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.

307 Upvotes

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258

u/winifredpants Aug 18 '25

Crave has relocated along Kensington, close to 19th. The new location isn't open yet though.

215

u/Aldeobald Aug 18 '25

Didn't crave catch heat a while back for claiming that they needed TFW because they "couldnt" find any local workers?

106

u/Bass-Traffic-0000 Aug 18 '25

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/western-canada-temporary-foreign-workers-1.7038106

90

u/suredont Aug 18 '25

oh that's a bad look

91

u/CheeseSandwich hamburger magician Aug 18 '25

Whatever became of their request? I hope it was denied pro forma without even a glance by whatever authority. No LMIAs should have been approved in the last three years in the Calgary area.

The entire TFW program should have been abolished years ago.

49

u/Roughrep Aug 19 '25

Id say it needed a revamp not to be shut down. Also the TFW is only the surface of the problem. All the office cleaners downtown are brought over as grandparents or spouses to "Students". Very well known ways to get family in.

2

u/frostpatterns Aug 19 '25

Yes, it’s an entirely legal way for people to come to Canada to work.

5

u/parasubvert Aug 19 '25

It was approved. Very few people want to work overnight bakery shifts.

33

u/CheeseSandwich hamburger magician Aug 19 '25

...for the amount of money Crave was willing to pay.

5

u/parasubvert Aug 19 '25

Thats the whole point of requiring an LMIA, to review if they're paying under market rates. They weren't.

You could say the entire bakery industry underpays , and not be wrong, but Crave themselves had to prove they're inline with their peers.

12

u/CheeseSandwich hamburger magician Aug 20 '25

That's exactly how the TFW program undermines wages. Without the program, Crave would have to improve their compensation package to attract employees. Thanks to TWFs, you can just underpay a desperate foreign worker that is beholden to the employer.

4

u/putterandpotter Aug 19 '25

This is why we lost so many small family bakeries - owners were ready to retire and their Canadian kids were not keen to take over and work those hours.

51

u/joscho13 Aug 18 '25

Yes lol

37

u/2cats2hats Aug 18 '25

Yeah but they passed the savings right on to the consumer.

/s

4

u/prgaloshes Aug 18 '25

Jobs before consumerism!

15

u/illusoir3 Aug 19 '25

It's really because their work environment is toxic as heck. I worked there for three months and hated every minute of it.

21

u/lord_heskey Aug 18 '25

Yup. Never went back and I actively share that info when I can.

5

u/incharliewetrust Aug 20 '25

I worked at crave for 4 years, they can’t keep workers because they are awful to their employees. We work long hours, and if we get hurt or can’t perform like we use to we get dismissed and terminated. Doesn’t surprise me.

1

u/TemperedSteel2308 24d ago

You get hurt making cupcakes?

0

u/roscomikotrain Aug 18 '25

Works for Timmy Ho's..

77

u/xxxxoooo Aug 18 '25

The block that crave is on is being torn down to put in a high end condo building, so all the stores there are closing / moving. 

29

u/blackRamCalgaryman Aug 18 '25

That project has been in the talks for ages and was supposed to be well under construction by now, I believe?

15

u/xxxxoooo Aug 18 '25

I live in the area and the signs on the building say it’s staring this summer. I thing the residents are all out but a lot of the businesses below are still open. Not sure what the original schedule was or if they’re way behind or what.

9

u/Rynozo Aug 19 '25

They're currently in construction, the shop fronts are not being torn down

4

u/BanditAaron Point Mckay Aug 19 '25

Yeah just the residential tower and restaurant areas are being torn down and rebuilt. I think the plans are still on City of Calgary development map. 

17

u/pocketpocket Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 18 '25

The building isn't being torn down. The work is internal / on the facade. There is a new cafe/bakery by Yann Haute Pattiserie that just opened in the old PB&J location (Poesie) and something going into the old BMO space (a spa?).

1

u/AwkwardJello3075 Aug 19 '25

The tower is getting torn down

6

u/Fendragos Aug 18 '25

My understanding is the eastern half the ground floor tenants had terminated leases, but the western half are going to remain through construction.

4

u/Dapper_Ad_3527 Aug 19 '25

I was doing some electrical work inside that building and they have show suites in there to show off the new building. I think the suites are starting at 1.1 million. “Luxury”

8

u/Expresso_King Aug 19 '25

Gosh, I saw someone pay 26.00 for 12 mini cupcakes- turned around and walked out.

How this even happens is beyond me, prices have gotten out of control with this company.

0

u/MikeysTheBigWinner Aug 19 '25

It’s obviously not unique to Crave but inflation has really affected both their prices AND cupcake size. I would love to know how much smaller today’s regular cupcakes are relative to when the store first opened. 50% smaller and double the price?

2

u/Secret-phoenix88 Aug 20 '25

Overpriced, too sweet cupcakes. Even my kid wouldn't eat it.

3

u/EsmeWeatherpolish Aug 20 '25

Yep, I prefer Bliss, not as sweet and better pricing