[archited]

A retailer in this area focussed on the needs of students should be able to thrive.

 

[Stevey_G]

What is it with the lazy vision of a downtown filled with coffee shops, but no useful retail where people could actually go to buy useful things they need everyday?

I suppose people living here are supposed to drive, walk or bike all the way to Unity Square for that. If we want our downtown to really thrive we need to get beyond these good, but over relied on and tired ideas of retail.

I suspect it comes (and this is the case for me) from traveling to other cities and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Having lines of restaurants, coffee shops, the odd random retailer, and the occasional weird store seems to be a universal trait in good walkable downtowns that have put an emphasis on parks and education like we are doing.

That said, whatever fills those bags and fills a community need so be it.

 

[thommyjo]

We have to remember that unity square/brewery, whether we like it or not, or consider it DT or not, hits a lot for people. Big stores like Staples would ideally be more like 108st/103ave. But they’re 10 blocks west.

Best Buy, winners, MEC, petland, London drugs, dollarama (some of these are also in CC too). All west of 109st, but probably prevent more stores like them from being DT.

 

[Tropical]

We have to remember that unity square/brewery, whether we like it or not, or consider it DT or not, hits a lot for people. Big stores like Staples would ideally be more like 108st/103ave. But they’re 10 blocks west.

Best Buy, winners, MEC, petland, London drugs, dollarama (some of these are also in CC too). All west of 109st, but probably prevent more stores like them from being DT.

Correct. And completing the Valley Line will make these locations all the more convenient.

 

[David A]

We have to remember that unity square/brewery, whether we like it or not, or consider it DT or not, hits a lot for people. Big stores like Staples would ideally be more like 108st/103ave. But they’re 10 blocks west.

Best Buy, winners, MEC, petland, London drugs, dollarama (some of these are also in CC too). All west of 109st, but probably prevent more stores like them from being DT.

Yes, I work downtown . I used to be able to go get office supplies in City Centre which is an fairly walkable distance I could do with other errands or lunch, but Staples is further away.

So I actually I seldom go there now. Likewise for London Drugs, although fortunately there are several Shoppers Drug Marts in the core that have a decent selection.

 

[Stevey_G]

Ace Hardware or Home Hardware would be excellent for downtown if the businesses could make a go of it. Not sure how viable it is, but with all these projects starting to pop up you'd think they'd do pretty good.

 

[Tropical]

Ace Hardware or Home Hardware would be excellent for downtown if the businesses could make a go of it. Not sure how viable it is, but with all these projects starting to pop up you'd think they'd do pretty good.

Downtown adjacent, but I've long believed that a hardware store would do excellent business in Unity Square/Brewery District.

 

[buildings]

a hardware store that catered to the needs of renters and condo owners for minor household repair and decorating would be soooo welcome. I don't mind driving to the westmount home depot but would rather I didn't have to.

 

[Gronk!]

I've always wanted a Home Hardware or a Canadian Tire in the downtown neighborhood, preferably in ECC (in the old Bay space) although Unity Square would be acceptable.

Or here's a spitball idea: how about a resurrection of the historic WW Arcade hardware store near The Quarters?

 

[buildings]

^loved that place.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Well thinking of it from the side of the retailer I think they think that there isn't a market for any type of hardware store in the core and also they don't know how to get enough product floor space. Funny thing is the best way to have more floor space is to open multi level retail spaces. Or have micro stores with a customer counter and larger back room.

 

[buildings]

if you can have one in manhattan..... just loose the contractor building materials and keep the same items but just less of them on site. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7421941,-73.9911684,3a,75y,231.78h,95.63t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sv6BB3qiWelFxUike9Zt_eA!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?cb_client=maps_sv.tactile&w=900&h=600&pitch=-5.626211204984045&panoid=v6BB3qiWelFxUike9Zt_eA&yaw=231.78441410333562!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUyNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==

 

[buildings]

sorry for derailing the thread. I'll stop now.

 

[Greenspace]

Now going to call it the Lee Valley Line, can't get that out of my head.

 

[_urbanite]

Well thinking of it from the side of the retailer I think they think that there isn't a market for any type of hardware store in the core and also they don't know how to get enough product floor space. Funny thing is the best way to have more floor space is to open multi level retail spaces. Or have micro stores with a customer counter and larger back room.

I think it could possibly work, but maybe not as a pure hardware store. A store with more diversified product mix that includes a good selection hardware essentials + some everyday items + office supplies. Ideally located closer to 124 street so it can draw in some homeowners from the Westmount area. But as you stated, finding an appropriate sized space for this would be challenging. Any spaces in that area that I can think of that would be ideal for this are already leased up. It would need to be south of 111 Ave as well IMO