Can't comment on TGI Fridays, but you really don't want Applebees here. We'd be scraping the bottom of the barrel with them.
(12-18-2015, 02:29 PM)jamincan Wrote: [ -> ]I've never stepped into Market Square, so I don't know if this would even be possible, but it would be nice if they redeveloped it so that units are street-facing, and then convert the internal space to office use. Basically get rid of the mall entirely. It would be a much more attractive building for tenants and I imagine the developer would reap the reward.
I used to go there regularly ... but more than 30 years ago!
Basically the problem with reconfiguration is that it's a monolith, a city block three stories high, so there is a huge amount of space far away from the street and from the windows. I agree that redevelopment would be welcome. On the other hand, I want to see the Schneider's lands redeveloped first, and hopefully also the long-standing parking lots/run-down car dealerships near King & Cedar/Cameron. In my mind Market Square is still a lesser problem.
But it's owned (or only managed?) by DREAM, so there is an outside chance that they will redevelop it at some not-too-distant point in time, without the city needing to get involved. A huge property, an absolutely prime location, zoned D-1 so you can do just about anything there, all you need is a vision.
I went to check out the Bao Sandwich Bar at 62 Balsam Street today but it and Bogda were both closed for the holidays. However, there is a Fiddleheads open in the same building, and a sign for Exclamation restaurant (which currently has a location at Duke & Frederick in Kitchener) in the same complex on the Hickory Street side.
Note for anyone looking for Bao - they're on the interior parking lot side of the building, only accessible from Larch - if you approach from Balsam Street the only way through to the back is a steep muddy "trail" at the side of the building. Hopefully they'll fix the access in the future.
I actually tried Bao Sandwich Bar last night! I guess I squeaked in by the skin of my teeth. I had the Five-Spice Babe (as in the pig?) on the Gua Bao-style bun as opposed to the baguette. I'm not really familiar with the cuisine, so I don't have any point of reference, but I thought it was excellent.
The former hair salon at 29 King St E (between Dollarama and the billiard parlour) has a sign in the window advertising it as a franchise location for Prime Pita, which I think is a GTA-based chain.
Not sure how much a second pita place is needed. There used to be a New York Pita (or something like that) across the street from Big Fat Pita, but that closed up not too long ago. Personally, I love Big Fat Pita. It's a good price and they load the toppings. I hope this doesn't effect their business too much. But it is really close.
(12-24-2015, 10:14 AM)Andy Wrote: [ -> ]Not sure how much a second pita place is needed. There used to be a New York Pita (or something like that) across the street from Big Fat Pita, but that closed up not too long ago. Personally, I love Big Fat Pita. It's a good price and they load the toppings. I hope this doesn't effect their business too much. But it is really close.
It's not a place I would be likely to try, but we still don't seem to have reached the saturation point for Downtown eateries that rely on lunchtime business. Even those that are able to rely on the dinner crowd seem to be doing OK.
(12-23-2015, 06:21 PM)panamaniac Wrote: [ -> ]The former hair salon at 29 King St E (between Dollarama and the billiard parlour) has a sign in the window advertising it as a franchise location for Prime Pita, which I think is a GTA-based chain.
Checking information available online:
http://primepita.ca/locations/
Prime Pita "It is operated under the Gino's Pizza group which operates over 150 restaurants in Ontario since 1981."
There tag line is: "Prime Pita | Your Shawarma Therapy".
I love food but don't see myself as needing shawarma or food as any kind of therapy.
There is a second franchise going up at in corner plaza at 851 Fisher-Hallman Rd. Unit 9 near Resurrection Catholic Secondary.
Hmmmmm. Not saturation point yet, I agree, but why on earth would you try to do something exactly the same as an established restaurant just down the street? It doesn't make life easy for either restaurant competing for the very same customers.
The Berlin Bicycle Café in Belmont Village looked open today.
(12-18-2015, 03:12 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: [ -> ] (12-18-2015, 02:29 PM)jamincan Wrote: [ -> ]but it would be nice if they redeveloped it so that units are street-facing, and then convert the internal space to office use. Basically get rid of the mall entirely. It would be a much more attractive building for tenants and I imagine the developer would reap the reward.
This. That mall is the ugliest most out of place thing ever and it is one of the most hideous use of brick I have ever seen, one that is replicated across the dozens of such malls built across Canada by the same group of people, all of them downtown, inward looking, undersized and struggling.
I have always questioned the reasoning behind the stores/shops not facing out to the street instead of inside the mall. When walking along Frederick, all you see is brick and couple of service doors.
(01-01-2016, 11:21 AM)kitborn Wrote: [ -> ] (12-18-2015, 03:12 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: [ -> ]This. That mall is the ugliest most out of place thing ever and it is one of the most hideous use of brick I have ever seen, one that is replicated across the dozens of such malls built across Canada by the same group of people, all of them downtown, inward looking, undersized and struggling.
I have always questioned the reasoning behind the stores/shops not facing out to the street instead of inside the mall. When walking along Frederick, all you see is brick and couple of service doors.
It was not surprising at the time - as an indoor mall, it's intention was to draw people in from the street, not to provide streetfront shopping. I doubt it would be done the same way today.
I see in the news that The Waterlot restaurant in New Hamburg closed on 31Dec. I think its glory days were long past, but I remember that many years ago it was considered one of the best restaurants in the Region.
Edit: According to the letter posted below the closure is not until 31 January 2016. Still a chance to get out and try it!
I thought they were open through January 31st...