Halifax Retail

[OldDartmouthMark]

There's data for that: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api...ication/813474

In 2021 the traffic fatality rate per 100,000 registered vehicles continued
to be the highest for passenger car occupants (12.53), followed by pickup
occupants (8.59), SUV occupants (7.04), and van occupants (6.88)

When a passenger car and a light truck hit head-on in a fatal traffic crash
in 2021, an occupant was 3.1 times more frequently killed in the
passenger car than in the light truck.

Among passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2021 by vehicle type, the
percentages of fatalities in vehicles that rolled over in traffic crashes was
highest for pickups (41%), followed by SUVs (37%), vans (26%), and
passenger cars (21%)

etc.

[Keith P.]

Anecdotally, I have been struck (figuratively) by what seems to be a growing number of rollovers in traffic crashes in recent years. I cannot say that I have noticed pickups doing that very often because I suppose so many of them are very heavy, but ones with a high ride height like 4WD pickups or with aftermarket modifications likely add to that stat for them. But SUVs and CUVs seem to roll over at the drop of a hat. It is not unusual for one of them to join the upside-down club at the slightest provocation.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

There's data for that: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api...ication/813474







etc.

I suppose it shouldn't be too surprising given how many large pickups and SUVs there are now that pose a thread to smaller vehicles. Would be interesting to see how much the overall fatality rate would drop if the average vehicle size were smaller.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I suppose it shouldn't be too surprising given how many large pickups and SUVs there are now that pose a thread to smaller vehicles. Would be interesting to see how much the overall fatality rate would drop if the average vehicle size were smaller.

It's hard to say, as it's not good for the occupants of both vehicles when two vehicles of the same mass collide. It's just that the onslaught of huge trucks/SUVs heavily weigh (literally) the level of impact to one vehicle over another. Perhaps if one were to dig into 1990s data, when vehicles had mostly the same safety systems that they have today, but before trucks and SUVs ballooned in size, and SUVs hadn't gained the level of popularity of today, there might be a hint as to how that would go.

To a pedestrian or cyclist, it's still not good to be hit by a small car, but at least you would tend to go over it, rather than being hit by, basically, a moving wall.

As Keith mentions, though, the bane of taller vehicles is higher center of gravity, which will tend to cause rollovers when a car would stay on all fours. EVs with heavy batteries in the floor area should help to reduce the rollover issue as we move forward. Then we may be talking about thermal runaway, but let's hope they solve that issue before it becomes the next problem that we are talking about.

[Dartguard]

[QUOTE=OldDartmouthMark;10071000 EVs with heavy batteries in the floor area should help to reduce the rollover issue as we move forward. Then we may be talking about thermal runaway, but let's hope they solve that issue before it becomes the next problem that we are talking about.[/QUOTE]

Speaking about Thermal runaway, a former co worker was also a Fire Station Captain that had training responsibilities for a region of Dartmouth. The Fire service now have an extensive training syllabus for EV car Fires. You can't hit them with water, waste of resources. Smothering with dense foam like an aircraft fire seems to be the solution. I have heard that the City of Hamburg in Germany have two twenty foot Smother containers ready to go for EV fire situations. Drop the flaming EV into the Container, inject the foam and wait.

[DyAm00394]

Primaris REIT is buying Halifax Shopping Centre and the Annex for $370 million. Deal closes on November 30th, 2023.

https://investors.primarisreit.com/n...hCZYRfty9PuPNs

Looks like they are expanding their presence in Atlantic Canada. They currently manage McAllister Place in Saint John NB, and Regent Mall in Fredericton NB. There is also mention in their press release of multiple discussions for further acquisitions. I can see them wanting to buy up all the bigger malls here in Atlantic Canada over the next few years.

[Dmajackson]

Voyageur Lakes commercial plaza is growing. A new building with two restaurants is getting underway at 1444 Hammonds Plains Road.

Gateway's expansion building permit was submitted last week.

[Musquodoboit County]

https://financialpost.com/globe-news...s-to-dartmouth

It says many more Denny's restaurants to come!

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by Musquodoboit County

https://financialpost.com/globe-news...s-to-dartmouth

It says many more Denny's restaurants to come!

So, not yet an epidemic, just a local outbreak. Phew.

I've eaten at Denny's only three times in my life and my experiences have not been salutary: once in Houston (barely average food), once in Largo FL (barely average food, lousy service), and once in Niagara Falls ON (truly execrable experience in every way).

I know Denny's has legions of fans - I was persuaded by friends to go back - but I'm 0 for 3 so far and not willing to buck the odds. At this point, a Michelin star couldn't convince me to darken the door of the (mysteriously anxiously-awaited) Dartmouth Sandman location.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Not wanting to use up a lot of energy on this one, but IMHO it's nice to see some variety in the endless sea of duplicate chain restaurants in this area. So yeah, bring on more Denny's - as long as they are managed well (the difference between a 'good' one and a 'bad' one), and the quality is maintained past the first couple of months of operation.

[Keith P.]

Denny's is the epitome of a mediocre chain restaurant. I go way back with them, to the '70s and '80s when our family visited the USA. There were two competing sit-down restaurant chains then that seemed to compete for the same market, Denny's and Sambo's. After eating at each a few times it was indisputable that Denny's was not good while Sambo's was actually quite good. Sadly their name choice hurt them over time and they became defunct.

It is remarkable how ga-ga locals get over these places when they arrive here - Popeye's being the most recent example. Going back there were lines at Quiznos when they first opened, also Coldstone Creamery. Some even have an inexplicable obsession for Arby's. I have been to all those places. They are all mediocre or worse.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Denny's is the epitome of a mediocre chain restaurant. I go way back with them, to the '70s and '80s when our family visited the USA. There were two competing sit-down restaurant chains then that seemed to compete for the same market, Denny's and Sambo's. After eating at each a few times it was indisputable that Denny's was not good while Sambo's was actually quite good. Sadly their name choice hurt them over time and they became defunct.

It is remarkable how ga-ga locals get over these places when they arrive here - Popeye's being the most recent example. Going back there were lines at Quiznos when they first opened, also Coldstone Creamery. Some even have an inexplicable obsession for Arby's. I have been to all those places. They are all mediocre or worse.

Which speaks to the over-saturation of our market by the same old chains that we’ve endured for decades, more than anything else. I would prefer higher quality stand alone mom and pop type restaurants over chains, but that market seems to be tied up with more ethnic themed food, which is fine, but I don’t want to eat Thai or middle eastern food every time I go out to eat or bring home takeout.

I’m curious as to which chains our anti-Denny’s contingent would rather see coming to Halifax, or are you satisfied with the same old same old…

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I’m curious as to which chains our anti-Denny’s contingent would rather see coming to Halifax, or are you satisfied with the same old same old…

I’m not sure any chains will add much to our available experience. I remember when Applebee’s came some years ago and visiting a few times. It was shockingly bad food. I remember saying to those with me that it reminded me of airline food only worse, and that the majority of the kitchen equipment must have been microwaves used to heat what were surely frozen pre-made entrees sent from a central supplier. We had numerous burger chains cycle through over the years so we don’t need more of those. Olive Garden is not a place I’ve ever been to but I hear it is similar to the Applebee’s model. Red Lobster is struggling in the US. Outback seems past its prime. Most chains are either deep-fried disasters or some sort of variation of equally unhealthy fast food so they don’t appeal to me much. I would much rather find a local operation that makes tasty stuff, like a Tarek’s.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I’m not sure any chains will add much to our available experience. I remember when Applebee’s came some years ago and visiting a few times. It was shockingly bad food. I remember saying to those with me that it reminded me of airline food only worse, and that the majority of the kitchen equipment must have been microwaves used to heat what were surely frozen pre-made entrees sent from a central supplier. We had numerous burger chains cycle through over the years so we don’t need more of those. Olive Garden is not a place I’ve ever been to but I hear it is similar to the Applebee’s model. Red Lobster is struggling in the US. Outback seems past its prime. Most chains are either deep-fried disasters or some sort of variation of equally unhealthy fast food so they don’t appeal to me much. I would much rather find a local operation that makes tasty stuff, like a Tarek’s.

To each his own. I like Tarek's and similar (like Mezza), but the flavour profile is the same among all other restaurants that use middle eastern spices, etc. Same with Thai, etc. I look at those as mostly being with the trend of the time (like Italian and Chinese used to be, for example), and they likely have a good business model due to the healthy immigration that we've experienced, plus all the locals who want to feel 'worldly' by eating food that isn't of 'Canadian origin' (whatever that may or may not be) - I recall a coworker of Taiwanese origin chuckling at all the "white guys" lining up at the Thai kiosk of the eating establishment where we were having lunch... Regardless, having the same choices all over the place is tiresome for me, but the business case of these establishments will dictate whether they continue to thrive/survive or not.

While I'm in agreement over the quality of food at some of these establishments, I think opinions can vary, and there can be a tendency to overstate how 'bad' something is that may be based on something beyond the actual food being consumed. Again, management of the establishment also plays a large part in the equation. Really, though, my beliefs regarding businesses is the free-market approach. Owners/franchisees have the freedom of evaluating the business/risk case, and invest as they see fit. Competition will determine whether they survive or not. I welcome any new chains as they will either serve the market, or they won't, but detest a market that is dominated by something like 5 major chains with little room for anything new or different.

and that's all I've got to devote to this.

[Keith P.]

Well, as H.L. Mencken wrote almost a century ago, "No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people." Given the popularity of things like donairs locally, I believe this to be true in the food world as well.

[OldDartmouthMark]

...and given the nature of humans, there will never be a shortage of those who look down on others simply because they share different preferences. The internet has given us the great gift of being able to both give and receive this sentiment to and from complete strangers 24/7. It most definitely keeps things interesting.

[Keith P.]

As always, thank you for your invaluable insight, Mark.

[Musquodoboit County]

My favorite chain restaurant that I'd love to see come to Halifax is this:
https://mandarinrestaurant.com/

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

As always, thank you for your invaluable insight, Mark.

That's a very polite way of saying "verbal diarrhea", but I'll take it!

(In retrospect, that was a poor choice of words on my part, given the subject... )

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I’m curious as to which chains our anti-Denny’s contingent would rather see coming to Halifax, or are you satisfied with the same old same old…

I'm happy to see any new businesses here. I'm not at all "anti-Denny's" in that sense. They can open a hundred locations here if they like, and if they thrive, that's great.

I'm only "anti" in the personal sense: my actual personal experience will keep me from being a patron. Everyone else is welcome to it.