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Switching back to retail, downtown Kitchener is (has) largely shifted towards a service oriented streetfront, either restaurants and bars (or gastropubs if you want both); as well as some government/city/region/non-profits.  Aside from a few places like Petsche's, there really isn't anywhere to buy anything (unless Shoppers Drug Mart is your thing).  Or so I thought...

A brief list on a couple of blocks of King St in Kitchener found by Google:
- KW Bookstore
- New York Rock
- Dynamic Shoes
- Fritsch Fragrances
- Rock Universe
- Petsche's
- Try-City Music
- A Second Look Books and Movies

Yes, some of the long-time stores are closing for a variety of reasons (retirement in the case of Budd's and Petsche's; selling to a developer in the case of Schreiter's Furniture).  I look forward to the downtown continuing to revive itself.  At the moment, it doesn't look like it will simply become a strip of restaurants, cafes and bars to service the office crowd.
(10-27-2017, 01:29 PM)nms Wrote: [ -> ]Switching back to retail, downtown Kitchener is (has) largely shifted towards a service oriented streetfront, either restaurants and bars (or gastropubs if you want both); as well as some government/city/region/non-profits.  Aside from a few places like Petsche's, there really isn't anywhere to buy anything (unless Shoppers Drug Mart is your thing).  Or so I thought...

A brief list on a couple of blocks of King St in Kitchener found by Google:
- KW Bookstore
- New York Rock
- Dynamic Shoes
- Fritsch Fragrances
- Rock Universe
- Petsche's
- Try-City Music
- A Second Look Books and Movies

Yes, some of the long-time stores are closing for a variety of reasons (retirement in the case of Budd's and Petsche's; selling to a developer in the case of Schreiter's Furniture).  I look forward to the downtown continuing to revive itself.  At the moment, it doesn't look like it will simply become a strip of restaurants, cafes and bars to service the office crowd.

I've seen nothing to suggest a "retail revival" Downtown (something that many people in Kitchener, especially the more "mature" crowd, still seem to hold as the marker of whether Downtown is "back" or not).  If anything, retail still seems to be trending down.  It's not that new retailers haven't come on the scene, it's that most of them seem not to have been able to make a go of it, and the chains are entirely absent.  It's why I'm always curious to know how new places that do open up (eg J&P Grocery, Black Arrow Cycle) are doing.  Perhaps once all the proposed condo towers are up and occupied we'll see things begin to change, but that is some years down the road.
I wonder if retail is going to be the last thing to come back, but only with an increased housing population near by?
It's hard to know what the future of retail will look like. Other than groceries, what's left that can't be bought on Amazon and delivered to your front door or to the office?
Mainly, things you want a physical look at before you buy (fragrances and shoes fit here), rarer items that may have prohibitive shipping costs (older music and books, etc), specialty items that are harder to find online (natural / organic / local foods, for example) or items that you don't necessarily know which you want until speaking with an expert (specialty books and equipment). Many of the stores listed above fit these categories.
Quote: It's why I'm always curious to know how new places that do open up (eg J&P Grocery, Black Arrow Cycle) are doing.

Anecdotally, every time I've been in Black Arrow (at least once a month between May and September, usually around 5:30) there's been two other people there as well. It feels like a similar volume to King St Cycle (which I frequent about the same, I really like both shops and try to spread my purchases out between them).

I go to J&P less often, closer to once every six weeks or so, at around the same time in the early evening. There's usually several other customers there as well. I'm only picking up one or two things that we need for that evening's dinner though.

None of these experiences are really an indicator of anything other than an impression that they feel like they're at least sustaining and possibly even thriving. As a customer it's impossible to know, but they both seem to have a fairly high amount of inventory and the walls and shelves always seem to be well-stocked. There's no outward indication that I've seen that they're struggling.

Edited to add: None of this is offered as rebuttal to your lack of retail revival, in fact I'm inclined to agree with it. Just trying to help satisfy your curiosity a bit.
(11-03-2015, 03:47 PM)panamaniac Wrote: [ -> ]Legacy Greens on King St E at Queen has signed a one year lease for its space - it may close for a while in January but will be open the rest of the coming year.

They will be relocating to 18 Ontario N, near Two Goblets, sometime early 2018.  Better yet, they have purchased the building and will be renovating it so I think we can look forward to further positive developments on Ontario St.
LCBO news! Goodvibes staff says that they will be moving as LCBO will be taking over the ground floor of the building. If I understood correctly, that means that New York Rock, Mondo Studio and Jia Massage Centre will also be relocating.
That puts it in the same block as the Beer Store. From the Block that Rocked to the Block of Booze?
(11-11-2017, 05:48 PM)KevinL Wrote: [ -> ]That puts it in the same block as the Beer Store. From the Block that Rocked to the Block of Booze?

Hey, at my age that's a good thing!
(11-11-2017, 05:48 PM)KevinL Wrote: [ -> ]That puts it in the same block as the Beer Store. From the Block that Rocked to the Block of Booze?

Block on the rocks!  Smile

That's very good news, imho, although that's not a very big building.   I wonder if the new weed store will be anywhere nearby, or if the city will want to tuck it away somewhere obscure?
It's indeed not very big, but I think it might still be bigger than the current location.

My guess is that it'll be DTK location for the WCBO store, given that it'll be the region's only one for now. But maybe not on the same block. Anyway, I don't think there is any special zoning for either liquor or weed shops so the city won't really be able to dictate it. Closer to the two city parking garages might make more sense -- this shop WILL be a destination for many people! Big Grin
(11-11-2017, 08:34 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]It's indeed not very big, but I think it might still be bigger than the current location.

My guess is that it'll be DTK location for the WCBO store, given that it'll be the region's only one for now.  But maybe not on the same block. Anyway, I don't think there is any special zoning for either liquor or weed shops so the city won't really be able to dictate it. Closer to the two city parking garages might make more sense -- this shop WILL be a destination for many people! Big Grin

I think the City and the Province just met, or are meeting in coming days, to discuss location.  The Province will not put it anywhere not agreeable to the City (election year is soon upon us!).  I'd prefer to see it downtown, but I suppose a case could be made for other locations, for example on Victoria St N close to the expressway, depending on how long the Region is going to have to wait for additional stores.
(11-11-2017, 05:31 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]LCBO news! Goodvibes staff says that they will be moving as LCBO will be taking over the ground floor of the building.  If I understood correctly, that means that New York Rock, Mondo Studio and Jia Massage Centre will also be relocating.

Is that taking over the ground floor, or does this include a new building?
(11-11-2017, 10:25 PM)mpd618 Wrote: [ -> ]
(11-11-2017, 05:31 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]LCBO news! Goodvibes staff says that they will be moving as LCBO will be taking over the ground floor of the building.  If I understood correctly, that means that New York Rock, Mondo Studio and Jia Massage Centre will also be relocating.

Is that taking over the ground floor, or does this include a new building?

If I understood it correctly, it's the existing building.