Jak's View of Vancouver v.3

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I did the walk on Monday in bright sunshine. Cool, but a relief from several days rain with more to come. The seasons are moving on apace.

The Social at 1812 Commercial has revamped and re-opened its rooftop patio in time for the early summer.

Image: Georgia Straight

Fratelli’s Bakery at 1795 Commercial, and Livia at 1399 Commercial made it onto Dished’s Top Bakeries in the City.

Sal y Limon at 1752 Commercial is lauded as one of the city’s best cheap eats according to the Georgia Straight.

Take Thai Home at 1736 Commercial has closed and the storefront is vacant. They have switched to a delivery model based, I believe, in Burnaby.

The situation at the eastside intersection of Commercial and Graveley has become more interesting. On the south-east corner, the former Norman‘s is still closed. I now hear that the new owners are thinking of opening a diner-style restaurant on the site. On the north-east corner, both Dolce Amore and Hanai are still closed after the fire. However, it has been suggested that when Dolce Amore receive the go-ahead to rebuild, they may take both spaces as Hanai will probably not come back. Just street talk, though; nothing definite.

In Changes #142 we noted that Karma Optical at 1325 Commercial was closing. It is morphing into Karma Optometry under new management.

The corner boutique at 1204 Commercial has got itself a bright — very bright — new paint job.

As noted last month, Community Taps at 1191 Commercial has closed. It is, apparently, to be replaced by a new location for the Sing Sing Beer Bar, part of the Freehouse Collective which recently has been going through a Creditors Arrangement refinancing and reorganization. Speculation is that early May will be its opening. I hope they try to get some community goodwill by replacing the mural that used to grace the exterior but has recently been whitewashed.

At 1105 Commercial, Sweet Cherubim also makes it onto Georgia Straight‘s list of cheap eats.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2105 Commercial, 2062 Commercial, 1736 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1588 Commercial, 1414 Commercial, 1409 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1204 Commercial, 1191 Commercial, 938 Commercial.

This does not include Hanai or Doce Amore which are still closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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We’ll start this month by noting that Commercial Drive was named one of the 30 coolest streets on the planet by Time Out magazine. It reminds me that back in the 90s we were declared one of the hippest neighbourhoods by Utne Reader Magazine. This year, we made it into the top five along with streets in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Austin, and Buenos Aires.

“Hip by default, the Drive (as it’s known to locals) also boasts a family-owned bowling alley, a plethora of coffee shops (try finding a seat on a nice day), no fewer than four used book shops and three record stores – and more pizza (and pizza slice) joints than you can shake a pepperoni stick at.”

That’s all true enough, and they don’t even mention the grocery stores, the bakeries, the rich diversity of racial and linguistic and sexual residents, and the genuine sense of community that pervades the neighbourhood.

The Georgia Straight has an interesting article about the various Canadian Legion halls in East Vancouver, much of which is about our own hall at 2205 Commercial Drive.

Harambe Ethiopian at 2149 Commercial gets a shout out as one of Daily Hive‘s most under-rated restaurants.

Rinconcito Salvadoreño at 2062 Commercial closed on 30th March after 26 years on the Drive.

With the Vet Family Restaurants move across the street, 431 Commercial has now become the Beeryani Indian Kitchen.

As mentioned last month, the Don’t Argue Pizzeria has opened in part of Cafe Soccavo at 1321 Commercial. Scout Magazine and Daily Hive have the full run down.

Open now at 1250 Commercial is Mocktails, Vancouver’s first alcohol-free liquour store. In an interview with Daily Hive, the owner, Angela, says ““With the opening of Mocktails, I hope to offer a beautiful space where you want to spend your time, a comfortable place to explore and experience all the thoughtfully selected varieties of non-alcoholic wines, spirits, beers, premixed drinks, bitters, aperitifs, syrups, mixers, and more… as well as our carefully curated selection of unique vintage barware.”

CBC did an interesting piece on the growth of the non-alcoholic market place on the Drive featuring both Mocktails and the Canteen.

As suggested last month, Community Taps at 1191 Commercial has closed. That is unfortunate, as is the fact that the wonderfully colourful mural by Chairman Ting that graced its exterior has also been painted over, presumably by the new business that will be moving in. It will be missed.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2105 Commercial, 2062 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1414 Commercial, 1409 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1204 Commercial, 1191 Commercial, 938 Commercial.

This does not include Dolce Amore or Hanai which are still closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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On Thursday we got a brief respite between rain and snow showers which allowed me to drive up and down the Drive. It was bright but cold and windy.

As promised, the Fish Counter is now open at 1818 Commercial.

Karma Optical at 1325 Commercial is closing.

Next door at 1321 Commercial, it seems that Don’t Argue Pizzeria is taking over some space from Caffe Soccavo.

The storefront (and house behind) at 1314 Commercial has been sold for $2.35 million. Many people may remember it as the location of Beckwoman’s store which occupied the front from 1989 until a few years ago, but it had a long history prior to that. The first house on the lot was a BC Mills pre-fab erected in the first decade of the 1900s. In 1928, that house was lifted and moved to the back of the lot, allowing Fiore Marini, an Italian immigrant to build a small store on the Drive for his shoe repair business.

1314 Commercial in 1978 (CVA 786-78.18)

Marini’s Shoe Hospital stayed in business until 1981. The house in back was usually a residence but also, on occasion, housed a physiotherapy and chiropractic business. The building was badly damaged by fire in spring 2015. The storefront has been taken over by Bangtown Barber & Beauty Shop.

Huff at 1204 Commercial is now closed.

Community Taps and Pizza at 1191 is closed, but I don’t know if that is temporary or permanent.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2105 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1414 Commercial, 1409 Commercial, 1250 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1204 Commercial, 938 Commercial.

This does not include Dolce Amore or Hanai which are currently closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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For those interested in the very early history of Commercial Drive, I might humbly suggest my three-part series of articles on the Drive to 1907 (here, here, and here) as a place to start.

Luckily, the weather gods gave me Monday as a non-rain day so I got the walk done.

I have rarely mentioned St. Augustine’s pub at 2360 Commercial in these pages, but I was intrigued by a report in Scout Magazine on a New Haven-style pizza joint in the pub. It is called Industry Apizza and is apparently the first such pizza place in Vancouver.

Image: Scout Magazine

The Bench House Bakery in Il Mercato Mall is included in Scout’s list of best breads in Vancouver.

At 1608 Commercial, Loula‘s makes it onto Daily Hive’s list of restaurants that make you feel you are on vacation.

The vacant storefront at 1414 Commercial — the former Sake Maki — is being refurbished as a Vietnamese Family Restaurant.

Livia at 1399 Commercial also is on Scout’s list of best breads.

I noticed that, finally, some work is being done in 1250 Commercial which has been closed for a year now.

Not surprisingly, Havana at 1212 Commercial also makes it onto Hive’s vacation list.

It would appear that Huff at 1204 Commercial is closing. It opened in 2013.

The Absinthe Bistro at 952 Commercial is one of just ten Vancouver restaurants to make it onto Yelp’s 100 Places to Eat in Canada in 2024. Congratulations!

The Pizza Bagel Cafe at 931 Commercial is rebranding — again! It was originally called the Covid Cafe and then became Pizza Bagel Cafe and now it will be Vegan Bagel Cafe with, surprise surprise, a fully vegan menu. According to Dished: “Current vegan items on the restaurant’s menu include the Vegan Chicken Nuggets on a Bagel, which is a sandwich that includes vegan chicken, vegan cheese and a vegan bagel with tomatoes (which are also vegan). The restaurant also told Dished items like vegan swordfish, vegan steak, vegan pistachio cod, vegan miso salmon, vegan roast beef, and more will be added to the menu.”

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2105 Commercial, 1818 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1414 Commercial, 1409 Commercial, 1314 Commercial, 1250 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 938 Commercial.

This does not include Dolce Amore or Hanai which are currently closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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It was a good day for the walk/ride today, cold but bright; and I was amazed at just how busy the Drive was on this New Year’s Day.

I am glad to report that the Mostafa Supermarket at 2210 Commercial finally opened in late December.

The storefront at 2058 Commercial has now been taken over by a massage and foot reflexology business called Hi-Feet.

The Cannibal Cafe at 1818 Commercial has closed after a lively eleven years. It gets a great closing review in the Georgia Straight. It will be missed for its punk vibe and those onion rings! The storefront will soon re-open as a fish store.

Pax Romana at 1670 Commercial finally opened just before Christmas.

The storefront at 1428 Commercial has now been taken over by Rose’s Nail Studio.

The former Sake Maki space at 1414 Commercial is now vacant but a sign says it has already been leased.

The odd little pop-up store at 1314 Commercial has closed and the store is now vacant.

The storefront at 1250 Commercial is soon to open as a Mocktails Bar.

The new Flamingo Room at 1214 Commercial, in what used to be the Havana Theatre space, is now open. The Miami-style cocktail bar will also have live entertainment. “At launch, the stage line-up will feature local musicians, Latin and jazz groups, weekly DJ sets, and an evening dedicated to stand-up comedy. “Our live stage will be a hub of local talent and personalities, bringing our community together through performances that make each visit a unique experience,” says Tyson McNamara, Stage Manager. “We believe in the power of supporting local artists, providing a space where their creativity shines.” [Scout Magazine]

The Pizza Bagel Cafe at 931 Commercial, which seemed to be closed for a while, has re-opened.

Finally, the new building at 928-938 Commercial seems to be completed after what seems like an age. The storefront at 938 is not yet occupied.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2105 Commercial, 1818 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1414 Commercial, 1409 Commercial, 1314 Commercial, 1250 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 938 Commercial.

This does not include Dolce Amore or Hanai which are currently closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

I chose to do the walk on Wednesday because both Thursday and Friday were scheduled for heavy rain. It was really cold but I am sure I made the right decision.

We’ll start this month with a piece from Toronto discussing how streetside/patio catering (a reaction to the pandemic as you may recall) brought in $181 million for retailers in the 13 weeks of summer 2021, compared to the $3.7million that the replaced parking stalls would have generated. I wonder when we will get the stats from Vancouver’s similar experiment.

What was briefly the Cafe des Amis at 2017 Commercial has morphed into Cafe Near and Dear.

CTV’s Mike McCardell did a nice piece on the family behind J, N, & Z Deli at 1729 Commercial.

The new Pax Romana at 1670 Commercial does not yet seem to be open. VIA notes: “The co-ownership team of Pax Romana represents a union of some key players from a couple of existing Italian restaurants on The Drive. Currently the Manager of Sopra Sotto, Damiano Pedrolli will serve as GM of Pax Romana and is joined by Daniel Dominguez, who will be its beverage director, and who now has the same role for Sopra Sotto. Enrico Fratoni, Sopra Sotta’s executive chef for both locations, will be a chef at Pax Romana alongside Luke Boswell, who will also serve as chef, and who is presently the executive chef at Bar Corso.”

The former Norman’s Market at 1604 Commercial is looking more forlorn by the month. I understand the plan is still to rebuild the space as a nightclub but I also hear the building is full of asbestos, so the cleanup will take a long time.

The odd little gift store at 1409 Commercial has closed.

The new Vietnamese snack bar, 377 Hem at 1108 Commercial has finally opened.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1409 Commercial, 1250 Commercial, 1230 Commercial.

This does not include Dolce Amore or Hanai which are currently closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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It was very cold running up and down the Drive yesterday morning, but the sun was bright and the sky was the deepest blue. Quite lovely.

Once again there are very few changes on the Drive this month. I had hoped to report that the new produce market at 2210 Commercial, Pax Romana at 1670 Commercial, and the new Vietnamese restaurant at 1108 Commercial would be open now, but no such luck.

The mortgage broker/real estate office at 1250 Commercial appears to have closed; the windows are papered over.

As mentioned last month, there are major changes happening to the space that used to be the Havana Theatre at 1214 Commercial. Scout Magazine has a much more in depth look at what is going to be the Flamingo Room, opening hopefully before the end of the year.

Image: Scout Magazine

At 1027, the new new barbershop — Knowledge — has opened, Plenty of space, plenty of chairs, and plenty of clients (even in the evenings and on Sunday) that I could see.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1250 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial.

This does not include Dolce Amore or Hanai which are currently closed due to fire damage.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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It was such a lovely weekend to “walk the Drive.” Shops and restaurants seemed busy, which is great to see. Not too many change this month, showing the Drive’s stability.

The Asian-fusion restaurant called B House at 2270 Commercial is about to open a second location in Richmond.

The former Dollar Grocery at 2210 Commercial has been re-made as Mostafa Supermarket. It has not yet opened but I assume it will in October.

Norman’s Grocery at 1604 Commercial is now closed. The rumour I heard was that one of the owners wants to turn it into another sports bar — question do we have more sports bars or cannabis stores or lash stores on the Drive these days?

Merci Beaucoup at 1468 Commercial gets a pleasant listing in the Daily Hive‘s Best Pho In The City.

So we have to say farewell to the Havana Theatre at 1212 Commercial. It is to become the Flamingo Room, a Miami-inspired drinks spot that will have comedy and live music.

I have not seen the Pizza Bagel Cafe at 931 Commercial open recently. Is it still in business?

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1604 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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It was a deliciously warm morning today, and the Drive looked fine in the sunshine.

The replacement for the Dollar Grocery at 2210 Commercial is still being re-fitted but it looks like it will be open very soon.

At 2095 Commercial, the former Tangent restaurant has now formally morphed into Daybreakers. New owners, same chef, different menu and concept: still a fine array of breakfast choices, but with an expanded lunch and evening menu full of good bar food and a range of German-inspired entrees.

What was the former Flight Center at 1733 Commercial has been vacant for some time, Now, it appears to be have become an extension of the KushKlub cannabis store next door.

What was Osita at 1728 Commercial has also been re-branded, as Vivace on the Drive. Same place, same food, same live music, different name.

I have written elsewhere about the fire that damaged the Alvarado Block, causing both Dolce Amore at 1588 and Hanai at 1590 Commercial to close, at least temporarily. It is a double whammy for Docle Amore as their North Vancouver outlet relies on the ice-cream making at Commercial which is now no longer available. They have started a GoFundMe page to help them get through this crisis.

The Meteor Printing shop at 1344 Commercial now seems to be sharing the space with Koyla Smoke & Vape.

The long-vacant space at 1340 Commercial has been taken up by White Rabbit Mushroom Dispensary.

The former Beckwoman’s building is for sale. I assume it includes both the storefront and the heritage BC Mills house behind.

And, finally, 1027 Commercial is still closed, but I think we have a good idea of what it will become:

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

We are now down to our lowest level of storefront vacancies since August 2019, before the pandemic.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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Another sun-filled week making it a pleasure to go up and down the Drive. There seems to be very little change since last month — a good indicator of retail stability — but we’ll see what we can mention.

The JJ Bean at 2206 Commercial has recently installed security bars on its windows, part of John Neate’s campaign against vandalism. They recently closed their location at Woodwards because they can no longer support the costs of regular damage.

What used to be Dollar Grocery at 2210 is still being re-fitted but looking inside it will clearly be another large grocery store.

The long-time empty space at 1670 Commercial is still “under renovation” but they now sport a new sign which perhaps gives us a hint as to what is to come.

The VanCity Fried Chicken place at 1678 Commercial is now VanCity Donair & Fried Chicken, and they also seem to be open during the day rather than just the evening.

As we learn from this sponsored piece in Scout Magazine, Hanai restaurant at 1590 Commercial — which is now a Michelin recommended restaurant — has launched a catering service called Let’s Kau Kau.

I have written elsewhere about the sudden death of its chef which has caused the closure of Oca Pastificio at 1260 Commercial.

The very popular Lunch Lady at 1046 Commercial has extended its outdoor patio seating along Napier Street as far as the lane. I feel sorry for the waiters who now have quite the walk to service all their clients.

Image: Penny Street

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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Walking (or in my case, scootering) on the Drive in this fine sunshine is a wonderful experience. The sidewalks are busy, cafes are full to over-flowing, and most people seem happy. There are not a great many changes this month and the Drive seems to be settled into its post-pandemic recovery. We are at the lowest storefront vacancy rate since February 2020 with several vacancies looking like they will soon be filled.

One of the big changes is the definite closing of Dollar Grocer at 2210 Commercial. The word on the street is that new building owners tried to raise the rent from $6000/month to $14,000. I also heard that the family who runs the grocery offered to take half the space, but that was rejected. I noticed that significant renovation work is already happening inside the store, which augurs well, I guess.

Tangent Cafe at 2095 Commercial has a new blue paint job on the exterior.

As suggested last month, 2057 Commercial has indeed become a MacDonalds Realty office.

Kishimoto at 2054 Commercial is rated as one of the finest Japanese restaurants in the city here.

The storefront at 1670 Commercial (the former Drive Coffee) seems to be in the process of renovation. It has been closed for a long time now and it would be good to see that space active again.

Long-time Drive fixture, Sake Maki at 1414 Commercial, is closing at the end of June in advance of their move to Fraser Street.

1108 Commercial — where the late-lamented Tamam To Go used to be — is going to open as a Hem 377 branch (their original is on Victoria Drive). “In addition to its unique beverages (think ube lattes, pina colada coffees, and pandan milk tea), Hem 377 serves some savoury snacks, including deconstructed Banh Mi bowls and a buttery corn dish with crispy shrimp.”

Another large vacant space, the storefront at 1027 (formerly Spank), now sports “LEASED” signs. No idea yet what is going in there.

The always popular Down Low Chicken Shack at 905 Commercial is celebrating its 5th anniversary with a new menu.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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We begin this month with a note that the New York Times has yet again “discovered” Commercial Drive — or at least the bits of the Drive they consider trendy, I guess. They like our “eclectic, rough-edged vibe” and that we are “the epicenter of Vancouver coffee culture.” Businesses getting mentioned include Gateley (1136 Commercial), Dilly Dally (1161 Commercial), Livia (1399 Commercial), and Mum’s The Word (1301 Commercial).

This was also the month in which the Georgia Straight Golden Plate awards for best in Vancouver were announced. There were many Drive establishments that won or placed highly and they are listed at: https://jaksview3.wordpress.com/2023/05/04/best-in-vancouver-on-the-drive/

The walk on the Drive yesterday was a bit less sunny than I would have liked, and the Drive seems to have reached a stable point where not many changes have occurred.

That being said, the Dollar Grocery at 2210 Commercial appears closed, and the Chic Lash Boutique at 2115 Commercial is now open.

Image: Paisley Woodward

What I had identified last month as a graphics business at 2111 is now open as Dose Wellness. What they do is not entirely clear to me, but I suspect some form of health treatment regime.

At 2096 Commercial, the new Chancho Restaurant gets a rave review.

The storefront at 2057 Commercial seems to be in the process of becoming a Macdonald Realty office.

Image: Paisley Woodward

Hanai Restaurant at 1590 Commercial gets a detailed and positive review here.

There is an interesting profile of Kim Maust who was integral to the development of the apartment/retail complex at Commercial & Charles.

1314 Commercial has now become Larry’s Liquidators. There is also a For Sale sign on the building, so I suspect this is just a pop-up temporary location.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2210 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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It was wonderful weather to do the walk this morning: not too warm and not too cold.

The double storefront that is 2115-2125 Commercial is being divided. National Massage Chairs will retain 2125, but Chic Lash Boutique will soon open in 2115.

Ever since Tino retired his barbershop at 2111 Commercial in June 2020, we have listed the storefront as vacant. However, we have learned that the space is actually being used by a visual effects company called G Creative.

After a long wait, Chancho Tortilleria has finally opened at 2096 Commercial. It had a soft opening on the weekend of April 15th, and an official opening a week later. Welcome to the Drive!

Image: Scout Magazine

Tierra Latina at 2018 Commercial has a lovely “thank you” sign in the window:

The wonderful Lea Watson, who for many years operated the Canterbury Tales bookstore at 2010 Commercial, has retired. She will be greatly missed. However, the business continues under the new ownership of Nena, whom we welcome to the Drive!

Spin Cycle Laundry at 1910 Commercial was the subject of a very nice piece by Mike McCardell on CTV News: https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2671083&jwsource=cl

Lat month we reported on the opening — finally — of Fior di Latte at 1858 Commercial. Well, the name they are using is in fact Il Mundo Caffe & Bakery. It gets a brief opening review here.

Osita at 1728 Commercial gets a good review for live music in Daily Hive.

The re-branding of SuperValu at First & Commercial to Freshmart is just about complete with the new signage.

Staff of Home Hardware at 1575 Commercial were the subject of another Mike McCardell piece on CTV News: https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2669689&jwsource=cl

Eric and Allura, the former owners of Fet’s at 1230 Commercial, have confirmed that their space will be taken over by a dentist office in the near future. We have to say that this seems an incredible waste for one of the premier patio locations on the Drive, opposite Grandview Park.

The storefront at 1126 Commercial which has been renovating for a few months has opened as the Guava Vegan Wellness salon.

Next door, at 1124 Commercial, the Lotus House Tattoo Salon and Barber is also now open.

H/t to Colin, Steve and Penny.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2105 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 2057 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

It is great to see the number of vacancies trending sharply downwards this year.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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We start this month by noting an article in the Vancouver Sun describing the Drive and Grandview as “a family friendly suburb”. It touches on a wide range of points of interest without digging very deep. A useful survey for those who perhaps don’t know the area too well.

As for changes this month ….

The Haze Smoke Shop at 2245 Commercial is apparently open, but their windows are still papered over.

Chancho is still not yet open at 2096 Commercial, though we have waited quite some months now. Some background to this well-known Yaletown eatery can be found here and here.

The storefront at 2017 Commercial has been taken over by Cafe Des Amis.

There is a very nice review of Audiopile, 2016 Commercial, at TheVinyl Factory. The store is described as “friendly” and “a pleasure for fans of experimental and avant-garde” music.

At long last, Fior Di Latte has opened at 1858 Commercial.

We haven’t mentioned before that 1816 Commercial is now home to a developer’s sales office for The Cut. I believe it was there last month, too.

Osita Restaurant at 1728 Commercial was granted its liquor license at City Council last Thursday.

The customer-and community-friendly 24/7/365 supermarket, SuperValu at 1st and Commercial, is rebranding to Fresh Market. Our understanding is that ownership and staff will stay the same as today.

Hanai at 1590 Commercial celebrated its first anniversary on the Drive at the beginning of March. To celebrate they have begun a Happy Hour series on Thursdays to Mondays.

Sopra Sotto, 1510 Commercial, is celebrating its 5th anniversary on the Drive.

The breakfasts at Livia, 1399 Commercial, get a shoutout in this article.

The building at 1350-1380 Commercial, which houses Rosemary Rock Salt and Famoso Pizzeria has been sold. Arranged by the Altos Group, the sale was for $5,560,000 or $1,150 per square foot, according to an article in the Globe & Mail‘s Report on Business. I believe the seller was Bennis Properties. Interestingly, the property had been listed at $6,800,000 just last year.

As reported earlier, Tamam To Go has sadly closed at 1108 Commercial.

The storefront at 1020 Commercial has been occupied by Mind At Large Medicinals.

Kin Kao, 903 Commercial, gets a good review here.

H/T this month to Penny, Steve, Dorothy, Bill, Eric, and Judy.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2111 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2096 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 2057 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1124 Commercial, 1108 Commercial, 1027 Commercial.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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Another month gone by and so time for another Changes on the Drive. Penny & Steve did the walk just before the snow hit, so many thanks as always to them.

We have decided to assume that Dr. Tong’s office at 2105 Commercial is closed. The telephone number listed for the office is no longer in service, and the space is always padlocked.

There is a nice new sign at 2096 Commercial (Chancho) but no sign of it opening yet.

The former Bangladeshi restaurant at 2017 Commercial seems to have been taken over by La Luce, but it is not yet open for business.

The Afro Hair Studio at 1969 Commercial is celebrating its 25 years of operation on the Drive. It was started in 1998 by Abrham Berhe and was only the second specialist black hair salon in the city. This year, they are opening a second location on Granville Street.

The BC Liquor Store at 1520 Commercial is sporting what is, for me at least, a new sign.

Solys Pizza at 1417 Commercial has now become Auntie Jen’s Pizzeria.

Livia at 1399 Commercial is now open four nights a week for dinner service.

The former — and much-beloved — Santa Barbara Market at 1322 Commercial is now under new ownership as Santa Sahel, and some of the stock is moving away from its Italian heritage.

We had reported last month that Party Rock at 1314 Commercial had a closing out sign. However, they are still open and seem to be selling small appliances now.

There is a rumour that the former Fets restaurant at 1230 Commercial is slated to become a dentist’s office, which would be a second one on that block. The space is looking rather forlorn these days, now that the patio seating has been dismantled.

The popular Sula Restaurant at 1128 Commercial is opening a third location, this one in the West End.

The Willow Wax Bar at 1126 Commercial seems to be renovating; perhaps to Your Spa.

We have been reporting for some time that Nicli Pronto at 935 Commercial was being renovated. However, Penny & Steve spoke with the owners and there has been a change of plan. The idea now is to cook in the kitchen and sell to grocery stores rather than open to the general public.

As mentioned in last month’s edition, the former Covid Cafe at 931 Commercial has morphed into the Pizza Bagel Cafe. Along with the pizza bagels, they also have a breakfast menu and may add an afternoon tea later in the year.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2111 Commercial, 2105 Commercial, 2096 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 2057 Commercial, 2017 Commercial, 1861 Commercial, 1858 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1124 Commercial, 1027 Commercial, 1020 Commercial.

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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We are back with edition #129, thanks once again to Penny and Steve for walking the walk and feeding me information.

The big news of the month was, of course, the closure of Santa Barbara Market at 1320 Commercial. That has been covered elsewhere (here and here). There are hopes that the new owners will be re-opening as soon as this week, and we await what changes that may bring to the street. In the meanwhile, our report goes as usual from south to north.

At 2245 Commercial we have just what we needed — yet another smoke shop! This one is called Haze.

The dope store at 2223 Commercial, which was Cannabis Cantina, appears to have changed its name to VanCity Weed.

We are not sure if Dr. Tong at 2105 Commercial is still in business? It is padlocked and never seems to be open.

The Holy Smoke Bangladeshi Restaurant at 2017 Commercial seems to have failed. That’s a shame — lost a bit of our diversity.

The purchase by Dava Developments for $62.5m of the Il Mercato Mall from Millenium City Malls is listed as one of the top ten commercial real estate transactions of 2022. The entire site is scheduled for re-development within this decade.

The space that used to be Drive Cafe at 1670 Commercial has people working inside, so hopefully this will open as something new soon.

People’s Co-op Bookstore at 1391 Commercial is now officially open 7 days a week!

Party Rock at 1314 Commercial is now sporting a Closing Down Sale sign.

We have lost the Spank boutique at 1027 Commercial.

The long-time “opening soon” Nicli Pronto at 935 Commercial finally looks as if it is close to being open.

The former Covid Cafe at 931 Commercial is re-branding as the Pizza Bagel Cafe, with a new menu and some decorative changes.

Although it is a couple of blocks outside our usual boundaries for these posts, I believe it would be sad to move on without mentioning the death two weeks ago of Nick Felicella, the owner of what used to be Nick’s Spaghetti House next to the York Theatre at Commercial & Frances. Nick’s was always a warm and welcoming place to go for huge family-style Italian meals until it closed at the end of 2017. He will be missed.

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2111 Commercial, 2096 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 2017 Commercial, 1861 Commercial, 1858 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1124 Commercial, 1027 Commercial, 1020 Commercial, 935 Commercial

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

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Many thanks once again to Penny and Steve for undertaking the walk this month and for the images.

With the closing of Pacific Ink & Toner last month, it seems that National Massage Chairs at 2135 Commercial has expanded into their space at 2115.

The former Cafe Deux Soleils space at 2096 Commercial will be occupied this spring by Chancho Tortilleria. (h/t to KL for the heads up). See also.

The former laundromat at 2058 Commercial is still closed, but the For Lease sign has been removed, and the windows are now papered over. Perhaps a good sign?

Carthage Restaurant at 1851 Commercial appears to have re-opened, though its signs are somewhat confusing (do they mean “Main Course” and “Mussels” perhaps?)

The storefront at 1832 Commercial has now reverted to being an office for Expedia Cruises (which it was before February last year) after being a housing developer’s sales office for most of 2022.

The Osita Restaurant at 1728 Commercial has an application in its window for a liquor license.

The latest news I have on the much-loved Santa Barbara Market at 1322 Commercial is that they will be closing at the end of this month. I haven’t seen official confirmation of that (though it came from a store employee) and so there is still hope, I guess, that it will remain with us into the future.

Fet’s at 1230 Commercial has closed after 35 years in business. My small tribute to them is here.

That same block will be very quiet this month as Havana Restaurant and Theatre at 1212 Commercial will be closed for the month of January for renovations.

The new building at 928 Commercial seems close to completion. We should be adding new storefronts anytime now,

Vacancies on the Drive this month: 

2245 Commercial, 2111 Commercial, 2096 Commercial, 2058 Commercial, 1858 Commercial, 1861 Commercial, 1733 Commercial, 1670 Commercial, 1428 Commercial, 1340 Commercial, 1230 Commercial, 1124 Commercial, 1020 Commercial, 935 Commercial

Previous editions of Changes on the Drive

Back in March, I announced that Changes on the Drive #126 would be the last of the series. I have missed walking on the Drive and keeping track these last few months, and it was gratifying to know through messages that others also missed the monthly updates.

Luckily, through the good offices of my friends Penny Street and Stephen Holmes, who have volunteered to do the legwork I’m no longer able to handle, we have a plan to restart the monthly Changes posts in December.

Meanwhile, as the first fruit of their walk on the Drive from the Cut down to Venables, they have produced this real-time list of all the businesses on that stretch as of November 2nd, 2022. (It is worth comparing this with the list still being offered by the BIA which is several years out of date). We’ll be using this as the baseline against which we will start noting changes next month.

Always happy to receive tips and news and gossip.