Locke Street

[RePinion]

^ You're absolutely right. Starbucks is comparatively highly sensitive haha.

Still, one wishes that they could do something other than just give us another repetition of the same old formula. Maybe if the building had been really unique or storied they might have made an effort to preserve some of its heritage as they did (somewhat half-assedly) with the old Britnell Books location on Yonge in Toronto.

Personally I'm just happy that they invested in the lower city - at long last! Quite frankly, I fail to understand the deep resentment which people have been displaying towards the chain. It certainly isn't the best coffee in the world, and its stores are extremely formulaic, but as a social signifier for the area it is far and away better than something like Tim's. I hope more of them spring up throughout the downtown.

[RePinion]

Sure Starbucks hasn't been doing as well lately (a well publicized fact) but it's not like its crashing and burning. The company is still very profitable and will probably continue to expand albeit at a slower pace. It seems that the company is pulling away from its market saturation strategy; hence the closure of redundant urban locations (these were usually stores were another Starbucks is across the street, etc.). I highly doubt if independents will ever strike at the core of its business.

[raisethehammer]

Originally Posted by RePinion

Sure Starbucks hasn't been doing as well lately (a well publicized fact) but it's not like its crashing and burning. The company is still very profitable and will probably continue to expand albeit at a slower pace. It seems that the company is pulling away from its market saturation strategy; hence the closure of redundant urban locations (these were usually stores were another Starbucks is across the street, etc.). I highly doubt if independents will ever strike at the core of its business.

I agree completely...as I mentioned independents really only have cool urban neighbourhoods to set up shop in. those areas might hit starbucks a bit, but considering most of north america is suburban, their company will do fine for years to come. Just as well I guess. I suppose I wouldn't want a bland chain to try to pretend to be cool anyhow...just do what you do best and leave the cool to those who are.

[RePinion]

^ Fair enough.

[raisethehammer]

so, it looks like starbucks is done...complete with outside patio set.
i wonder if the front windows will slide open in nice weather.
as a side note, it looks like someone tossed a rock through their front window.
I sure hope that wasn't you repinion.

[SteelTown]

Starbucks opens tomorrow morning. CH did a piece today.

[raisethehammer]

dang...I walked by Starbucks tonight on my way to/from the WestTown and the place was nuts.
Hundreds of people...jammed inside, a huge lineup outside. People were even sitting on the patio. haha.

I guess they must be pleased with the first night anyhow.

[RePinion]

^ I'm definitely pleased to here that. I don't like the coffee or the shops themselves, but there can be little doubt that the presence of a Starbucks is a confidence booster for any given area. The more we see downtown, the more outside investors are going to feel comfortable dropping capital there.

[raisethehammer]

I wondered that when I was trying to walk by through the mobs....would the big wigs who own this location (apparently it's corporately owned, not franchised) spread the word among their corporate friends and perhaps help downtown Hamilton lure some of them (Indigo, Loblaws etc...)?

[FairHamilton]

I hope both Starbucks and the newly mentioned Lululemon do well in that area of Hamilton and are sign of things to come for all of the downtown area.

Starbucks has been seen the harbinger of urban renewal, though I would argue that in Canada the true sign an area has arrived is one of the new style Shoppers Drug Marts. Not being a Hamilton resident yet (soon), I'm not familiar with any of those in the downtown area yet. Are there any??

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

I wondered that when I was trying to walk by through the mobs....would the big wigs who own this location (apparently it's corporately owned, not franchised) spread the word among their corporate friends and perhaps help downtown Hamilton lure some of them (Indigo, Loblaws etc...)?

Sorry, another stretch.

The fact that the Hamilton location is corporately owned does not mean that it is anything more than a blip on the Starbucks Canada radar... the outlets are pretty well all corporately owned. The only real contact with head office is likely a field agent who checks up on the location.

The president of Starbucks Canada probably doesn't run in the same circle as most of these people, and I can't imagine that he/she would bring up the Hamilton location during cocktail hour. It's not as if he/she is about to say "Galen, our downtown Hamilton location has been a smashing success. You should throw a supermarket in there."

Anyway, Loblaws is a bad example because it already has a huge presence in Hamilton with all of the Fortinos stores. It is not as if the company has never heard of the town.

[raisethehammer]

Originally Posted by BCTed

Sorry, another stretch.

The fact that the Hamilton location is corporately owned does not mean that it is anything more than a blip on the Starbucks Canada radar... the outlets are pretty well all corporately owned. The only real contact with head office is likely a field agent who checks up on the location.

The president of Starbucks Canada probably doesn't run in the same circle as most of these people, and I can't imagine that he/she would bring up the Hamilton location during cocktail hour. It's not as if he/she is about to say "Galen, our downtown Hamilton location has been a smashing success. You should throw a supermarket in there."

Anyway, Loblaws is a bad example because it already has a huge presence in Hamilton with all of the Fortinos stores. It is not as if the company has never heard of the town.

either you're wasting our time again, or you've been holding out on us all this time if you have insider information about the behind-the-scenes goings on at these multinationals.

I personally have no clue (I assume Fastcars will be able to help me out here) what goes on, but one only needs to look at what happened to Queen West in TO several years back once Starbucks and a couple of other chains located on the once-trendy street. A few years later it was basically like an outdoor version of the Toronto Eaton Centre.
Pure coincidence??

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

either you're wasting our time again, or you've been holding out on us all this time if you have insider information about the behind-the-scenes goings on at these multinationals.

I personally have no clue (I assume Fastcars will be able to help me out here) what goes on, but one only needs to look at what happened to Queen West in TO several years back once Starbucks and a couple of other chains located on the once-trendy street. A few years later it was basically like an outdoor version of the Toronto Eaton Centre.
Pure coincidence??

I don't see how what I said has to fall into one of the two buckets you mentioned.

As for the Queen Street thing, I don't know the details of what you are talking about, but if it exists, then I imagine that it is more a form of competitive game theory in action than it is some kind of collusion.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by BCTed

Anyway, Loblaws is a bad example because it already has a huge presence in Hamilton with all of the Fortinos stores. It is not as if the company has never heard of the town.

I think Hamilton needs some smaller, higher quality food retailers before another large chain style retailer. That would be the next step after a Starbucks, Lululemon arrival.

[SteelTown]

I think it's now time for the City to start drawing up plans for new streetscape for Locke Street from Aberdeen to Main. Perhaps the same idea with James St North for Locke, wide sidewalks, bike racks, new street lights (hate the cement street lights) with benches and trees. The sidewalks on Locke are kinda getting rough with many cracks and rust from the old parking meters that used to be up.

[raisethehammer]

the Shoppers at Main and Dundurn is 24-7 and always busy. Main and Sherman was renovated into a new format Shoppers.
I've heard real estate agents say that simply the presence of a Shoppers signals a good neighbourhood.
I'm actually glad that we don't have ample room downtown to expand our current Shoppers into the mega-box type. Dundurn could if they bought out some nearby storefronts. James North can't without sacrificing their parking lot. Herkimer St can't without taking over the Mac's next door.
Main and Sherman was able to pull it off by moving the Shoppers Home/Health store downtown to King/Ferguson and turning the entire Sherman site into a new format.
Rumour is that Shoppers is locating a new store at Main/Hess once that new complex is built.

Does anyone know how common it is for a Starbucks to be corporately owned??

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

Does anyone know how common it is for a Starbucks to be corporately owned??

Extremely common.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

I'm actually glad that we don't have ample room downtown to expand our current Shoppers into the mega-box type.

Again, I'm not yet familiar with the area, so I don't know the current size or layout of the downtown one. But the size and set-up like Shoppers has at King & Peter in Toronto is great for urban settings.

[flar]

I believe a Shoppers is proposed for one of the parking lots east of Hess Village. Haven't heard anything about it for some time now.

[matt602]

Locke St. is gonna be sizzling this summer. I'm gonna try to get down there more often than I have in the past.