Investment in core signals ‘confidence’
By Dave Hall
The Windsor Star
Jan. 25, 2006
Calling it the “largest influx of city centre investment in the past five years,” the chairman of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association said Tuesday six new businesses are in the process of opening in the downtown core.
Mark Boscariol, also a downtown business owner, said that “while all six are service-oriented, it’s a signal to me that people are showing more confidence in our downtown and are willing to invest where perhaps others failed.
“It’s obvious downtown is still viewed as an entertainment district and, until we increase our residential component, that probably won’t change,” said Boscariol.
Among the new businesses are the Whiskey Bar and Grill which has opened in the former Big Tomato space in the Palace complex on Ouellette Avenue, a new cafe which is replacing Maria’s Deli on Chatham Street, a new restaurant on Pelissier Street on the site of the former Ciao/Vivo eatery, a new restaurant is taking over the spot formerly occupied by Montecristo Coffee on Ouellette Avenue and a new eatery in the former Bern Fondue restaurant, also on Chatham Street.
In addition, Erleidcha Bed & Breakfast/cafe is about to open in the former Nisbet Inn, a longtime pub and bed and breakfast business on Elliott Street, which closed recently.
Erleidcha owner Nicole Daignault, a Windsor native who has spent the last few years living in Southeast Asia, said the business will offer “accommodations, healthy foods prepared with local, organic products, workshops and a lending library along with yoga, and sea salt baths.
“It’s going to be a cool place to hang out,” said Daignault, who has spent three months renovating and freshening the old Nisbet. “It’s a B&B-cafe with a holistic twist.”
Meanwhile Mike Piccioni, owner of the Whiskey Bar, admits “It’s a risk opening a business downtown but I’ve always wanted to run my own business and this seemed like a good opportunity.
“I’ve always liked this space because of the large windows and the corner location and I just thought if the right business went in there, it would work,” said Piccioni, an accountant with clients in the U.S.
Whiskey’s is open for lunch and dinner with entertainment offered by a Detroit-based rock-and-roll pianist, who “plays absolutely everything from the 50s through to today,” said Piccioni, on Friday and Saturday nights.
Boscariol said he was also encouraged by the prospect of up to 1,000 students being added to the downtown mix, providing St. Clair College and city officials are able to reach an agreement allowing the college use of the Cleary International Centre for its hospitality services courses.
It’s also rumoured that the college is considering similar approaches relating to the Capitol Theatre and the former Salvation Army building on Victoria Avenue, which would be used as a Centre for Entertainment Technology.
Boscariol, whose businesses include the Flying Monkey Cafe, Chanoso’s, Room with a Cue and Oishii, said he welcomes the added competition because “the diversity of the new openings creates an exciting dining destination in the core which we can begin marketing to outsiders, not just Windsorites.
Citing the existence of restaurants serving Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian, Greek, Lebanese and Japanese cuisine along with traditional North American fare, Boscariol said “the diversity is well worth celebrating and promoting not only to outlying communities but also across the river.”