8289 replies to this topic

[lanforod]

They should move to Hillside. Lots of space and probably more customers these days.

[Victoria Watcher]

The public will get the chance to weigh in on plans for a floating spa at Ship Point, after the City of Victoria sent the proposal to public hearing.

 

Havn Saunas has proposed a Nordic-style sauna facility to be built on a barge to be moored at Ship Point, where it would offer saunas, hot and cold-water pools, event space, a salt-water pool and green space to relax and take in the waterfront.

 

Mayor Lisa Helps said it’s an unusual application, but it would be more of a community amenity than having a massive yacht tied up at the dock. The site is currently used for moorage by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

 

“It’s a community-rich amenity that’s going to be built out of 90 per cent recycled materials and will serve our community,” she said.

 

 

https://www.timescol...p-point-5891341

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 September 2022 - 04:34 AM.

[spanky123]

^ If they are willing to pay commercial moorage rates year round for access to the location then fine by me. For the summer at least it would either be them or a yacht anyways.

 

Don't see any mention of HAVN paying money in the proposal however.

[Victoria Watcher]

LePard and Butler also did a focus group with an assortment of retailers who were unanimous that, regardless of what crime statistics say, the theft and violence picture in B.C. is the worst it has ever been.

 

One chain used to have 22 uniformed guards in western Canada. It now has 322, half of them in B.C. Another chain is seeing the number of attacks on staff jump considerably.

 

 

https://www.timescol...larming-5905629

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 October 2022 - 05:50 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Great opportunity to take over an easy-to-run & profitable business with limited staff requirements. This local shop has been making high-quality wines at affordable prices for its customers for the past 25 years. The shop is known for its worldwide selection of commercial quality wines, produced from premium varietal juice. Customers come in and pick up batches of their favorite wines, or work with one of the experts to perfectly craft and bottle their ideal wine. The beautifully renovated space is what makes this shop different from its competition. They offer an efficient, quick, automated bottling experience. They have automated fillers and corkers so the bottling process is quick and easy for customers. This profitable shop is only open 5 days a week and can be run with limited owner oversight. High-traffic location with good lease in place. Easy to run business with room for growth & transition training available for a smooth handover with a liquor license that can be transferred.

 

$110,000

 

https://www.realtor....4946020/saanich

[Victoria Watcher]

$129,000

 

 

2372 Beacon Ave
Sidney, British Columbia V8L1X3

 

Long-established secondhand bookstore business for sale in lovely Sidney, BC. Opportunity to purchase business assets and goodwill of this approximately 3,900 sq feet popular bookstore located right on Beacon Avenue. Price includes all inventory (thousands of used books across all categories), fixtures, equipment and goodwill. Month to month lease in place but longterm lease possible. This turn-key operation is perfect for anyone who loves books, is seeking a new profitable business, or wanting to join Sidney's growing and vibrant business core in a beautiful seaside town on Vancouver Island, only 25 minutes drive to Victoria. Priced for quick sale.

 

https://www.realtor....dney-north-west

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clive Tanner dies (September).  Peter Tanner has this listing up today.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 October 2022 - 02:12 AM.

[Kapten Kapsell]

The 7-11 convenience store on Bay Street (former Alzu's location) has closed.

[Belleprincess]

The public will get the chance to weigh in on plans for a floating spa at Ship Point, after the City of Victoria sent the proposal to public hearing.

Havn Saunas has proposed a Nordic-style sauna facility to be built on a barge to be moored at Ship Point, where it would offer saunas, hot and cold-water pools, event space, a salt-water pool and green space to relax and take in the waterfront.

Mayor Lisa Helps said it’s an unusual application, but it would be more of a community amenity than having a massive yacht tied up at the dock. The site is currently used for moorage by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

“It’s a community-rich amenity that’s going to be built out of 90 per cent recycled materials and will serve our community,” she said.


https://www.timescol...p-point-5891341

I’d go there

[Mike K.]

The 7-11 convenience store on Bay Street (former Alzu's location) has closed.

Every single time I’d step in there, something crazy was happening. I’m not surprised.

[Matt R.]

Wark etc has been a dump for decades. Lots of friends had their first apartments in that area. We were always worried about explosions for some reason.

[spanky123]

I’d go there

 

I don't think that I would call a for profit service a "community amenity" but that would just be me. Either way, 99% of the public will only ever be looking at a barge which is not a lot different than what has been there in the past.

[Mike K.]

When the chief medical officer, the premier, and the minister of health make a unanimous claim, I tend to believe them, for sure.

[Barrrister]

Does anyone know if MEC is moving and if so were to?

[Victoria Watcher]

I think this was a long time coming.  I can find a way to be quite sad about this.

 

 

 

 

Capital Iron, the Store Street landmark that evolved from a ship-scrapping business in the 1930s to a retailer selling everything from cookware and clothing to hot tubs, tools and antiques, is shutting its doors permanently on Dec. 17.

 

The family-run general store with the slogan “there’s no store like it” has been a special place where generations of Victorians could find camping and ­fishing equipment, patio furniture and hardware or forage the ­basement’s treasure trove of nautical parts and pieces.

 

“It’s sad, it’s pretty raw,” ­co-owner Mike Black said Friday after a staff meeting.

 

In a statement, he said he’s closing the store with a “heavy heart,” blaming the pandemic.

 

“[We] have survived a world war and numerous recessions, but could not overcome the huge number of challenges that arose from COVID-19.”

 

The company will close its Langford location at the same time in December.

 

The Capital Iron in Sidney closed three years ago after the company chose not to renew its lease because of lack of space to display its best-selling items like patio furniture and ­barbecues.

 

 

https://www.timescol...0-years-5959328

 

 

 

Capital Iron got its name from its history in the scrap business. Founded in 1934 by Morris L. Greene, the location on Victoria’s harbour was an ideal spot to dismantle ships. And by 1971, Capital Iron and Metals took apart nearly 100 ships of various sizes for salvaged parts and scraps.

 

The ship-breaking businesses morphed into sales of ship parts. And over the years, tools, paint, clothing and just about everything you can think of was being put on shelves for sale.

 

The company started buying military surplus items after the Second World War and machinery parts from dismantled cranes — even aircraft landing mats. The Greene family expanded with goods of all sorts acquired in government auctions, distress sales and fire and flood insurance claims.

 

The Capital Iron store is in two buildings on Store Street — the original stone warehouse was built in 1863 for Dickson Campbell & Co., an importer and commissions agent and consisted of two floors: a lower wharf-level floor and an upper street-level floor.

 

The building was one of the first along Store Street after the removal of the first Johnson Street bridge, which permitted ships to enter the upper harbour.

 

Few of the original stones have survived after more than a century, but several are still visible in the store. The longitudinal beams that span 120 feet with only one joint are also still in place, as are the cast iron columns in the basement and the iron shutters visible partway up the main staircase to the second floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

^ there is some more great history in the article.

 

 

 

This is from 2014:

 

Black became part of the Capital Iron story in 1987 when he married Ron Greene’s daughter, Eveline. The following year, Black left the Navy to work for his new father-in-law. “My goal in the Navy was to be captain of the ship, and now it’s a similar thing, only it’s a different ship,” says Black, 53.

 

https://www.timescol...al-iron-4607115

 

 

 

 

So Black is 61 now, although he has a younger apearance, at least last time I saw him.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 October 2022 - 04:47 AM.

[Redd42]

 

In a statement, he said he’s closing the store with a “heavy heart,” blaming the pandemic.

 

Pandemic had absolutely nothing to do with them closing. Other wise, they would have closed 2 years ago, when we did. When we kind of actually had a pandemic. Just been a very poorly run business for many years.

[Mike K.]

The Langford store, which I frequented far more than the downtown store, started running out of stock too much, so I stopped going. Buckerfield's, I felt, did a better job ensuring staples were in stock.

[spanky123]

Pandemic had absolutely nothing to do with them closing. Other wise, they would have closed 2 years ago, when we did. When we kind of actually had a pandemic. Just been a very poorly run business for many years.

 

Except that two years ago the Feds were paying 75% of your labour costs and your rent.

[Nparker]

Except that two years ago the Feds were paying 75% of your labour costs and your rent.

Even if your business was failing pre-pandemic.

[Redd42]

Except that two years ago the Feds were paying 75% of your labour costs and your rent.

 

Our landlord very graciously did apply for the rent relief on our behalf even though we also told them we were bowing out. We had a 6 month out clause in our lease which we pulled a few months after the pandemic began. Not all landlords are greedy capitalists. They even came around to say good bye in our last few days.

 

But yeah, Capital Iron, has been a very weird business for a very long time. And so is Cherry Bomb Toys. But at least Capital Iron has never initiated a "Go Fund Me". 

[spanky123]

^ I wasn't referring to your circumstance Redd42. I was just making a general claim that businesses held on during the pandemic as the Feds funded them. Now they are having to make tough choices.