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How is 629 Eastern Ave, the Toronto Film Studios site, which is north of Lakeshore considered waterfront?

Google Map of Toronto Film Studios

He didn't bring Wal-Mart to Canada, he just became their biggest real-estate man after Wal-Mart started to abandon the Woolco stores for new big box megamonstrosities.

^ Sure, I'd accept that.
 
Wal-mart has existed as an integral part of the dufferin mall in downtown west for what a decade now? I can't really see any negative impact. Infact, one could argue that from a community perspective Walmart works better in the inner city than in a suburban or small town context where the presence of a Walmart shrinks existing retail options.
 
Ok, just outside the waterfront itself, but up against the East Bayfront and Portlands area.

The transit around Eastern Avenue is poor, and I can't see lugging up crap from Wal-Mart up to the Queen Car or to Broadview being that feasible. So lots o'parking for now at least - just like St. Clair/Runnymede.

I have a feeling TEDCO's has its fingers in this plan. I could be wrong, though.
 
I have rarely had the opportunity to shop at Wal-Mart, but the last time I did - several years ago - I bought a set of flatwear from a range designed by OCAD graduate Helen Kerr, for a very good price. Kerr's on the five member jury that will select the winning bidder to design Toronto's street furniture. A lot of what Wal-Mart sells is, no doubt, "junk" ... but not exclusively so: if their product buyers were more design savvy they might be able to stock the place with more such items and make their stores attractive to the many shoppers who might otherwise turn their noses up at it.
 
Vancouver, before ultimately rejecting an urban Walmart, really forced Walmart to develop a relatively urban and environment friendly store design. We can only hope that if we are forced to accept a Walmart at this location, that the city does everything it can to force/encourage a decent design (instead of just rolling over and letting the developer decide the design. Lord forbid that the land is controlled by TEDCO because we will certainly not see any design pressure if this is the case).
I think the lesson that Wal-Mart learned in Vancouver is that there's little point is trying to appease the urban-environmentalist crowd, since even if you do what they want they'll still ban you.
 
From what I've read, the lesson Wal-Mart is learning is that good design increases profits and going green conserves energy which also helps the bottom line - the same lesson other smart retailers are learning in a competitive business world.
 
Isn't that the lesson Target learned years ago - sell inexpensive, well designed things and customers will beat a path to your door?
 
Les Mandelbaum, co-founder of Umbra - which began in Toronto - sees Sam Walton as a successful role model.
 
That explains the good looking but poor quality soap dispensers and other products at Umbra.
 
Soap dispensers seem so silly. What's the point, other than spawning another product? Bars of soap work just fine.
 
A bar of soap in the powder room for guests? The horror! Only Fruits & Passion's Fieldberries for my friends!
 
Bar or dispenser? The great debate continues. I'll rush over to the Polls page and set one up ...
 
Bar or dispenser? The great debate continues. I'll rush over to the Polls page and set one up ...
Being the masculine-type, I like those puff-spongey things with gel in the shower. Now, by the sink, it's got to be a dispenser, as I can't imagine my two four-year-olds trying to hold on to a bar of soap.
 
I have rarely had the opportunity to shop at Wal-Mart, but the last time I did - several years ago - I bought a set of flatwear from a range designed by OCAD graduate Helen Kerr, for a very good price. Kerr's on the five member jury that will select the winning bidder to design Toronto's street furniture. A lot of what Wal-Mart sells is, no doubt, "junk" ... but not exclusively so: if their product buyers were more design savvy they might be able to stock the place with more such items and make their stores attractive to the many shoppers who might otherwise turn their noses up at it.
Case in point:
target_logo.gif
 

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