Posted Tue Nov 20, 2007, 1:54pm Subject: Calgary openings- updates?
I've been gone for the past week and was hoping to find some news (or rumours) somewhere about goings on here in Calgary- but this site is dry and google ain't helping me. So does anybody know anything about
Artigiano's estimated opening;
Phil and Sebastian's new secret location;
What is going on with the Java Jamboree still-empty space on 8 St;
GE is opening a new location that is prime streetfront in the Lougheed building- are they gonna put in Slayers or some other higher-end stuff in their new stores?
Any other tantalizing tidbits? There's gotta be some new news out there.
Only update I feel entitled to share is old news, that Artigiano is eyeing three Calgary locations, but no word on where the next two (after Centrium I mean, which from the looks of construction I'd say most definitely will not be open until January at the earliest) will go.
I did hear about the P&S location but I'll hold off on divulging it unless I hear from them directly. Let's just say that if my tip is correct, it's a brilliant spot that will benefit them and the nearby merchants too.
Stopped by the new GE at Lougheed building today. Nice corner site. Interior is immediately recognizeable as GE- if you have been to the ones at U of C and Sunridge Mall, you'll see what I mean instantly. I would have liked it to be a little less standardised but there ya go.
There is not as much food on offer as at 11 St (for example). Only two hot dishes when I was there- mac n cheese and lasagna. I got a "large" mac n cheese and a large italian soda- wow, more than $10, not great value but at least I could find a table during the DT Calgary lunch rush. The shop was not very busy; not empty, but far from packed. This surprised me seeing as it was the third place I tried to have lunch and the only one that was not completely filled with DT workers.
Coffee-wise, they have a new NS Aurelia, which is a nice looking machine of course. I got an espresso 'extra short," had to as always at GE coach the barista (the owner in this case, this is a franchise location not a company store) to only fill the demitasse halfway; taste was typical smokey (too dark for some people) GE but it did look superb. The only problem was that it was way too hot, which I did mention to him. This place won't win any awards but they're nice people, HK Chinese who have been in Calgary 30 yrs (hey, I ask these things!), and seem eager to learn coffee.
I meant to mention that I went to the 11 St GE for a cranberry blondie (love those things!) yesterday and the stocky bearded guy (no, not me, the other one!) who is, I gathered, some sort of head coffee dude was pulling off some very competent latte art. Nice to see.
New burst of activity at the new Java Jamboree site (8 St and 14 Ave SW); building permits posted, workbench with the architectural plans visible, sneaky looking guy peering in the window trying to see what there is to see...
Artigiano is making slooooow progress; unfortunately I can easily see a post-January opening but these things can be pretty inscrutable. Drywall is mostly up and there are now two BIG "coming soon" signs, in lobby and in what will be front windows fronting 3rd Street. This space does not appear to have a lot of square footage but I could be mistaken.
P&S deal appears to have fallen through but as I try to tell these guys there are many other options in town- a great space would be retail level of the new Genco tower that's almost complete at 11th and 4th, and there are lots of retail spaces for lease in condo bays in the west end, like in the new 5 West (east) tower that's about to have move-ins. I noted three empty storefronts in Kensington the other day too. Not that I'm an expert or anything.
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