
Former Edmonton Army & Navy Store’s Future Becomes More Clear
The future of a former Army & Navy discount department store in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona district is coming into view.
Marcus & Millichap has begun to market leasing opportunities in the building, which has been rebranded as A&N Exchange. The redevelopment project’s allowed uses include general retail stores, restaurants, bars, health services and more, according to the firm’s listing brochure.
Units ranging from 1,191 square feet to 10,000 sf are available at street level, along with up to 14,629 sf of demisable space below ground.
Global reported in 2024 that the lower floor would cater to entertainment businesses.
The highly visible property is located on the southwest corner of Whyte Avenue (82nd Avenue N.W.) and Calgary Trail.
Edmonton-based Leder Investments bought the property in the summer of 2024 for slightly more than $2 million with plans to convert it into a hub. The seller was not identified but was known to be Vancouver’s Cohen family, which started the now-defunct Army & Navy chain and expanded it across Western Canada during its 101-year existence.
The 1950s-era former store is credited with establishing Whyte Avenue as a popular retail and entertainment district. The outlet closed permanently in 2020 as the entire Army & Navy chain shut down, partly due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the building was used later occasionally for special.
Marcus & Millichap remains involved with the property after some of the firm’s brokers based in Edmonton and Vancouver helped complete the sale transaction.
While beginning the redevelopment effort, Kevin Petterson, Leder’s vice-president of real estate, was uncertain about the building’s future usage and sought public input.
“We’re trying to figure out: What should it be? What could it be?” he told Global back then.
Now, he has a better understanding.
Rendering: Marcus & Millichap
- ◦Lease
- ◦Sale/Acquisition
- ◦Development