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Swansea / Bloor West Village

Darn I wonder why it always seems busy no ? Any idea who may be replacing them ?
 
taal said:
Darn I wonder why it always seems busy no ? Any idea who may be replacing them ?
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They stuck around just long enough to take out Book City's Bloor West Village location. Mission Accomplished.

(No, I'm not putting all my stock in that theory, but I have a real hate for Chapters/Indigo.)
 
Shoppers Drug Mart to take over old ‘Runny’ theatre after Chapters moves out


From InsideToronto.com, at this link:

Shoppers Drug Mart won’t have far to move when it takes over the Runnymede Theatre, currently home to Chapters bookstore.

The pharmacy has confirmed it will be relocating from its spot at Windermere Avenue and Bloor Street West into the Chapters Indigo space in the summer of 2014.
The new store will offer a “beautyBOUTIQUE” along with other enhancements that have yet to be confirmed.
“We look forward to offering our customers and patients an enhanced level of the everyday health, beauty and convenience products and services they have come to trust,” said spokesperson Lana Gogas.
Shoppers assured it will be retaining all of the existing historical features, interior and exterior, including the stage and interior walls.

Parkdale-High Park Councillor Sarah Doucette said she has been in touch with the city’s preservation services to determine what Shoppers can and cannot do in terms of renovations.

Chapters must vacate the premises by March 31. The bookstore will close about a month beforehand, said Drew McGowen, vice-president of real estate for Indigo Books and Music Inc., who had nothing, but compliments for the store and the neighbourhood.

Chapters’ 15 year lease is up and the landlord “can get far more money than we are able to pay,” he said.

McGowen called the store “an icon.” Its architecture and heritage “goes hand-in-hand with a bookstore,” he said.

“The neighbourhood is so fantastic. It’s a store that has little to no parking, but people walk to it all the time,” he told The Villager in an earlier interview.

In 1999, Chapters redeveloped the old theatre, the “Runny” as it was affectionately called, into a bookstore while keeping the cinema’s atmospheric interior in tact. Built in June, 1927, the vaudeville theatre – designed to transport patrons to exotic places – was the first of its kind in Toronto. Designed by Alfred Chapman, it was known for its music and stage shows and could seat as many as 1,400 people. The ceiling was painted to depict a blue sky with puffy clouds; its complex lighting system projected a starry night and airplanes.

The atmospheric-style theatre is one of only three left in Canada.
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What will become of the old Shoppers Drug Mart? Will a bookstore open in there? A restaurant? Department store?
 
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SB99 said:
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-s...possibility-of-staying-in-bloor-west-village/

Chapters will host a public town hall meeting in the new year to discuss the possibility of remaining in the Bloor West Village area, a spokesperson said Friday, Nov. 29.

The meeting is scheduled for January, yet details have yet to be ironed out, according to Janet Eger, a representative of Indigo Books and Music Inc.
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Well if they're interested in staying in the neighbourhood, I've heard that there's a decent square footage retail store front that is currently Shoppers Drug Mart will be available soon. :p
 
I wouldn't be surprised if they open up an IndigoSpirit which is a small "boutique" size Indigo that is similar to Coles. There are a few of them in the PATH system.
 
Upcoming online community consultation for public realm improvements along Bloor West Village at the Bloor & Durie St, Willard Ave, Windermere Ave and Armadale Ave corners.

bloorwestvillagebia.com

Bloor West Village BIA | Toronto | Ontario

Bloor West Village BIA | Toronto | Ontario
bloorwestvillagebia.com

Open House: Bloor West Beautification Improvements – Gord Perks

gordperks.ca gordperks.ca

Open House: Bloor West Beautification Improvements​


Community Visual Open House

Monday, February 7, from 6:30–8:00pm

Register for the meeting at: Bloorwestvillagebia.com/events

You are invited to join members of the Bloor West Village BIA, myself and City staff at a Virtual Open House to review the designs for the beautification of four public spaces that will be completed in 2023.

Forest and Field Landscape Architecture Matthew Sweig and City staff will be on hand to walk you through the designs. The project will include the retrofit of four public spaces that will transform former areas into vibrant green spaces. The designs include seating, large canopy trees, perennial plantings, and original poetry by the City’s Poet Lauraute. The four proposed locations include Durie Street, Willard Avenue, Windermere Avenue and Armadale Avenue. The public spaces will be constructed by City-approved contractors and maintained by the Bloor West Village BIA.


willa.jpg
 
AlbertC said:
Harveys and New York Fries will be opening at 2150 Bloor St W, in the building beside the Runnymede branch library at Glendonwynne Rd:

app.toronto.ca

Application Details

app.toronto.ca app.toronto.ca


View attachment 454414View attachment 454415
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This is now listed for sale at $17.5 million



An exceptional User/Investor opportunity located in the heart of Bloor West Village across from High Park. The property features a two-storey commercial building (including a lower level) totaling 28,007 square feet of gross leasable area (GLA). Anchored by national tenants including Dollarama, Harveys, and Tim Hortons, the property provides stable and secure income from these well-established brands. The second floor (9,993 SF) is currently vacant, presenting an excellent opportunity for an owner-user to occupy the space for their own business operations or an investor seeking a value-add opportunity. Situated on a rarely available 0.41-acre lot in a rapidly intensifying area, 2150 Bloor Street West also provides future redevelopment potential. Designated as a Mixed-Use Area, the site is primed for long-term growth as Bloor West Village continues to evolve with new developments. Owners will benefit from strong rental performance today while securing a high-value asset for future intensification. (40360056)


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AlbertC said:
Harveys and New York Fries will be opening at 2150 Bloor St W, in the building beside the Runnymede branch library at Glendonwynne Rd: ...
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FWIW, New York Fries is gone, and their former counter area inside is covered over, with tables and chairs placed in front of it.
Harveys_Bloor_W_500pxls.JPG
 
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Report going to Toronto Preservation Board, presumably then on to Council


The report and supporting study report offer discussion about the continuous, "main street" typology of Bloor West Village, and how that might be protected in the absence of Heritage Act protection.

The issue is not so much the heritage value of the individual buildings (the report concludes that less than the required 25% of buildings demonstrate heritage attributes, so Part V designation is not available) but the desirability of ensuring that the district and streetscape remains unified and walkable and preserves the current character and number of mixed use storefronts - if you look at the condo developments east of Keele and west of Jane, there's not guarantee of that without the right zoning and street planning.

- Paul
 
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