The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread - Page 120

Shibuya · #**2381** Posted **Mar 8, 2010, 5:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

maybe shoppers drug mart? the south granville store is pretty dumpy and small... could use an update

That's a bingo.

Yume-sama · #**2382** Posted **Mar 8, 2010, 6:12 PM**

Shoppers Drug Mart is the new Starbucks

If a space is too big to be a Starbucks, it has to be a Shoppers.

SpongeG · #**2383** Posted **Mar 8, 2010, 10:19 PM**

so that means the old shoppers will be free i wonder if they will keep it or demo it and build a new - that area could use an H&M or something...

GeeCee · #**2384** Posted **Mar 9, 2010, 8:55 AM**

Looks like Vancouver Coastal Health shut down the Japadog carts..

http://www.vch.ca/media/Foodclosures_March%208,2010.pdf

Hope you didn't get sick, Yume.

nova9 · #**2385** Posted **Mar 9, 2010, 9:07 AM**

I have never gotten sick from a japadog. that's crap. ugh. cannot wait for the store to open!

NetMapel · #**2386** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 6:54 AM**

Metro News today reported that Japadog owner is looking to expand soon to NYC and LA. Yume-sama's head to explode of happiness next ?

Rusty Gull · #**2387** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 7:03 AM**

What a joke. Looks like the Vancouver Coastal Health wanted to "teach Japadog a lesson" for showing up on the Today Show.

They actually did a sweep of hot dog carts on February 26, during the Olympic Games? No wonder we have such an awful street food scene in this city. How can anything beyond hot pretzels survive with these fascist food bylaws.

Next time this happens, I'm going to start a "free Japadog" Facebook campaign.

Yume-sama · #**2388** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 7:06 AM**

JapaDog has had a lot of problems with the city in the past. They are very strict, and over-regulate everything, including the size (and number) of umbrella he is allowed to use on his cart, limited to a certain percentage of square feet of the sidewalk. Also they have rules about what can and can not exactly be sold, this is why some items suddenly disappeared. They make it VERY difficult to operate a business like this, and he is looking forward to actually opening up their restaurant.

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS.

As for expansion, he also wants to expand to Japan. As, ironically, there are no Japanese hotdogs. Sorry white people, you got fooled.

Really, the only people who sell hotdogs usually sell them on the breakfast menu (like McDonalds), because, they are close enough to being a sausage. Which can only be breakfast.

It's like how pork is almost considered a vegetable in Japan because you can not have a salad without it. There are rules, people!

Rusty Gull · #**2389** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 7:20 AM**

If Japadog was smart, they would hire a good PR firm to wage a campaign against the draconian Coastal Health bylaws. Why is it that Portland, for example, has streetfood ranging from barbeque to tacos to stir-fries, while here in Vancouver we have been stuck with hotdogs and pretzels (that is, until Japadog came along!)

Yume-sama · #**2390** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 7:22 AM**

Mainly because America has insurance policies instead of health inspectors.

I swear, I load up on Tums no matter how long I'm going for.

I will also guess Vancouver charges *a lot* for a place to set up a cart, where maybe Portland does not. It's hard to gamble that kind of money and NOT go with a sure thing.

Then they come up with ridiculous umbrella regulations...

giallo · #**2391** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 7:56 AM**

With Vancouver becoming a international foodie destination, you'd think they'd want to nurture the street food scene.

What a wasted opportunity.

ozonemania · #**2392** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 8:28 AM**

I can see why the city wants to make sure that food safety comes first. I think that's the correct priority.

However, at the same time I don't think they understand or care about figuring out how to ensure food safety while at the same time not oppressing the street food industry. They just import full restaurant food regulations and apply it to street vendors, which is just lazy.

The city had opportunity to build these kind of ideas into recent and upcoming projects... the Granville Mall, the Carrall Street greenway and future Robson Square renovations would have been great times to build in utility, zoning and building contingencies for street vendors or food areas.

I've been to other cities that have street food scenes, and while not perfect, I get the impression that the city does try to work with street vendors instead of just policing bylaws.

I guess it's no surprise that vendors from places like the PNE or Richmond Night Market haven't tried to get in on the action. I would love to be able to get a bag of Cinnimon Mini Donuts, Malaysian satay sticks, Belgian fries, or Chinese steamed buns as a snack while out on the town.

I always thought a street food zone would be nice at Robson Square, where that big hill is right now. Setting up outdoor seating at street level with a cafe or Starbucks attached would also help reinforce the idea that Robson Square is a place to congregate, spend time, meet and people watch. That's really what makes for a good public square.

SpongeG · #**2393** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 9:50 AM**

montreal has street food

this is vancouver one step forward two steps back

vancityrox · #**2394** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 11:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

montreal has street food

this is vancouver one step forward two steps back

Montreal doesnt have street food. Its banned. Besides they dont need street food. We have plenty of 24 hour restos downtown and "walk thru" window places too.

delboy · #**2395** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 12:06 PM**

There is a push to have a more varied street food scene in the city. the following motion should be dealt with by the spring:

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20080313/documents/B1.pdf

City Councilor Heather Deal is a driving force in the city these days and is to be commended in trying to liberalize the city. God does it ever need it!

giallo · #**2396** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 1:04 PM**

^Cool.

Even little ol' Kelowna has better street food than Vancouver. The street cart perioges are fantastic. The only good thing about the nightlife there.

jlousa · #**2397** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 3:23 PM**

The Richmond night market and the PNE are a different beast, the main difference is they have running water connected to the stands, they also have electricity which allows refrigerators to keep food cold.

While I'd love to see more street food choice, I completely agree why the current regulations are there. Someone above touched on a better solution, to have hook ups along places like Granville/Robson/Seawall etc.

nova9 · #**2398** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 7:10 PM**

Not in Vancouver, there's an awesome Takoyaki truck that drives around a few parking lots in Richmond. $7 for a baseball sized takoyaki. Yum!

SpongeG · #**2399** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 9:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vancityrox

Montreal doesnt have street food. Its banned. Besides they dont need street food. We have plenty of 24 hour restos downtown and "walk thru" window places too.

I've read online how Montreal has a lot of pop up guerilla street food sort of like san francisco does - not permannt but they pop up and move around to avoid the law

montreal has muvbox http://www.muvboxconcept.com/

ozonemania · #**2400** Posted **Mar 11, 2010, 1:03 AM**

Saw a sign at Park Royal South, upstairs where the old Winners was. It said 'Osaka Supermarket coming soon'. Isn't that a T&T Store?