Locke Street

[raisethehammer]

I'm not very certain at all. Although I was told by a city hall source that Can Tire isn't going there...they got scared away by the Wesley Centre. CanTire is now pushing for the Innovation Park.
A resident in the North End said they've heard Walmart is trying to locate there, but I haven't been able to confirm that.

[oldcoote]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

I'm not very certain at all. Although I was told by a city hall source that Can Tire isn't going there...they got scared away by the Wesley Centre. CanTire is now pushing for the Innovation Park.
A resident in the North End said they've heard Walmart is trying to locate there, but I haven't been able to confirm that.

Innovation Park?

Hmmmmm. Strange. That wouldn't serve the core as well as Main St, and might affect business at the Dundas store. Seems like an odd location for CT.

[raisethehammer]

it's an odd location for anything other than high-end research and innovation jobs. big box would be the absolute last use we should be allowing into that district.

[HAMRetrofit]

With all these large retailers interested in downtown. Why can't there be some kind of negotiation to locate them in the Eaton Center and Jackson Square? That would seem like the most logical place to throw them.

[I, Sinclair]

Originally Posted by highwater

And did you notice how Locke St. has suddently become a 'village'? I think every house within 3 blocks of Locke just went up by $10,000.

Hurray for undeserved wealth! In your face Vancouver!

[coalminecanary]

don't you know? big box stores don't like to bee too close together. they might get cooties off each other. They require at least a one-(preferably two-)parking-lot-width buffer between them ;-)

[RePinion]

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

don't you know? big box stores don't like to bee too close together. they might get cooties off each other. They require at least a one-(preferably two-)parking-lot-width buffer between them ;-)

Hilarious. And generally true. There are a couple exceptions of course - most notably in Toronto, with CT and Best Buy wedging right next to each other in the Ryerson business school complex at Dundas and Bay. They don't like to do it, but big boxes can be persuaded to share digs.

I think the idea of marketing HCC to big box retailers is actually a good one. Would there be serious issues in trying to accomodate these big box formats in a traditional format mall?

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by oldcoote

Innovation Park?

Hmmmmm. Strange. That wouldn't serve the core as well as Main St, and might affect business at the Dundas store. Seems like an odd location for CT.

Both the Dundas and the Main&Victoria CT's need to find new homes. CTC is forcing all dealers with the old format to upgrade to the newest format (like the Queenston Rd and Waterdown locations). Last I heard the Main and Vic was slotted for Barton and Ferguson, and Dundas was contemplating the IP retail site.

RTH how reliable was your city hall source? Don't see CTC getting skittish over a nearby shelter. More likely a case of being outbid, if the Walmart rumour has any truth to it.

Personally I would love to see CT do its urban thing (like Yonge and Church or Bay and Dundas locations in Toronto) at the former Kresge location at King and Hughson.

[flar]

If Crappy Tire closes their Dundas location I'm finished with them!

[RePinion]

Flar, they've been talking about either moving or closing the Dundas location for years. Expect it to happen.

The store is rubbish anyway. They're always out of stock and the customer service is abominable. Crappy Tire indeed!

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by RePinion

Flar, they've been talking about either moving or closing the Dundas location for years. Expect it to happen.

The store is rubbish anyway. They're always out of stock and the customer service is abominable. Crappy Tire indeed!

It is also kind of a claustrophobic place. Give me the new mega-sized Canadian Tires any day!

[raisethehammer]

I love the old ones at Victoria and Dundas. That Queenston Road thing is an abomination. I've never seen a bigger waste of space in my life. You could drive a dump truck through the aisles. Brutal.

[Millstone]

I'm sorry but the Main & Victoria location is a dump. Outdated, claustrophobic and little selection compared to the big box format.

I guess I got spoiled when I lived in Fort Erie, small town with a relatively new Canadian Tire, and brand new Wal-Mart, Sobeys, and No Frills.

[RePinion]

Millstone is right ... the Dundas and Victoria locations are both dumps. We don't necessarily need the big cinder block boxes but give us a decent shopping environment. The 70s-80s CTs were cluelessly designed. Just garbage.

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by RePinion

Millstone is right ... the Dundas and Victoria locations are both dumps. We don't necessarily need the big cinder block boxes but give us a decent shopping environment. The 70s-80s CTs were cluelessly designed. Just garbage.

I have to agree once again. Those two Canadian Tires are terrible.

[flar]

I go to the Dundas Canadian Tire all the time and I think it's fine. I don't like the huge ones. If it were to close there wouldn't be a Canadian Tire in Dundas anymore since there's not enough room to build one of their large format stores. The main reason I use it is because it's close (within walking distance).

[RePinion]

I used to go there fairly often too. Then I tried to return a pressure sprayer I bought for my dad. Unbelievable. Over an hour long ordeal with two customer service clerks and then the manager. I haven't shopped there since.

I would like for a CT to remain in Dundas too but I don't think the current one is really that accessible to pedestrians. I generally go to CT for large items and even when I lived on Victoria that was too far a distance to cart them back on foot. There is always the Rona (formerly Cashway) further up on King for basic hardware needs, but I haven't been in there for years so I don't know what it's like.

[raisethehammer]

Was on Locke today around 3pm to run some errands. Man, the street was packed. 3pm on a Tuesday. I noticed there is a 'for lease' sign in the old variety store location at Chatham. However, across Chatham work is progressing nicely on a new storefront. perhaps that is where the Lulu store will be going.
All the cafes were booming today...nice to see all 4 with outdoor seating too.

[SteelTown]

I've been dying to try the crepes at the The Courtyard so I'm off for lunch! It took be awhile to find the place, kinda hidden.

[fastcarsfreedom]

I missed that entire discourse on Canadian Tire because of my temporary absence from the site. Hate the large format stores all you want--they are the only reason the company has survived. Dundas and Victoria will go in time--as Aldershot did. If you want an array of store sizes and varied product selection you still have Home and Rona...Rona runs the gammut from big box stores like Clappisons--to tiny closet sized hardware stores in Quebec.

As for persuading big-box to locate in the HCC or JS--excellent idea. There would be serious challenges with HCC because of it's multi-level galleria design on the interior--however Jackson Square--which is a (mostly) one-level box has an almost completely flexible interior and could accomodate stores of greatly varying sizes. I noticed this trend in Montreal recently where the malls and underground retail spaces go on endlessly--there are increasing numbers of larger format stores taking up multiple spaces.