If you are from the Burnaby area, you know that Brentwood was a desolate mall. The only redeeming qualities of the mall were London Drugs and a decent food court. In recent years, construction has been ongoing to redo the mall into something amazing. Recently stores have been opening. Today I finally got to go visit The Amazing Brentwood.
For a bit of a personal backstory, the Brentwood Town Centre used to be my stomping grounds in high school. I spent most of my days there working at the Things Engraved store until it was unfortunately shut down. While working there, I often imagined what the renovations would turn out as,Â
Originally set to have renovations completed in 2019, the Town Centre has taken a while to open more doors. So, was it worth the wait?Â
Sort of.Â
Not everything is open yet. People in construction uniforms are still walking around. Besides the caution tape, the open areas are very nice. Never in a million years did I think that Brentwood would rival a runway model for attractiveness, but it did, somehow. Architectural design is something else! The mall almost felt like a tiny town because of the layout. The builders really did not cheap out on any part so, this mall, even the washrooms looked luxurious!
The main attraction of the mall is the new Tables food court. Often, food courts are not that pretty. Yet, the large windows, greenery, and marble tables provide a nice ambiance to your dining experience. Most of the food places are Asian cuisine. I tried the Pad Thai at Thiago and was presently surprised. It wasn’t as good as my go-to pad Thai place, Little Bangkok in Port Moody, but for a food court, I’d give it a thumbs up.Â
Now for being a mall, there are not that many stores. As of now, Sephora and H&M are the main attractions. The Brentwood Town Centre made news over having the first H&M Home in BC, which is exciting! If you’re into the minimalist vibe, you’d definitely enjoy shopping here. There are plenty of design pieces and basics that are decently priced. If you’re not into neutral colors or on a tight budget, I’d skip H&M Home. The London Drugs, however, still never seems to fail you for any need.Â
For a day out shopping, I wouldn’t recommend Brentwood in its current state, maybe a year from now sure, but it’s still mainly a construction zone. But, the question still remains, how amazing is the upgraded Brentwood? I’d say compared to the old mall it is 100% amazing. I think if I had never been to Brentwood before, I would say eh it is pretty nice. Maybe, once the Cineplex Rec Room and stores are open, I will have a different opinion.Â
Overall, I’d give it a 7/10 in its current state. That being said, I cannot wait to see Brentwood in its completion. Hopefully, it is truly amazing by then!