[SpongeG]

north end of granville could use a few more cheap eats seems like they do brisk business there ones that stay open late

I wonder if foot traffic will strengethen now - now that the work is done and now that the olympic crowds are seeing whats there

[NewfBC]

Always being downtown, I wouldn't mind having a physical location to walk into to buy ferry tickets and make ferry reservations. Better than being on hold to do that. Plus, like all marquee locations, I don't think they expect to break even but the location itself serves as advertisement, especially being so close to Tourism Vancouver offices.

You do these things over the phone? You can do them online, ya know! :)

Ron.

[SpongeG]

I was just wondering what it was - is it like a gift shop or a place like a tourism office? or both? never seen a bc ferry shop before

[SpongeG]

some news about business and stuff going on during the games...

good for business watch video (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=oKQ1lYVInFd7KNW_BBebjfSyb6MbgM9H)

crazy about the clothing watch video (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=of49NRsTtYM8lIouAOs_LxZhfVMK_4eY)

[GeeCee]

I was just wondering what it was - is it like a gift shop or a place like a tourism office? or both? never seen a bc ferry shop before

http://www.thetisisland.net/ferry/Aug%2029%20Vancouver%20Sun%20re%20BC%20Ferries%20hopes%20first%20class%20sales%20centre%20can%20lure%20tourists.pdf

It's supposed to be a BC Ferries travel agent kinda thing I think.

[SpongeG]

ah thanks

[SpongeG]

CTV on struggling businesses in other areas...

watch the video (http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip268530#clip268530)

Global BC doing the same story

watch the video (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=JN3lTVKWwkLtkLK8gkgFDZyCbmblXVrq)

[whatnext]

CTV on struggling businesses in other areas...

watch the video (http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip268530#clip268530)

Global BC doing the same story

watch the video (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=JN3lTVKWwkLtkLK8gkgFDZyCbmblXVrq)

Gordo shouldn't have oversold the benefits of the Games to the outrageous extent he did. Pathetic when you think he was actually claiming other parts of the province would benefit from visitors, and it turns out only a few square blocks of Vancouver really are.

[Yume-sama]

Perhaps there could have been a live celebration site in the West End. However, had they done so, the notoriously NIMBY people there would have freaked.

I mean, they barely tolerate fireworks.

So, they get to keep their quiet calm, and the businesses don't get the huge rewards that other places do.

From my experience, I would say from Yaletown to all of Robson, Georgia, Pender, etc. to around Thurlow is PACKED. Past that it is about the same.

Also if there was a streetcar / rapid transit line towards Stanley Park / West End you would see a lot more people there.

[SpongeG]

i walked down robson about 9:30 last night and almost every store was open and other than roots and the tourist shops they looked emptym the gap was empty, body shop was empty, mexx was empty etc etc 1000's on the street but not shopping

[NetMapel]

Yeah I'd say restaurants are the ones really killing it this Olympics so far. Shops, on the other hand, nothing too big.

[Graham_Yvr]

Hi guys, first time posting, but I've been an avid 'lurker' for some time. Thought I would chime in on the Olympic impact to retail. I own a retail business on Burrard Street, just south of Davie, and while I have been and continue to be, a supporter of the Olympics, I have to say that our business is waaay down. We are not impacted by the crowds, rather it's basically a ghost town up here, and the locals seem to be staying away. I've heard from several other retailers that they are not getting any spin off business either.

Given the nature of my business - we specialize in classic shaving gear and skin care products for men, along with an upscale 'new world' barbershop - we didn't really expect a 'rush', but also didn't expect a slowdown. I still think in the long run, Vancouver will benefit from the exposure the Olympics are providing.

Cheers, Graham

[delboy]

Hi guys, first time posting, but I've been an avid 'lurker' for some time. Thought I would chime in on the Olympic impact to retail. I own a retail business on Burrard Street, just south of Davie, and while I have been and continue to be, a supporter of the Olympics, I have to say that our business is waaay down. We are not impacted by the crowds, rather it's basically a ghost town up here, and the locals seem to be staying away. I've heard from several other retailers that they are not getting any spin off business either.

Given the nature of my business - we specialize in classic shaving gear and skin care products for men, along with an upscale 'new world' barbershop - we didn't really expect a 'rush', but also didn't expect a slowdown. I still think in the long run, Vancouver will benefit from the exposure the Olympics are providing.

Cheers, Graham

great store I bought some shaving cream from there - lime flavour! Too bad about the business. I think a lot of locals have headed out of town and/ or are avoiding going into town.

[SpongeG]

yeah seems like locals are just avoiding their regular haunts and checking out the crowds

[ozonemania]

Hi guys, first time posting, but I've been an avid 'lurker' for some time. Thought I would chime in on the Olympic impact to retail. I own a retail business on Burrard Street, just south of Davie, and while I have been and continue to be, a supporter of the Olympics, I have to say that our business is waaay down. We are not impacted by the crowds, rather it's basically a ghost town up here, and the locals seem to be staying away. I've heard from several other retailers that they are not getting any spin off business either.

Given the nature of my business - we specialize in classic shaving gear and skin care products for men, along with an upscale 'new world' barbershop - we didn't really expect a 'rush', but also didn't expect a slowdown. I still think in the long run, Vancouver will benefit from the exposure the Olympics are providing.

Cheers, GrahamI shop at your store too! I'll have to drop by soon and restock... after the Olympics are over. ;)

[officedweller]

I think business is down because a lot of people have left town for the duration of the Games or they are busy attending events or volunteering.
That's also why traffic is so light. If those people are regulars to a business, they'll probably come back once their schedules return to normal.

I can tell you that our office is completely dead. There are probably several hundred people at our office, but the floor (and the cafeteria) are completely empty.

[Yume-sama]

Well, yes. And if you cut off all access to the downtown area pretty much, except for an overloaded transit system, people who aren't dining at restaurants will just stay home.

A lot of people just don't *do* transit. The parkades around the city are certainly a lot emptier than usual, those people just stay away.

[Yume-sama]

Beard Papa on Robson keeps selling out of eclairs :( Two days in a row! God, I have to wake up earlier. Literally have lines out the door all day long.

A lot of restaurants now tell you when you walk in that "we're out of this, this, this... and this". :P They're all MAJORLY busy.

I think it caught some people by surprise, and they just didn't have the staff to deal with it. But now, most restaurants have a lot more staff called in... and service is improving back to normal.

One positive, though, is that the food tastes better during the Olympics. It's actually made fresh and doesn't sit out in the open all day long. Like at those street corner pizza places.

They can't make ENOUGH pizza! Will be so sad when your cookie at Starbucks goes back to having mold growing on it, somehow.

[Yume-sama]

Lots of activity at JapaDog :P They have installed front doors (which can slide open completely to be like a patio), and what looks to be an ordering window for those on the go. Also, Gyudonya was having a mini party, and there were several people inside drinking a bottle of wine with a "COMING SOOOOOOOON" sign on the window. I don't know if they planned it, but in my head it sounded like a cow mooing. Finally, I am in to day two of trying every flavor of Beard Papa. Today was Coffee and Green Tea. Coffee was really good, it tasted like one of those Coffee Crisp bars. Mmm. Green tea tasted like green tea, and I've never liked green tea, so, I don't know why I thought I'd like it. If you like green tea, you'd like it. I am super excited for Strawberry day.

What do you mean I have too much time on my hands? >.>

[GeeCee]

Yume, you have a problem.

[Yume-sama]

Not until my next physical, I don't.

[NetMapel]

You should be an official Japadog spokesperson :P

[Spork]

The green tea + mango combo ones are really good. I'm not a huge fan of green tea, but those ones were great!

[urbandreamer]

Holts sales are way down as well. Apparently, the only thriving businesses are bars/cafes/restaurants. It makes sense--you come as a tourist or athlete's family to expensive Vancouver and suffer from sticker shock. The average people visiting Vancouver seem to come from small town Canada (mostly west of Ontario) and have no money to spend shopping.

Cafes, on the other hand, are a cheap way to enjoy people watching.

[SpongeG]

that and air restrictions if you flew here why buy so much stuff - so olympic related probably gets priority with shoppers

[Yume-sama]

Pacific Centre and Holts Renfrew were both obscenely busy this past weekend. Maybe a lot of people "just looking", but, it was a SEA!

I bought a new phone at the Apple Store and I had to wait like 25 minutes just to TALK to someone :(

[SpongeG]

not local but Bath & Body Works is opening in Nanaimo and Kamloops this Spring...

stil no more vancouver locations announced yet

[officedweller]

The Vancouver Sun had an article today with the headline: "...sales down" at retailers - but reading the article it quotes a store managers saying that sales are UP over last year but lower than their expectations. The next quote also said sales were below expectations. The article didn't provide any proff that actual sales are lower than last year - just lower than expectations.

[SpongeG]

Registers Ringing

video from global here (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=bF0w_AvY4cXZQRps3CjzBZW3vznXg_uC)

[Yume-sama]

The Vancouver Sun had an article today with the headline: "...sales down" at retailers - but reading the article it quotes a store managers saying that sales are UP over last year but lower than their expectations. The next quote also said sales were below expectations. The article didn't provide any proff that actual sales are lower than last year - just lower than expectations.

I guess even the editors don't read the whole article.

If only they had someone who could bold the important paragraphs for them.

[Locked In]

Sliding doors Yume mentioned above:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/S4dNL-tqOeI/AAAAAAAACqY/eNSPbVskMcY/s800/IMG_3665.jpg

Not sure if this has been mentioned on here - Pharmasave coming on Robson across from the TV towers:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/S4dNLH8c1cI/AAAAAAAACqU/hsBfp2e9Z_s/s800/IMG_3666.jpg

(My photos, Feb 23)

[vancityrox]

when will they ever open an IHOP downtown...there is no good breakfast places anywhere!

[jlousa]

IHOP = good breakfast?? :shrug:


The old Chrysler warehouse on SW marine drive has begun demolition, work will start shortly on the new Canadian Tire and other retailers.

[Yume-sama]

I actually do love me some IHOP. Waaaaay better than Whitespot.

[hollywoodnorth]

IHOP = good breakfast?? :shrug:


The old Chrysler warehouse on SW marine drive has begun demolition, work will start shortly on the new Canadian Tire and other retailers.

about time!

so what all is going in there?

Can Tire, Best Buy, Winners? White Spot? McDonalds?

So should be up and ready for the X-mas season eh?

[ryanmaccdn]

Pacific Centre and Holts Renfrew were both obscenely busy this past weekend. Maybe a lot of people "just looking", but, it was a SEA!

I bought a new phone at the Apple Store and I had to wait like 25 minutes just to TALK to someone :(



It wasn't that busy...... most retailers were expecting 40 - 50 % on COMPS, but most were lucky to hit 10% -15.

If your at Pacific Center, it's odd because that mall has such opportunistic shoppers. If you were to go let's say 2pm on a Saturday its pretty busy, but yet a total dead house anytime after 5:30.

Same with the Bay.... those lines mid day were nuts but yet people could have gone at 11:30 at night and had zero waits.

Also I was surprised at the amount of low end customers shop there, the moment we slap a 50% off sign on the front of the store the trash just start line'n up.

[Yume-sama]

What store do you work at :P? I did get the impression most people were there just looking (didn't really see anyone with a shopping bag lol). It was a sea of moving heads, though.

[SpongeG]

IHOP is so gross
Downtown has Dennys - they are about the same
De Dutch - I don't like that place either

[whatnext]

IHOP = good breakfast?? :shrug:


The old Chrysler warehouse on SW marine drive has begun demolition, work will start shortly on the new Canadian Tire and other retailers.

Kind of a shame, I wonder why they couldn't repurpose the warehouse part of the building, it would seem to lend itself to big box retail.

[CBeats]

IHOP is so gross
Downtown has Dennys - they are about the same
De Dutch - I don't like that place either

:cool: Woah woah woah, DeDutch is fantastic - especially their dutch panokoeks or whatever they are called.

Denny's and IHOP are equal in their poor quality.:tup:

[SpongeG]

i've never had good food at de dutch

i shudder at remembering how gross it was

never had breakfast there that i can remember

best breakfast I ever had was at the met pub in new west so good

[WarrenC12]

:cool: Woah woah woah, DeDutch is fantastic - especially their dutch panokoeks or whatever they are called.

Denny's and IHOP are equal in their poor quality.:tup:

I agree! I think what's missing from downtown is something at ok quality for super cheap. Time for Bon's Off Broadway to expand. :cheers:

[vancityrox]

From what I remember.....Denny's in Hollywood was horrific while the IHOP down the street was to die for.

I guess it depends on the locaton cuz the Denny's I had in Fort Lauderdale was really good.

Man i miss my amazing Quebec style breakfasts at Cosmopolitans and Tutti Frutti ...Cosmos had the most amazing (and Famous) cheddar cheese chunky mashed potatoes......:(:(:(

[Yume-sama]

Just so you all knowww.... today is Strawberry day at Robson Beard Papa's! I think this is the best day.

Real strawberry puree combined with their creamy custard :D I may post a photo essay of my experience.

[officedweller]

Wal-Mart moving ahead with Richmond store:

Wal-Mart targets Richmond

Richmond News


Friday, February 26, 2010


Wal-Mart Canada has announced plans to open up to 40 new superstores across Canada, and city hall confirms one of the proposed locations is in Richmond.

Wal-Mart Wednesday announced it will open 35 to 40 supercentres this year across Canada.

Coun. Bill McNulty, who chairs the city's planning committee, said the city's planning department has received an application from the big box giant for a 100,000-foot store at the corner of Alderbridge Way and Garden City Road.

Wal-Mart has owned the parcel of land for several years. The land is already zoned for retail operations, so a public hearing may not be required, although McNulty said it's possible city council will ask for one anyway.

"We might ship it to public hearing," McNulty said. "I think we would want community input. They don't require it, but we can ask them to do it. I think it's always good to communicate with the public."

The supercentres Wal-Mart is proposing to either build or create through expansions combine regular supermarkets with other retail operations.

"I haven't seen any of it so I can't comment too much on what they propose," McNulty said.

Some city councillors have said in the past that Alderbridge Way and Garden City Road is too close to the city centre for a big box store.

"Obviously the design is critical, that we have a proper design, that it fits in nicely to the community, it's environmentally green as possible," McNulty said.

Coun. Evelina Halsey-Brandt, the city's former planning committee chairperson, said any business that wants to create jobs and taxes is welcome in Richmond, but not if it means plunking a standard big box store near the city centre.

"In my opinion, Wal-Mart is welcome in Richmond but it would have to be a really specific, designed-for-Richmond store," Halsey-Brandt said. "It's not going to be a cookie-cutter."

She said she would not support a big box design that has acres of outdoor parking.

"It is not going to be a single-level store," she said. "Anything will have to be a multi-level to accommodate minimal area surface parking."

McNulty also said he doesn't want to see a plain big box store in the area. He said the Wal-Mart site would also need to support other services such as doctors offices, dentists offices, (a pharmacy) to create a central hub for people in that area.

McNulty said he expects the Wal-Mart application to come to the planning committee sometime in the next month.

© Richmond News 2010

[trofirhen]

à propos .... whatever happened to the Bon Ton on Granville? Is it still there? It was sort of like a little touch of Europe, an oasis of urbanity in a then-decaying street. I remember the chestnut-cream meringues, among other things. :rolleyes:

[quobobo]

Notte's Bon Ton is on West Broadway now, at Balaclava. It's still amazing.

[trofirhen]

Notte's Bon Ton is on West Broadway now, at Balaclava. It's still amazing.

Mmmmmmm. Thanks for telling me! Next time I make a trip home, I'm going to head over there! :yes:

[entheosfog]

I agree! I think what's missing from downtown is something at ok quality for super cheap. Time for Bon's Off Broadway to expand. :cheers:

And then we can all wait for an hour to get a seat to eat worse food than IHOP and Denny's combined!
I love the place and cheap eats, don't get me wrong, but I stopped going there soon after I moved here cause it's just too darn busy with the hipster set, and the food doesn't do my arteries any favours.
And to chime in on the cheap eats discussion, I love De Dutch! IHOP is not bad but I find Denny's to be worse than IHOP. At least the last few breakys I had there, it was terrible. Although nothing takes the cake in bad as the time I went to the Smile Cafe on Pender. Horrible! But I've heard some people had a good experience there...

[SpongeG]

i saw plans somewhere for that walmart it looks interesting

[SpongeG]

some pics to liven... all pics by me

the new hot dog place on granville
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/1480/dsc08185k.jpg

beard papa's - line to get in small crowd eating their puffs
http://img532.imageshack.us/img532/7444/dsc08108.jpg

the new fatburger on broadway - always busy when i have passed it
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2535/dsc08027.jpg

[GeeCee]

But is Japadog open yet???

[SpongeG]

looks to me to be about a month away from opening

[wrenegade]

The Oakley store on Robson (near Richards) is freakin' awesome. I am a bit of an Oakley fanboy, especially when it comes to ski goggles, but still. Awesome. Such a shame it will only be around until March 7th.

[SpongeG]

there is an oakley store in metrotown to get your fix

[SpongeG]

megabite's old place has become kebab megabite...

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4876/dsc08229.jpg

[SpongeG]

david gordon is shutting down - pretty prime spot i wonder what will take its place

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4180/dsc08234v.jpg

[wrenegade]

there is an oakley store in metrotown to get your fix

It's ordinary at best. No custom lab like the Oakley on Robson. It's the snowsports stuff I really care about. Anyways, not the end of the world.

[whatnext]

...the new fatburger on broadway - always busy when i have passed it

I drove by the Fatburger today, when you see it from Broadway (rather than the side angle here) its got a cool, stand-alone hamburger shack feel to it.

[vancityrox]

If only they would open an In and Out burger joint here.

The Animal Burger is to die for....and its only 2 bucks as apposed to Fatburger which can go be around 9 bucks... :S

[SpongeG]

five guys should open soon hopefully

[LotusLand]

That new hot dog place on Granville is amazing. A bit expensive but the dogs they have are wide ranging and real, real good. Also a great place for Root Beer fans:cheers:

[vancityrox]

Yeah Dougies is pretty good. I tried the Chili Dog and it was good but not Pink's good good. Love the different kinds of root beers tho. The place is a tiny over priced for "average dogs"...

To me no dog will be as good as Pink's (cant beat the prices as well).....even Japadog :O

[Spork]

TD in Columbia Square is opening on March 8th. The Pharmasave looks maybe a month away from opening, and the BoM looks to be maybe two months away.

[Yume-sama]

That new hot dog place on Granville is amazing. A bit expensive but the dogs they have are wide ranging and real, real good. Also a great place for Root Beer fans:cheers:

I went there and got cold feet and left. I couldn't decide.

[SpongeG]

i went to morgan crossing tonight thrifty foods is open and it looks like best buy is open, winners is done and looks like it is just doing stock and last end kinda stuff - none of the spaces look ready or close to ready on the inside

[ryanmaccdn]

five guys should open soon hopefully

anyone know how soon? Langley or UBC loaction?

[LotusLand]

I went there and got cold feet and left. I couldn't decide.

Yeah the first time I went I had no idea what to order but the lady at the cash register was very helpful. I suggest the super mario dog.

[SpongeG]

only one listed on their site (http://www.fiveguys.com)

Thunderbird Village

Coming Soon!

201599 88 Avenue
Langley, BC V1M 0A4

and seem they are hiring for park royal - the same call for Langley went out in December

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is coming to West Vancouver in the Park Royal Mall. We are looking for store managers, assistant managers, and store employees. We are hiring immediately for all management positions.

[GeeCee]

I hope they open one in Burnaby/Tri-Cities soon. :) Needs more NW action..

[geoff's two cents]

Processed cheese makes me sick. Unless they offer a cheddar alternative (unlike their US locations), I'll never go here.

[GeeCee]

I could see it happening. Lots of restaurants up here do as well, such as Red Robin (processed cheese is default, but you can ask for cheddar instead).

[Spork]

i went to morgan crossing tonight thrifty foods is open and it looks like best buy is open, winners is done and looks like it is just doing stock and last end kinda stuff - none of the spaces look ready or close to ready on the inside

ANOTHER grocery store and Winners? Seriously?

[SpongeG]

yes

there are lots of other stores there, Laura, Banana Republic Factory store, Gap Factory outlet, Roots 73 outlet were some of the signs they have on windows

[SpongeG]

from the Metro Vancouver retail report (http://www.udi.bc.ca/Newsletters/Files/Dec_09/DTZ%20Barnicke%20-%202010%20Retail%20Market%20Outlook%20%5BFinal%5D-LQ.pdf)

south granville area
• Vacancies in the area have dissipated with the addition of
Diplomatic Immunity, Café Zen, Aldo and Marquis of London
to the area.
• New retail development is anticipated on the northeast
corner of 13th and Granville where another prominent
national retailer is expected to expand and relocate.

is that the empty parking lot? finally something will be built there?!

[Conrad Yablonski]

is that the empty parking lot?
Yes

finally something will be built there?!
You guess is as good as anybody's. :shrug: :haha:

[SpongeG]

it says a national retailer i wonder what hmm...

[NetMapel]

Would it be a flagship store though ?

[SpongeG]

maybe shoppers drug mart? the south granville store is pretty dumpy and small... could use an update

[phesto]

It was posted here about 6 months ago, it will be a new 2-level Shoppers Drug Mart with underground parking.

[Shibuya]

maybe shoppers drug mart? the south granville store is pretty dumpy and small... could use an update

That's a bingo.

[Yume-sama]

Shoppers Drug Mart is the new Starbucks :( If a space is too big to be a Starbucks, it has to be a Shoppers.

[SpongeG]

so that means the old shoppers will be free i wonder if they will keep it or demo it and build a new - that area could use an H&M or something...

[GeeCee]

Looks like Vancouver Coastal Health shut down the Japadog carts..

http://www.vch.ca/media/Foodclosures_March%208,2010.pdf

Hope you didn't get sick, Yume. :yuck:

[nova9]

I have never gotten sick from a japadog. that's crap. ugh. cannot wait for the store to open!

[NetMapel]

Metro News today reported that Japadog owner is looking to expand soon to NYC and LA. Yume-sama's head to explode of happiness next ? :haha:

[Rusty Gull]

What a joke. Looks like the Vancouver Coastal Health wanted to "teach Japadog a lesson" for showing up on the Today Show.

They actually did a sweep of hot dog carts on February 26, during the Olympic Games? No wonder we have such an awful street food scene in this city. How can anything beyond hot pretzels survive with these fascist food bylaws.

Next time this happens, I'm going to start a "free Japadog" Facebook campaign.

[Yume-sama]

:P JapaDog has had a lot of problems with the city in the past. They are very strict, and over-regulate everything, including the size (and number) of umbrella he is allowed to use on his cart, limited to a certain percentage of square feet of the sidewalk. Also they have rules about what can and can not exactly be sold, this is why some items suddenly disappeared. They make it VERY difficult to operate a business like this, and he is looking forward to actually opening up their restaurant.

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS.

As for expansion, he also wants to expand to Japan. As, ironically, there are no Japanese hotdogs. Sorry white people, you got fooled.

Really, the only people who sell hotdogs usually sell them on the breakfast menu (like McDonalds), because, they are close enough to being a sausage. Which can only be breakfast.

It's like how pork is almost considered a vegetable in Japan because you can not have a salad without it. There are rules, people!

[Rusty Gull]

If Japadog was smart, they would hire a good PR firm to wage a campaign against the draconian Coastal Health bylaws. Why is it that Portland, for example, has streetfood ranging from barbeque to tacos to stir-fries, while here in Vancouver we have been stuck with hotdogs and pretzels (that is, until Japadog came along!)

[Yume-sama]

Mainly because America has insurance policies instead of health inspectors.

I swear, I load up on Tums no matter how long I'm going for.

I will also guess Vancouver charges *a lot* for a place to set up a cart, where maybe Portland does not. It's hard to gamble that kind of money and NOT go with a sure thing.

Then they come up with ridiculous umbrella regulations...

[giallo]

With Vancouver becoming a international foodie destination, you'd think they'd want to nurture the street food scene.

What a wasted opportunity.

[ozonemania]

I can see why the city wants to make sure that food safety comes first. I think that's the correct priority.

However, at the same time I don't think they understand or care about figuring out how to ensure food safety while at the same time not oppressing the street food industry. They just import full restaurant food regulations and apply it to street vendors, which is just lazy.

The city had opportunity to build these kind of ideas into recent and upcoming projects... the Granville Mall, the Carrall Street greenway and future Robson Square renovations would have been great times to build in utility, zoning and building contingencies for street vendors or food areas.

I've been to other cities that have street food scenes, and while not perfect, I get the impression that the city does try to work with street vendors instead of just policing bylaws.

I guess it's no surprise that vendors from places like the PNE or Richmond Night Market haven't tried to get in on the action. I would love to be able to get a bag of Cinnimon Mini Donuts, Malaysian satay sticks, Belgian fries, or Chinese steamed buns as a snack while out on the town.

I always thought a street food zone would be nice at Robson Square, where that big hill is right now. Setting up outdoor seating at street level with a cafe or Starbucks attached would also help reinforce the idea that Robson Square is a place to congregate, spend time, meet and people watch. That's really what makes for a good public square.

[SpongeG]

montreal has street food

this is vancouver one step forward two steps back

[vancityrox]

montreal has street food

this is vancouver one step forward two steps back

Montreal doesnt have street food. Its banned. Besides they dont need street food. We have plenty of 24 hour restos downtown and "walk thru" window places too.

[delboy]

There is a push to have a more varied street food scene in the city. the following motion should be dealt with by the spring:

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20080313/documents/B1.pdf

City Councilor Heather Deal is a driving force in the city these days and is to be commended in trying to liberalize the city. God does it ever need it!

[giallo]

^Cool.

Even little ol' Kelowna has better street food than Vancouver. The street cart perioges are fantastic. The only good thing about the nightlife there.

[jlousa]

The Richmond night market and the PNE are a different beast, the main difference is they have running water connected to the stands, they also have electricity which allows refrigerators to keep food cold.

While I'd love to see more street food choice, I completely agree why the current regulations are there. Someone above touched on a better solution, to have hook ups along places like Granville/Robson/Seawall etc.

[nova9]

Not in Vancouver, there's an awesome Takoyaki truck that drives around a few parking lots in Richmond. $7 for a baseball sized takoyaki. Yum!

[SpongeG]

Montreal doesnt have street food. Its banned. Besides they dont need street food. We have plenty of 24 hour restos downtown and "walk thru" window places too.

I've read online how Montreal has a lot of pop up guerilla street food sort of like san francisco does - not permannt but they pop up and move around to avoid the law

montreal has muvbox http://www.muvboxconcept.com/

http://innovate.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/muvbox-2.jpg

[ozonemania]

Saw a sign at Park Royal South, upstairs where the old Winners was. It said 'Osaka Supermarket coming soon'. Isn't that a T&T Store?