Toronto non-mall retail (Odds & Ends)

[androiduk]

Another one bites the dust. After 40 years in business, Theatre Books has closed. Bad year for bookstores. Book City, Nicholas Hoare, The Cookbook Store and The World's Biggest Bookstore.

 

[AlbertC]

http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2014/08/bellwoods_brewery_to_open_new_location_on_dupont_st/

Bellwoods Brewery to open new location on Dupont St.

Located at 950 Dupont Street, currently the home of GH Johnson Trading Company, the second installment of Bellwoods Brewery has long been in the works.

The space -- more specifically the soaring 25,000 square foot "glass box" portion of that address -- will include a sprawling brewing facility, a potential retail space, a hop garden/green roof, a tasting room, and an event space--both of which will incorporate outdoor seating by way of a ground-level patio on the west side just north of Dovercourt and Dupont and a rooftop terrace on the north section of the glass box.

 

[greenleaf]

http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2014/08/bellwoods_brewery_to_open_new_location_on_dupont_st/

Bellwoods Brewery to open new location on Dupont St.

Located at 950 Dupont Street, currently the home of GH Johnson Trading Company, the second installment of Bellwoods Brewery has long been in the works.

The space -- more specifically the soaring 25,000 square foot "glass box" portion of that address -- will include a sprawling brewing facility, a potential retail space, a hop garden/green roof, a tasting room, and an event space--both of which will incorporate outdoor seating by way of a ground-level patio on the west side just north of Dovercourt and Dupont and a rooftop terrace on the north section of the glass box.

I've always loved that building. Congrats to Bellwoods!

 

[devjohnson]

Gorgeous restoration of 401 Yonge Street at Yonge/Gerrard planned

http://static.squarespace.com/stati...67e4b0d1dab65f845e/1407361905393/?format=750w

http://www.ashlarurban.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/401Yonge.pdf

 

[khris]

Gorgeous restoration of 401 Yonge Street at Yonge/Gerrard planned

http://static.squarespace.com/stati...67e4b0d1dab65f845e/1407361905393/?format=750w

http://www.ashlarurban.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/401Yonge.pdf

Very nice!

 

[androiduk]

That's the second restoration/reno on that block. Guess we can attribute this to the aura from Aura.

 

[pw20]

399, which is just south of this restoration, used to be a movie theatre:

http://tayloronhistory.com/2013/09/...-housesthe-coronet-savoy-on-yonge-at-gerrard/

 

[taal]

There are a couple propsoals like this but they all need to find tenants first.

 

[interchange42]

Another one bites the dust. After 40 years in business, Theatre Books has closed. Bad year for bookstores. Book City, Nicholas Hoare, The Cookbook Store and The World's Biggest Bookstore.

Bad for Chapters too, with Festival Hall and Bloor West Village locations closing. One small bright spot is that Book City returned to Bloor West Village with Chapters gone.

42

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

There are a couple propsoals like this but they all need to find tenants first.

I think this one might be a go - I've seen individuals with plans milling about the building constantly (even this morning).

AoD

 

[taal]

I find that interesting because the giant spot where Buffalo used to be is still available, isn't that more attractive !?

 

[androiduk]

From the Canadian Press

TORONTO — Retailers Bombay & Co. Inc., Bowring & Co. Inc. and Benix & Co. Inc. are operating under court protection from creditors while their owners look for a buyer or partner to help them survive a severe cash shortage and overwhelming debt.

Bombay has 55 furnishings stores and Bowring has 57 housewares stores across Canada, employing about 1,240 people in total. Benix closed its final store in June.

The retailers collectively owe about $80-million, including $14.5 million to CIBC, which is providing funds to help them keep operating while they work on a new business plan under court supervision.

An Ontario Superior Court judge granted a stay until Sept. 5 last week under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, which is designed to give insolvent companies another chance to come up with a workable business plan.

In an affidavit filed Aug. 6, CEO Freddy Benitah testified that the privately owned chains have been grappling with a a liquidity crisis and have defaulted on other financial covenants with their primary lender, CIBC.

The companies also ow $28.5-million to Isacc Bennet Sales Agencies Inc. and $11-million FBI, which are secured creditors, and an estimated $25-million in unsecured debts.

The trio of Canadian retailers have struggled in the face of growing competition from U.S.-owned rivals that have migrated north.

The Benitah family also privately owns the Fairweather and International Clothiers chains.
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[Skeezix]

This really is sad news:

Grassroots shuts the doors to its Annex location
(Toronto Life)

Mind you, the Danforth location has always been better than the Annex one. Hopefully, Grassroots won't also be priced off the Danforth.

 

[adHominem]

This really is sad news:

Grassroots shuts the doors to its Annex location
(Toronto Life)

Mind you, the Danforth location has always been better than the Annex one. Hopefully, Grassroots won't also be priced off the Danforth.

That's a shame. Seems like the Annex has had a lot of long-time places shut down recently.

Hopefully that space won't go the way of the eternally-vacant storefront next door.

 

[bAuHaUs]

Thanks to RetailInsider for the tip, looks like Muji is opening at Atrium on Bay. Full article to follow, so stay tuned.
http://app.toronto.ca/ApplicationStatus/details.do?folderRsn=3607285