Kitchener, two years later

[plam]

I'm finally back in Kitchener (haven't quite made it to Waterloo yet). Haven't been here since December 2019. I'm housesitting at the Kaufman Lofts so I walked around a bit today---namely down to Grand River Rocks at Charles and Borden.

It feels like most of the restaurants that were there in 2019 are still there, though not all. I remember reading about Gilt closing. I thought we had talked about Rainbow closing but I got a Jamaican patty today still. So the mass extinctions haven't happened so far?

Certainly there are more cannabis shops than in 2019.

There seems to be fewer holes in the urban fabric and a bunch of construction that is fairly low-rise directly on King St as a podium, going higher farther back. Certainly south of the market there is a lot going on. Also near City Hall.

I did stop by Marche Leos to get some groceries for supper, it didn't seem totally out of control. I also tried to get a flu vaccine at Shoppers Drug Mart but they were out of stock until Monday. Maybe I'll try Phamily Pharmacy in Waterloo again, where I got a flu shot in 2018 I think.

[danbrotherston]

I'm finally back in Kitchener (haven't quite made it to Waterloo yet). Haven't been here since December 2019. I'm housesitting at the Kaufman Lofts so I walked around a bit today---namely down to Grand River Rocks at Charles and Borden.

It feels like most of the restaurants that were there in 2019 are still there, though not all. I remember reading about Gilt closing. I thought we had talked about Rainbow closing but I got a Jamaican patty today still. So the mass extinctions haven't happened so far?

Certainly there are more cannabis shops than in 2019.

There seems to be fewer holes in the urban fabric and a bunch of construction that is fairly low-rise directly on King St as a podium, going higher farther back. Certainly south of the market there is a lot going on. Also near City Hall.

I did stop by Marche Leos to get some groceries for supper, it didn't seem totally out of control. I also tried to get a flu vaccine at Shoppers Drug Mart but they were out of stock until Monday. Maybe I'll try Phamily Pharmacy in Waterloo again, where I got a flu shot in 2018 I think.

I walked around uptown a few weeks back, I think there was much more turnover there.

[plam]

I walked around uptown a few weeks back, I think there was much more turnover there.

We'll see when I get there I guess. I just went to the SDM to mail something but haven't walked around yet.

[jeffster]

I walked around uptown a few weeks back, I think there was much more turnover there.

We'll see when I get there I guess. I just went to the SDM to mail something but haven't walked around yet.

I big problem in UT Waterloo was all the years of construction that really hit businesses hard, LRT, street and landscaping, bike lanes, etc. I can't remember if it was 4 or 5 years (or more) of disruptions, but too much for some of the businesses. Though I don't see too many empty store fronts, though there are a lot of cannabis retailers now filling in those holes.

[ac3r]

Uptown still sucked even before the LRT construction. There's really nothing there but a few restaurants and some awful bars for early 20 year olds...

[Acitta]

Uptown still sucked even before the LRT construction. There's really nothing there but a few restaurants and some awful bars for early 20 year olds...

Well, the Jazz Room is there. That is a great place.

[nms]

Has the overall retail commercial footprint changed in Waterloo Region? I know that some (if not many) of the retail closures in Uptown Waterloo were the results of the retirement or (in at least one case) death of the owner. Others, such as the closing of the Atrium came from the building being sold for redevelopment. If commercial foot/bike/car traffic shifted elsewhere, I could understand the vacant storefronts in the core. But has the traffic shifted elsewhere? (I personally avoid most in person retail situations this year... thank you Covid!)

[panamaniac]

The biggest shift would be from brick and mortar to on-line shopping, no?

[plam]

Has the overall retail commercial footprint changed in Waterloo Region? I know that some (if not many) of the retail closures in Uptown Waterloo were the results of the retirement or (in at least one case) death of the owner. Others, such as the closing of the Atrium came from the building being sold for redevelopment.  If commercial foot/bike/car traffic shifted elsewhere, I could understand the vacant storefronts in the core. But has the traffic shifted elsewhere? (I personally avoid most in person retail situations this year... thank you Covid!)

Fritsch Fragranes and Rejeanne's Boutique in Kitchener as well, yes. I don't think traffic has shifted, but as panamaniac pointed out, I'm sure online is doing way better than it used to.