The Retail Thread

[YYCguys]

Someone had inquired earlier about the development plans for the land north of Beacon Heights Shopping Centre on Sarcee Trail NW. The site currently contains a newly built CIBC and another CRU under construction next door. According to the Avison Young Commercial Real Estate website, there are 8 buildings to be constructed on that site. Here is the website and if you click on "Brochure" you can see the layout of the shopping centre. Looks like building 6 or 7 might be big enough for a grocery store, badly needed in the area.

http://www.avisonyoung.com/Calgary/Property_Listings/For_Lease/Retail/1425/

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

Airdrie too.

Speaking of Burger joints jumping the border... Carl's Jr was supposed to open restaurants in BC & Alberta a couple of years ago and never did, wonder what's up with that?

the price to open a franchise was really high - like over $1,000,000 and than you had to have other money behind you

there was a sign of one coming in surrey - it was on the development billboard even and it was there for months than they changed the board and carl's jr was replaced by A&W and another restaurant was no longer going to open there

carl's jr is called hardees on the east coast for the person going to philly

the western burger is quite good

jack in the box has opened a couple places really close to the border here so it's easy for us when we wanna get a sourdough jack usally all BC plates in the lot

there is also a sonic burger place about 10 minutes south of the border in ferndale

had five guys burgers the other day again - they are so good the fries are my kind of fries so good

[freeweed]

I must admit, between Pizza Pizza and what's available across the border, I'm increasingly jealous of Vancouver. Although you have no Chick-Fil-A nor In-and-Out nearby, so it's not grease heaven quite yet.

It's definitely a good excuse to drive that way when heading to the coast though, instead of the inland route through exciting Idaho.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by freeweed

I must admit, between Pizza Pizza and what's available across the border, I'm increasingly jealous of Vancouver. Although you have no Chick-Fil-A nor In-and-Out nearby, so it's not grease heaven quite yet.

It's definitely a good excuse to drive that way when heading to the coast though, instead of the inland route through exciting Idaho.

They have Pizza Pizza in Van? Why would you envy this? If you want horrible pizza here there are plenty of options.

Idaho is stunning.

I wish you guys would take the fast food speculation/discussion to the food thread.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

They have Pizza Pizza in Van? Why would you envy this? If you want horrible pizza here there are plenty of options.

In several suburbs (Delta, etc), yeah. Different strokes for different folks, as they say - it's one of my favourite pizza places in this country. Hell, someone just the other day was talking about eating snails, so there's definitely no accounting for taste around here.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by freeweed

In several suburbs (Delta, etc), yeah. Different strokes for different folks, as they say - it's one of my favourite pizza places in this country. Hell, someone just the other day was talking about eating snails, so there's definitely no accounting for taste around here.

I've never had Pizza Pizza, is it so bad that it's good?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I've never had Pizza Pizza, is it so bad that it's good?

Generic cheap pizza, really. It just happens to be made exactly how I like my pizza. Only thing I like better is the fake NY style pizza in NYNY in Vegas.

Pizzapizza is only in Ontario for the most part, so it's kinda one of those "special treats". If I grew up having it, I probably wouldn't think it's anything good (most folks in Ontario consider it bland at best). I'm also bitter that they bought out Pizza 73, but refuse to actually bring in Pizzapizza style pizza, because the Pizza 73 "brand" is so strong here. Even though I find Pizza 73 absolutely vile.

[shreddog]

Actually, having grown up in Ontario and eating LOTS of "Cardboard Cardboard", I can honestly say it's not that bad. While not spectacular pizza, it certainly was one of the better "generic" by-slice options out there.

During the 80's they were the ones who popularised the memorable phone number commercial (7-6-7-eleven-eleven for TO, 9-6-7-... for Ottawa) ad naseum on the radio. There was even an urban legend in the late 80's about some guy coming home from abroad who had lost his passport and only being let in after he was able to tell the officier the phone number for Pizza Pizza!

Edit: Actually the "best part" about Pizza Pizza was that no matter where you ordered it, you knew exactly what it was going to taste like - whether you liked that was another question, but it is consistent whereever it is ordered.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Generic cheap pizza, really. It just happens to be made exactly how I like my pizza. Only thing I like better is the fake NY style pizza in NYNY in Vegas.

Pizzapizza is only in Ontario for the most part, so it's kinda one of those "special treats". If I grew up having it, I probably wouldn't think it's anything good (most folks in Ontario consider it bland at best). I'm also bitter that they bought out Pizza 73, but refuse to actually bring in Pizzapizza style pizza, because the Pizza 73 "brand" is so strong here. Even though I find Pizza 73 absolutely vile.

I think I'll have to pass on that. Even though I only eat pizza without veg, it still needs to be good. I wish California Pizza would open up again.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by shreddog

Edit: Actually the "best part" about Pizza Pizza was that no matter where you ordered it, you knew exactly what it was going to taste like - whether you liked that was another question, but it is consistent whereever it is ordered.

PP is very much like McDonald's in this sense. Also in the "you may not like it" category.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by freeweed

I must admit, between Pizza Pizza and what's available across the border, I'm increasingly jealous of Vancouver. Although you have no Chick-Fil-A nor In-and-Out nearby, so it's not grease heaven quite yet.

It's definitely a good excuse to drive that way when heading to the coast though, instead of the inland route through exciting Idaho.

they are opening a Pizza-Pizza out here in coquitlam soon - haven't had em since i lived in ontario for school they weren't too bad - most of the silvercity theatres have pizza pizza inside them now instead of pizza hut

yeah its good but at the same time i don't know if its a reason why we don't get so many stores here like elsewhere in Canada because they know Vancouverites can shop in bellingham - like abercrombie & fitch, victoria's secret, etc all have stores in bellingham and most seem to target canadians and they are slower to open up here

my friends live in langley township and they are probably 5 minutes to the aldergrove crossing and its only 5 minutes from there to the lynden jack in the box - so if there is no border lineup they can pop down to jack in the box probably quicker than going into langley which is a good 20 minutes away from where they are

[eemy]

Pizza Pizza has actually improved a lot over the past ten years or so. The over-the-counter options are generally very broad, and they probably have the largest selection of crusts/toppings/cheeses/sauces of any chain pizza joint I've been to. How many chain pizza joints have stuff like this (one of my favourites) offered?

Sweet Chili Chicken Thaï
Whole wheat multigrain crust, mesquite chicken, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet chili Thaï sauce, Italiano blend seasoning, goat cheese and mozzarella cheese

[CorporateWhore]

^ call me a purist, but that's not pizza.

[SpongeG]

thats like Oprah food

give me greasy cheese pepperoni sausage and mushrooms

[Ferreth]

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

^ call me a purist, but that's not pizza.

Agreed. Pisses me off I have trouble getting a Pepperoni and Mushroom pizza at some places because they're too busy serving toppings that don't belong on a pizza in my books.

Edit: We think the same way SpongeG, I just want a *spicy* pepperoni!

[Yume-sama]

Wait until you find yourself in Italy.

"Excuse me ma'am but I think you forgot the bucket of grease! I can touch it comfortably without a napkin..."

[freeweed]

I just want some f'ing green olives on pizza in this part of the country. Is that too much to ask??

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Wait until you find yourself in Italy.

I just got back from Naples. My god is the pizza there good....makes NY pizza feel mediocre in comparison. And strangely enough, they do it without chicken or broccoli!

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by freeweed

I just want some f'ing green olives on pizza in this part of the country. Is that too much to ask??

And we agree on something! I love the anchovy-like accent of green olives but a lot of places don't offer them.

[bakersdozen]

Originally Posted by shreddog

During the 80's they were the ones who popularised the memorable phone number commercial (7-6-7-eleven-eleven for TO, 9-6-7-... for Ottawa) ad naseum on the radio.

Actually 967 was Toronto. Well, I grew up there and have never heard of 7-6-7 so I assume that was Ottawa.

Originally Posted by freeweed

I just want some f'ing green olives on pizza in this part of the country. Is that too much to ask??

Amen, although I think Panago has green olives... not sure... I used to order Pep, Green Olives, and Anchoives back in University Res from Pizza Pizza because I knew no one else would want some and it would be all mine!