[Tagging] Shop vs amenity

[Paul Norman]

On 8/27/2015 2:29 PM, Martin Koppenhoefer wrote:
> not at all, this might be the case in some areas (that I am not aware of) and edge cases, but the typical supermarket is 1 storey, in huge cases 2 (and then one level is typically electronics, or gardening and other non-food articles and tends towards a department store by the selection of products) and doesn't have a representative / expensive outside facade, while department stores tend to have at least 3 floors, typically 4 and more, and do have to have a representative outside, so no, these are not the same kind of buildings.


This is not generally true, although it might be where you are. A 
typical department store here is one or two floors inside, with an 
outside somewhat like this: 
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7057/6842722906_1b8e4cc101_z.jpg, or maybe 
on the fancier end, 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/darrellinyvr/6988854497/. This is the same 
as in Ontario, and across much of the US where I have traveled. The only 
3+ floor locations that come to mind are some old stores downtown.

Meanwhile, with moving ramps capable of taking carts, some new 
supermarkets are on an elevated level.

> Do you have any real example of a supermarket becoming a department store or vice versa?
Yes - local to me, the Woodward's location used to be a department 
store, and has been a Zeller's (discount retail), parts of a Safeway 
(supermarket), fitness center, and now has a Walmart moving into part of it.

You should not assume that the architecture you are familiar with is 
common across the world.