20 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

Good news for this embattled block.

Meens hopes to add new life to community
Opening grocery store in a tough neighbourhood doesn't worry owner

By Richard Watts, Times Colonist April 14, 2009

A new-age grocery store specializing in locally grown produce is opening on Pandora Avenue in a block notorious for junkies and shopping-cart hoboes.
Scheduled to open in June, the store called Village Family Marketplace is undergoing renovation and reconstruction at 920 Pandora Ave. which is a storefront formerly occupied by a housepainting business.
It's located across the street from Our Place, 919 Pandora Ave., a drop-in centre offering free meals and some shelter to the city's street people.

He Means Business
Monday Magazine

“First of all, I have the belief that Victoria is such a tight little package that there’s a lot of workable space that is sometimes regarded as unsavoury, and it’s only because it’s not being utilized properly,” Meens told Monday. “When we opened Mo:Le just about five years ago—I don’t know if you recall—but it was quite similar to this area, and I got a lot of the same type of response that I’m getting now to my choice of location, but the idea is just that if you really have something that is of value, and of high enough integrity, it’s a small enough city that you’re not really going to be cast out.”

[G-Man]

Are they required to have 30 parking spaces?

[VicHockeyFan]

This should be a little boost for Blair Mart too, we can hope.

[martini]

I'm really excited about this!

[Caramia]

So am I. I'm always anxious about the wellbeing of Blair Mart, and I am thinking this will be a big boost for them. I'll certainly do my shopping between the two stores.

[victorian fan]

Good luck to them.

[groundlevel]

Cosmo is an all round great guy -- and great family man -- and Victoria grown!

Man, all those counter-culture hippies sure knew how to raise fine kids.

[Audrey]

There are a whole lot of people who work close by that location that'll be happy to shop there. It's not all junkies on the block. I think it's really admirable that he's willing to take that chance on the neighbourhood and not buy into the fear.

[Downtownguy99]

Hi All,

Just discovered a new market in my area, it is a small local market that carries local produce, meat, and has a small deli as well.

Heard they had opened via Eat magazine and so wanted to give it a try. The shop looked great and managed to talk to the owner for a bit. Good selection of cheese and meat and he said they are going to open a small deli and prepared food section as well.

Really happy to see another market in this area, just what we need to bring in more people and give some competition to the Market on Yates...

It is in the 900 block of pandora, across from our place...

DTG.

[victorian fan]

Co-owner chef Cosmo Meens.

[VicHockeyFan]

Mods, maybe merge with:

http://www.vibrantvi...read.php?t=3664

[mat]

done - thanks for spotting it VHF.

[VicHockeyFan]

I went this afternoon kinds sparse.

[VicHockeyFan]

Sparser still, I guess.

http://www.timescolo...6211/story.html

Now, I might be wrong, but is the guy next door really named "Blair Mart"? The store moved to that location from its previous location at the corner of Blair and Larchwood in Gordon Head. Thus, BLAIRmart. Could be a crazy coincidence, I suppose, or it could be, as I suspect, just poor reporting.

[Holden West]

^Yeah, I heard that from the guy that owns the supermarket in Harris Green, Mr. Marketon Yates.

This is a good local business that deserves our support.

[G-Man]

It is a perhaps poorly chosen location. I would imagine that would have done really well in Humboldt Valley or even in Quadra Village.

[VicHockeyFan]

A sign on the door says it is closed, just for today. Of course, that sign may have been up for a few days, I don't know. Looking inside, there is next to no stock in there, I think this may be its death.

[VicHockeyFan]

A sign on the door says it is closed, just for today. Of course, that sign may have been up for a few days, I don't know. Looking inside, there is next to no stock in there, I think this may be its death.

Sign still in place tonight, mail piling up on the floor inside.

[jaylow]

I walk by this place almost everyday going to and from work and it has looked like this for a few weeks, i thought i was not seeing anyone there because of the reduced hours but sadly i guess that is not the case.

[VicHockeyFan]

http://www.usedvicto...ied-ad/11352113

For lease ad. Didn't know there was residential in there.