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Restaurant Comings & Goings

ShonTron said:
Tacos 101 at Dundas and Church is closing Sunday July 29 - but they said they'll be moving to the Bathurst and Bloor area. I live close by and I will certainly miss it.

Maybe "The Social" will get a Taco Bell.
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A Taco Bell might be slightly optimistic! TB/KFC (or whatever sludgy/slurry twofer/combo they come in these days) is probably too dirty a tenant for a new building. My guess is 'The Social' retail will just be another run of dirty windowed, endlessly 'For Lease' streetlife-killing garbage we do so well in this town. While I was not a fan of Tacos 101 (really wanted to like their food!), the business itself was just what is/was needed on this corner. Unfortunately, with margins as they are, whatever replaces those mom/pops will be at best, some corporate fry-pit... at worst, 15,000 sqft of nothing.
 
Brown Vinyl Window said:
A Taco Bell might be slightly optimistic! TB/KFC (or whatever sludgy/slurry twofer/combo they come in these days) is probably too dirty a tenant for a new building. My guess is 'The Social' retail will just be another run of dirty windowed, endlessly 'For Lease' streetlife-killing garbage we do so well in this town. While I was not a fan of Tacos 101 (really wanted to like their food!), the business itself was just what is/was needed on this corner. Unfortunately, with margins as they are, whatever replaces those mom/pops will be at best, some corporate fry-pit... at worst, 15,000 sqft of nothing.
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The fish, al pastor, and cactus tacos are great. The chicken and the carnitas can be a little dry. I definitely see get why some really like it and others aren't so crazy about it. But it added so much to the neighbourhood either way.

B. Streets is one of the new condo buildings I still really like - its small retail spaces have attracted good tenants, even those displaced by the Mirvish Village construction, like A Different Booklist.

At least the city's finally eliminating the retail vacancy tax break. It won't help fill in large retail spaces too much, but it's a good step.
 
ShonTron said:
The fish, al pastor, and cactus tacos are great. The chicken and the carnitas can be a little dry. I definitely see get why some really like it and others aren't so crazy about it. But it added so much to the neighbourhood either way.

B. Streets is one of the new condo buildings I still really like - its small retail spaces have attracted good tenants, even those displaced by the Mirvish Village construction, like A Different Booklist.

At least the city's finally eliminating the retail vacancy tax break. It won't help fill in large retail spaces too much, but it's a good step.
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Agree on B-Streets...unfortunately it is an exception to the rule. I worry a bit about the loss of these cheapish, smallish (fine-grained) spaces where entrepreneurs could take a chance on a small business idea. It's understandable that retail is dying but I think it's taking down whole neighbourhoods with it (see: Church/Wellesley, Beach(es), Cabbagetown, Queen W. etc.) I moved downtown from the suburbs 30 years ago but I can't even imagine wanting to do it now. IMO there's little point of putting up with the grime/noise/congestion/expense of downtown to move into an area where the 'high street' consists of a Rexall and a Firkin 'Pub'.
 
I really wonder something here ... why is it so so different in NYCC ... tons of small retail ... hardly anything for lease ... yes 60% are chinese / korean restaurants cafes - another 20% chinese / korean stores (clothing / ...).

NYCC has never been this vibrant ! Again you might not like the lack of variety but can't deny how little there is for lease and how busy it is

I wonder if it's 2 things:

1) Are leases that much less in NYCC ?
2) Demographics of the area ? A lot more people go out to eat and shop ?
 
B Streets is filled with unique tenants because Westbank bought the retail component specifically to move displaced tenants.

Prior to Westbank buying the space, Rawlicious and Panago were the only two tenants - and they are your typical chains.

It also helps that Bathurst is a really crappy street for retail. The lack of street parking makes the road a bit of an unpleasant highway. This means that none of the typical chains want the space.

BVW - You take a rather cynical look at things. There is tons of great retail in new buildings. There is also a lot of chains, sure, but it's very far from exclusive.
 
Get ready for controversy!!!!!
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releas...-first-international-expansion-689098931.html

TORONTO, July 25, 2018 /CNW/ - Chick-fil-A, the #1 chicken restaurant in the United States, today announced that it will open its doors in Toronto in 2019. These will be the company's first franchisee-owned restaurants outside of the United States.

"Toronto is a great city – with diverse and caring people and a vibrant restaurant culture with a deep talent pool," said Tim Tassopoulos, president and chief operating officer, Chick-fil-A. "These strengths align perfectly with Chick-fil-A's focus on community giving, delivering a premium product, and working with passionate people that can grow with our company – making Toronto the perfect choice for international expansion."

Chick-fil-A's restaurant owners are the secret sauce of the company's model, which is a differentiator in the quick service restaurant industry. Operators are full-time, hands-on business leaders who typically only own one restaurant. They are empowered to shape their restaurants from the front line every day, and their responsibilities include restaurant management, staff mentorship, and making choices about how best to serve the community. As a local small business owner, the Operator is incented to invest in talent through competitive pay and benefits along with training and leadership opportunities for staff.

Chick-fil-A is currently recruiting Operators for its Greater Toronto Area (GTA) locations offering a low economic barrier to entry for ownership ($15,000 CAD compared to $100,000 to $300,000 for many Canadian franchises). Sixty per cent of Chick-fil-A Operators come from within the company every year.

Chick-fil-A is focused on expansion in the GTA, with plans to open 15 stores in the next five years, creating 50 to 75 new jobs per location. The company has made a commitment to build long-standing partnerships with local suppliers and to find the perfect neighbourhoods in which to grow.
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Mine either. They may have backed off on making public statements and funding certain groups in the past few years, but I have a long memory.
 
Vegandale Brewery is opening at 1346 Queen S W (formerly Duggan's Brewery).

http://dailyhive.com/toronto/vegan-brewery-toronto-2018

Situated at Queen Street West and Brock, the new brewpub from 5700 Inc. (founders of the Vegandale Food Drink Festivals and restaurants including Doomie’s Toronto, The Imperative and Mythology) is partnering Michael Duggan (co-founder of Mill Street Brewery) to produce small-batch brews in-house including the Principled Pilsner, See the Light Lager, The Sour Truth, and Morally Superior IPA.
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seems Lone Star on King is closing. Never seemed to adjust well to that space after their corporate ownership moved them out from where they were at Simcoe and Front to put a Scaddabush in.

I was never a huge Lone Star fan.....but a few friends of mine were and we used to lunch there a couple of times a year and it always seemed busy....then it moved and it seemed no customers moved with it.
 
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