HEARD ON THE STREET A largely-vacant strip of Tecumseh Road East between Lincoln Road and Windermere Road, in Windsor, appears to be ready for a transformation with two vacant properties already sold and two others for sale. Brandon Ives has already planted his flag in the middle of the block at 1666 Tecumseh Road East with the mid-March opening of Skate Temple, a skateboard and accessories shop. “I’ve been renting the space since October and hoped to open by Halloween, but COVID-19 restrictions stopped that from happening,” Ives indicates. “I’m just happy to be open and it’s a great location with lots of traffic.” He is also a partner in Skate TF, an indoor skateboard training facility at Howard Avenue and Shepherd Avenue, which is just minutes away (SkateTF.com). “I had to choose between being close to a skate park or on a busy road and I went with busy,” adds Ives. Skateboarders are a tight community and Ives expects fans and enthusiasts will find him. Elsewhere on the block, there are a number of vacant storefronts, including Palazzo Moda, a bridal and formal gown shop, which fell victim to the cancellation of proms, weddings, galas and charity events over the past 12 months. The building is for sale along with an adjacent storefront, as well as a former CIBC bank building at the corner of Lincoln and Tecumseh. After more than 30 years working for U.S.-based travel agency companies, Beverley Power decided to strike out on her own this year and launch POWERBEST TRAVEL, an independent business. “I started with Travel Agents International in 1989 and that later became Carlson Wagonlit Travel,” explains Power of her career journey. A re-brand to CWT Vacations followed in January 2020. Once the pandemic hit a year ago and took a huge bite out of the travel industry, Power felt that she and many fellow travel agents weren’t getting sufficient support from CWT and she decided to set up her own
agency. “I’m confident travel will bounce back because there’s going to be a huge pent-up demand once restrictions are lifted and people feel confident about travel again,” she says. In the meantime, the industry has been decimated and many smaller companies have closed their doors. “It’s my stubbornness,” admits Power of her desire to remain in the travel business. “It will take time, but my phones are beginning to ring again, not so much for bookings, but for information about what people will need when they do start to travel again.” Power adds that this is likely the most important time to use a travel agent, rather than booking online, because local agents can provide all the necessary information about restrictions in countries across the globe. “If all you do is sell tickets, you’re not servicing your clients,” Power expresses. Great advice indeed! POWERBEST TRAVEL is located at 1206 Ouellette Avenue. To learn more about this agency log on to: POWERBESTTRAVEL.ca. A new three-physician cardiology office is under construction at 4440 Tecumseh Road East, in a space previously occupied by Golden Griddle and most recently Rise N’ Shine, a pair of breakfast-focused restaurants in Windsor. It’s just one of many projects being handled by Petretta Construction Inc. (PetCon.net), according to Jonathon Lot, the company’s Vice-President of Operations. They include completion of a five-floor modular student residence at St. Clair College, the first phase of Crossings at Heritage, a condominium development in LaSalle, the Harbour Club condominium on Old Tecumseh Road in Tecumseh, a new telecommunications office for Windsor Family Credit Union, phase one of three phases for a new condo development at 140 Main Street in Kingsville, a new condo on the site of the former Sunnyside Tavern in LaSalle, a variety of projects for Planet Fitness, and new condos on land east of Place
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Concorde on the city’s far east side. Now that’s an impressive project list! Van Niforos, owner of the Penalty Box restaurant, plans to open a second location by early summer on Cabana Road East at the intersection with Howard Avenue in Windsor. While many restaurants have been hard-hit by the year-long pandemic, such is not the case at the Penalty Box’s location at 2151 Walker Road. “We’ve been very lucky,” says Niforos. “But, that’s not the case for a lot of people in this business.” While business has been good, Niforos says he misses the people. “It’s not the same because I enjoy meeting people and seeing the same loyal customers coming in all the time,” he adds. When the new restaurant opens, it will offer takeout only, depending upon whether or not COVID-19 related restrictions are still in place. The Walker Road location will remain open offering all the same services as before. For more information, see: PenaltyBoxWindsor.com. The retail and hospitality landscape in Windsor continues to change. Chef Matthew Johnston, Owner of Amherstburg’s popular Artisan Grill is opening a second location at Devonshire Mall in a space previously occupied by Moxie’s Grill & Bar. An opening date is largely reliant on when Windsor emerges from COVID-19 restrictions and restaurant capacity limits are increased. The original Artisan Grill is at 269 Dalhousie Street (ArtisanGrill.ca). T. Kettle, a Canadian-based loose-leaf tea chain, is also opening at Devonshire Mall (updates on: T-Kettle.com) beside Michael Hill Jewellery. Also, at Devonshire Mall, Urban Behaviour has closed its doors after less than a year of operation in the former Forever 21 space. And in the neighbouring shopping area Winners has opened its fourth area location at 4339 Walker Road in a plaza anchored by the Real Canadian Superstore. Winners also has stores at 2430 Dougall Avenue, 7201 Tecumseh Road East, and 250 Erie Street South in Leamington. barBURRITO, a Canada-wide chain of Mexican restaurants, with 140 locations in seven provinces, has opened its first Windsor location at 7555 Tecumseh Road East in a space previously occupied by the Captain’s Home Furnishing Centre. The chain specializes in burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, gluten- friendly options and a variety of side dishes. Visit: barBURRITO.ca.
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