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The future of Fort Street's Antique Row retail make-up | Have your say


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#1 Citified.ca

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 09:05 AM

Fort Street's Antique Row is undergoing significant change as new projects reinvigorate this once popular commercial strip in downtown Victoria. Fort Common, which has spearheaded the rejuvenation of the area's retail landscape, was the first step in turning Fort Street into a thriving and inviting place for local businesses to operate. Now the next phases are coming to fruition, and the public has a chance to weigh in on what an ideal mix of retailers should be.

 

There are multiple ways to provide your feedback. You can do so directly in this thread, or via Citified's Facebook page here, VibrantVictoria's Facebook page here, or by privately emailing your thoughts to admin@thesalientgroup.com.

 

Victorians-asked-to-weigh-in-on-future-of-Fort-Street's-'Antique-Row'-as-new-devs-transform-retail-landscape.jpg

 

Victorians asked to weigh in on future of Fort Street's 'Antique Row' retail make-up as new devs revive storefronts

https://victoria.cit...ve-storefronts/


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#2 Banksy

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 09:53 AM

A pocket pub like the one that opened on this block in the old tea place is such a great addition. I forget what it's called but people there love it.



#3 KAS

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 10:29 AM

Refuge Tap Room. It is really a great spot.
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#4 FogPub

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 03:53 PM

Please no more gyms or fitness centers - it seems like every new development has one.

 

But another pub?  Sure!


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#5 Rob Randall

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 03:57 PM

Yeah, what's up with all these fitness centres? Downtown's supposed to be about retail and window shopping. I'm afraid of making eye contact now walking past them. It's weird.


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#6 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 04:00 PM

it would be a bit silly of anyone to expect the retail sales trade to be strong going forward.

 

we are likely looking at more banks pharmacies gyms and coffee places.  and seniors homes.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 February 2020 - 04:06 PM.


#7 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 04:17 PM

 

we are likely looking at more banks

I'll believe this when it happens.



#8 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 04:30 PM

I'll believe this when it happens.

 

december 10, 2019:

 

Branches are making more and more money for Canadian banks, even in the app era

 

All of the big banks have posted increases in annual revenue per branch in each of the past three years, and sales have soared from a decade ago

 

https://business.fin...-in-the-app-era


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 February 2020 - 04:32 PM.


#9 mbjj

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 07:06 PM

And yet our branch of the Royal Bank closed...harumph.



#10 AllseeingEye

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 07:07 PM

Banks didn't really innovate their branch networks to the extent implied by that article; they did it primarily in response to credit unions which are smaller and generally more nimble in responding to customer needs and changing preferences.

 

When I was still at Coast Capital we implemented the Aperio-style branch concept all the way back in 2006 which, as described in that story, did away in theory with old style branch operations where customers lined up when and where they were told between traditional 'bank hours' of 9am-3pm, did their "banking" in line x, then shuffled to line y to see about insurance renewals then went to still another line a, b, or c to see a financial planner. Branch staff were heavily x-trained in various disciplines and technology heavily leveraged to facilitate more efficient customer service. VanCity did something similar shortly thereafter.

 

And now that the credit unions are able to operate on a national basis, and are no longer restricted to their home province, banks finally responded in kind. That critical development was authorized in 2012 when credit unions were granted a key regulatory change that allowed them to expand beyond provincial borders and operate as national financial institutions. In August 2017, Meridian (Ontario's largest CU) was first out of the gate and announced plans to go national. In October CCS, a much larger CU, currently the second largest in Canada after VC, made a similar announcement. The emphasis, in both cases, aside from revamping the branch concept, lay also on offering up a variety of digital and mobile banking options.


Edited by AllseeingEye, 20 February 2020 - 07:08 PM.


#11 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:38 PM

...CCS...made a similar announcement. The emphasis, in both cases, aside from revamping the branch concept, lay also on offering up a variety of digital and mobile banking options.

As a CCS member I can't say I am overly impressed with their "variety of digital and mobile banking options" so far.



#12 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 04:18 AM

 In October CCS, a much larger CU, currently the second largest in Canada after VC, made a similar announcement. 

 

but they only have once branch beyond the island and the lower mainland.  kelowna.



#13 Mike K.

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 06:17 AM

The absolute best banking app I use is RBC. It’s the Ferrari of our local banking world.

What about more street-side co-working or shared work spaces? Club Kwench seems to have figured this concept out. Regis at the Atrium is also popular but Kwench has really resonated. They moved from Fort (I think?) to Store at Discovery.

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#14 Brantastic

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 07:15 AM

The co-working spaces are kind of cool to see and bring young people to the area, but they can't be used by the general public as a whole. I'd hate to see Fort Street just become a tech playground. Places like that are kind of like a new, shiny version of ground-floor offices. I don't mind the kinds of spaces like Fort Tectoria which has a coffee shop at the entrance or the office building with Dak on the ground floor. 


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#15 Rob Randall

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 07:50 AM

Yes, I think gyms and tech hubs would be great on the second floor of a glassy podium. A beehive of activity you can see from across the street but not taking up the ground floor retail. But as pointed out, brick and mortar retail is not what it used to be.


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#16 Brantastic

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 07:56 AM

The amount of new gyms, spin classes, and yoga places is a bit lame, but I suspect we'll continue to see them pop up as more and more people live in the area. I wouldn't want them on Fort though. 


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#17 AllseeingEye

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 08:16 AM

but they only have once branch beyond the island and the lower mainland.  kelowna.

 

Bear in mind I have zero skin in this game; that said the strategy going forward isn't necessarily a bricks and mortar one: https://www.coastcap...s/2019/20190909



#18 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 06:03 PM

The co-working spaces are kind of cool to see and bring young people to the area, but they can't be used by the general public as a whole. I'd hate to see Fort Street just become a tech playground. Places like that are kind of like a new, shiny version of ground-floor offices. I don't mind the kinds of spaces like Fort Tectoria which has a coffee shop at the entrance or the office building with Dak on the ground floor. 

 

regus has a day-use option so the general public can use it once.



#19 Mike K.

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Posted 05 March 2020 - 02:15 PM

Any further thoughts on this front?


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