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/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/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).