Toronto Retail and Restaurants Thread

[Taller, Better]

Hmmmm... interesting news. We are on the cusp of a revolution on Bloor Street, and it is frustrating that we know so little of the plans!

[ACT7]

And from Urban Toronto, the 30,000 sq. ft. space at 150 Bloor has a zoning amendment application of some sort - to add a second level. Must mean that whoever is moving in there wants more square footage.

What I think we'll see is some announcements once the 'new Bloor Street' officially opens with the tree planting ceremony, etc.

[Travis007]

http://www.blogto.com/cafes/tan-coffee-baldwin-toronto

TAN Coffee, new coffee house in Baldwin Village (one of my favourite hidden retail strips).

[Filip]

Baldwin street is one of my top streets in the entire world!

The numerous restaurants, leafy treetops and great ambience makes this a wonderful place for dinner. In fact, my favourite Chinese restaurant in the city is on that strip: Eating Garden.

[Gerrad]

What's this news of Ben Sherman? Is there a link?

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Gerrad

What's this news of Ben Sherman? Is there a link?

I haven't seen the official link, but if you drive on Queen at Niagara you'll see the window signage.

Here's a link with the news...

http://www.thecdaily.com/2011/04/04/...ia-restaurant/

[Gerrad]

Ok they just haven't formally announced. I'm kinda excited I always make their flagship in NYC a pit stop when I'm there.

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Gerrad

Ok they just haven't formally announced. I'm kinda excited I always make their flagship in NYC a pit stop when I'm there.

I love his clothes. The last 7 shirts and sweaters I've purchased are from Ben Sherman...from The Bay and Great Stuff for Men on Queen West.

[Travis007]

http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2011...d_food_market/

Is Toronto set to get an underground food market?

Posted by Derek Flack / APRIL 29, 2011


http://torontoundergroundmarket.tumblr.com/

Inspired by the SF Underground Market, which stared in a private home in 2009 and has grown to include 47 vendors and over 1000 attendees, the Toronto version is in its absolute infancy (it's basically just a Tumblr blog right now). Its success will thus depend largely in the level of interest shown by the community at large. According to the recently created website — the first post is dated April 26th — the market is currently looking to drum up interest from those willing and able to sell their food.

The SF Market bypasses street food regulations by operating as a members club, which one would expect would be the strategy here as well.

[Taller, Better]

I'm always a bit iffy about trying food cooked in some stranger's kitchen. So many loonies out there.

[Travis007]

http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/04/i..._yonge_shuter/

ING launches cafe, workspace at Yonge & Shuter

Posted by Guest Contributor / APRIL 29, 2011

Pictures of the interior available on the article link.

f you have been anywhere near the Eaton Centre area of Yonge Street lately - a too-often ignored part of the Yonge Street strip - you may have noticed the building at 221 Yonge at Shuter Street. Built in 1886 and previously tenanted by Pier One, the building has now been blanketed in orange thanks to its new tenant ING Direct Canada.

The bank began restoring and retrofitting the building last year. Construction has taken several months, and the building opened to the public this week. The three storey building has a three-fold function: the first floor houses a cafe - a place for people to hang out, make coffee and, um, chat with the bank's employees; the second floor will operate as a community space with rentable meeting rooms and hot desks; and the third floor will be publically off limits, functioning as the downtown satellite site of the bank's call centre.

The restoration of the building serves as a prime example of what good intentions (and a lot of money) can accomplish when it comes to preserving the city's historical buildings. And at the same time, the bank has created a new central meeting space - one where entrepreneurs and freelancers can gather and build companies even if they bank with a competitor.

[Marcanadian]

Great use of space. I wish something like that had been done with the Yonge and Gould building.

[allurban]

Originally Posted by Marcanadian

Great use of space. I wish something like that had been done with the Yonge and Gould building.

where I lived in Malaysia, one political party actually set up their own cafe (Rocket United Cafe) using their rocket symbol and rocket mascot. They also have a plush toy of the mascot for supporters to buy for their kids. For the recent state elections in Sarawak (land of the Hornbills) they designed a Hornbill mascot and plush toy.

Anyone want to imagine an NDP Cafe in downtown Toronto? Or Granville Island in Vancouver? Harper's Bistro on Bay St? Iggy's in Mimico or Lakeshore Village ("He came back so you could eat well.")

~m!

[CrazySerb]

Since this seems like a good place to ask, I'm wondering if anyone knows a place in Toronto where one can buy Vienna-style cakes & other sweets?

Things like this...

image hosted on flickr

[Travis007]

Not so sure about specifically Austrian but you can find German style cakes/pastries at :

The Sweet Gallery: http://www.sweetgallery.redto.com/
Gerhard's : http://www.gerhards.ca
Stubbe: http://www.stubbechocolates.com/homepage.html
Fabian's : http://fabianscafe.com/index.php?section=home
Dimpflmeier : http://www.dimpflmeierbakery.com/index.html

[Travis007]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...2007958/page2/

Old nightclubs boogie to a retail beat

SHELLEY WHITE
Special to Globe and Mail Update
Published Tuesday, May. 03, 2011

“It's becoming a burgeoning real estate mecca,” said John Crombie, senior managing director of national retail services for Cushman & Wakefield, which brokered the Big Bop/CB2 deal. “The retailers have pretty much blanketed the malls, the big-box centres, the power centres, and the next area is urban,” he said. “And with the [downtown] population growing, they are asking, ‘How do I get in there?’”

With little retail space available and real estate prices rising, former nightclubs are turning into hot properties, Mr. Crombie said. In the case of the Big Bop/CB2 transformation, Crate and Barrel was interested in getting into a “funky, transitioning area,” in particular Queen Street West. They looked at locations in the higher-priced Queen and Spadina area, but they decided to take a gamble on a location farther west.

The attraction to warehouse-style nightclubs seems mostly about desirable location and ample size – they have square footage, high ceilings and floor load that big box retailers are looking for.

Another former Toronto nightclub that is going retail is the former Circa space in the massive RioCan building at John and Richmond streets, in the heart of the city's entertainment district. What used to be a three-storey nightclub will be transformed into a Marshall's, a U.S. department store (which will join a movie theatre, Chapters bookstore, health club and another nightclub, Republik, already housed in the building).

The move from nightclub to retail space can benefit not only retailers seeking to get into the neighbourhood, but landlords and even city council, said Jordan Robins, senior vice-president of planning and development for RioCan.

Adam Vaughan, city councillor for the Trinity-Spadina area, said that though nightclubs are a bad thing, it's important to “mix up the retail experience” in Toronto's entertainment district, which at one point was home to nearly 100 nightclubs and was plagued by late-night, alcohol-fuelled fighting and vandalism.

Many big nightclubs are disappearing as the city's nightlife turns into something more eclectic, Mr. Vaughan said.

“We're now in the era of smaller venues,” he said. “That's why newer areas like Ossington and Dundas are taking off. They don't create the same level of hostility that comes out of the big box nightclubs. They're safer and friendlier.”

Renovating nightclub spaces has its challenges. The process requires flexibility from U.S. firms, who generally have a very specific retail prototype in mind, Mr. Crombie said.

Among the challenges of working with an older building are increased power demands, sound issues, limited space for escalators or elevators and structural features that are difficult to build around, Mr. Crombie said.

But with the condo boom showing no sign of a slowdown, Mr. Robins thinks the move to refurbish old spaces will continue as retailers seek to reach this rapidly expanding market.

“There's growth in the GTA of 100,000 a year, and they have to have somewhere to live. Condos offer a reasonably affordable opportunity to have a home in the city,” he said. “And as traffic gets worse, the interest in living downtown and not being as reliant on a car gets more appealing.”

As well, Mr. Robins thinks that the downtown population is looking for the amenities of the suburbs at their doorstep. “I think most people would prefer to walk to IKEA,” he said, “as opposed to driving.”

[Mollywood]

I would LOVE to have an Ikea downtown!!!

[Travis007]

Totally agree with you. With thousands of new residents in the downtown core, many from 905 areas, retail amenities like Ikea are much needed.

Hong Kong has a couple of Ikea stores in urban locations (Causeway Bay, and MegaBox). The concept is to integrate big-box stores into above ground, multi-level retail spots in existing/new building podiums. Similar to how the Future Shop is located in the Metropolis building (Dundas Square). I think Aura is supposed to have this multi-level retail concept.

[Taller, Better]

"Adam Vaughan, city councillor for the Trinity-Spadina area, said that though nightclubs are a bad thing... "


Automatically a bad thing? Is he completely out of touch?

[Filip]

That's why I don't like him... I feel like Ford would be more fun to drink with than Vaughan. Actually Ford looks like a party waiting to happen.. I'm sure he's loads of fun when you booze him up.