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[Fairfield] 325 Cook St./ Food Court Expansion | Stalled

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#21 julienne

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Posted 08 February 2009 - 07:05 PM

I spied the taco-cart of Red Fish Blue Fish on Saturday doing a very brisk business. A much better traffic location than Market Square for sure. I hope they plan on staying. A great addition to the neighbourhood.

#22 GRT

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Posted 25 March 2009 - 11:59 AM

The cart says 1 Fish 2 Fish. Is that the same as Red Fish Blue Fish?

Has anyone heard about any progress on this site?

#23 gumgum

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Posted 25 March 2009 - 02:36 PM

Yes that's the same company as Red Fish Blue Fish and they plan on being part of the food court when it's complete

I spoke with the Fish cart guy and he figures it will still be another year until we see something happening there. I asked him why it would take so long, and he told me that that's how long things like that take. ?? Apparently he doesn't realize a year has already passed since this thing came to fruition.
Things in Victoria happen so freakin slow! Especially in the village, it seems.

#24 concorde

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Posted 25 March 2009 - 09:03 PM

Last I heard they were looking for money or equity partners to make the project move forward.

#25 gumgum

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Posted 27 April 2009 - 09:35 PM

So it appears Mark Fagen has abandoned his plans in a way.
There is a piece of paper now covering the "The food court is expanding" portion of the sign in the window of the old Fairfield Cleaners. Now it just says "To Lease", etc.
The floor plan and rough renderings have been removed as well.
So now anything goes I suppose.

That side is suffering a bit. The former pharmacy, card shop and the cleaners now sit vacant...not to mention the second phase of Essentia Verde across the street.
Are we looking at an oversupply here or are we seeing a lack of vision for what could be?
Does anybody here think CSV could handle the same supply of retail as Oak Bay Village or is the area too close to d/t to compete with d/t?

#26 julienne

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Posted 28 April 2009 - 09:19 AM

I'm sorry to hear this. The CSV is so dismal looking these days with vacant buildings, and weekend junk sales on the street.

As a consumer and someone who lives in the village, I think the CSV could handle some tweaking to their retail. Everytime I try to embrace the village, I can never find what I'm looking for - my favourite food magazines for example - and have to spend my money in the downtown core. The drugstore is also overpriced so again I go downtown.
On the positive, Ambrosia has kicked it up a notch with produce and selection so besides some bargain canned goods at Oxford, Ambrosia gets my hard earned cash for groceries.
I for one, would definitely spend more in the village if they catered to more than caffeine addicts.

#27 gumgum

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Posted 28 April 2009 - 10:01 AM

We need a butcher!!!

#28 Koru

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Posted 28 April 2009 - 11:12 AM

We need a butcher!!!


no need for the baker, already got that! just the candlestick maker and the tub and the CSV is complete. :D - sorry folks slow news day up here couldn't resist

#29 Ms. B. Havin

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Posted 29 April 2009 - 10:08 PM

Are we looking at an oversupply here or are we seeing a lack of vision for what could be?
Does anybody here think CSV could handle the same supply of retail as Oak Bay Village or is the area too close to d/t to compete with d/t?


Cook Street Village could easily handle anything that Oak Bay Village handles.

You're just forgetting that anything that happens in Oak Bay Village has to be approved by the Oak Bay municipal government, ...while anything that happens in Cook Street Village has to be approved by the city of Victoria municipal government.
When you buy a game, you buy the rules. Play happens in the space between the rules.

#30 gumgum

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Posted 30 April 2009 - 07:12 AM

So you don't think Oak Bay has a large advantage because it's not walking distance to d/t? I mean, it's the only central hub of a large residential area. Whereas you can walk to d/t from CSV in less than fifteen minutes.

#31 Caramia

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Posted 30 April 2009 - 10:57 AM

Nah, when I lived in Cook St Village I rarely made it out of the village if I could get stuff there. People's laziness will out.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

#32 GRT

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Posted 30 April 2009 - 11:04 AM

The drugstore is also overpriced so again I go downtown.


A comment on this . . . One particular OTC medicine I was buying at London Drugs for $19.99 was $17.99 at the CSV Pharmasave (and $10.99 at Costco :-). I don't have any issues with pricing there, choice maybe, but not price.

On the topic of what we'd like to see in the village . . . I'd like another sit-down restaurant. The food in the pub is mediocre at best, the pizza place is TOO busy (and noisy), and Rosie's is okay but not exactly fine dining :-)

We'd also like to see a lab to complement the two walk-in clinics (the nearest is at Yates and Fort).

A butcher shop would be nice, but I don't think there's much money in that these days. Another deli would be good, too. A more modern grocery store would be FABULOUS - Oxford Foods is okay for some stuff, but it feels kind of scuzzy, and I'm loathe to buy meat and produce there. And a clothing and/or shoe store would be nice, too - something like Nepean at the corner of Oak Bay and Foul Bay, or Dots.

#33 gumgum

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 07:18 AM

Could somebody who knows this guy please contact him and find out what the **** is going on here? The place now looks like a war zone. There's garbage, rusting old cars and rv's strewn about in the lot, the building is getting covered spray paint, and there still lies a large hole where an old addition used to be in the back.
It's a complete disgrace. The Village is suffering from Swiss cheese like holes to begin with, what with its vacant storefronts and that perceptually permanent construction site across the street (although that starting to take shape). The last thing we need is this guy running a garbage dump right in the middle of everything.
He's really starting to piss me off!:mad:
Seriously, if you're having trouble unloading the space, or getting approval from the city, then fine. But keep the place tidy...and for eff sake, keep the public in the loop...even vaguely!

Marcat, you mentioned you knew him is some way in the past. Maybe you could contact him and find out what's up.??

#34 Bob Fugger

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 10:25 AM

The place now looks like a war zone. There's garbage, rusting old cars and rv's strewn about in the lot, the building is getting covered spray paint, and there still lies a large hole where an old addition used to be in the back.


I walk through the Village every morning on my way to work and it looks like Cold War Bratislava. Victoria has a Property Maintenance Bylaw (NO. 07-050) that includes subsections on refuse, graffiti and an unslightly property prohibition.

Just because buddy can't sort his life out and get some meaningful tenants in there is no reason to let the property go to shite.

#35 ZGsta

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 10:27 AM

Right on. With how insanely popular Cook Street Village is as a destination for people (not to mention us peeps who actually live around there) it's hard to believe that something useful couldn't be done with the vacant sites.

#36 Bob Fugger

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 10:30 AM

The drugstore is also overpriced so again I go downtown.


Not only is it overpriced, but the pharmacists are total dicks - with the exception of the short, older guy with an accent. He is great, but I never see him anymore. The guy that is there most of the time takes forever to even acknowledge you. Once His Majesty had nothing better to do than talk to me, he left me mid-sentance because the pharmacy tech had a call from a doctor waiting for him.

I have to admit, though, I was REALLY spoiled when I lived in Gordon Head with the Tuscany Village Pharmasave. The pharmacists were late 20sish and total studs! When I called to have my refill switched to the CSV Pharmasave, they knew exactly who I was and were a bit sad. Given my GP is out that way, I may just have my prescriptions switched back and damn the occasional car ride out there.

#37 Baro

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 11:14 AM

Not to derail but the little pharmacy on fort in the professional building with the Subway in it accross from safeway has some pretty great staff and service, I stopped going anywhere else.
"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"

#38 gumgum

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Posted 23 May 2009 - 05:57 PM

Of course I ***** about the progress of this project and today I finally notice some actually movement.
However haphazardly it's being put together, there is a small collection of food carts opening in the parking lot. Now joining the "1 Fish, 2 Fish" (which is awesome btw) are an organic, non-dairy smoothie cart and a bubble tea cart. (Who the hell drinks bubble tea?) I expect more coming soon, but they look very temporary. I assume there will be a more permanent setup in the future.

In the building, signs show that it's going to be gutted soon. How soon? No idea.

#39 julienne

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Posted 25 May 2009 - 06:57 AM

there is a small collection of food carts opening in the parking lot. Now joining the "1 Fish, 2 Fish" (which is awesome btw) are an organic, non-dairy smoothie cart and a bubble tea cart. (Who the hell drinks bubble tea?) .

I know. Give me a schwarma, a banh mi, some satay skewers, anything but a bubble tea and non-dairy smoothies. Blech! Heck, I'll even take a grilled panini.

#40 gumgum

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Posted 25 May 2009 - 07:12 AM

I tend to agree. I had one of the smoothies and it was good, but what the heck is wrong with dairy if it's organic?

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