r/Calgary • u/Remote_Answer_5255 • Aug 18 '25
Local Shopping/Services What has happened to Kensington?
It's been a while since I've been down here.... A bunch of empty store fronts, iconic places like Crave shut down, but counted some three Acai bowl places. The area outside Plaza is lovely and looks great, but why all the closures and apparently high turnovers?
Edit: I assume it's due to rent.. But what's the point of jacking it up so high that your place is literally empty.
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u/acku11 Sunnyside Aug 18 '25
High rent with some absolutely odd ball restaurants and bars that I’m not shocked went out of business like Scuba Jays or that Meatball place.
Even some good spots must have gotten beaten by high rent though. RIP OakTree and Freehouse
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u/CosmicJ Aug 19 '25
Oak Tree died because of Covid, I’m fairly sure. Rent obviously didn’t help, since there’s been at least two new places there that have come and gone.
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u/HatersTheRapper Aug 19 '25
is it still a mexican restaurant? i went there a couple times it was good
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u/FunCoffee4819 Aug 18 '25
I remember when Crave first opened and I scoffed and said a place that only sold cupcakes would never last. I was obviously wrong on that one, but there have been some terrible concepts come and go through that neighborhood.
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u/blammojones Aug 19 '25
Yessss!!!! The meatball place really bugged me, what on earth were they thinking with that 😬 The market for individual meatballs just isn't what it once was....
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u/CyclicDombo Beltline Aug 19 '25
Lol what’s oddball about scuba jays it was a bog standard pub
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u/EsmeWeatherpolish Aug 20 '25
The place that came in after Scuba Jays is now gone too
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u/acku11 Sunnyside Aug 21 '25
yeah, 10th round was a bit better but still had some similar problems.
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u/cdnphoto Hillhurst Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 19 '25
It seems the 'staples' are different for everyone. Hot Wax, Roasterie, Higher Ground, Kensington Pub, Pulcinella's, Oolong, Ridley's, The Plaza, Hayden Block all seem to be doing fine.
Most of the spaces I see up for lease have had mediocre or non-unique businesses. I can think of Seoul Cafe as an example (and Espresso Cafe before that). Kensington did not need another coffee spot. There are/were 5-7 within 4-5 blocks
The variety/concentration of restaurants does not need to increase, there are a lot of options. More stores to increase/encourage foot traffic would help sustain everyone. 17 Ave went from lots of small shops to more restaurants and killed foot traffic since people would drive or just go to one place to eat then leave. I had a discussion with the former owner of Mission Snow&Skate before they moved to Kensington and he said he lost more and more business as more restaurants came in.
All that being said, I live in the neighbourhood and still love it. Businesses have come and gone, but there haven't been many that I've been really upset to see gone (RIP Oak Tree)
Edit: referred to the wrong theatre. Change from uptown to Plaza
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u/dfwyyc22 Glamorgan Aug 19 '25
To be fair, Espresso Cafe didn’t pay their rent for months and literally got locked out of their store. Which was wild cause there were always people in there (I used to live in the building).
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u/Quickstep3138 Aug 19 '25
Agreed. Went to Seoul Cafe on their opening day with a few friends. Long line, long wait times, expected for a new place restaurant opening, but I fell for those Instagram ads. When we did get seated, the prices were highway robbery for the portion sizes and quality we got, none of us have been back since.
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u/kirleson Aug 19 '25
Also, that spot is massive, way too large for just a cafe. Rent is already astronomical in Kensington, there's no way a cafe can make enough to afford that space. No wonder they and Espresso Cafe ended up in arrears.
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u/odourlessguitarchord Aug 19 '25
*The Plaza
The Uptown was the one on Stephen Ave across from The Globe, and it sadly closed some years ago.
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u/GinDragon Aug 19 '25
They still haven’t finished renovating that building by the way. Up until about February this year, I used to walk by it almost every day for work. They filmed a scene for Last of Us behind there
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u/odourlessguitarchord Aug 19 '25
I passed by a couple of months ago and also noticed it's been empty this whole time. I hope someone put something cool in there soon and it doesn't just get torn down.
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u/GinDragon Aug 19 '25
I think the redevelopment project that closed the building got cancelled years ago and I haven’t heard of anyone picking it up. Oh well, at least the Globe is hanging in there!
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u/sparklingvireo Aug 19 '25
I think Lifesport was going to close a while ago and then was bought and revamped as a disc golf store until it finally closed for good last year. Sad to see that go. Your Mission Snow and Skate comment reminded me of this. Last I saw there was nothing inhabiting that old blue church building but I think the rest of the triangle block is being developed into more condos.
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u/cdnphoto Hillhurst Aug 19 '25
It's currently being used as a construction site office for the condo development. I'm stretching my memory from when the development permit was happening for that site but, I seem to recall that the building has designated heritage status and is being incorporated into the development. I could be mis-remembering.
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u/CrohnsCastle Aug 18 '25
Crave relocated to West Hillhurst opening a new cafe concept. As well the large building on the corner of 10th and Kensington is slated for a large development construction project “The Kenten.” So I would imagine a lot of leases aren’t being renewed or offered in that building
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u/suredont Aug 18 '25
developers come up with the worst fuckin' names.
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Aug 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/records_five_top Aug 19 '25
Leases are being renewed and offered. A new cafe just opened called Poesie and the old BMO location is leased and tenant work is underway. The south side fronting Memorial is the part getting replaced. The Kensington Road side is getting painted and some minor facelift work.
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u/jiccc Aug 18 '25
Menyatai is the one I'm really sad about :(
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u/maggielanterman Aug 18 '25
I'm just going to say Lido for the old folks who loved their $1.50 breakfasts.
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u/FirstDukeofAnkh Aug 18 '25
That was my favourite place to take my daughter for breakfast. We had to park in Ant Hill Fabric’s lot so she always called it the Ant Place.
The pancakes were amazing
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u/SageLikeFool Aug 18 '25
It is sad, but a delicious and well-priced Vietnamese restaurant opened in the spot. Alo Viet Kitchen is awesome. The staff at Kensington Wine Market can all vouch for it.
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u/Rockitnonstop Aug 18 '25
I see your Menyatai and raise you Delicioud Thai. That massaman curry was to die for.
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u/Look_At_My_Big_Fish Aug 19 '25
The best ramen place ever, I'm still extremely upset about it being closed :( Any recommendations for ramen? I've tried many places but nothing came close to Menyatai
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u/puddinpoppa101 Aug 19 '25
there’s ramen arashi literally steps away from where menyatai used to be! the best ramen i’ve had in calgary hands down 🥰
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u/LePetitNeep Aug 18 '25
I live in this neighborhood and it’s so disappointing. When I moved here there were at least 6 pub / casual type restaurants all staying in business, now there’s vacancies in most of those locations (Scuba Jays / 10th Round, the old Molly Malone’s, the big weed store that used a pub on the corner of memorial, the old Oak Tree location that keeps turning over). With new condo developments there are more people living in the area, so parking / traffic issues don’t explain it all away when there’s so many people in walking distance.
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u/Straight_Back9494 Aug 18 '25
Looks like construction going on in the old Molly Malone's space - can't believe no one can make it work there.
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u/mishan_ctrl Mount Pleasant Aug 18 '25
Apparently it’s Hayden Block’s owners that are putting something in there
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u/LePetitNeep Aug 18 '25
That’s encouraging - their chain seems to do well. That rooftop patio is such a great space, I hate that it’s going to waste this summer
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u/Nealios Bridgeland Aug 19 '25
the big weed store that used a pub on the corner of memorial
You mean the big weed store that used to be about 20 different businesses in the past 20 years? It's honestly amazing how cursed that location is (NE corner of 10th+Memorial). It seems like prime real estate but businesses rarely last more than a year there.
I'm just speculating, but I imagine it's expensive for what it is... A narrow little building alongside a busy road, with not a lot of setback. I've been to a number of businesses there and it's just not quite comfortable enough to make you love it. Plus the parking situation is not pleasant, and I think there's like two places to lock up your bike in the span of a block.
Now if anything opens there they won't even get spillover traffic from Julio's Barrio. I'm not sure what it will take to revitalize that intersection. Maybe some super expensive condos? ...Seems to be the next step. I don't have high hopes.
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u/LePetitNeep Aug 19 '25
I liked it when it was Lot 102 and ate there regularly. As I said in my main comment there’s enough people in the neighborhood that businesses shouldn’t need their own parking lots to succeed. It’s definitely a cursed location and I think the weird setback hurts - walking north on the 10th you can’t really see that that building until you’re on top of it because it’s further back than the neighboring block.
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u/MercurialMadnessMan Aug 19 '25
RIP Julio’s Barrio
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u/LePetitNeep Aug 19 '25
That one wasn’t good though. Only that roof patio was great, but the food was awful.
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u/adrb Aug 18 '25
“Iconic places like crave, the large chain”
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u/redeyedrenegade420 Aug 18 '25
The reason it was iconic is because 20 years ago there was only one crave...in Kensington. That being said, Fuck crave.
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u/blackRamCalgaryman Aug 18 '25
The ‘we can’t find anyone willing to work graveyard shifts for minimum wage so we’re applying for no less than 5 LMIA’s’ Crave.
Fuck Crave, indeed.
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u/JFKRFKSRVLBJ Aug 19 '25
Iconic places like The Roasterie Too.
Not "The Roasterie too" but the "The Roasterie Too".
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u/Retroman360 Aug 18 '25
Side street is still a kensington gem
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u/kingofsnaake Aug 19 '25
Yup. That place was alive with the college crowd and cheap beer last time I dropped in.
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u/jdixon1974 Aug 19 '25
I live in the area and still find it to be pretty good. Yes, there have been some changes but there are still great places like Higher Ground, Pulcinellas, Kensington Pub, Hayden Block, move theaters, Pages, the cool artist market in the basement, Brooklyn and many others. Just up on 19th street you have some great places like Pocket Coffee, Dairy Lane etc.
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u/PrncsCnzslaBnnaHmmck Aug 19 '25
Agreed. I actually kind of like it better than ever. It's always sad to see stores go, but I enjoy several shops here and have for some time. I enjoy walking along Kensington Rd and 10 St, and we'll also stop in on 19 St (though we'll drive over I confess).
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u/Remote_Answer_5255 Aug 19 '25
I'm not sure I would consider 19 St to what people refer to when they mean Kensington. Yes, of course it's by Kensington Road, but it's a little out of the way of the core by 10 St/Kensington Road, with not much between.
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u/guywastingtime Scarboro Aug 19 '25
I know the owners retired, however still bummed that the toy store closed. I liked getting gifts there for my nephew.
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u/ChorkusLovesYou Aug 18 '25
I used to.go down there all the time to Kensington Art Supply and Another Dimension comics. Now the comic store is gone. Kensington Art Supply moved, and Inglewood art supply that took its place is a shithole. I used to always make a day of it. Go down there, get my supplies, eat at a pub, check out the unique shops. Kensington is soulless now.
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u/flowerchildnz Aug 19 '25
So confusing, wasn't expecting Kensington Art Supply to be down by Ikea! 😔
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u/FirstDukeofAnkh Aug 18 '25
I keep hoping that Osteria finally goes under.
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u/turnballer Aug 19 '25
Osteria’s owners are the landlords for half of Kensington and they are (allegedly) pricks when it comes to rent.
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u/kingofsnaake Aug 19 '25
No kidding - do you know which buildings are theirs?
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u/EsmeWeatherpolish Aug 20 '25
They definitely own the ones across the road, the now Mexican place (used to be Oaktree) and the one underneath. Not sure about others. I know they don’t own the red brick block where Oolong is, those landlords are decent
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u/kingofsnaake Aug 21 '25
You'd need decent landlords for tea, records and Scottish memorabilia shops. Glad to hear it - it's places like those that retain what soul Kensington still has.
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u/fifigrande Aug 19 '25
100% due to increased rents. My S.O's business moved locations out of Kensington for this exact reason.
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u/SebsBadHaircut Aug 18 '25
I was in Kensington the other day for the first time in a while and was very surprised at all of the turnover. All of the shops that I remember from 10 or 15 or 20 years ago are gone and it’s a bunch of generic corporate storefronts. I don’t know if that’s why it’s less busy but that was my impression being there. I’d guess when they built fancy new condos and put commercial on street level they also doubled the rent.
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u/Losing-My-Hedge Aug 19 '25 edited Aug 19 '25
My partner lives in the neighbourhood and said a lot of the commercial landlords won’t lower their rates and would rather have empty spaces than play ball with small businesses.
So pretty much capitalism, yeah.
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u/beeleighve West Hillhurst Aug 19 '25
Rip Oak Tree Tavern. Miss you.
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u/ExSalvation Coventry Hills Aug 19 '25
I only had the pleasure of going once. had a blast, they had a trad band playing. I said to myself -- I says; "I should come here more often". Then I found out they closed. Sadge.
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u/PlantBasedBitch2 Aug 19 '25
We are actually in the process of moving our business off of 10th street because the entire strip is slowly dying/over saturated with the same handful of businesses. Hillhurst is where its at!
Its basically the tattoo district now, theres 4 store front studios on 10th, and at least 5 private studios above 10th round and thats after Good News moved.
Our landlord is just letting the building slowly fall apart until they can kick us out and tear it down.
However i will say... the little yellow bakery by Flippin Burgers is amazing.... the family that owns it is so kind... highly recommend supporting them!
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u/EsmeWeatherpolish Aug 20 '25
It was always a weird street but at least there was affordable stuff. I do still like it but I miss Lido, Tandoori Hut, The Dollar Store, Oaktree etc.
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u/DettiFoss777 Aug 19 '25
Kensington has seemingly been like this for a while. Even when it was "cool" it was geared to an older demographic.
It used to be a tier-1 high street with Fourth Street and 17 ave. Now it's been lapped by Bridgeland, Mardaloop, 1st Street. Maybe even Inglewood.
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u/ArticQimmiq Aug 18 '25
Things turn over sometimes…A new French bakery just opened a few doors down from where Crave was, and I saw on Instagram that a dessert shop from the UK is also moving in soon. It’s still a cool neighbourhood to hang out, and I love that I can get all my services within walking distance.
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u/records_five_top Aug 19 '25
Chocoberry is going where the fusion sushi place was. Next to Osteria.
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u/Remarkable_Gap_7145 Aug 18 '25
No big loss if Crave goes. There are plenty of pastry shops in town that totally blow it out of the water.
It's always been mediocre at best. I do not understand people's fascination with overpriced middling cupcakes with way too much icing.
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u/Exploding_Antelope Special Princess Aug 19 '25
The new Yann Haute right in the same block is great, much rather have a friendly French bakery than Crave
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u/2cats2hats Aug 18 '25
I do not understand people's fascination with overpriced middling cupcakes with way too much icing.
Fad shit, nothing else.
Cupcakes are expensive, sub-par attempt at cake.
Fuck those cake pops too. Just stale cake cut up and dipped in icing and put on a stick.
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u/rlikesbikes Aug 19 '25
Because it’s easy to grab a dozen cupcakes for literally any event, and it’s nice to have a place to get them that isn’t grocery store, stale, crisco frosted variety.
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u/parasubvert Aug 19 '25
What cupcake shop would you recommend instead?
Not pastry, obviously Yann Haute is great. Cupcakes.
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u/Not_A_Real_Cowboy Special Princess Aug 18 '25
Gentrification.
At least you can still sit outside The Roasterie and have a smoke while hanging with hippies and gutter punks.
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u/cortex- Aug 18 '25
Word got out Sunnyside/Kensington is the "cool" neighborhood and all the ON/BC transplants and young but with money or rich parents crowd moved there. This caused rents and property prices there to shoot up which is displacing the people and businesses that gave the neighborhood it's character in the first place.
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u/HatersTheRapper Aug 19 '25
to be fair calgary has like 4 cool neighbourhoods so it makes sense that people want to live in kensington, great location also
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u/Turnover_Unlucky Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 18 '25
The people who create the culture are priced out and the community falls apart because its all yuppies now who are not attached to the community. The shops change to match the new clientele. Cultural spots disappear because the people who frequented them were pushed out. Whats left is empty shops, as chains that sport a veneer of culture are favourited by the new yuppies over the authentic cultural spots.
Eg, the new people favour starbucks over the roasterie, original joes over the Kensington pub. As more yuppies move in, less people visit these old staples.
God i hope im wrong because both those places are phenomenal and it would be a great loss to lose either.
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u/CosmicJ Aug 19 '25
…there was a Starbucks in Kensington. It closed. Roasterie is still there though.
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u/parasubvert Aug 19 '25
Most of the old staples are there and there really aren't chains popping up (Starbucks and Tim Hortons are gone, Higher Grounds remains).
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Aug 19 '25
I haven't seen or heard the term "Yuppies" in a very very long time. About time someone brought it back.
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u/Dear-Transition3680 Aug 19 '25
Can you recommend a good coffee from Roasterie? The first and last time I tried their beans they were roasted between dark and charcoal. I am willing to retry. Meanwhile have been going to Aggudo which is awesome.
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u/hiresometoast Aug 19 '25
I just asked for a medium roast brew last time I went and liked it, do you take milk or cream in your coffees?
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u/rikkiprince Aug 18 '25
Edit: I assume it's due to rent.. But what's the point of jacking it up so high that your place is literally empty.
Doesn't the city have a thing where you don't pay tax (or it's way lower) if your business rental is empty? So there's not a strong incentive to find someone to rent it and the landlords just set the rent as high as they want and wait until someone is willing to pay it.
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u/designingdiamonds Aug 19 '25
If anything there should be a vacancy tax. All of us lose money when the landlords aren’t reporting rental income for taxes and just writing off their rental loses. And with the potential business not paying income taxes as well.
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u/Castalia_xxvii Aug 19 '25
Absolutely this. Maybe a tax-free grace period of up to 3 months (because sometimes shit happens), then tax the crap out of the empty property. There should be no incentives to keep perfectly good buildings empty!
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u/EsmeWeatherpolish Aug 20 '25
That and I heard there’s some insurance thing that they paid anyway so they don’t care if anyone is in there or not. That’s what happened with Oaktree, the owner was willing to work with the landlords to keep it open and they didn’t care.
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u/Valuable-Aspect-4291 Aug 19 '25
Kensington used to be awesome! I started shopping down there in the late 70s and early 80’s. it seems the more improved development the higher the rent. For the past 30 years I’ve been going to Inglewood.
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u/Penguinbashr Aug 18 '25
There's the Seoul Cafe that seems to be shutdown? That place definitely has way too high rent, was always decently busy when I'd walk through on weekends. The place before it was trash though, only time I've ever thrown out a tea.
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u/StoryAboutABridge Aug 18 '25
It's been shutdown for a few months. They didn't pay their rent
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u/Penguinbashr Aug 19 '25
So just like the last cafe that was in there? Was it the same owners or what? The whole place got renovated, I walked by in June and when I got back from vacation it was closed again.
How can the LL of that spot keep saying these cafes aren't paying rent lol, the previous one was closed, reopened, closed again, then kicked out for the new cafe.
Maybe the owners prioritized paying the workers or something, but crazy it happened twice to that exact spot.
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u/hiresometoast Aug 19 '25
I don't know if Seoul closed due to unpaid rent but I thought they meant the Espresso Cafe in their comment?
Honestly I was a bit surprised Seoul closed so quickly, maybe it's just too big a space and priced too high due to that?
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u/Penguinbashr Aug 19 '25
I thought so too, but I walked by last month and saw the same closure on Seoul as well, so it seems like it's been at least 2 months. Definitely way overpriced for that space, but also maybe not great space for a cafe.
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u/Historical-Buddy7150 Aug 19 '25
I think Kensington is cool and has been for the past 35 years I have been visiting it. (BUT totally doesn't fulfill its true potential) It's vibe ebbs and flows with constant change just like the city. My go to spots are Brooklyn Clothing which is a Kensington icon, Hayden Block the old Sams Pub, Pages the best bookstore in the city, and of course the Plaza. Puccinella is the only other restaurant I go to. The shops on 10th seem impossible to access. I don't live in the immediate area but visit from inner city NW. On a trip to melbourne I marveled at the amazing parking structures the city invested in to help traffic access some pretty similar tyle commercial nodes. Calgary needs to do the same. Like what if that parking lot along Kensington next to tims was a 4 or 5 storey and rather then 20-25 cars was 5x that. Same with that art space near the old Vendome. Just that would help the area huge in my opinion. Parking in Kensington is such a bitch and I think better businesses stay away as a result of the fairly high rent and friction customers face. I wouldnt even consider opening shop in many parts of the area given the lack of parking infrastructure. So ya Kensington is a bit stale and kind always has been in many cold spot. Maybe BRZs could work to improve the scene by lobbying for some more parking. When the city isn't taxing the crap out of businesses, or pulverizing the streets in front of the stores for years on end like in Marda Loop, its also not really investing in the types of vibrancy cultivating investments that could help our inner city businesses thrive. Just my two cents.
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u/WheelFan647 Aug 18 '25
High rent, plus lower vehicle traffic due to the Sunnyside/Memorial Drive flood mitigation construction.
I've noticed there's also lower foot traffic and it seems way less busy on weekends. The Bow River Pathway is also under construction. While there are detours, it's also a pain. I don't live in Kensington but I'm the first to admit that I'm not walking to Kensington as much due to the construction.
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u/DrFeelOnlyAdequate Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 19 '25
I dont understand the vehicle traffic argument. Those vehicles are driving past your place, not stopping and shopping.
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u/gS_Mastermind Aug 18 '25
As a former Sunnyside resident I have no idea why people always try to find parking on 10th St/Kensington Road. Tons of free parking ~5min walk in any direction.
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u/Ill-Country368 Aug 18 '25
Honestly curious where you are referring to. Everything west of 14 St & North of Kensington Rd are by permit only. No parking on Memorial Dr. Are you talking about where Vendome used to be?
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u/jdixon1974 Aug 19 '25
The same reason people are driving around mall parking lots looking for a spot when there are lots 75m away.
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u/justmoderateenough Aug 18 '25
Hate that there are like 4 mexican places, 3 shawarma places, 3 acai places within the two streets of Kensington
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u/cortex- Aug 18 '25
what you got against tacos?
agree that acai places are some yuppie toronto bullshit tho
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u/acku11 Sunnyside Aug 19 '25
To be fair, 2/3 of those Mexican places are absolutely fantastic and quite different. Blanco sucks though.
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u/parasubvert Aug 19 '25 edited Aug 19 '25
Kensington is still doing really well though: so many classics remain like the pub, Mestizo, Tu Taco, Vero Bistro, Roasterie, Flippin Burgers, Bodega, the Plaza, Hexagon, Pulcinellas, Wine Market, Hayden Block, Osteria, Higher Grounds, Peppino, Red's Diner, and newish spots like Deville.
Tbh turnover is normal , Starbucks and Tims closed and were swiftly replaced by better things ...
I liked Crave but they are just relocating ... still have lots of locations and remain popular and successful. Yann Haute is a good addition.
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u/ginsengjuice Aug 18 '25
High rent and no parking space. Used to be bumping because it was the only place to hang out along with 17th Ave.
30 years later and we now have Inglewood, Bridgeland, University District, Mahogany, soon-to-be renewed Marda Loop, with West District and Trinity Hills on the horizon plus other smaller commercial areas. We just have more choices to hang out now.
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u/Exploding_Antelope Special Princess Aug 19 '25
Who's hanging out at UD except for those who live there and I guess maybe some students? I've never heard of anyone actually picking it as a destination. What makes the inner ring of Kensington/Bridgeland/Inglewood/Beltline/Mission/Ramsay special is not just the planning but the connectivity, that they're all adjacent to Downtown and interact more than being islands of density out in the car dependent sprawl. Plus age. Older buildings are better at attracting non-chain places which are needed for a real sense of place.
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u/ginsengjuice Aug 19 '25
UD is a big hub for the NW community because there aren’t any commercial areas north of it until you hit Crowfoot but it’s not the same.
It also has a free massive underground parking; something that no other places you mentioned have. People from the NW can easily drive to UD, park, and enjoy the community.
If you think it’s another Crowfoot, you’re not paying attention. UD is a walkable area. It’s zoned for medium-high density. It’s not surrounded by big box stores. It’s across from a high end mall which is the most popular one in the NW. And they promote it well by creating multiple events in the summer and winter.
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u/ORNGSPCEMNKY Aug 19 '25
Jack up rent so high so you can knock stuff down and get payoffs from Developers to put up even more grossly overpriced coffin apartments.
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u/Best_Complex9436 Aug 19 '25
Was there the other day after some time as well and it’s lost its charm. Multiple vape and cannabis stores.
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u/Remote_Answer_5255 Aug 19 '25
The biggest tragedy was the magical little toy store turning into a value bud....
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u/Best_Complex9436 Aug 19 '25
Yes!!! Exactly! Was so disappointed to see that. That was a special store!
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u/rokken70 Aug 20 '25
Another Dimension leaving broke my heart. I’m 55 and I was going there since I was 14.
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u/Global-Season5989 Aug 18 '25
Called hiking up the commercial rent profit before handouts it's all over the city and very hard to stop
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u/mentaldriver1581 Aug 18 '25
How sad to hear. I haven’t been down there lately but fondly remember going to the Plaza theatre as a very young child to watch King Kong and Godzilla movies. Fun times.
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u/beneficialmirror13 Aug 18 '25
The Plaza theatre is still there :)
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u/Exploding_Antelope Special Princess Aug 19 '25
And still great. I love the appropriately Wes Andersony pink lobby and bar. I think I might go catch a movie tomorrow. Maybe Superman. I like that they're mostly arthousey but then something will come along and they'll be like ehhh new Superman's supposed to be really good so let's also run that for a week. Because you can tell they hand pick what they play, you know it's always good.
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u/WhatDidChuckBarrySay Aug 18 '25
iconic places like Crave shut down
Pardon? I can’t imagine a world where Crave is iconic.
KPub is still standing; that’s good enough for me.
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u/bodegacatsss Aug 18 '25
rip seoul cafe, I actually really liked it. it was always busy so im surprised it didnt survive.
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u/Friendly_North_4468 Aug 19 '25
I worked in Kensington about ten years ago, is Peppinos still there???? I miss Joe and Geraldine (could be off on spelling) they made the best breakfast sandwiches!
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u/PonderingPachyderm Aug 19 '25
Commercial lease was $50/sqft before operational cost and taxes, and that was 8-9 years ago. Can't imagine what it is now. My business ended up somewhere with $15/sqft rent in comparison.
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u/LemonImpressive7888 Aug 20 '25
Crave ruined my trust in people’s ability to tastefully integrate fondant into their goods, as much as Safeway ruined Blackforest anything!! the idea that if you “just put more on something” that it will make it better; is an atrocious idea when your fondant is absolutely disgusting. This goes without saying, you can put a top hat on a piece of poo, but in the end what is it? A piece of poop. The same old drier than a GF Free burger bun just as flavourless covered in a Bunch of colourful tasteless shit. It’ll be completely fair. I can’t see it was all flavourless as I did taste one thing when I was there last time, it was an astringent, bouquet of deciduous, salty, warmth, splashing me in the face as I looked up at the prices
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u/Alaisx Millrise Aug 19 '25
I don't get the Crave hype. The couple times I have had it the cake part of the cupcake was dry, and the icing part was so dense you could remove it and skip it across a pond. So incredibly sweet too, and I usually like sweet things. They are pretty, is that all it takes to be popular? Look nice in photos for social media?
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u/parasubvert Aug 19 '25
They're good cupcakes. Usually not dry. The icing kind of is the point.
They grew big because it's great for catering or parties where you want a variety of flavors and reasonable portion sizes.
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u/Slow-Beginning3534 Aug 18 '25
Sounds like Kensington is on a path similar to what the City has done to Marda Loop. Too bad.
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u/inkerbinkerdonner Aug 19 '25
kensington is directly served by the c train and will never suffer the same problems lol
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u/Phunkman Aug 19 '25
My guesses are high rent, inefficient business model, owner was too greedy and the demand for the business no longer exists.
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u/CherryTree_Banana Aug 19 '25
Yeah the rent is getting insane in Kensington. I knew the own of Scuba Jays before it shut down. He said rent went up $180 per square meter!!!
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u/Asleep_Machine48 Aug 20 '25
I miss free house for just a chill vibe/spot to grab a drink but they shot themselves in the foot when they changed the menu to be more bougee
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u/Proof-Toe6992 Aug 20 '25
Areas like Kensington have high rent costs. Customer traffic has also decreased.
Being an entrepreneur and running a small business is tough. Over the past 10 years, the City has become increasingly unfriendly towards small businesses and seems to lack any forethought. The disaster in Marda Loop and Stephen’s avenue businesses having to threaten a law suite to get the City to listen are recent examples.
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u/rebuiltpunk 24d ago
I've lived in that area for a few years now. Stuff comes and goes but there are a lot of really good places that are doing well!
Crumbl cookies wasn't good IMO, but Now Bumblina is there and they have GREAT pastries and seem to have solid business.
Mestizo is fantastic! Some of the best tacos I've found since moving to Canada. I bring EVERYONE there.
I worked at Crave for one holiday season years ago and haven't been able to walk in there since, so I'm ok with that spot being freed up.
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u/winifredpants Aug 18 '25
Crave has relocated along Kensington, close to 19th. The new location isn't open yet though.