Calgary Openings, Closings, and Developments

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Oh the memories of browsing the PC games at Future Shop Northland Village. Nostalgia.

I remember the wall of TVs on the area that was raised up for some reason so you had to go up a ramp to get up there?

It was in the middle of the mall before they moved it to the corner of Northland.

[Sr. Mints]

Wasn't that long ago Northland Mall was the place to shop. Walmart on one end, Best Buy and future shop, Home Outfitters, whatever store is/was upstairs (I forget) on the other, and a whole bunch of retailers from Radio Shack to Coles to Hallmark, to a couple of independent stores like that guy who imported stuff from Mexico inbetween. I think the theatre closed in about 2000, the last arcade (there was more than one at different times) a few years after that.

It was no Market Mall, but you could get just about anything at Northland. It was a one-stop Christmas shopping trip, a place to hang out after school

I was still going to the shoppers drug mart up until last year when one day they were just closed with a sign on the door saying all prescriptions were transferred to Market Mall

It was kind of interesting seeing the mall go downhill in 3-month snapshots when I'd go to fill a prescription. It was a bit like watching a train wreck in slowotion

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Wasn't that long ago Northland Mall was the place to shop. Walmart on one end, Best Buy and future shop, Home Outfitters, whatever store is/was upstairs (I forget) on the other, and a whole bunch of retailers from Radio Shack to Coles to Hallmark, to a couple of independent stores like that guy who imported stuff from Mexico inbetween. I think the theatre closed in about 2000, the last arcade (there was more than one at different times) a few years after that.

It was no Market Mall, but you could get just about anything at Northland. It was a one-stop Christmas shopping trip, a place to hang out after school

I was still going to the shoppers drug mart up until last year when one day they were just closed with a sign on the door saying all prescriptions were transferred to Market Mall

It was kind of interesting seeing the mall go downhill in 3-month snapshots when I'd go to fill a prescription. It was a bit like watching a train wreck in slowotion

Don't forget about Dufferin games!

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Oh the memories of browsing the PC games at Future Shop Northland Village. Nostalgia.

I went to high school at Churchill across the street. Atleast once a week I went to Future Shop to scout (but never buy) the computer games, to HMV to look at (and sometimes buy) CDs, Dufferin to check out the pool tables and games, then go to Arbies to partake in 5 beef-and-cheddars for $5, and then if there was money left over, to Purdy's for an ice cream bar.

Good times, those 90s.

[Calgary14]

Starbucks in Willow Park is closing. They seem to be disappearing often now

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I went to high school at Churchill across the street. Atleast once a week I went to Future Shop to scout (but never buy) the computer games, to HMV to look at (and sometimes buy) CDs, Dufferin to check out the pool tables and games, then go to Arbies to partake in 5 beef-and-cheddars for $5, and then if there was money left over, to Purdy's for an ice cream bar.

Good times, those 90s.

Late 90s.

I was at Simon Fraser and Churchill from 89-95.

We got Sam the Record Man for our music and Wizards Castle for our arcade. I remember lining up at Eaton's for concert tickets too.

[RichieRich]

A&B Sound.
That was place was epic. It was awesome in high school hopping the bus and train system to go to the downtown Bank location. Yeah… and that wall of TVs… back when CRTs were a thing and the flat screens were just starting to come in. Anything above 36” seemed like crazy talk. Place was so popular that there were often lines. Especially when I picked up my G’nR Use your Illusion double release.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by RichieRich

A&B Sound.
That was place was epic. It was awesome in high school hopping the bus and train system to go to the downtown Bank location. Yeah… and that wall of TVs… back when CRTs were a thing and the flat screens were just starting to come in. Anything above 36” seemed like crazy talk. Place was so popular that there were often lines. Especially when I picked up my G’nR Use your Illusion double release.

I miss Stephen Avenue from those times, A&B was great, there was the bookstore that turned into Sportchek and now is nothing. Of course the original Devonian Gardens was definitely an oasis in the middle of it all.

I miss the Lancaster building with the 100 year old staircase up into the food court that the Simons renovation destroyed.

Speaking of downtown - I noticed that the branding has been removed from the SAIT Culinary Campus in Scotia Centre. It looks like its closed and gone.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

nm

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Starbucks in Willow Park is closing. They seem to be disappearing often now

Starbucks is ruthless when it comes to underperforming stores. That's how the company stays profitable.

[The Fisher Account]

Starbucks is actively closing underperforming stores in Calgary and favoring stores with drive-thru's.

[Misterpants]

Best Northland Village Mall hack was Grandma Lee's cinnamon buns. You could get a Cinnabon for like 3.50 OR you could hit up GL's and get one almost as big with real cream cheese frosting for like $1.50.

[Calgary14]

Starbucks saturated the market for years and now with the current economy, WFH etc Im guessing people dont want to pay $5 for a coffee. Whatever their strategy is their stock keeps going down. I hope smaller coffee shops take their place so there is more variety than Tims and Tims

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Starbucks saturated the market for years and now with the current economy, WFH etc Im guessing people dont want to pay $5 for a coffee. Whatever their strategy is their stock keeps going down. I hope smaller coffee shops take their place so there is more variety than Tims and Tims

Even the higher profile Starbucks have closed in downtown like at Suncor.

Speaking of downtown +15 food I'm sorry to say that both the 5th Avenue Place (Esso Plaza) and Suncor Wendy's have closed permanently and are boarded up. Are there no more Wendy's downtown?

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Even the higher profile Starbucks have closed in downtown like at Suncor.

Speaking of downtown +15 food I'm sorry to say that both the 5th Avenue Place (Esso Plaza) and Suncor Wendy's have closed permanently and are boarded up. Are there no more Wendy's downtown?

There was one in Gulf Canada Square, but I haven't been that way in a long time.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Robbob

There was one in Gulf Canada Square, but I haven't been that way in a long time.

Closed.

[MissTeeks]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Even the higher profile Starbucks have closed in downtown like at Suncor.

Speaking of downtown +15 food I'm sorry to say that both the 5th Avenue Place (Esso Plaza) and Suncor Wendy's have closed permanently and are boarded up. Are there no more Wendy's downtown?

The one in Gulf isn't open either but it hasn't been boarded up yet. I'm holding out hope that it will re-open again!

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Fifth Avenue Place and Suncor Energy Wendy's closed? Both? Oh lawd...oh no.

[RichieRich]

Originally Posted by FormerPresJamesTaylor

Fifth Avenue Place and Suncor Energy Wendy's closed? Both? Oh lawd...oh no.

Gawd I sure hope not. That’s my go-to place for quick low cost bites. Am a big fan of grabbing a chili and potato, or chili and fries.
Hopefully with more people returning downtown they will re-enter the market. I do feel terrible about how hard it must have been for all food-franchise owners.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

The one in Gulf isn't open either but it hasn't been boarded up yet. I'm holding out hope that it will re-open again!

They closed a lot pre-covid. I think it was part of some corporate strategy. I know the ones I went to downtown were really busy. Even the one at the Superstore by John Diefenbaker was really busy and it was closed.