1142 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

I thought "schenken" meant "chicken" but apparently it means "give". Ahh...that clears things up. :?

A coffee shop is good of course. It still needs something else. There's still one vacant unit there, right? The dentist office looks kinda cool but I don't really think it's the best way of adding vibrancy to a little strip mall IMO.

[Icebergalley]

Deutsch-Englisch Übersetzungen für das Wort "schenken":

to present
to give {gave, given}
to give

Astoria has at least 2 spots available...

And the Belvedere has 2 including the large (1.5 story) at Blanshard and Humboldt..

[Galvanized]

I think it's a cheesy way to say snacks.

[Holden West]

Shouldn't it then say Imbißß?

[FunkyMunky]

A friend pointed out to me today that Starbucks has opened a new store on Shelbourne Street near Torquay Drive in Gordon Head. I can't find it noted on their corporate website so it was a bit of surprise that they snuck this one in. Does this mean there won't be one at Tuscany Village as I was lead to believe?

[Willa]

Bah! That won't stop Buckies from putting in one at Tuscany. They like blanket coverage. Keep in mind they have the two outlets on one corner on Robson Street in Vancouver.

[aastra]

The store locator at Starbucks.com indicates a "Coming Soon" for "McKenzie & Teakwood - Tuscany".

[Holden West]

Troubled Murchie's up for sale
Receiver-manager blames the firm's demise on increasing material and labour costs

Fiona Anderson, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, November 09, 2007

In the 1940s, Neate's Coffee, Murchie's and Dickson's Coffee Co. were the only coffee shops around, Neate said.

"[Murchie] was this incredible gentleman who was legendary in Vancouver," Neate said. "He was an amazing man. My grandfather used to talk about him all the time. It's very sad that this has happened."

But it's hard to run a coffee business when there are "big conglomerates around with lots of money," Neate said.

That's obviously a dig at Starbucks. But Murchie's has been here for over 100 years and Starbucks was a little one-shop store in Seattle in the 1970s. Starbucks invented a radical way to enjoy coffee than Victoria was used to. Murchie's had a golden opportunity to anticipate this and corner the market here or at least give them a good run for their money like the local Serious Coffee chain does.

This is like a horse carriage factory complaining about the Ford Model-T.

[Mike K.]

That's too bad. Murchies is the closest thing we have to a European-style coffee house. No other coffee places in Victoria match its ambiance and its food offerings.

[Galvanized]

After Mr Murchie passed away his wife took it over, the two daughters where supposed to take over from her but they both passed away as well. There has been a lot of grieving over the past few years so they haven't focused too much on the business. I won't get into details but it's a sad story. The new owner plans to keep all the locations open and to freshen up the Murchies brand.

[Mike K.]

I do hope the new ownership doesn't start introducing the bland factory food that every other coffee shop in town seems to sell.

[VicHockeyFan]

I don't believe that BS either, Holden. Look, there is no such thing as a high-end restaurant chain, because mass ordering doesn't work, and even franchises don't have pride of ownership. They could have done better.

[Holden West]

High-noon for high-tea at Murchie's
B.C. tea and coffee business icon goes into receivership

Last Updated: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 | 5:24 PM ET
CBC News

After steeping for 113 years as a West Coast business mainstay, Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd. has gone into receivership.

The company has been importing, blending and selling its specialty teas and coffees for the Victoria and Vancouver markets since John Murchie founded the company in 1894.

The elegant tea rooms and shops remained a family operation under current president Gwen Murchie, but now the company is up for sale.

David Bowra, the president of Bowra Group, which is acting as the receiver handling the Murchie's file on behalf of its creditors, said on Friday he believes a buyer will be found because Murchie's has a strong reputation.

Nobody from Murchie's would speak to the CBC about the sale, but potential buyers have until Nov. 27 to make offers.

At the Murchie's store in downtown Vancouver, customers were clearly sad to hear that the West Coast icon might change hands or even close.

Rhonna Eksyma told CBC News she's been coming to the 113-year-old tea and coffee merchant for decades.

"I just remember as a kid coming downtown … and we would always go into Murchie's," said Eksyma. "We liked the smell of it."

Lindsay Mcintosh, another customer, was horrified to hear Murchies had slipped into receivership, and offered some advice to potential buyers.

"I would really like to see Murchie's survive the crisis and stay in its traditional ways," McIntosh said. "The new owners would not be too smart to turn it into another Starbucks."

But others said Murchie's needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Passing by the store, Jean Marc said he favours Starbucks.

"I just walk by them every time. I'm aware of them but maybe they're a little old-fashioned, out of date," said Marc.

[FunkyMunky]

Has anyone noticed that the coffee bar at the north end of the MEC building (Government at Pandora) seems to have changed names. The neon sign is gone and a new banner is hanging in the window (I can't remember what it said; I'm old and it was yesterday and I only glanced at it when I walked by. Something Bistro?). Is this just a rebranding effort or has the joint changed hands?

[Holden West]

Yes, it's now called Red Dragon Bistro which is odd because MEC auditioned many coffee companies and rejected all the usual suspects in favour of Fresh Cup Roastery.

[aastra]

Anyone been to the laundromat-turned-coffee-shop on Haultain?

http://homefree.blog...ria-bc-new.html

[aastra]

But Murchie's has been here for over 100 years and Starbucks was a little one-shop store in Seattle in the 1970s. Starbucks invented a radical way to enjoy coffee than Victoria was used to.

If I remember my coffee history, Mr. Starbucks used to drive to Murchies in Vancouver to get the coffee for the little business he was running in Seattle.

But darn it all if I can't back this up with a reference.

[pseudotsuga]

Anyone been to the laundromat-turned-coffee-shop on Haultain?

http://homefree.blog...ria-bc-new.html

Yep. I dropped in briefly. Its plastic orange theme is rather different from the usual mellow greens & taupes of many cafes. Decent coffee.

I like that neighbourhood and intersection, hopefully the new cafe does better than the one that was on the other side of Belmont a couple of years ago.

[amor de cosmos]

If I remember my coffee history, Mr. Starbucks used to drive to Murchies in Vancouver to get the coffee for the little business he was running in Seattle.

But darn it all if I can't back this up with a reference.

I can back that up. I don't have a reference either though. My dad says Murchie's didn't change with the times, that's why Starbucks took off & that's why it went out of business.

related news:

Victoria's Belmont Management has bought Murchie's Tea and Coffee Ltd., one of this province's longest-standing and best-known businesses, with stores in Victoria and Vancouver.

More than a month ago, the Bowra Group was appointed receiver-manager for the Vancouver-based family firm, founded in 1894. "We have sold the business as a going concern," David Bowra, Bowra Group president, said from Vancouver.

"They are continuing to operate from all six retail locations. They have rehired all of the employees, approximately 52, and they are going to continue to use Gwen Murchie on a consulting basis." Gwen Murchie had been company president.

http://www.canada.co...81-e36f84dbeb68

never heard of that Belmont management before...

[VicHockeyFan]

Murchie's Tea sold to Victoria company
Family firm was founded in 1894; new owner is keeping all shops open
Carla Wilson, Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, December 13, 2007

Victoria's Belmont Management has bought Murchie's Tea and Coffee Ltd., one of this province's longest-standing and best-known businesses, with stores in Victoria and Vancouver.

More than a month ago, the Bowra Group was appointed receiver-manager for the Vancouver-based family firm, founded in 1894. "We have sold the business as a going concern," David Bowra, Bowra Group president, said from Vancouver.

"They are continuing to operate from all six retail locations. They have rehired all of the employees, approximately 52, and they are going to continue to use Gwen Murchie on a consulting basis." Gwen Murchie had been company president.
Murchie's has a shop on Government Street in Victoria and five others in the Vancouver area.View Larger Image View Larger Image
Murchie's has a shop on Government Street in Victoria and five others in the Vancouver area.
Times Colonist file
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Potential buyers had until Nov. 27 to make offers for Murchie's. The sale to Belmont Management closed Wednesday. A press release is being prepared by the new owners and should be out today or Monday, Bowra said. A Belmont official was not available for comment yesterday. The company is listed on Internet directories under the property management category. Murchie's has a shop on Government Street in downtown Victoria, and five in the Vancouver area. A roasting and packaging plant in Richmond is part of the operation.

Bowra earlier blamed the company's problems on increasing material and labour costs at the same time revenue decreased amid growing competition.