Roy G Biv
Senior Member
Can't see it. What went under?
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Church-Wellesley Village
- Thread starter dt_toronto_geek
- Start date
simply Dan
Active Member
SP!RE: it's a shame you're too young to have experienced the Village even a few years ago – it actually used to be more of a destination and really a lot of fun! Not very much left on the strip these days...
JasonParis
Moderator
Il Fornello's. Right click and hit "show picture" if it still won't work.
cdr108
Senior Member
And Church Street looses another high profile tenant...
(photo courtesy of Twitter's @Xtra_Canada)
that's too bad.
as someone mentioned, rents are probably too high in the area ... a victim of it's own success of being the village.
considering the amount of capital expenditure it costs to renovate that space, you would think the landlord would have been happy with a corp tenant.
oh well, at least they leave a nice renovated shell.
Roy G Biv
Senior Member
Wow. That's big. The chain has been expanding and doing well, so I guess the rent didn't make sense.
It's a big loss for the strip. Brilliantly decorated with decent food that cost as much as it should...
Apparently Woody's and/or George's Play could be next, from what I've heard through the grapevine. There are lots of lease renewals coming up.
androiduk
Senior Member
I was walking along Queen West today and the same thing seems to be happening there, lots of long time tenants are gone.
Red Mosquito
New Member
I find it difficult to believe that Woody's could go, it makes a shitload off of beer sales. However, the way things are going, nothing would surprise me. If it does go, then thats it! Village over.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Let's remember that we're in a recession here. There's a lot of people out of work, plenty of people who are nervous about overspending and working to pay down debt plus tourism is down. That combined with rent increases on Church Street, Queen Street, all along Bloor Street, Yonge Street etc. I'm seeing lots of places closing down and empty storefronts. It's a cycle, I've seen this happen in the area 3 or 4 times now during recessionary times. Our well traveled/well loved retail areas/neighbourhoods will recover.
That said Il Fornello will be missed. California, Hair of the Dog and Il Fornello are my favorate nabe places to go when I go out with friends or take out-of-town friends out for dinner. Zelda's was too, but more of a summer patio luncheon place.
That said Il Fornello will be missed. California, Hair of the Dog and Il Fornello are my favorate nabe places to go when I go out with friends or take out-of-town friends out for dinner. Zelda's was too, but more of a summer patio luncheon place.
marathe
Active Member
And Church Street looses another high profile tenant...
(photo courtesy of Twitter's @Xtra_Canada)
I just posted this in the restaurant comings/goings thread in retail, prior to checking here. Wasn't trying to steal your thunder, I assure you.
SP!RE
°°°°°°
il fornello is an amazing restaurant-- and part of a chain-- so it amazes me that even it would be forced to shut down.
Basically it's the landlords/landowners who are at fault then, no?... for jacking up rents?
It's a shame but maybe will pave the way for some more interesting stuff in the coming years.
Basically it's the landlords/landowners who are at fault then, no?... for jacking up rents?
It's a shame but maybe will pave the way for some more interesting stuff in the coming years.
Jonny5
Senior Member
This is a wake up call to landlords that their rents are too high. It will be very tough to lease that space in the winter.
Roy G Biv
Senior Member
The only businesses who will be able to afford the rents will be chains (restaurants, banks etc). Look for a McDonalds or Tim Hortons to move in soon.
androiduk
Senior Member
^ I was thinking the same thing. A McDonald's in the Zelda's space and a Tim Horton's in the Il Fornello spot. Actually, I wouldn't mind if a Harvey's moved in.
androiduk
Senior Member
I just checked MLS for these figures. The old 2nd floor Priape space is $5600 a month and Bigliardi's old space is going for $12,500 a month. I don't know if that includes taxes.
marathe
Active Member
I've been saying for ages that a decent Chinese (not pan-asian, not fusion, Americanized Chinese) takeout would do gangbusters in the Village.
A friend and I were figuring that a Casey's or a Jack Astors would fit into Zelda's old place perfectly. A fast food joint wouldn't take the same advantage of the patio.