Volume 16 Summer 2003
Building Blocks
C
rumbling paint, faded signage, dark alleys and vacant buildings once typified King Street West from Spadina to Brant. Today, there are few remnants of this sad decline, as the former garment warehouses now play host to hip bistros, cool coffee shops, happening clubs, bustling patios, fashionable furniture retailers, and a burgeoning office population. Rather, this stretch of King is capitalizing on its historical ambience to reclaim prominence. Crush owner operator Jamieson Kerr calls downtown west the most dramatic area in the city. “These spaces have a lot of character. It’s not like I’m putting a restaurant in an office tower,” he says of his King Street West location. Restauranteur Peter Tsebelis of Brassaii agrees, suggesting his converted warehouse space acts as a social hub. “We’re following the oldworld tradition of connecting neighbours through dining and, given what’s physically here, it gives us a lot to work with.” Bringing the restaurants into the neighbourhood was part of a second stage in the development of the neighbourhood, explains broker J.J. Barnicke’s Tom Burns. “Allied’s first priority was leasing the office space, while further west, the neighbourhood was focusing on residential development.” Once a core of residential and office was established, it was time to tackle the retail market. “Typically, restaurants and cafés are the first phase of an emerging retail activity because they can bring people in to destination dine,” says Burns. “Rodney’s was our first major hit,” he explains. “And because of the press Rodney’s got, Old Hide House came along and because of
Photos by Tony Whibley
Creating a retail neighbourhood is a step-by-step process
those two, Mini came along.” Interior Elements, a high-end furniture store, was one of the first retailers in the neighbourhood. “We wanted to break away from the King East area,” says Interior Elements’ Jason Cloutier, referring to the critical mass of furniture and home décor stores on the other side of Yonge Street. “Most of our clients are designers and architects and this is where they’re situated,” he adds. Destination shoppers support the backbone of retail activity in the neighbourhood, and stores like Acton Leather Co. and Mini are seeing the benefits of being associated with KingWestCentral. According to manager Graham MacNab, Mini Downtown’s sales are second highest of the auto line’s 15 retail locations across the country. Acton Leather Co. president Steve Dawkins says his customers love the historic look and feel of the whole block, adding that he frequently heard shoppers commenting on the area’s beauty asking: ‘How long has this been here?’ “The buildings have been here for a long time,” says Michael Emory, Allied Properties president, KINGWESTCENTRAL “but the neighbourRETAIL hood’s just beginning. We're convinced that CALPHALON CENTER strong, local retailers will continue to INCOMING! enhance the distinctive character of the PATIO GUIDE KingWestCentral community.”
Inside...
– Yvan Marston
WHERE TO BUY WHAT Want to know who sells what where? Check out the KingWestCentral Retail Register on Page 2.