[Greenspace]

Signs up at Canada Permanent for bar and home style studio. Rumour is McDavid's purchased it.

 

[Coprolite]

With the less freezing weather, the other half and I decided to take the train downtown, have a winter patio dinner, then head over to City Hall to hit the ice for a bit.

Most times of year, Churchill Square isn't exactly my favourite place to linger, but in mid-winter I'll make an exception. On a good night, that rink is full of activity, and it attracts a more interesting cross section than the Legislature or Ice District outdoor rinks, including people of all ages coming to learn to skate. Part of it is probably the free skate rentals. The warming domes are a nice touch, and there seems to be a bit more oomph to the lights this year.

 

[EdmTrekker]

What is a home style studio?

 

[Gronk!]

Signs up at Canada Permanent for bar and home style studio. Rumour is McDavid's purchased it.

If the rumour is true then it's nice to see McJesus putting his millions of dollars to good use!

 

[archited]

^^ essentially a high end furniture plus fixtures store with an emphasis on luxe design -- e.g. https://luxesource.com. This fits with the notion that McDavid purchased the building fulfilling, I am certain, a dream location for his wife's residential interior design business. The bar concept going with the design studio is also a luxe appointment -- I don't know but I am guessing that it will serve champagne, wines, and liqueurs to exclusive clientele à la Bar Henry.

 

[IanO]

Great to see that building coming back to life and with a neat use to boot.

 

[David A]

Sounds fairly high end, but also nice to see an actual retail store fill this empty space downtown. There are huge gaps in retail that have developed downtown particularly over the last 5 years or so.

Part of making downtown more attractive for more residents and for more people to come downtown again is to start to fill some of these gaps.

 

[Kosy123]

Personally hope that downtown can attract some of the less notable brands in the city as tenants in City Centre mall or for street facing retail, especially as they get pushed out of major shopping malls.

I read on Reddit that Urban Outfitters in WEM is closing due to a doubling on their rent and offering downtown as a cost effective area replacement could be a solution.

 

[IanO]

It's pretty sad that in a city of 1mil and region of 1.6 that you cannot do 'regular' Christmas shopping in your Downtown core.

Embarrassing really.

 

[Gronk!]

Personally hope that downtown can attract some of the less notable brands in the city as tenants in City Centre mall or for street facing retail, especially as they get pushed out of major shopping malls.

I read on Reddit that Urban Outfitters in WEM is closing due to a doubling on their rent and offering downtown as a cost effective area replacement could be a solution.

Good lord, I hope Urban Outfitters relocate to downtown "West Edmonton" soon!

 

[The_Cat]

If Strathcona can attract new tenants, perhaps City Centre, Manulife and Commerce Place could promote their space together. I think Ice District and Stantec would also be attractive.

 

[IanO]

Sadly, Dalla on RHW is done as of Dec 31.

https://www.instagram.com/dallayeg/?hl=en

 

[Barnaby]

The Mcdavids spend alot of time enjoying Downtown restaurants/cocktail bars. You'll see Lauren out with friends on random nights of the week. She definitely has a pulse on the restaurant/hospitality scene in Edmonton, and will create something cool, whatever it is.

 

[Gronk!]

Sadly, Dalla on RHW is done as of Dec 31.

https://www.instagram.com/dallayeg/?hl=en

Sad - but then again it's likely been hard to compete with neighbors such as Bianco, Sherlock Holmes and OEB, which are always full.

 

[Greenspace]

Agreed. Also end of an era though. Zenari's has had a presence downtown for several generations, sad to see it go but hopefully they can land on their feet somewhere.