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Riverdale

MikeMacNcheese said:
Unfortunately also need to say the same for the Old Nick at Danforth/Broadview.
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While only vaguely advertised as such, the Old Nick was also lesbian-owned and, and historically at least, had events catered more to the LGBTQ2+ communities. So it could be added to the ever-longer list of closed "gay bars" in the city. I think WAYLA, which hasn't re-opened since COVID, is now the last remaining one east of The Village.
 
Athena bakery at 598 Danforth has closed its doors, Covid has really done a number on a fair few Greek businesses, was a good period of stabilisation a few years back but that’s gone out the window now, The Danforth/Logan block is interesting, on one side you have Alexandros, lukumum, Christina’s, friendly greek and Soulas, yet across the road it’s been decimated with cafe frappe, Fantasia and logo bar all gone, I think it’s just Athens pastries still standing. Pappas Grill is gone, Louis is gone and one of the Asteria‘s fell last year from memory. None of these Greek places have been replaced by other Greek establishments. The tide has turned to a point of no return.

I would have to say Pape Ave has become the better Greek strip now, has a nicer blend of the standard Greek fare (souvlaki/cafe/restaurants) but some nice smaller Greek shops that you just don’t find on the danforth proper anymore. You don’t have anything like Seranos on the danforth, or a Greek gift souvenir shop like Greek world, or a Greek floral shop etc. You can eat Greek food and do Greek shopping on pape. Danforth doesn’t give you that anymore.

The only way I see the Danforth having a Greek bounce back is if the Raptors sign Giannis lol
 
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Pizza Hut will be opening up on the north side of Danforth at Jones. For pizza offerings within a 4-block stretch between Woodycrest and Caithness there will be a Pizza Pizza, Papa John's, Mr. Pide, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Danforth Pizza House, and Madina Halal Pizza and Wings.
 
Geo21 said:
Athena bakery at 598 Danforth has closed its doors, Covid has really done a number on a fair few Greek businesses, was a good period of stabilisation a few years back but that’s gone out the window now, The Danforth/Logan block is interesting, on one side you have Alexandros, lukumum, Christina’s, friendly greek and Soulas, yet across the road it’s been decimated with cafe frappe, Fantasia and logo bar all gone, I think it’s just Athens pastries still standing. Pappas Grill is gone, Louis is gone and one of the Asteria‘s fell last year from memory. None of these Greek places have been replaced by other Greek establishments. The tide has turned to a point of no return.

I would have to say Pape Ave has become the better Greek strip now, has a nicer blend of the standard Greek fare (souvlaki/cafe/restaurants) but some nice smaller Greek shops that you just don’t find on the danforth proper anymore. You don’t have anything like Seranos on the danforth, or a Greek gift souvenir shop like Greek world, or a Greek floral shop etc. You can eat Greek food and do Greek shopping on pape. Danforth doesn’t give you that anymore.

The only way I see the Danforth having a Greek bounce back is if the Raptors sign Giannis lol
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That's unfortunate. You're right, the decline of Greek businesses seemed to have flatlined the last 5 years or so, but COVID is changing that.

I'm also concerned about COVID reversing the momentum on East Danforth, which has seen a lot of new restaurants, cafes and retail outlets in the last 5-10 years.

What's the point of #DestinationDanforth if there is no destination?
 
Geo21 said:
Athena bakery at 598 Danforth has closed its doors, Covid has really done a number on a fair few Greek businesses, was a good period of stabilisation a few years back but that’s gone out the window now, The Danforth/Logan block is interesting, on one side you have Alexandros, lukumum, Christina’s, friendly greek and Soulas, yet across the road it’s been decimated with cafe frappe, Fantasia and logo bar all gone, I think it’s just Athens pastries still standing. Pappas Grill is gone, Louis is gone and one of the Asteria‘s fell last year from memory. None of these Greek places have been replaced by other Greek establishments. The tide has turned to a point of no return.

I would have to say Pape Ave has become the better Greek strip now, has a nicer blend of the standard Greek fare (souvlaki/cafe/restaurants) but some nice smaller Greek shops that you just don’t find on the danforth proper anymore. You don’t have anything like Seranos on the danforth, or a Greek gift souvenir shop like Greek world, or a Greek floral shop etc. You can eat Greek food and do Greek shopping on pape. Danforth doesn’t give you that anymore.

The only way I see the Danforth having a Greek bounce back is if the Raptors sign Giannis lol
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It's been a travesty, what's happened to The Danforth. COVID really drove the nail into the coffin. With Logo and Cafe Frappe hitting the dust, that's really the end of Greek nightlife on The Danforth, save for Strofes.

Pape is definitely the new Greektown. I don't find myself going down to Danforth for anything anymore and prefer to frequent the Greek shops and restaurants on Pape instead.
 
Flint said:
It's been a travesty, what's happened to The Danforth. COVID really drove the nail into the coffin. With Logo and Cafe Frappe hitting the dust, that's really the end of Greek nightlife on The Danforth, save for Strofes.

Pape is definitely the new Greektown. I don't find myself going down to Danforth for anything anymore and prefer to frequent the Greek shops and restaurants on Pape instead.
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Is Pape part of the Greektown BIA?

It'll be ironic if six months from now Pape Village has a more vibrant restaurant and retail scene than #DestinationDanforth.
 
Flint said:
It's been a travesty, what's happened to The Danforth. COVID really drove the nail into the coffin. With Logo and Cafe Frappe hitting the dust, that's really the end of Greek nightlife on The Danforth, save for Strofes.

Pape is definitely the new Greektown. I don't find myself going down to Danforth for anything anymore and prefer to frequent the Greek shops and restaurants on Pape instead.
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It cant be underestimated what the closures of frappe and logo have done to the Greekness of the Danforth, they were always open until the early hours of the morning and they would attract a lot of younger Greeks to the strip. By extension of that they would help other businesses as well, it was common for people who would frequent those places to later on cross the road and get a souvlaki at Alexandros which would still be open, or even way back before that walk down to Messinis. Don’t forget Fantasia as well, the nightlife went from active to dead very quickly.

The Danforth simply has very little left to offer the Greek community aside from memories, they may as well start taking down the Greek flags. Sure theirs still a reasonably large collection of Greek establishments there but the vibe is dead.

In contrast Pape truly has something for everyone, you wanna do your Greek shopping and get deserts as well you go to Seranos, you wanna buy souvenirs you head to Greek world, you want Greek night life until late you got Barcode and Politeia. You want your standard Greek cafe you got cafe Serano, el Greco, phyllo etc + numerous pretty decent Greek restaurants and lots of small Greek businesses as well. Not sure what the status of folia is moving forward though. At least Pape has the vibe as lots of Greeks live in and around the Pape village area still...nobody can be bothered walking down to the Danforth anymore.

I was talking to an old Greek guy on Pape pre Covid earlier this year and he said to me the next time Greece wins a World Cup soccer match the street party will be somewhere along Pape not the Danfort, hard to disagree.

I said it as a joke but the Danforth really does need Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign for the Raptors to have a hope lol. He would probably go eat there all the time and the Greeks would stalk him there, that’s about the only chance the strip has left.

Away from the Greek slant, I’d argue Pape has better non Greek as well.
 
As a long time resident of Riverdale (35 yrs) and now a Leslieville resident. The ‘decline ‘ of ‘Greek’ Danforth started many years ago. In ‘93 the Danforth was known for souvlaki souvlaki or souvlaki. Gradually more diverse restaurants arrived. In addition the Danforth became less of an overall destination as the rest of a Toronto’s ‘hoods had their own interesting destinations/restaurants etc. However as a neighborhood the Danforth has never been more desirable. Maybe the Greek flavour is waning but the hood isn’t.
 
LUVIT! said:
As a long time resident of Riverdale (35 yrs) and now a Leslieville resident. The ‘decline ‘ of ‘Greek’ Danforth started many years ago. In ‘93 the Danforth was known for souvlaki souvlaki or souvlaki. Gradually more diverse restaurants arrived. In addition the Danforth became less of an overall destination as the rest of a Toronto’s ‘hoods had their own interesting destinations/restaurants etc. However as a neighborhood the Danforth has never been more desirable. Maybe the Greek flavour is waning but the hood isn’t.
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The streetscape, and the quality and diversity of businesses writ large has demonstrably improved over the years.

I spend more time along this strip now than I did in the 80s.

It is certainly less Greek in terms of character of its businesses and the preponderance of speakers among its immediate residents and customers.

I see that as a marginal problem in so far as it diminishes the uniqueness or tourist-friendly character of the area; and perhaps in the way it might serve first-generation Greek immigrants with a language barrier.

But overall, I don't see its a problematic.

My only real compliant about the area is lack of cinemas!

Danforth Music Hall is still around (yay!) but no longer plays movies..............the Odeon Danforth is a gym/fitness centre last I checked; and The Palace was sadly demolished many many years ago.

I have always felt that a neighbourhood that seeks to be a source of nightlife and entertainment should have a functioning cinema wherever practical.

Ideally 2, one of the old character one-screeners and a modern multiplex with its bulk hidden away from the main street; and if the area is marketed as of a particular ethnic character, one ought to be able to find its national
cinema locally.

Elsewise............I think Danforth has evolved in a mostly positive direction (though a bit less chain-retail wouldn't be bad)
 
Mexican restaurant Fernando's Hideaway on Danforth, east of Pape has closed permanently. Looks like an Italian restaurant will be replacing it.
 
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