Winnipeg Retail

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by esquire

I've heard it mentioned here before, but I finally got a look at the storefronts of a couple of cannabis shops over the weekend. What a downer... I'm not sure what purpose the frosted-over storefronts are supposed to serve, but they make the spaces look empty. It's a letdown that these shops will have such a deadening effect on the street.

I can understand why the porno movie shops of old had frosted over windows since the product packaging itself could be offensive to some, but what exactly are we sparing people from seeing when it comes to cannabis? The mere fact that people are buying it?

Are other provinces doing it this way too?

Here is a picture of an Edmonton Cannabis store. It appears that other provinces are doing it this way.



Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...tage-1.4871564

[esquire]

Originally Posted by cheswick

I would assume its the same reason tobacco shops are required to have frosted windows and cigarettes have to be stored out of sight at retailers.

Ah yes, I forgot about those.

I'm all for the denormalization both cannabis and tobacco (which is what, I suppose, window frosting is supposed to help achieve), but damnit, does it have to be attained in such an ugly way? It feels like the rest of us are being punished with this ugliness on account of those using otherwise legal products.

[windypeg]

Originally Posted by cheswick

I would assume its the same reason tobacco shops are required to have frosted windows and cigarettes have to be stored out of sight at retailers.

Yet we're bombarded with marketing that glamourizes alcohol use basically everywhere we go ...

[esquire]

^ Good point, no frosting on the window at the LCs, and somehow we manage...

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by esquire

I've heard it mentioned here before, but I finally got a look at the storefronts of a couple of cannabis shops over the weekend. What a downer... I'm not sure what purpose the frosted-over storefronts are supposed to serve, but they make the spaces look empty. It's a letdown that these shops will have such a deadening effect on the street.

I can understand why the porno movie shops of old had frosted over windows since the product packaging itself could be offensive to some, but what exactly are we sparing people from seeing when it comes to cannabis? The mere fact that people are buying it?

Are other provinces doing it this way too?

Originally Posted by cheswick

I would assume its the same reason tobacco shops are required to have frosted windows and cigarettes have to be stored out of sight at retailers.

Yeah it's really brutal – however it's not a provincial rule, it's a city bylaw.

It sucks because there's a lot of prominent street-front locations, hopefully they change their mind. The rules from the province state that the cannabis cannot be on display within the store, so it's stupid for the city to enact the window rule, as you you can't see the weed from outside anyway.

The LC, wine stores, and beer vendors are completely open. Convenience stores that sell tobacco don't have to frost their windows, just hide the tobacco – since weed has to be hidden anyway, the windows shouldn't have to be opaque.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

Ah yes, I forgot about those.

I'm all for the denormalization both cannabis and tobacco (which is what, I suppose, window frosting is supposed to help achieve), but damnit, does it have to be attained in such an ugly way? It feels like the rest of us are being punished with this ugliness on account of those using otherwise legal products.

The usual govt. double standard, no frosting on MLLC stores, imagine a young child walking by and seeing a case of beer or shudder a bottle of Scotch on the selves, scary stuff!

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by buzzg

The LC, wine stores, and beer vendors are completely open.

I wouldn't call LC's completely open as far as windows go. Of the 4 or 5 I frequent, it's basically just open windows at the front door. Any other windows are barred, and typically are either boarded (the back of the bottle racks) or have advertising PSAs behind the windows. Not frosting per se, but it might as well be.

[buzzg]

I think that’s just poor aesthetics and lack of space. Many of them are fully open with product on display.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by esquire

Ah yes, I forgot about those.

I'm all for the denormalization both cannabis and tobacco (which is what, I suppose, window frosting is supposed to help achieve), but damnit, does it have to be attained in such an ugly way? It feels like the rest of us are being punished with this ugliness on account of those using otherwise legal products.

De-normalization of cannabis? It just went legal, so will only become more normalized. There's a stigma with cannabis because it's a drug and drugs are baadd, mmkay. That's what they've been telling us for decades, yet we give opiates to people on the regular.

Just wait for the days when people bring a bag of weed to dinner instead of a bottle of wine! Well I'm sure that happens already.

Seems silly to have the windows blocked out though. I've stopped in at one location and the front was already blocked off in the interior. So if the windows were clear, all you'd see if some T shirts maybe.

I understand they probably don't want big weed leafs everywhere. But ya, it looks boring.

[vjose32]

Seems Osh Kosh at Northgate has already opened.

[SpongeG]

This is the only open store in BC, its the government-run store. It uses the same signage font as the Liquor stores use and its windows are whited out.



the dispensaries were mostly pretty free and open looking with clear glass. I don't know if that will change, AFAIK all the dispensaries are closed until they get new licenses and maybe they will get changed? You could clearly see the product on display from the street when walking passed. Some of them did partial frosting, some had bars and some did complete frosting, seemed to be what the owner wanted it to look like i guess. But most were pretty open.

[CoryB]

Leon's, who also owns The Brick, is looking to shift its retail strategy towards more e-commerce and may close some physical stores. With four stores locally, three under The Brick banner, it definitely seems Winnipeg could experience a store closure. My short list would be The Brick store on Ellice. It would leave Winnipeg with two Brick stores and the single Leon's store on Ellice could continue to represent that banner locally.

[bomberjet]

It makes sense. I recently purchased appliances from the Brick for various reasons we won't get into. The only reason for numerous locations is customer satisfaction. So they're closer to your home, hopefully, than the competition.

They had 1 of 4 appliances in stock. The rest came from a warehouse somewhere. They were delivered a week later. So I couldn't take them home with me anyways. I also didn't want to take them home with me.

If they had one location, warehouse attached would be a bonus. That's all they need. I still like to look at something in person before I buy, especially if costs a lot. However, I do all of my price check, etc, etc online with maybe one store visit to a selected few to check for in store promos and the like.

[Wolf13]

I get the grdual shift away from bricks and mortar, but damn... I still want to sit in a couch before I buy it...

[Riverman]

I recently bought three gas appliances, dryer from Sears clearance, Rheem hot water heater and Kitchen Aid stove from HD. I was going to buy a Samsung stove unseen from Costco but I thought better and went to look at that model while in Oshawa. What a POS!

The Kitchen Aid is superior in every way and I got to look at it first. Plus HD waived delivery charge.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Riverman

I recently bought three gas appliances, dryer from Sears clearance, Rheem hot water haeter and Kitchen Aid stove from HD. I was going to buy a Samsung stove unseen from Costco but I thought better and went to look at that model while in Oshawa. What a POS!

The Kitchen Aid is superior in every way and I got to look at it first. Plus HD waived delivery charge.

Good call staying away from Samsung, my five year old Samsung fridge is slowly starting to self destruct and this was supposedly a Consumer Reports recommended model. Digital controls stopped working within the first year, had the module replaced under warranty and then it went out again two months after warranty expired. Plastic all disintegrating, surface rust appearing, crispers filling with water, total POS!

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Good call staying away from Samsung, my five year old Samsung fridge is slowly starting to self destruct and this was supposedly a Consumer Reports recommended model. Digital controls stopped working within the first year, had the module replaced under warranty and then it went out again two months after warranty expired. Plastic all disintegrating, surface rust appearing, crispers filling with water, total POS!

Sounds like Portage & Main – you should have to keep that fridge for 40 more years!

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Sounds like Portage & Main – you should have to keep that fridge for 40 more years!

LOL! No the POS is going to get tossed, maybe at Portage and Main!

[Biff]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

LOL! No the POS is going to get tossed, maybe at Portage and Main!

You can't toss it at Portage and Main ...there are barriers preventing any such thing.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by Biff

You can't toss it at Portage and Main ...there are barriers preventing any such thing.

I believe they're officially called soviet era concrete bunkers.