No more hopping across the border for a deal€”designer outlets are coming to Vancouver this summer.

Strolling down the pristine brick lanes past quaint, whitewashed brick storefronts, you almost forget where you are. Is this some sort of Bavarian village? Or at the very least, some sort of Bavarian village-inspired theme park?And then the planes roar overhead and the shoppers rush past, arms laden with bags of heavily discounted Lolé merchandise, it comes back to you: you’re at the designer outlets.McArthur Glen Design Outlets is a successful European brand, spreading an empire of designer outlets across 9 cities overseas. Its latest venture, a foray into the North American market, launches July 9 in Richmond, right next to the Vancouver International Airport.mcarthur glen vancouver renderingsWe’re thrilled that we’ll be able to skip the trek out to the Seattle Premium Outlets in favour of an easy Canada Line ride to the front entrance of McArthur Glen starting this summer, and that live concerts and exclusive artwork will fill the main plaza on a regular basis.  And of course, we’re impressed that the selection of shops (which includes big brands like Armani, Polo Ralph Lauren, Coach and Ports) also showcases some local pride: Gastown’s Secret Location will have a second shop here, and the food options will include offerings from Kitsilano’s Bibo and Caffe Artigiano. But the most intriguing element is obviously the sweet deals (isn’t that why you’ve been making that Seattle pilgrimage all these years?): expect 30 to 70% off.