The Vancouver Business Thread

[Galaxy]

Nintendo already has a presence in Vancouver at the Broadway Tech Centre complex and I thought they had another office somewhere else too in Vancouver too. The way I see it is Nintendo is doing what Amazon, Microsoft, and a whole host of other big companies are doing adding to there footprint in the region which I totally support!

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Nintendo already has a presence in Vancouver at the Broadway Tech Centre complex and I thought they had another office somewhere else too in Vancouver too. The way I see it is Nintendo is doing what Amazon, Microsoft, and a whole host of other big companies are doing adding to there footprint in the region which I totally support!

Sure they have a regional office, but to compare them to Amazon and Microsoft is a stretch.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I mean, Next Level's resume includes such hits as Spiderman: Friend or Foe and Transfomers: Cybertron Adventures, so... yay?

Sorry for being jaded, but it's not like they're trusting us with the next Super Smash Bros. Not yet at least.

[Galaxy]

One step at a time! One can't run until they can walk. Yes, a small outpost but everything can have the potential to grow! I'm eternally optimistic in this regard!

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

I mean, Next Level's resume includes such hits as Spiderman: Friend or Foe and Transfomers: Cybertron Adventures, so... yay?

Sorry for being jaded, but it's not like they're trusting us with the next Super Smash Bros. Not yet at least.

They also did Luigi's Mansion 3 which sold really well and received really good reviews.

[svlt]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

They also did Luigi's Mansion 3 which sold really well and received really good reviews.

That actually is really solid part of a resume, that's close to a Smash Brothers in notability (source: not really a gamer so can't say I know what I'm actually talking about, but I've heard of that game mentioned as often as Smash Brothers).

[rofina]

Originally Posted by supercanuck

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/nintendo-acquires-next-level-games

Nintendo acquires Next Level Games. I think they were pretty much 2nd party anyways so this move kind of makes sense.

Good to see so many large companies see value in Vancouver. However, some part of me wishes that the Vancouver company becomes the "buyer" rather than the other way around.

Agreed. No complaints, because this is positive news overall.

But Vancouver business does have much more of a "sellout" mentality. In that we usually get acquired rather than grow to unicorn status.

Not sure why that's the case, but I'm sure that will change as the business community continues to evolve and change.

[supercanuck]

Originally Posted by svlt

That actually is really solid part of a resume, that's close to a Smash Brothers in notability (source: not really a gamer so can't say I know what I'm actually talking about, but I've heard of that game mentioned as often as Smash Brothers).

Smash is on another level in terms of sales and popularity. Luigi's Mansion 3 was very well received and sold quite well though, and this probably shows Nintendo's belief that Next Level can do even better (with more money? support? bigger game?)

[giallo]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

They also did Luigi's Mansion 3 which sold really well and received really good reviews.

I bought it on a whim, and it was one of my favourite games of last year.

[zahav]

Not sure if it's been posted, But Bridge Studios is opening new studios at 3131 Lougheed Hwy., and taking over the Maple Leaf Self Storage at 7705 Griffiths Dr. Pretty major expansion, I've seen plans of both and they are obviously anticipating A LOT of growth, because these are big sites. 4 huge stages for the Big Bend location, and 21 stages for the Lougheed location.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by zahav

Not sure if it's been posted, But Bridge Studios is opening new studios at 3131 Lougheed Hwy., and taking over the Maple Leaf Self Storage at 7705 Griffiths Dr. Pretty major expansion, I've seen plans of both and they are obviously anticipating A LOT of growth, because these are big sites. 4 huge stages for the Big Bend location, and 21 stages for the Lougheed location.

Owned by Larco which explains the Maple Leaf Storage swap.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by zahav

Not sure if it's been posted, But Bridge Studios is opening new studios at 3131 Lougheed Hwy., and taking over the Maple Leaf Self Storage at 7705 Griffiths Dr. Pretty major expansion, I've seen plans of both and they are obviously anticipating A LOT of growth, because these are big sites. 4 huge stages for the Big Bend location, and 21 stages for the Lougheed location.

Wow, and we have the major expansion of Martini Film Studios in Langley.

[officedweller]

The Griffiths Drive location is right next to the SkyTrain OMC:


https://www.google.com/maps/place/7705+G...5f85adef!8m2!3d49.2077528!4d-122.9547932

[whatnext]

Well, okaaaay then:

Great Canadian Gaming CEO resigns after accusations of vaccine queue-jumping
By Tyler Orton | January 25, 2021, 2:16pm

The CEO and president of Great Canadian Gaming Corp. (TSX:GC) has resigned from his job following reports he and his wife travelled from B.C. to the Yukon to jump the queue for vaccination.

Rod Baker tendered his resignation after he and wife Ekaterina Baker were accused of flying from Vancouver to White Horse to receive doses of the Moderna Inc. (NYSE:MRNA) vaccine.

Great Canadian Gaming Corp. chief compliance officer Terrance Doyle took over duties as interim CEO effective Sunday (January 24).

The Yukon News reports the married couple chartered a flight to the isolated community of Beaver Creek upon landing in White Horse and allegedly lied to officials at a clinic, telling them they worked at a local motel....

https://biv.com/article/2021/01/great-ca...-after-accusations-vaccine-queue-jumping

[MIPS]

Oh this is an interesting twist.

Classic Vancouver corner stores could be making a comeback

One of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the push for us to buy local. Now, some new zoning amendments in Vancouver may make that easier to do.

Last week, Vancouver city council unanimously passed a motion to allow applications for neighbourhood grocery stores in residential areas.

Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung says it will also existing ones to be protected too.

“The regulations that were in existence only allowed neighbourhood grocery stores that had been in operation prior to 1980,” she explains. “So, unless the store had started prior to that, there were no new stores that were allowed. And if the store had closed for a period of time then there were restrictions on it reopening.”

...

She points out more than 350 neighbourhood style grocery stores have been lost over the past decade with only 34 remaining.

- https://www.citynews1130.com/2021/01/25/vancouver-corner-stores-comeback/

A By-law to amend
Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575
regarding Neighbourhood Grocery Store

https://council.vancouver.ca/20210121/documents/phea4bylawZD.pdf

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Oh this is an interesting twist.

It makes no difference there's no money in corner stores/hasn't been for ages.

I remember here in Kits when a well meaning local businesswoman decided to resurrect a local place and my being the sort of civic minded guy I am I stopped by-the look on her face when she realised how little money she was taking in was telling and she lasted less than 2 more months before pulling the plug-I've seen similar at Blenheim & 16th where a number of people have tried and all walked away.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Oh this is an interesting twist.

And a very welcome one too .

I hope that this will pave the path for more red tape cut for all types of small businesses in the near future.

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

It makes no difference there's no money in corner stores/hasn't been for ages.

I remember here in Kits when a well meaning local businesswoman decided to resurrect a local place and my being the sort of civic minded guy I am I stopped by-the look on her face when she realised how little money she was taking in was telling and she lasted less than 2 more months before pulling the plug-I've seen similar at Blenheim & 16th where a number of people have tried and all walked away.

Okay but that completely depends on your location and business model though. Perhaps in your example, her business model suited an area with higher foot traffic? Honestly I don't imagine that Blenheim & W. 16th attracts a lot of foot traffic since its in the middle of SFH land with a big avenue at the intersection. And from what I can tell, The Local Farmer Market looks like it's still open there (has it been open for a long time?)? Unless of course that's just a chain? Happy to learn more about that business' background if someone has the research .

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

It makes no difference there's no money in corner stores/hasn't been for ages.

I remember here in Kits when a well meaning local businesswoman decided to resurrect a local place and my being the sort of civic minded guy I am I stopped by-the look on her face when she realised how little money she was taking in was telling and she lasted less than 2 more months before pulling the plug-I've seen similar at Blenheim & 16th where a number of people have tried and all walked away.

Vernon Grocery store on the east side - supposedly the most photographed building in Strathcona. Been offered for sale for months. Wayne Grocery on Keefer and apartments. No takers. The Wilder Snail is for sale too, but the building rather than the business in that case.

[Migrant_Coconut]

16th and Blenheim? Ouch. Not only is the customer base small, they're also the type to drive to Stong's/Choices/Broadway for their groceries rather than walk.

Probably would've had better results closer to Alma-Dunbar or Macdonald... which thanks to this motion, are now options.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

It makes no difference there's no money in corner stores/hasn't been for ages.

I remember here in Kits when a well meaning local businesswoman decided to resurrect a local place and my being the sort of civic minded guy I am I stopped by-the look on her face when she realised how little money she was taking in was telling and she lasted less than 2 more months before pulling the plug-I've seen similar at Blenheim & 16th where a number of people have tried and all walked away.

Yeah it is pretty hard to see this as viable, especially given that there are more supermarkets on arterials like Fraser, Main, Cambie then there were back in the heyday of the corner store.