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General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours
(01-22-2015, 09:14 AM)REnerd Wrote: I heard that Dake has closed its doors.  I have had a chance to drive by and have a look.

Can anyone confirm?  This would be a very sad loss...

The plaza is being redeveloped. I understand all merchants have been asked to vacate, in which case they would relocate. Let's hope this is the case.
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(01-22-2015, 09:33 AM)BuildingScout Wrote:
(01-22-2015, 09:14 AM)REnerd Wrote: I heard that Dake has closed its doors.  I have had a chance to drive by and have a look.

Can anyone confirm?  This would be a very sad loss...

The plaza is being redeveloped. I understand all merchants have been asked to vacate, in which case they would relocate. Let's hope this is the case.

Wow, I didn't realize development plans were so far along.

For those wondering about the development, check it out here: http://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/s...php?tid=38
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That's amazing news. From what we heard about the development at King and Moore/Breithaupt, it's going to really be something. I assumed it was going to be years out; very exciting if it's going to be soon.
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It probably makes sense to close and redevelop the plaza now since that area is going to be a construction zone for a fair amount of time anyway. Dake was nice. I wish them luck in finding another location.
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(01-22-2015, 09:33 AM)BuildingScout Wrote: The plaza is being redeveloped. I understand all merchants have been asked to vacate, in which case they would relocate. Let's hope this is the case.
Is this really happening at this point in time?

I think Dake, being the largest tenant in the plaza, would be one of the last to leave. In addition, we haven't seen any other tenants moving out yet or putting up notice to their customers that they're relocating etc.  On the flip side, the large footprint of that building would make at great onsite presentation centre for a condo development (I'm speculating).

I think Dake is just another case of unprofitable restaurant shutting down.  It's a pretty large restaurant and I don't know if they were getting enough traffic to sustain the business. It's a tough industry.  
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(01-23-2015, 12:20 PM)519 Wrote: I think Dake is just another case of unprofitable restaurant shutting down.  It's a pretty large restaurant and I don't know if they were getting enough traffic to sustain the business. It's a tough industry.
I would have thought that their proximity to King and Victoria would have ensured a steady business with lots of growth potential as all the construction activity came to fruition.

Moreover they had the best sushi in the region by a wide margin. Not the cheapest of course, also by a wide margin. But surely there are enough discriminating sushi lovers in the region who appreciate that you get what you pay for to support that segment of the market.

Every time we were there all three sushi chefs seemed to be busy, so much so that it was sometimes difficult to "order as you go" at the sushi bar. I hope they're not closing down forever.

BTW there's no indication of closure, temporary or otherwise, on their website.
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I have to agree - I think Dake was just way too big of a location.  Smaller building would have been better for them - the discerning sushi lover is much rarer than the AYCE sushi lover.

I would say the location is very weak.  No street prescence tucked into the back of a parking lot of a suburban style retail plaza.

My guess is this is a case of a good business in the wrong location.
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REnerd reported the rumour that Dake was closing. BuildingScout reported that tenants had been asked to leave. Anything substantiated yet, or speculation? Kind of exciting to think it might be happening this quickly.
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All I have is rumours. As you say, it would be nice to hear something more specific about this development.
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(01-23-2015, 12:57 PM)REnerd Wrote: I have to agree - I think Dake was just way too big of a location.  Smaller building would have been better for them - the discerning sushi lover is much rarer than the AYCE sushi lover.
Big it is/was. But my impression was that they did a lot of non-sushi business at the back. The teppanyaki table always seemed very busy.

Quote:I would say the location is very weak.  No street prescence tucked into the back of a parking lot of a suburban style retail plaza.

My guess is this is a case of a good business in the wrong location.
That concerned me too when they opened. But "discerning sushi lovers" don't generally find new places by driving down a "main drag." They rely on word of mouth, media reviews, blogs, etc. then go to the specific location.  

The same applies with local traffic. Those who work or live near King and Victoria would have found Dake one way or the other. Also, perhaps a bit of a stereotype, but sushi seems to be popular with high-tech, high(er) income people. So again that demographic would be attracted to a place like Dake even without a "main drag" location. 

I'd have that all the high-tech businesses in the area would have made for good lunch traffic, meetings catering, etc. too.

But I have no experience in the restaurant business, so what do I know.
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There was a sign on the door that the landlords changed the locks because of lack of patment.
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This is also the worst time of the year for the restaurant business in general, everyone is exhausted from holiday goings-on and money is sometimes tight too.
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(01-23-2015, 01:41 PM)ookpik Wrote: The same applies with local traffic. Those who work or live near King and Victoria would have found Dake one way or the other. Also, perhaps a bit of a stereotype, but sushi seems to be popular with high-tech, high(er) income people. So again that demographic would be attracted to a place like Dake even without a "main drag" location. 

I'd have that all the high-tech businesses in the area would have made for good lunch traffic, meetings catering, etc. too.

I think Dake felt a bit too far from the Tannery, 72 Victoria St S, and certainly anything in downtown proper. It's not the real distance, it's the amount of empty space you have to traverse to get there - empty stretches around the School of Pharmacy or its parking lot, the King/Breithaupt intersection itself, and the strip mall lot. And the Breithaupt Block hasn't yet been full enough to provide much demand.
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(01-20-2015, 11:40 PM)BuildingScout Wrote:
(01-20-2015, 11:21 PM)TMKM94 Wrote: I remember reading an article in 2009? that said there was lots of vacant office spaces in the office buildings, Since office's are opening in retail spaces now does that mean all the office spaces are full?

Here's what Cushman Wakefield has to say about it:



Quote:“Although the vacancy rate is over 15 per cent, most companies are finding it difficult to locate office space that meets their needs,” said Michael Polzl, Cushman & Wakefield Waterloo Region Office Managing Director.


The older Downtown office towers, built in the 1970s and 1980s, lack the amenities and character that tech firms are looking for. This includes collaborative common areas, flexible floorplates that support increased density and productivity, and sustainable features such as bike lockers and proactive energy management. Most importantly, the gross occupancy cost for older buildings can be much higher than that of Brick and Beam space, and can even be higher than brand new space. Such higher costs are a result of inefficient building systems, as well as higher repair and replacement costs associated with managing older systems.

The trend of tech occupiers gravitating to Brick and Beam buildings began across North America in the early 2000s and has continued throughout 2013, especially in Kitchener. Former industrial buildings converted to modern office space in the Kitchener urban centre have never been in more demand, with firms like Embium, Thalmic and Vidyard moving into converted buildings.

http://www.cushmanwakefield.ca/en/centra...o-markets/


I was very interested to read the Cushman & Wakefield assessment of the now-recognized importance and attraction of heritage industrial structures. Yet it was not long ago that the Forsyth Factory died from "demolition by neglect" at the hands of its owner - the City of Kitchener. Granted, there is now a new development going up on the site, but which structure is more irreplaceable in the grand scheme?

I am wondering whether the importance and attraction of heritage residential structures may also become recognized more widely?
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Dollarama will replace TBS downtown.  All fear of techy office space unnecessary. Smile

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5320...kitchener/
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