Toronto Manulife Centre Podium and Streetscape Renewal | 9.75m | 2s | Manulife Real Estate | MdeAS Architects

[ADRM]

McEwan, when it’s finally up and running, will then be the closest supermarket. I take McEwan into account when I make my statements, and I think Pusateri’s will suffer, too. McEwan also does a healthy bit of prepared food. I just believe that Eataly will take more of a bite out of BSM.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Bloor Street Market; I just don’t see it being able to weather the storm, when famous names are involved.

I think it's reasonable to expect that Eataly eats into (sorry) BSM's non-prepared food market share as well, if it's similar to the US stores. I used to work around the corner from the Flatiron location, which actually has a whole section dedicated just to groceries (packaged food, regular, non-crazy expensive foodstuffs, and excellent produce). It was jammed every day with people just doing their regular grocery shopping as well as with those grabbing a takeaway or sitdown bite.

 

[zang]

I think it's reasonable to expect that Eataly eats into (sorry) BSM's non-prepared food market share as well, if it's similar to the US stores. I used to work around the corner from the Flatiron location, which actually has a whole section dedicated just to groceries (packaged food, regular, non-crazy expensive foodstuffs, and excellent produce). It was jammed every day with people just doing their regular grocery shopping as well as with those grabbing a takeaway or sitdown bite.

Oh for sure. Just path of least resistance; walk into Eataly right off Bloor to pick up something for dinner, or walk in, take a backwards facing escalator down, then head to the back of the building to Bloor Street Market. My focus on take-out/prepared foods is that it's the major growth and profit driver in grocery these days, and many chains have expanded their sections. "Grocteraunts" and "Supermarket Experiences" like Eataly and the Stockyards' "Nations Experience" are the trend and expected to drive further growth in and industry that's been oversaturated and stagnant. Where I'm coming from here isn't a place of mere speculation; there's some logic and research behind it. I don't want BSM to be gone in a few years, but I'm also seeing a small "old school" grocery store in a time when that's not what's gonna drive foot traffic.

One of the only advantages of BSM has is that it's a little closer to the LCBO, but I don't see that being enough to keep it profitable. Especially considering I have a feeling the new owner of the No Frills a couple of blocks East is gunning to ditch the No Frills franchise for the new "Independent City Market" (Ironically, built on BSM's success), having recently shrunk the ethnic food offerings and created a Natural Foods section (an extreme rarity for a discount grocer). I wager he's waiting until McEwan and Eataly are up to make the switch, poised to aim at the middle ground between discount and premium.

 

[Benito]

Today.

 

[Bayer]

I live in the Manulife and I don't see the Bloor Street Market going anywhere. It's as busy as I've seen it in my seven years living there. And now that school has started you can definitely see the increase in students loading up on No-Name brand items, veggies, cheap pasta, etc. Unless they have more money than I had when I was an undergrad I don't see them going to Eataly every day for $15 takeaway lasagna, etc. And what I'm *hoping* will happen with the old Rexall space is that the LCBO will expand into it. The selection of wine there is "meh" at best...

Rumor (from a BSM staff member) has it that the LCBO will indeed expand in the old Rexall space. However, no calls for tenders have been posted on Biddingo for work in that particular store. So just a rumor!

 

[Benito]

Rumor (from a BSM staff member) has it that the LCBO will indeed expand in the old Rexall space. However, no calls for tenders have been posted on Biddingo for work in that particular store. So just a rumor!

That is great if it is true. As a flagship LCBO store it really should have a better selection, particularly of Vintages wines.

 

[zang]

That is great if it is true. As a flagship LCBO store it really should have a better selection, particularly of Vintages wines.

And right before they’re about to expand, Doug Ford will cut all spending at the LCBO.

 

[Benito]

Today.

 

[Red Mars]

Pic taken Oct 6, 2018

 

[Filip]

Poor Manulife.

 

[androiduk]

Unconfirmed but I just heard that Timothy's Coffee will be leaving by the end of October and they're not re-locating elsewhere inside Manulife.

 

[holographic plastic]

I mean it looked god awful to begin with, so there's only so much adding glass to the first few floors can do.

 

[Bayer]

Unconfirmed but I just heard that Timothy's Coffee will be leaving by the end of October and they're not re-locating elsewhere inside Manulife.

Since the closure of the Bloor St. Diner and its take out section, that coffee shop, such as it is, has been alone to anchor a meeting place for Manulife residents and others, who sit at the tables around the escalators and in the hallway leading to Bay St. I've seen elderly couples sit there every day. If Timothy's closes, I don't think they will necessarily spend much time at Eataly or drag themselves all the way to the new Starbucks downstairs.

 

[Amare]

This glass addition is just horrid. The least they could have done is at least *attempt* to blend in the glass with the existing tower (ie: either through the design/color of the glass or through the way it meets the tower). But this is just one heck of a bad looking podium.

 

[DSC]

This glass addition is just horrid. The least they could have done is at least *attempt* to blend in the glass with the existing tower (ie: either through the design/color of the glass or through the way it meets the tower). But this is just one heck of a bad looking podium.

...and probably not cheap either with only a small amount of extra floor space.

 

[greenleaf]

Already looking forward to the 2040 renovation that fixes this junk.