Eat & Drink
LCBO Coming to Roncesvalles Area
People love living in Roncesvalles and people love their beer, wine and liquor, but shopping at an LCBO will only require leaving the neighbourhood for one more year.
The LCBO has decided to open up shop in the plaza at the southeast corner of Dundas and Bloor, alongside a Loblaws and Zellers. If all goes according to plan, Roncesvalles residents will be able to walk for their wine in spring or summer of 2010 - most likely before their street is done being dug up.
The chosen location is, admittedly, not exactly in the Village, but a site further south along Roncesvalles was eliminated due to a number of issues: retail floor space, storage, deliveries and parking all being cited. The Roncesvalles BIA has long lobbied for an LCBO to serve its residents and seems satisfied that the final location is accessible enough, even if the government-run monopoly isn't right in the neighbourhood. I can only assume the nearly 300 members of the Facebook group "petitioning" for a Roncesvalles LCBO will also be pleased.
Ultimately, the LCBO is happy to be opening up in the plaza. "We're looking forward to opening at this location," says LCBO VP Jackie Bonic. "It will enable us to provide the community with a larger LCBO store with greater product selection, a wide range of services and ample parking for customers who choose to drive."
Bonic also noted that the proximity to Loblaws allows shoppers to combine grocery and beverage shopping trips into one. Maybe the LCBO is hoping that they'll get extra business from Loblaws shoppers, but with a giant No Frills at Dundas and Lansdowne, perhaps it will be the relatively small Loblaws hoping to see more business from LCBO customers.
The new store will feature 5,600 square feet of retail space with an extensive product selection, including a Vintages area and large VQA selection. Plus, for last minute runs, there will be plenty of refrigerated bottles.
It's safe to say that Roncesvalles residents will embrace the opportunity to more easily access wine and spirits. Will it be a pedestrian destination, stop on the streetcar or a short drive? I'm guessing the latter.
And as one resident has already suggested, perhaps it will be time to add a signal to the parking lot entrance and exit with the added traffic a large-scale LCBO is certain to bring.
Map image created by Dale Fallon.
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People who have kids and want to buy wine will probably still drive to a Loblaws with an LCBO outlet in it, rather than cart kids all the way to Bloor. Local shops lose out.
It's bad city-building.
Also that Zellers is long gone, isn't it?
Just try to buy a 5¢ plastic bag from the LCBO, they don't have any whenever I ask.
There will be a Loblaws right by it..."Bonic also noted that the proximity to Loblaws allows shoppers to combine grocery and beverage shopping trips into one."
It will also be across the street from the Subway, which is a huge convenience for commuters. I think its more accessible to more people being closer to Bloor. Its also a 5600 square foot LCBO, where on Roncesvalles would be able to facilitate such a space other than the plaza? I also would much rather be able to go to the grocery store, and then pop next door for a bottle of wine rather than getting groceries and walking a few blocks for the LCBO.
The LCBO should be located in the neighbourhood retail strip, not near a derelict mall that frankly, few of my neighbours ever go to.
Maybe I'm just fed up. This new LCBO will be just as far a walk for me as the Parkdale one.
On the south side, across from the stained glass place?
Not that I'm complaining..
@Ratpick: I agree. The LCBO isn't interested in neighbourhood or community building or they would have chosen something right in Roncesvalles. The foot traffic would keep them busy everyday, for sure.
The spot in the strip bar would not only service Ronceys, but also encompass Bloor st and all the new condos that are going up between Dundas West and Lansdowne.
LCBO is more concerned with maximum accessibility rather than neighbourhood quaintness, and esthetics.
Can we not just all be happy for once? Apparently a few of you may need that liquor store sooner than later.
If you think that's great, good for you. Personally, I won't bend over and take it -- at least, not without complaining.
Piss.
What a ridiculous nanny-state anachronism the LCBO is.
The bad part of the LCBO being in the plaza is that it lacks the charm of being in Roncy's, but if the store was in Roncy's it would have to be small which reduces the selection.
Maybe in the long term, the addition of the LCBO will bring in some nicer stores on the stretch from Dundas West to Bloor
How perfect would it be to be able to at least get a bottle of local wine at the store rather than walking/driving to a govmt. LCBO location during the hours within which the nanny state says I can eat dinner.
Also, that flies right in the face of helping us support a self-sustaining industry.
This is the greatest day of my life. (almost)
I guess that the LCBO is so environmentally concerned (like Metrolinx) that to encourage transit use, they would locate their LCBO stores in a parking lot.
It's not that far from roncey's community
B)I live at Dundas/Bloor, and my options are a 25-35 min walk to to either Dufferin/Dupont or Runnymede/Bloor. Considering the volume of condos/apartments plus the subway, it makes sense.
C)As far as the plaza being a 'derelict'. Agreed, but do you think the LCBO is just going to set up shop in the old dry cleaner/hair salon space and open their doors for business? I'm sure the building will be refaced and improved as a result of the LCBO moving in there. Hopefully, as a result, that space from Starbucks to Bloor will fill in with some great adds to the nabe.
D)To the comments about being 'driver-centric'. Did you ever think that perhaps people that would never explore the great independent shops on Roncey just may do so now that they know they have a place to leave their car for 30 or 40 min?
Seriously folks, so much complaining. As aome one posted earlier, it's a liquor store for goodness sakes. If you're pissed cause you want to buy your hooch at the corner store, this is not the place to affect that change.
I just don't understand why so many people downtown can't understand that.
When you need to move something, you go looking for someone with a vehicle...the rest of the time you hate them.
I'm looking forward to having an LCBO within walking distance again (I mean, seriously, if I can walk up to the Price Chopper north of Bloor, I can walk to the plaza (which I do, when I need to hit up Zellers).
Yay for somewhere to buy non-beer-based alcohol!!!
I live in the heart of this 'bad neighbourhood' and there is nothing but good ppl going about their business here.
For further insight, I suggest ppl look into the Starbucks R and D team. They dont put one in unless, they are sure the area is, or will be, a financial bonanza (corner of Dundas and Ronces).
Remember that s***hole we used to call Ossington? or Queen West....they seem to be doing, well lets be conservative and say "OK"