Toronto PATH Retail

[SunriseChampion]

Apparently this strange phenomenon of Cake Boss vending machines has proved exceeding popular, and requires the machine's be restocked as many as 4x per day.

More machines are now en route, location TBD; and they will be stocking 2 additional varieties of this cake. (something called vanilla confetti and cookies and creme)

Cake Boss plans to expand with more vending machines in Toronto

Loosen you belt buckles, Toronto, because it looks like we're getting even more of the cake ATMs causing people to line up at vending machines befo...

www.blogto.com

Would someone do me the favour of explaining why anyone is paying $8.99 for a slice cake from a vending machine?

I could not tell you. Doesn't even come with tea. I saw one at the Waterpark Place food court today and had to do a triple take. Wtf. Buddy's face on the side of it. Man, that's surely a sign of the decadent collapse of civilisation.

I think it's for sugar crackheads.....the harried masses who have given up on life and find solace in "convenient" doses of shitty carbs.

Legit, even smoking vaping is cooler than stuffing your face full of dodgy vending machine cakes.

Edit: Actually, I love smoking even though I don't anymore so I'm going to change that to compare two lame things to each other.

 

[interchange42]

I could not tell you. Doesn't even come with tea. I saw one at the Waterpark Place food court today and had to do a triple take. Wtf. Buddy's face on the side of it. Man, that's surely a sign of the decadent collapse of civilisation.

I think it's for sugar crackheads.....the harried masses who have given up on life and find solace in "convenient" doses of shitty carbs.

Legit, even smoking vaping is cooler than stuffing your face full of dodgy vending machine cakes.

Edit: Actually, I love smoking even though I don't anymore so I'm going to change that to compare two lame things to each other.

You didn't really need to change it, smoking is irredeemably lame.

42

 

[SunriseChampion]

You didn't really need to change it, smoking is irredeemably lame.

42

What? No, I changed it because it isn't. Vaping, however, is.

I like smoking. I think everyone should do it in their youth. Ok, maybe not asthmatics.

Yeah, sorry, mate, we're not going to agree on this one. Not sure what smoking ever did to you, but it treated me alright for the 15 years I did. Went damn well with alcohol and caffeine as well!

 

[gregv]

Commerce Court getting Starbucks app order only/Pickup only (no seats) location Feb 4.

Starbucks to open first Canadian "Pickup" store in Toronto February 4 | Dished

"This is unlike any Starbucks you’ve seen before."

dailyhive.com

Starbucks has announced another Canadian first is coming early next month.

The coffee chain will be opening its first Canadian “Pickup” concept, a store that will be entirely dedicated to mobile orders.

This means Starbucks Rewards members in Toronto can head to the soon-to-be-open Commerce Court location and grab their coffee order on-the-go without any delays.

Starbucks’ new Pickup location will offer the same array of food and beverages as a regular outpost, but there will be no seating available.
It will be the first-of-its-kind in Canada and the second in the world for the brand.

Starbucks® Pickup

www.starbucks.ca

 

[deerparker]

Shoppers Drug Mart at Royal Bank Plaza looks to be expanding into the former bb buggy store.

 

[PinkLucy]

Oh, when did the baby store close? I bought a bunch of stuff there not that long ago

 

[gregv]

Oh, when did the baby store close? I bought a bunch of stuff there not that long ago

If I recall correctly it was December 24th.

 

[TripleQ]

Just curious what it's like in the path these days. I haven't been downtown for over 2 months now. Are all the stores treated like an enclosed mall and closed? How much of the food courts are open? How's the foot traffic compared to the pre-covid crowds? According to my employer I can WFH through the end of the year if desired so I imagine it's going to be much less crowded than usual for quite a while.

 

[Richard White]

Just curious what it's like in the path these days. I haven't been downtown for over 2 months now. Are all the stores treated like an enclosed mall and closed? How much of the food courts are open? How's the foot traffic compared to the pre-covid crowds? According to my employer I can WFH through the end of the year if desired so I imagine it's going to be much less crowded than usual for quite a while.

I know RBC Plaza is closed to the public. They are closed off just north of the Starbucks which is currently open.

No doubt due to low staffing levels they are limiting access to essential people only. I doubt they would open the shops.

 

[PinkLucy]

Shops have to have a street entry in order to open on Tuesday so you're not going to see much change in the Path or shopping malls.

 

[mettle]

I know RBC Plaza is closed to the public. They are closed off just north of the Starbucks which is currently open.

The LCBO was opened last week, Tuesday to Friday I think. if you're looking for a non-busy LCBO, this is one to go to.

 

[Jonny5]

Toronto's PATH network faces bleak future with bankers MIA - BNN Bloomberg

To get an idea of the long recovery ahead for Toronto’s financial district, take a walk through the vast subterranean pathways that connect the city’s skyscrapers.

www.bnnbloomberg.ca

Ani, the Subway franchise owner, says he’s not going to wait forever for Bay Street’s denizens to reappear. “I’ll give the keys away,” he says. “I’m not going to pay $15,000 every month when there’s no business.”

I wonder which section of the PATH his franchise is located? I wouldn't be surprised if some of the shops in the busiest sections have even higher rent for a similar small space. I'm assuming this is a Subway with no interior seating, I don't think there's any left in the PATH that have their own seating inside the unit anymore since the one at King and York went under last year.

 

[AlbertC]

With majority of large companies and organizations already planning to keep WFH initiatives going until at least September, this is the unfortunate reality for retail in the PATH system. I don't see a rebound until 2021 at earliest, or around when a Covid vaccine is developed, along with confidence of staff returning to office in volumes that can sustain retail. By that time, I can imagine that a large portion of units will be vacant and have to gradually start new again.

 

[AlbertC]

Prairie Girl Bakery have closed their location at the FCP section of the PATH system, which had been open since 2011. The bakery's president provides some commentary of their experience during the pandemic:

This is what it was like running a business in Toronto's deserted PATH for the last 4 months

Holding on to your business during a pandemic is no easy task. We've witnessed tons of businesses say goodbye to some or all of their locations. Pr...

www.blogto.com

 

[Richard White]

Prairie Girl Bakery have closed their location at the FCP section of the PATH system, which had been open since 2011. The bakery's president provides some commentary of their experience during the pandemic:

This is what it was like running a business in Toronto's deserted PATH for the last 4 months

Holding on to your business during a pandemic is no easy task. We've witnessed tons of businesses say goodbye to some or all of their locations. Pr...

www.blogto.com

Not surprising and I expect more closures to come. I'm surprised alot of those businesses have survived.