Canadian Retail Thread

[SpongeG]

I remember in Portland Oregon at the Macy's downtown washroom, it closed down years ago, but once me and my two friends went to use it and my friend needed a stall and the doors for the stall were all very small, like half size and there was no real privacy at all, you could stand at the mirror washing up and see the people in the stall doing there business full on face in view. It was pretty awkward.

The rest areas on the 1-5 I have used recently also have half size stall doors, slightly more privacy but you can still see someone sitting in there. I have never seen those kind of stalls at all in Canada, anyone seen them here?

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by harls

My worst experience was with a Tim Horton's public washroom in Laval, QC. Someone left a mammoth log in the toilet, I am talking ARM GIRTH.

Are you sure it wasn't Tronald Dump that fell into the bowl? I hear he is trying to escape arrest, and besides, he enjoys being peed on by Russian prostitutes.

Or maybe it was Malek. He was always incredibly full of shit.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

A very necessary amendment in some of the hotter parts of the country. I couldn't imagine having to wear long sleeves all the time.

Originally Posted by Hawrylyshyn

I don't think you guys understand the "right to bare arms". Maybe this video will help.

• Video Link

Oh yeah, I remember that one. I guess that's why I assumed it wasn't spelled "bear", but then again, I guess this clip is telling us that it is.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

as an aside I found most of the mens public bathrooms down under in Australia used trough type urinals, you certainly can see a lot more than the walled off individual urinals used here. eyes up and forward.

typically most were like this


architectureanddesign.com.au

Australian washrooms for me would be a big "nope"


I'm one of those poor schmucks with what may best be described as "pee/bladder shyness". I like having the privacy of a divider at a urinal otherwise I need to use a stall.
I was fine as a kid then once puberty hit I wanted my privacy.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/healt...rome-paruresis

Some studies suggest that up to 25% of people in the United States have some degree of paruresis. It affects people of all genders and ages, including children.

The fanciest urinal divider I've ever seen was an Italian wood fired pizza restaurant in Kitchener. They literally used large granite slabs about 5ft long as the dividers! My best friend makes fun of me that I should start a guide of washroom ratings for people with the same issue

The worst are the Letterkenny-esque guys that walk in a washroom and say "so this is where the dicks hangout, eh boys"

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Hawrylyshyn

I don't think you guys understand the "right to bare arms".

[Wigs]

With markdowns at 5% it'll be awhile before Nordstrom liquidates inventory. It's unfortunate for the apparently 2,500 employees of Nordstrom Canada though.

[Hawrylyshyn]

Originally Posted by Wigs

I raise you one: bare bear arms

[Wigs]

whoa, what kind of animal is that?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Wigs

whoa, what kind of animal is that?

It's a bare... no sorry... bear.

[acottawa]

Shake Shack coming to Toronto

https://www.cp24.com/news/shake-shac...onto-1.6323709

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

as an aside I found most of the mens public bathrooms down under in Australia used trough type urinals, you certainly can see a lot more than the walled off individual urinals used here. eyes up and forward.

typically most were like this


architectureanddesign.com.au

I've seen this in Vancouver, specifically at Spanish Banks Beach. Except theirs is made of tile instead of stainless steel.

I went to a bar in London in my university years that had a trough as well. I can't remember which bar it was.

[jonny24]

Trough sounds great, way less aiming involved. Wouldn't mind seeing more of them

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I've seen this in Vancouver, specifically at Spanish Banks Beach. Except theirs is made of tile instead of stainless steel.

I went to a bar in London in my university years that had a trough as well. I can't remember which bar it was.

Pretty sure The Cambie in Vancouver still has a trough in the men’s bathroom. Have had for decades.

[Coldrsx]

Shake Shack coming to Canada with 34 locations! I love their burgers and shakes.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sha...sion-1.6786716

[theman23]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I think there's a very clear and obvious reason why Canada would have such things and Australia wouldn't.

I don't follow. The lack of public bathrooms has more to do with the growing issue of vagrancy in this country than weather, if that's what you mean. Interestingly, despite a much more pleasant climate, homelessness is a much less visible problem in Sydney.

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Shake Shack coming to Canada with 34 locations! I love their burgers and shakes.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sha...sion-1.6786716

That's actually pretty exciting. I always wondered why they never had any Canadian locations, considering they've expanded to just about every other developed country on earth.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by theman23

I don't follow. The lack of public bathrooms has more to do with the growing issue of vagrancy in this country than weather, if that's what you mean. Interestingly, despite a much more pleasant climate, homelessness is a much less visible problem in Sydney.

Does Australia have a better social program to house and reintegrate homeless into society?

The worst homelessness I've ever seen was Downtown LA in 2019. Tents on bridges over the highways, taking up sidewalk space, and everywhere the Police let them. I'm not talking skid row either. Quite sad how many down and out folks are there.

[theman23]

No clue. Perhaps they just send them to jail or to live amongst the refugees? Either way, it makes city life a much more pleasant experience.

The picture of LA you're painting is fairly ubiquitous across North America now. Not uncommon to see things like that in the lower mainland far away from East Hastings.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Does Australia have a better social program to house and reintegrate homeless into society?

The worst homelessness I've ever seen was Downtown LA in 2019. Tents on bridges over the highways, taking up sidewalk space, and everywhere the Police let them. I'm not talking skid row either. Quite sad how many down and out folks are there.

Australia has over 100k homeless.

I think homeless and homeless are allowed to occupy very high profile locations in major cities are different categories.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by theman23

The picture of LA you're painting is fairly ubiquitous across North America now. Not uncommon to see things like that in the lower mainland far away from East Hastings.

It has varied a lot even just in Vancouver depending on the time and place. For example Oppenheimer Park used to be full of tents (and open-air flea market style drug sales), and presumably there was some public washroom demand tied to that. Last time I was by there it looked fairly normal. Did they solve the ills of society and clean out the park as a side-effect? Apparently the residents were offered housing but told they were not allowed to live in the park. One of the debates that happened was if it's OK to kick somebody out of a park without giving them free housing.

Another good saga to look at is Nelson Park: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/c...n-park-2969616

It does have a public washroom. I think it's 1 or 2 spaceship style stalls and it ended up costing $1.26M in 2014. The planning effort took about 8 years (they demolished the old washrooms circa 2006 and then it took them 8 years to build new ones).

IMO the macro social issues get too much attention, particularly vague ones (is late stage capitalism causing society to fall apart? are lazy drug-addled bums ruining society?), and the micro issues don't get enough attention (are community council type settings taking too long and over-engineering public toilets? are bylaws enforced?). And in general a lot of cities are not run well and have strange politics that get in the way of basic services (such as physically building toilets or apartments in a short period of time for a low cost) sometimes.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by acottawa

I think homeless and homeless are allowed to occupy very high profile locations in major cities are different categories.

In addition to Australia, most of Europe also navigates this nuance quite well. (Depending on one's point of view of course.)