The Retail Thread

[kw5150]

There are also copies of the "crave" franchise all over canada. I still find it funny how other people are attempting to copy "crave". I have had a few of the other stores cupcakes (weddings in saskatchewan) and they dont compare. And even more funny........the names are somewhat related to the word crave......I forget the exact names.... bliss is kinda similar I guess.

I think the demand for 3.00 cupcakes may settle down but like someone said above, they make a killing at weddings, birthdays and staff parties. It is too bad that crave is having to close a few locations but I think we all saw that coming. When I was thinking they would be a great franchise, I was thinking more along the lines of in every city, not every neighborhood. I hope they do ok because they really do have a good thing.

I am always just 5% jealous that they made a fortune off of cupcakes!

[jlowry24]

I'm pretty sure the Crave on 17th is still open - it's still up on the website, and it was there when I walked by a couple of weeks ago. It's closed on Sundays though, which I never understood...they're missing out on a huge amount of people strolling along 17th. I do agree that it feels less special/unique now with a Crave opening in every suburb. But they're always a huge hit at office parties/birthdays/etc, so I think they'll be around for a while.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by kw5150

There are also copies of the "crave" franchise all over canada. I still find it funny how other people are attempting to copy "crave". I have had a few of the other stores cupcakes (weddings in saskatchewan) and they dont compare. And even more funny........the names are somewhat related to the word crave......I forget the exact names.... bliss is kinda similar I guess.

I think the demand for 3.00 cupcakes may settle down but like someone said above, they make a killing at weddings, birthdays and staff parties. It is too bad that crave is having to close a few locations but I think we all saw that coming. When I was thinking they would be a great franchise, I was thinking more along the lines of in every city, not every neighborhood. I hope they do ok because they really do have a good thing.

I am always just 5% jealous that they made a fortune off of cupcakes!

This is exactly where I see things going. Crave should survive (as have earlier shops in Vancouver, I'm not really sure how much further back this goes but that was my first exposure to it). Specialty, boutique locations. And a very small handful in every city.

As for smoothies (responding to someone else's post) - you'll notice they are heavily marketed at the "health" food crowd. Eat Acai, it will cure cancer! Have some ginger, ancient Chinese thought it cured gout! Add it to your smoothie and you'll be disease-free (well, we're not actually claiming that because we'd get our asses handed to us in court, but we sure do try to let you make that connection). Etc. There's a huge market segment fixated on the latest curative. Actually if anything, the smoothie market is a great example of the "fad" effect I was talking about - roughly every year they seem to bring out a new improved antioxidant, ancient herbal remedy, or some other nonsense they toss into your fruit milkshake ... err I mean healthy beverage. Is wheatgrass still the latest cure-all craze, or are they onto something else yet? I haven't had a smoothie in a while, ever since having my first experience vomitting as an adult after a good old Booster Juice.

Anyway, smoothies can survive easily by playing up the healthfood angle. Can anyone honestly see Crave trying to play up the healtiness of buttercream icing?

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by kw5150

There are also copies of the "crave" franchise all over canada. I still find it funny how other people are attempting to copy "crave".

Crave is just a copy of something the owner saw in NYC.

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Anyway, smoothies can survive easily by playing up the healthfood angle. Can anyone honestly see Crave trying to play up the healtiness of buttercream icing?

It's CAKE. It'll survive because they're selling little CAKES.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by h0twired

Crave is just a copy of something the owner saw in NYC.

Nope- their inspiration was Cupcakes in Vancouver. And they're "owners," sisters from High River.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Nope- their inspiration was Cupcakes in Vancouver. And they're "owners," sisters from High River.

Is that true? My first exposure to this was years ago in Vancouver but I never bothered researching to find out where this whole thing started. Sorta cool to have been to the first if so.

[Ramsayfarian]

Speaking of cakes and such, Nectar in Inglewood is closing at the end of the month.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

Speaking of cakes and such, Nectar in Inglewood is closing at the end of the month.

Actually their last day is Sunday. I've heard so many service horror stories about Nectar that I'm genuinely surprised they've managed this long.

Sucks that Calgary has so few- well none, really- dedicated dessert places that are open late, but there is better pastry and better coffee and better service at umpteen places around town now.

ETA that Chocolate Bar, which is a block from my house, is a "dedicated dessert place" that's open late. Carry on.

[Rusty van Reddick]

fw, the whole cupcake trend did start in NYC, at Magnolia Bakery, but as anybody knows they didn't INVENT the damn things.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Actually their last day is Sunday. I've heard so many service horror stories about Nectar that I'm genuinely surprised they've managed this long.

Sucks that Calgary has so few- well none, really- dedicated dessert places that are open late, but there is better pastry and better coffee and better service at umpteen places around town now.

ETA that Chocolate Bar, which is a block from my house, is a "dedicated dessert place" that's open late. Carry on.

I've heard the service was lacking. Luckily that was never the case when I was there. Mind you, I would only pop in to get something to go.

[Me&You]

I never had any service issues the few times I was at Nectar. However, I was always there at lunch or early evening.

Not surprised to see an open-late dessert place close in Inglewood... I would expect them to do better in an area that isn't dead in the evenings

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by Me&You

I never had any service issues the few times I was at Nectar. However, I was always there at lunch or early evening.

Not surprised to see an open-late dessert place close in Inglewood... I would expect them to do better in an area that isn't dead in the evenings

They're not closing due to lack of business, but because their landlord has decided not to renew their lease.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

They're not closing due to lack of business, but because their landlord has decided not to renew their lease.

Ahh, thanks for the info.

Any word if they'll pop up somewhere else?

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by Me&You

Ahh, thanks for the info.

Any word if they'll pop up somewhere else?

They're selling off all their equipment and fixtures so it sounds like they're done .

[Jimby]

Too bad about Nectar.
I noticed the Brooks Brothers flyer in the Herald today listed their location as Calgary Eaton Centre. Isn't that now the Core?

[sim]

Agreed, it is a shame. I don't fully understand why a landlord wouldn't renew a lease to a tenant that is able to comfortably pay (seemingly from the fact that they usually had people and what was said above.) Other plans for the building? Further insight anyone?

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by sim

Agreed, it is a shame. I don't fully understand why a landlord wouldn't renew a lease to a tenant that is able to comfortably pay (seemingly from the fact that they usually had people and what was said above.) Other plans for the building? Further insight anyone?

Most likely either found a tenant that wants the space and is willing to pay more or thinks that they can find a tenant willing to pay more.

[YYCguys]

Was there an elevator up to the 2nd floor of the Nectar building? I didn't see one when I was there last time and if there isn't, I'm surprised, as it seems accessibility is needed!

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

Was there an elevator up to the 2nd floor of the Nectar building?

Nope. In fact one time I helped a lady with one of those huge strollers up the stairs.

Frankly I'm shocked that Nectar stayed open as long as it did.