Winnipeg - Of Interest

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

they closed?

whats the big deal about urban barn its just a box store

Not yet I don't think.

Box stores sell things I need. I just don't like the box store format or locations.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by flatlander

And Chemtrails is a great Beck album.

...and also the cover topic in the current edition of Maclean's magazine:

Maclean's.ca
April 27, 2009 edition, page 40

Front cover says "Scientists have mind-blowing plans to reverse global warming. Are we ready for them?"

The article page says "Plan B for Global Warming"

The article refers to "geoengineering", but it is really the same thing as "chemtrails", just a more scientific name for it.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

they closed?

whats the big deal about urban barn its just a box store

it's not really a big box as much it is a chain. i shopped at the one on Osborne a few times before I realized it was chain.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

they closed?

whats the big deal about urban barn its just a box store

The Urban Barn on Osborne was FAR from a "big box store".

A "furniture chain"... yes. Big box store... no.

Might want to reconsider your definition of "big box store".

[rgalston]

Originally Posted by flatlander

I see that The Fyxx on Portage... are... trying to sublet their space. Too bad.

But not at all surprising.

[Pootkao]

sadly, the portage & hargrave fyxx location has never made any money. its been the weakest performer of the bunch. the other ones are still all going strong.

[thegreattait]

That's a shame to hear about the fyxx, I liked stopping in their late on random nights, it had a nice relaxed atmosphere and good coffee.

It's too bad they couldn't make it to the summer, I'm sure the extra people walking around on broadway would have been a little busier, maybe they could have at least broken even for the year.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by thegreattait

That's a shame to hear about the fyxx, I liked stopping in their late on random nights, it had a nice relaxed atmosphere and good coffee.

It's too bad they couldn't make it to the summer, I'm sure the extra people walking around on broadway would have been a little busier, maybe they could have at least broken even for the year.

the broadway one is fine - it's the portage one that's closing. too bad. i hate to admit it but i often forgot it was there.

rgalston why is it not surprising that it is closing?

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Pootkao

sadly, the portage & hargrave fyxx location has never made any money. its been the weakest performer of the bunch. the other ones are still all going strong.

So I guess the thousands of Hydro workers fanning out around downtown to empty their fat wallets every lunch hour just weren't going to make it the entire one block to the Fyxx?

You'd think being sandwiched between two megaprojects-that-will-save-downtown would be enough to save one little coffee shop.

Or could it be that there's something wrong with the theory?

[newflyer]

I also noticed the new upscale indendent coffee shop on Portage and Edmonton street has closed down already. I figure they just didn't have enough reserve cash to keep going until the Hydro Building was running at full capacity. Not to mention the number of competors in the area. That Second Cup next store alone is huge, and from I hear one of the most successful in the chain.

Location and timing play two of the biggest rolls in retail success. The location was probably still very good, but the delayed opening of Hydro was likely a factor.

[1ajs]

theres a 2nd cup right across from hyro a starbucks a block away and 2 timms within 2 blocks of hydro

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by newflyer

I also noticed the new upscale indendent coffee shop on Portage and Edmonton street has closed down already. I figure they just didn't have enough reserve cash to keep going until the Hydro Building was running at full capacity. Not to mention the number of competors in the area. That Second Cup next store alone is huge, and from I hear one of the most successful in the chain.

Location and timing play two of the biggest rolls in retail success. The location was probably still very good, but the delayed opening of Hydro was likely a factor.

that high end coffe place was always empty while the 2ndcup was always packed hell 2nd cup is busy even at closing time 10pm ish...

[rgalston]

Originally Posted by newflyer

I also noticed the new upscale indendent coffee shop on Portage and Edmonton street has closed down already. I figure they just didn't have enough reserve cash to keep going until the Hydro Building was running at full capacity. Not to mention the number of competors in the area. That Second Cup next store alone is huge, and from I hear one of the most successful in the chain.

Location and timing play two of the biggest rolls in retail success. The location was probably still very good, but the delayed opening of Hydro was likely a factor.

That placed closed down because they served luke-warm coffee and bad sandwiches with bad service, for worse prices. Any business that operates that way, waiting for the Hydro Fairy to visit them, quite frankly deserves to go out of business.

Competition is bad for business? How does that explain how the busiest Fyxx in the city--the one on Broadway--is catercorner to a Starbucks, while the one that just closed had a whole neighborhood to itself?

But, hey, if you think the success of entrepreneurs downtown depends on Glen Murray's deal to get Manitoba Hydro to move downtown, by all means...

[1ajs]

quality of service goes a long way...

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

theres a 2nd cup right across from hyro a starbucks a block away and 2 timms within 2 blocks of hydro

There are 2 Starbucks within 2 blocks as well. One in Portage Place and one on Graham Ave. There is another independant on Graham Ave and Edmonton. As I said there are a number of competitors in the area.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by rgalston

That placed closed down because they served luke-warm coffee and bad sandwiches with bad service, for worse prices. Any business that operates that way, waiting for the Hydro Fairy to visit them, quite frankly deserves to go out of business.

Competition is bad for business? How does that explain how the busiest Fyxx in the city--the one on Broadway--is catercorner to a Starbucks, while the one that just closed had a whole neighborhood to itself?

But, hey, if you think the success of entrepreneurs downtown depends on Glen Murray's deal to get Manitoba Hydro to move downtown, by all means...

The cost of keeping it going while the building construction went WAY beyond its original completion date. There is a lesson to all the kids out there, don't base you business model on government plans, because thats the surest path to disappointment.

Competition is not bad for business on a macro level, as it incourages innovation and supperior customer oriented service, but as with any business a monopoly is the best business model on a micro level. ie: government inforced monopolies.. are protected from private competitors and thus can offer crap service with little innovation.

Adding 2000 government workers to the area doesn't hurt coffee shops... thats for sure, even though it required a hundreds of millions plus the massive amount of over budget costs of taxpayers money to make it happen. By no means the most effiecent way to attract a small handful of business to an area, but hey it sure is a pretty building.

[1ajs]

o yea i forgot about the cofee shop thats got a small padio in the summer on graham at the bus stop there

that strip is a happening area speacly with the rwb there lol

[rrskylar]

Maybe a little off topic but does anyone know of a good plumber or has used a plumber that did a good job, did I mention a "good" plumber!

[Andy6]

2006 census statistics are out on the City website. Here are the neighbourhoods with densities of >5,000 per km2 (as sorted and cleaned up by me).

(1) Total Population
(2) Population Change in Percent (2001-2006)
(3) Population Density (Persons per km2)
(4) Average Number of Persons per Household
(5) Average Number of Persons per Census Family
(6) Average Number of Children at Home per Census Family

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
3,555 10.92% 15,277 1.8 2.9 1.3 -- Central Park
5,080 *-6.7% 14,895 1.5 2.3 0.4 -- Broadway - Assiniboine
4,145 *-1.2% 13,236 1.4 2.1 0.2 -- Roslyn
3,515 **1.2% 11,043 1.5 2.4 0.7 -- Alpine Place
8,350 *77.1% *9,563 1.6 2.5 0.9 -- River East
*,605 *11.0% *9,213 2.2 2.8 0.9 -- China Town
4,260 *13.6% *8,806 2.2 2.9 1.4 -- Spence
5,325 **5.6% *7,896 1.6 2.6 1.0 -- West Broadway
9,750 **0.3% *7,649 2.6 3.2 1.5 -- Daniel Mcintyre
4,805 *66.3% *7,016 2.7 3.2 1.6 -- Burrows Central
5,795 *-1.5% *6,804 2.4 3.1 1.4 -- St. Matthews
1,105 *28.5% *6,520 1.5 2.2 0.5 -- Portage - Ellice
4,715 194.7% *6,172 2.7 2.9 1.0 -- Riverbend
3,420 *-3.4% *6,008 1.7 2.3 0.6 -- Mcmillan
*,715 *14.4% *5,699 1.5 2.1 0.4 -- Colony
6,220 **8.3% *5,357 2.6 3.2 1.6 -- William Whyte
1,420 -12.1% *5,248 2.2 3.1 1.4 -- Edgeland

[1ajs]

there 600 people living in china town? wow... and the number will get higher wth the new apartments going on on princess

npd keeps loosing its desnity... spd i see gained people