53 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

In Langford today, I noticed a new Oak Bay Bikes location on Kelly Road.

It got me thinking about local businesses that have names that have nothing to do with their location. Usually because the business has relocated or made a second branch and decided to keep the old name.

There's Hillside Printing (on Nanaimo Street).
Broadmead Flowers (on Shelbourne, just north of Bay)
Oak Bay Flowers on Douglas at Pandora

On a related note, visit the Upstairs Hair Salon's new downstairs location.

Any others?

[D.L.]

Old Town Strings is on Hillside, and Cedar Hill Auto is right beside Hillside Printing on Nanaimo.

[Coreyburger]

London Drugs

[Bingo]

China Cleaners on lower Johnson Street.

[VicHockeyFan]

American Apparel, although technically it's right. But nobody ever accused us of living in America.

[Holden West]

London Drugs is disqualified because this Vancouver-originated chain was named after the British capital.

Old Town Strings is a good one. I forgot about that.

[jklymak]

American Apparel, although technically it's right. But nobody ever accused us of living in America.

? American Apparel is an American chain out of LA.

[sebberry]

In Langford today, I noticed a new Oak Bay Bikes location on Kelly Road.

There's also one in Nanaimo

[VicHockeyFan]

? American Apparel is an American chain out of LA.

I know, I'm giving wrong answers on purpose. I'm also pretty sure it's mostly Chinese Apparel in origin.

[VicHockeyFan]

Irish Linen
Japanese Village

[yodsaker]

American Apparel, although technically it's right. But nobody ever accused us of living in America.

There are a lot of people who insist we live "here in the North-west".
I get baffled looks when I note that we are in SW Canada according to the map. Maybe some of these people have already abandoned Canada in their mind.

There's Oak Bay Optical on north Quadra Street.

[VicHockeyFan]

Which kind of gets me thinking. If you have an American-style restaurant in the rest of the world, they'll think of standard NA dishes, or maybe a US diner style. Do they have any Canadian-style restaurants in the rest of the world? I mean, we don't have any New Zealand-style restaurants around here.

Am I off topic?

[Holden West]

There's Oak Bay Optical on north Quadra Street.

It looks like Oak Bay is the runaway winner in the prestige naming contest. Kinda like all the companies with "Cadillac" in their name.

[jklymak]

I know, I'm giving wrong answers on purpose. I'm also pretty sure it's mostly Chinese Apparel in origin.

Nah, their whole shtick is that they use sweatshop labour right in the US of A...

http://www.americana...ct/profile.html

[yodsaker]

Which kind of gets me thinking. If you have an American-style restaurant in the rest of the world, they'll think of standard NA dishes, or maybe a US diner style. Do they have any Canadian-style restaurants in the rest of the world? I mean, we don't have any New Zealand-style restaurants around here.

Am I off topic?

What would a kiwi resto be like? I've never been there.
What style would distinguish it as a CDN resto?
Fur trapper paraphernalia decor? Mountie pics and other cliches?
Brian Adams on the CD changer? Ouch.
The menu would be limited and not too sexy.
Butter tarts? Yawn.
Fish n'brewis? Even some newfies have a hard time getting that down.
Poutine? Quebec, really.

I've been in CDN bars/pubs in Asia but they had to have a big maple leaf flag and large hockey posters for anyone to know.

[VicHockeyFan]

Nah, their whole shtick is that they use sweatshop labour right in the US of A...

http://www.americana...ct/profile.html

Huh, I did not know that.

[Mike K.]

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour.

[aastra]

Victoria Lampshade Shop:
http://maps.google.c...,181.78,,0,1.63

The southwestern part of Canada is in the northwestern part of North America. In my life I've never called it the southwest and I doubt it would ever catch on if we started doing it now.

[tedward]

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour.

I guess Victoria Marriott Humboldt Valley doesn't have the same cachet.

[VicHockeyFan]

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour.

I think that's fine. Ross Bay Pub. James Bay whatever. It need not be at water's edge.