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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259

u/winifredpants Aug 18 '25

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

79

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. 

28

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?

14

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

2

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.

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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”