spans everyday clothing, fast fashion, premium and contemporary apparel, footwear, and accessories. The tenant mix has included retailers such as Uniqlo and H&M, alongside department-store and specialty formats. These stores give the centre a broad customer proposition ranging from affordable basics to trend-led and higher-end fashion.
Home furnishings and housewares · 2010
Home and lifestyle retail
Home-oriented retail has been an important part of Southgate's differentiated tenant mix. The centre has hosted Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel, giving shoppers access to furniture, home décor, kitchenware, tabletop products, and lifestyle merchandise. These tenants also helped position Southgate beyond a conventional apparel-focused mall.
Sporting goods · 2022
Sporting goods and outdoor retail
Sporting Life opened its first Edmonton location at Southgate in November 2022. The category adds sportswear, footwear, equipment, and outdoor lifestyle merchandise to the centre's broader retail offer and supports Southgate's role as a regional destination.
Drugstore and convenience retail · 1993
Everyday essentials and pharmacy
Everyday-needs retail has included London Drugs and, historically, Safeway. These formats provide pharmacy, health and beauty products, household goods, convenience merchandise, and selected consumer electronics, broadening the centre's utility beyond discretionary shopping.
Discount retail · 2025
Discount and off-price retail
Winners opened on Southgate's lower level in March 2025, adding an off-price assortment of apparel, accessories, home goods, and seasonal merchandise. Dollarama has also occupied space formerly used by the Edmonton Public Library branch, contributing a value-oriented component to the tenant mix.
Food service · 1970
Food court and restaurants
Food service is provided through the centre's food court and restaurant tenants. Food-court capacity was expanded during the 1998 renovation and again as part of the 2007–2009 expansion, supporting longer visits and the centre's regional-destination role.
Brand decisions
2020
Redevelop the former Sears anchor spaceStrategyBackground
Sears closed in 2018 after the retailer's creditor-protection filing, leaving Southgate with a large former department-store area.
Action taken
Southgate invested in a redevelopment that converted the former Sears space into a three-level common area and new retail accommodation, including space for London Drugs and H&M.
Aftermath
The project was completed in 2022 and replaced the traditional vacant-anchor format with more flexible circulation and tenant space.
Redevelopment investment. $93 million announced project (2020–2022)
2007
Undertake a major retail and parking expansionStrategyBackground
Southgate sought to increase its regional draw and refresh its physical infrastructure with additional stores, services, food capacity, and parking.
Action taken
The centre undertook a $114 million expansion adding approximately 150,000 square feet, more than 30 stores and services, a new food court, and a two-level parking deck.
Aftermath
The expanded property held a grand reopening in August 2009.
Expansion investment. $114 million announced project (2007–2009)
1998
Modernize the centre and adopt the Southgate Centre nameStrategyBackground
The property needed updated interiors and additional specialty-retail and food-service capacity as shopping-centre competition evolved.
Action taken
Management announced a $13.2 million renovation covering floors, ceilings, lighting, skylights, specialty-store space, and the food court, and changed the name from Southgate Shopping Centre to Southgate Centre.
Aftermath
The renovation was completed in March 1999 and established the current brand identity.
Renovation investment. $13.2 million announced investment (Announced April 1, 1998; completed March 1999)
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