Willowbrook Shopping Centre

Twelve electric-vehicle chargers, 3,100 free parking spaces, five bus routes, and in a few years a SkyTrain station on the next block. Willowbrook sits where Highway 10 (the Langley Bypass), Fraser Highway and 200 Street meet, in the Township of Langley.

The centre says it has about 140 merchants. It is managed by QuadReal Property Group, which is named in the footer of the centre’s site. This is a reference page, not a review: when they are open, where to park, what is on this month.

Hours worth knowing

The regular week is on the facts box. The holiday list on the centre’s page is more useful than it looks, because most of the statutory days run Sunday hours (11 am to 6 pm) rather than closing. A few that catch people out:

• Remembrance Day: opens at 11:05 am, not 11.
• Black Friday: the usual 10 am to 9 pm.
• Christmas Eve: 10 am to 5 pm. Christmas Day: closed.
• Boxing Day: 9 am to 6 pm, an hour earlier than a normal Sunday.
• New Year’s Eve: 10 am to 5 pm. New Year’s Day: 11 am to 6 pm.

The centre’s own page has the full list, including Easter and the summer long weekends, and it shows today’s hours at the top.

Getting in and out

Parking is free. The centre lists accessible and family spaces near the main entrances and a few eco-friendly spaces near Tim Hortons. For charging, there are four Level 2 ChargePoint chargers on the west side next to T&T Supermarket and eight on the north side next to Starbucks. Charging is paid; the centre states $2 an hour for the first 3.5 hours with the rate going up after four, but that is a number to confirm on the visit page before you plug in.

By bus, the centre names the C64, 320, 501, 502 and 531. Check TransLink for current times, and see our transit in Langley page for the bigger picture of the exchanges.

The SkyTrain station next door

Willowbrook Station will go at the northeast corner of 196 Street and Fraser Highway, with a transit exchange, as part of the Expo Line extension from King George Station in Surrey to 203 Street in Langley City. The mall’s own SkyTrain page carries the construction notices. As of its October 22 update, foundation, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work and concrete pours at the station site were to continue through mid-November, and the notice lists short 24-hour closures of 68 Avenue, 188 Street and 189 Street north of Fraser Highway between October 29 and November 10. Sign up for the project’s updates through the link on that page if you drive this corner daily.

What is on this season

• Halloween trick-or-treat: Saturday, October 31, 2 to 4 pm. Start at the Concierge Desk and follow the balloons to participating shops. The first 1,000 children in costume get a loot bag, while supplies last.
• Santa photos: The North Pole Picture Co. runs the photos, from November 15 to December 24, between Guest Services and the Food Court. Reservations are recommended and walk-ups are welcome, according to its Willowbrook page.
• 11th Annual Charity Shopping Night: Tuesday, November 17, 7 to 10 pm, after-hours shopping with music, light bites and a draw. The centre says 100% of ticket sales go to six local charities. Tickets are on the event page.

The centre’s events list also shows past seasonal programs, among them a Family Day weekend, an Easter garden, a Mother’s Day flower bar and summer movie nights in the courtyard, so the events page is worth a look each season.

Gift cards

The Concierge desk sells Willowbrook gift cards from $25 to $1,000, and you can also buy online, up to $500 a card. The centre notes that a handful of retailers do not take them, among them Bell, Koodo, Freedom Mobile, JINYA Ramen and Saint Germain Bakery, and that the list can change. Details are on the concierge page.

If you would rather spend closer to home, our shop local pages are the independent side of the same map.

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