Renovations of Grocery Stores all Over Winnipeg- Charleswood

Even as the pandemic continues, it seem every grocer has been renovating. The need for pick up and collect, delivery and other service needs is undeniable. Walmarts took over their auto sections to make way for this service and almost every other grocer/merchandiser is doing the same. Safeway/Sobeys and Real Canadians Superstore/Extra Foods had too much redundancy in the market and too much corporate exposure to newcomers Red River Co-Op Grocery and Save on Foods. Hence, the conversions all over the city to Fresco for some Safeway/Sobey's locations and some No Frills for Extra Foods locations. 

Charleswood Safeway in the picture is getting a makeover inside and out. Most Safeways have had alterations inside for their produce areas as well as deli but many have not had the full exterior and interior work we have seen going on nearly everywhere. Tuxedo Safeway is also going through it.

Red River Co-Op Grocery has new buildings going up at Seasons of Tuxedo and St. Norbert. There probably won't be a grocer that hasn't had a makeover by spring. And at that time, we might be out of the pandemic but will we have created new habits of click and collect or delivery.

Food prices have spiked and it has been bad but hopefully, a lot of of competition into the new year will see Winnipeg benefit in having better prices. A vaccine can't come soon enough.

Boston Pizza Charleswood Now Open

They had a soft opening last weekend for invited guests but even throughout this past week there have been worker doing finishing touches. Still, the open now sign is affixed to the Charleswood location of Boston Pizza.

It took a number of months in the fall to construct the building but having the doors open before Christmas will likely drive traffic for months to come.

Once known at the Forest Park Mall, the Charleswood Shopping Centre fell on tough times as it lost anchor tenants. After substantial changes, it went from enclosed mall to connect box mall and eventually added popular Tim Horton's and now Boston Pizza to its streetside parking lot.

For a long time Charleswood was underserved for restaurants. A few restaurants associated with hotels and a few Greek places, a Sorrento's,  a couple of take-outs and a Robin's was the hallmark of the area. That has changed.

It is tough being in the hospitality business but there is room for in Charleswood for some more if space was even available. Young people have routinely had to leave the neigbourhood in the past to be able to sit down and have a bite and a drink and watch a game.

With the Boston Pizza's opening, the Charleswood Shopping Centre is more or less fully leased and has a vitality now that was missing as little as 10 years ago.

Boston Pizza Coming to Charleswood Mall

Boston Pizza has evolved over the years to become more of a sports destination mixed with a casual dining experience. HD flatscreens have changed bars all over the world. No longer is it one sport on a projection screen or a few picture tube TVs mounted in corners or over bars. Now it is screens numbering 20 or 30 and on multiple sports all at same time! Boston Pizza is one of the restaurant groups that has taken that technology and broadcast innovation and run with it. Likewise, many of their locations now have patios attached to their dining rooms.

Over the many years Charleswood was a bit of a food desert. To be sure there were a few places to get breakfast or coffee or dine out but there was great swaths of the area devoid of anything. Along Roblin Boulevard near Assiniboine Park, the recent arrival of the Capitol Grill and Boulevard has excited residents in the area and beyond. However, further down Roblin it is a lot harder to find places at all.

The Charleswood Centre mall was originally called the Forest Park Mall but re-branded when they lost a key anchor. They transformed to a strip mall/box format and set aside the standard interior mall configuration. There were a few survivors from from those days such as Safeway and McDonald's. Another survivor is Sorrento's Pizza.

One can only imagine how Sorrento's feels that it is about to get a competitor in the parking lot. In the spot that the garden center and in winter Christmas trees are sold will be a new Boston Pizza. Fencing is already up and some work begun.

Now competition is a good thing but two pizza restaurants one in front of the other in the same shopping mall is a lot. Assuming a few months construction, we should see Boston Pizza open up in early fall.

As a side note: Menchies frozen yogurt restaurant closed a few months ago and has been replaced MYNT Dental clinic. Once against this puts the mall in more or less fully leased standing.

Capital Grill and Bar Opening Soon

Formerly Asahi Japanese Restaurant

It sat empty over the winter but spring has seen some construction at the former Asahi Japanese Restaurant. The signs have gone up and a Facebook page started to promote the opening of Capital Grill and Bar. By all accounts it will be a place to get a beer on tap.

The Asahi was a fine restaurant and a gorgeous space but struggled to stay busy every night of the week. Prior to being a Japanese restaurant it was the long time home of KFC in Charleswood. The entire mall had a makeover and the only survivor was Subway. A Starbucks took over the former Robin's location.

The closure of the Charleswood Hotel had left a real gap in the watering hole department. The arrival of the Winnipeg Jets has also created real demand for a place to watch the game, have a drink and share some food. Some people have migrated to Sorrento's at the Charleswood Mall. Others have probably gone further afield.

The closure of the Asahi has made room for the sportier crowd. It will be race to see who opens first as there is another restaurant about to open just down the street. More on that in a future post.

There is a limited supply of rental space in Charleswood. For the last few years, the vacancy rate has been generally good but to be sure, there are not as many places for dinner and drinks. Pappas, a Greek restaurant has been a mainstay. Just recently White Tower restaurant closed. For the older crowd, some might remember Matheos on Roblin Boulevard near the west park entrance. Nowadays  it is occupied by company offices.

So welcome Capital and hope that new traditions in the neighbourhood are formed.

Roblin Boulevard Part 9

Asahi Japanese Restaurant Closed 2014

In 2008, a makeover of an old strip mall on Roblin Boulevard saw the entry of Starbucks and posh Asahi Japanese Restaurant to what marks the beginning of old Charleswood. Saying farewell to the area were longtime establishments of Robin's and KFC. Subway was the only one to survive the renovations.

Starbucks established itself nicely as a gathering spot for Charleswood and the whole little strip felt more updated. Prior to that, the feeling of the Robin's and KFC was of restaurants of a bygone decade.

The most exciting addition was Asahi Japanese Restaurant. From the start it offered an exotic new taste to the area that generally has leaned towards Greek with Pappas and White Tower a baseball throw from one another. If there was one cautionary note it was that Sushi Park in the Charleswood Shopping Centre on Grant Avenue had just opened as well.

In terms of price and poshness, Asahi won hands down. It was gorgeous inside. However, in recent years the crowds seemed thinner. Meanwhile, Charleswood Mall including Sushi Park seemed a busier place from lunch time to later in the day.

It is with sadness that the For Lease signs appear in Asahi's windows. I am sure that it will continue to be a restaurant but what kind it is hard to say.

What will movie into Asahi?

 I have meant to update the Robiln Boulevard report for some time as other changes are affoot.

In 2009, beloved McIntyre Meats closed suddenly. It was the successor to equally loved Norman's. For years the site has sat empty. No more. In what seems like a no brainer, the Salvation Army Thrift store is expanding into their spot.

Salvation Army Thrift Store Expanding

The leasing of the space for the thrift store will fill a sad and longtime whole in the little mall. After this, it appears the mall is fully leased.

Co-Op Gas Next Door is Always Busy

Back in 2007 the little mall that houses the local Charleswood 7/Eleven had a little sports store Kel's Crease and Presto Pizza. Both of those businesess are gone and Kel's Crease location was the site of two fashion businesses over the years: Street 204 and then Army Candy. Presto Pizza eventually closed and what came to occupy that space along with the fashion store's location in a two step process was Victory Sports and Injury Clinic.

The addition of Victory Sports and Injury Clinic is in keeping with what really dominates the old Charleswood section of Roblin: Medical clinics, dental clinics, physiotherapy, massage therapy, athletic therapy, chiropractors, optician and veterinarian care. Oh, and two very busy car mechanics centers.

Redeemed Gone

One last bit of sad news: Redeemed is gone beside White Tower.  Redeemed had just been featured in the news in regards to it being a retailer of used fashion. They still appear to have their Academy Road location. Prior to Redeemed the location was the Mattress Source and Sleep Shoppe. The hairstyling place at the end of the mall in 2007 is now occupied by another health business Snider Podiatry Clinic.

Old Charleswood has been a bit of a mishmash but any time during the day you do see foot traffic making way to the various businesses. In many respects it is the downtown of Charleswood.

Menchies Frozen Yogurt - Charleswood Shopping Center Plaza 3

Menchie's at Charleswood Mall

It has taken 10 years since the reconstruction of the Charleswood Shopping Center Plaza but finally every spot in it is fully leased. In 2004, a re-think was needed as Zeller's de-camped to Grant Park Shopping Center. This left the enclosed mall with a major tenant gone and an older less desirable property. At the time, the mall was known as the Forest Park mall reflecting the Charleswood neighbourhood that was built around the same time in 1978.

It was decided that a new concept of a strip mall, big box would be more suitable and where Zeller's once stood a new large style Shopper's Drug Mart and Dollarama now sit. Eventually, the whole mall and longtime tenants all did a re-fresh including Safeway in 2007.

There were only a few stubborn spots that seemed to lack for tenants.

The mall suffered a temporary setback just a few years ago when Blockbuster closed right across Canada but the spot quickly found a tenant elsewhere the coveted the larger spot. Pet Valu moved in fairly swiftly.

This left Pet Valu's spot forlorn till now. In April, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt opened up, the second location in the city after Dakota in St. Vital. The mall is now fully leased for the first time as a result.

Menchie's is a San Fernando-based restaurant that is rapidly expanding across North America. The variety and pricing has proved popular as well as gluten free, dairy free and vegan choices. Expect to see this restaurant snap up similar spaces all across the city.

Restaurants are a tough business and we have seen many chicken restaurants die such as KFC and Chicken Delight in the city. Also, there have been a few Quizno's casualties. The tastes of the public can be fickle and their price points also come into play.

The extreme expansion of retail coming on the market means landlords will have to be ever looking for places that are unique and can stay the long haul. We have seen some persistently stubborn vacancies in some long time retail areas of the city. The Charleswood Shopping Center Plaza is no longer one of them.

New Neighbourhood For Charleswood

Charleswood Forest Area - 23 Homes

The City's Favoured Option

Presently Forest and Dumping Ground

Charleswood is a strange neighbourhood with developed and undeveloped land scattered throughout. Some areas are sometimes reserved for future roads such as the lands along Haney Street. Other land is awkwardly situated or awaits a unique infill proposal or neighbourhood plan.

In and around Varsity View Community Club, many houses were constructed from around 1997 and for about ten plus years after into new subdivision Bloomer Crescent. Prior to building, the land was brush and fingers of forest extending into Charleswood.

While many deer roam the area, the land was and has been a dumping ground of trash. Walk down any one of the trails in and find an old sofa or lumber just strewn about. The dirty little secret of the brush areas in Charleswood is that they are often not just pristine forests and meadows but potential places to step on a nail.

At some point in a very dry season, we are going to lose a large section of forest and possibly homes as they fall to fire. The Assiniboine Forest was badly ravaged by a wind storm about five or six years ago. There is quite a lot of deadfall and leaves and the fingers extend into several neighbourhoods.  It is a disaster waiting to happen.

Now this doesn't mean we should pave the whole thing as a safety measure. However, it doesn't mean that every stand of trees needs to be a park.

Charleswood has always been a bit of a different bird with ditches and a lack of concrete roads. However, in recent years, there has been a move to improve older housing stock and to infill where possible. The density has increased incrementally.

For those drivers commuting down Laxdal Road between Roblin and Grant, there has been some new developments. A very tiny bungalow near Varsity View Community Club was torn down. There are still many 1940s and 1950s houses scattered around the neighbourhood, some with no basements and with little prospect save for developing the land. It is hard to believe that some of them are even still standing.

Laxdal Road, knocked down and ready for a house

It is the rare occasion that you see something salvageable from some of these houses as many didn't even seem built to a particular code. One house on Elmhurst was lovingly restored but it was a long process and appeared driven by passion of the work rather than sound economics.

However, back to Laxdal Road...it is a very well used street for a variety of reasons. The corner of Laxdal and Grant has a traffic light and is home to Royal Elementary School, Charleswood Shopping Centre, a bus park and ride and a number of daycares. It is a busy place and drivers use it to move from Roblin to Grant and vice versa.

In addition to the tiny bungalow knocked down this past summer, we have seen a zoning sign go up on the west side of Laxdal between Parkin and Grant. It has already been vandalized so it might not be clear what is going up. I am here to report it is 23 or 24 homes between Bramble Drive and Laxdal Road.

From the air it looks like this:

Scrub forest between Bramble and Laxdal

I have walked through these woods many a time and emerged at Geraldine off of Bramble. The houses on Bramble were built all through the 1980s.

At some point, it was probably planned for houses in the area between as Geradine dead ends right at the forest.

City officials have okayed one of the plans presented by the developer. It is for two roads accessing the some infill development. Geraldine Drive would pass from Bramble to Laxdal Road giving fire and emergency vehicles two points of entry and exit.

Now, I am in favour of the development. I see no reason to preserve this particular isolated area of forest. It has been a dumping ground for decades, the trails are not particularly noteworthy and it is not connected to Assiniboine Forest save for the deer who roam the streets around Varsity View taking particular delight in gardens.

To be frank, we have enough on our hands preserving the bulk of Assiniboine Forest. It is 287 acres of mainly aspen trees with various extension of wood and brush beyond that. There are few places anywhere in the world that have incorporated an urban forest in their city.

The city is not losing precious green space approving this deal. It is gaining density (albeit just a little bit with bungalows) and a new tax base from land that sat fallow.

Royal School's future is more solid with families choosing to live nearby. The bus route on Grant will be better used with students using it to travel to nearby junior and high schools.

It is a good use of the land.

I have no idea what the houses will look like. Suffice to say that it is difficult to find character homes without a lot of money having to be spent. Let's hope they are attractive in their own way due to the people living in them.

My only concern will be traffic. My personal view is that if Geraldine goes through from Laxdal to Bramble that many people will use Laxdal as an entry and exit route to the homes beyond Bramble.

Why? Well, the reason is the traffic lights. It is easier to turn at the lights than it is at Bramble where a bus might be in the curb lane near the school or a car is tailgating you. I see driver's making the choice to just turn on the street with the light.

The city may have to deal with  a lot more traffic on the street and a line up of cars turning left onto Geraldine.

Still, this is not enough to say no to this deal. I say go ahead with it but remember to follow up with the driver habits that may follow.

Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza 2

Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza

Since the reconstruction of the Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza a few years back, it has been more or less full leased aside from a few hard to rent spots. The closure of Blockbuster was quickly jumped on by Pet Valu who grabbed the spot and moved into the larger space. It is a huge improvement over their cramped space a close to middle of the mall.

Their old location continues to await a new tenant. There is a new restaurant going up where an old restaurant closed down. Quizno's shut several months ago, a likely victim of Tim Horton's being in the parking lot of the mall. The store under construction and slated to open soon is Subway. There is a Subway on Roblin Boulevard three blocks away. I supposed they think it far enough away to not hurt their business. Perhaps they're right. I often think you could put four Tim Horton's on a crossroad and none would go out of business. Likewise, there seems to be no fear of Tim Horton's so close by.

With the restaurant going in, the mall will be near filled again. It is a reminder that an upgrade in light of losing a major tenant in Zeller's years back was the right move. Now if only some owners on Roblin would examine their assets and see what upgrades would be attractive, they might see some change too. At least one owner was doing that exact thing.

Grant Park Shopping Mall 2

Old commercial for Grant Park Shopping Mall.

I wrote back several weeks that something was afoot at Grant Park Shopping Mall.

I speculated initially some of the store closures and moves might be as a result of Target taking over Zellers spot.

The mall made some changes when Walmart took over in 1994 with McNally Robinson and the movie theatres all expanding. Other major anchors moved or were renovated such as the Liquor Mart and Safeway.

It was easy to see say that a few changes might be coming as a result of the Zellers re-branding. Alas though, it the Liquor Mart that is responsible for some of the shuffling going on.

Once the flagship of the Manitoba Liquor Mart chain of stores, the Grant Park location although largest is now second highest in volume after the Dakota location.

The Liquor Mart plans a 1500 square renovation which will see 6 stores moved from the western to central area of the mall. This will result in some closures of some month to month renters. The overall change should help Grant Park reclaim unchallenged leadership as flagship store.

It is heady times for the Liquor Marts. They are are expanding in two locations in the south now after chasing Salisbury House out of the Tuxedo Park Mall. In addition, Manitoba government changes to the liquor laws will make it possible for kiosks of the Liquor Mart to open in stores. This is quite the expansion of the MLCC's reach.

It is an election year and for the NDP government, it is probably looking to kill two birds with one stone: Expand a unionized workplace to further areas and to loosen liquor laws. The greater discussion of liquor laws in general and whether to allow other private vendors in or to sell off or end the Liquor Mart remains to be had.

The government is fairly risk adverse and probably hopes this will be enough to get kudos.

The Liquor Marts do a good job at what they do. However, the question has to be asked if a government needs to own the retailer anymore. Further, a discussion of liquor laws on a wider scale should be undertaken to provide responsible Manitobans with choices and to ensure that issues related to crime, zoning, noise, addiction, FASD, advertising, police enforcement and things as simple as tailgate parties all are discussed.

For Grant Park Shopping Centre, the trick will be to try and keep Target in the mall and not have them decamp like Walmart did before. To do this, it may be necessary for the store to push westward even more so that the location can be larger. However, even that might not suffice given the size of a Super Target.

Lots of changes in the face of Canadian retailing none more-so than how Target transforms the landscape. The importance of smaller regional malls in adapting will be a large factor. Even smaller malls such as the Charleswood Mall opted to ditch the enclosed route and go for box strip mall to great success. Grant Park could find this is the way to go but the presence of so many offices in the mall as well as the movie theatres has probably kept them from going forward thus far.

Grant Park Shopping Mall

First it was Hanger's Fashion Warehouse closing and now it is Boutique la Femme closing. Lorenza Fashion is moving within the mall.

Is this all to accommodate Target as it takes over Zellers there?

The possible announcement of a movie theatre chain opening on the Ikea site could affect the Empire Theatre at Grant Park.

Speaking of theatres, the news nationally that IMAX will be building a digital system to be able to show 3D films. It remains to be seen how this affects the downtown Portage Place Imax Theatre.

In terms of the Grant Park Mall, the issue of remaining an enclosed mall will have to be looked at. It has some strong anchor tenants in McNally Robinson, Safeway and Target.

However, Target is certainly going to want a bigger location and the mall could certainly accommodate that but it might mean getting rid of the enclosed mall, theatre and restaurants.

Can this formula work? Well, it did for the Charleswood Centre Shopping Plaza. When Zellers left the mall to move ito Walmart's old location at Grant Park, the mall owners decided to do a stripmall box store format. They landed some good anchor stores and the last vacancy in the mall filled up in the last months. H&R Block opened in the space between Blockbuster and Sushi Park.

One development seems obvious and that is Grant Park is less likely to pull national and international retailers with its present set up of an enclosed mall. Now it seems that they are having a hard time holding on to local ones as well.

Charleswood-Tuxedo panel on CBC Radio Part 2

Just finished with the CBC panel at Sorrento's restaurant in the Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza.

There were five panelists. Two were business women and community volunteers, one was retired and a volunteer was, was was between jobs due to health issues and then there was myself.

From the CBC was producer Donna Carreiro and CBC host Terry McLeod and their sound technician.



Terry McLeod, left, panelist David and myself, right.

The discussion was broken into three segments. The first was to describe the neighbourhood and some misconceptions about it. The next segment was about the community issues and the third segment was the what the panel wished for the city.

In the first segment the panel agreed that it was wrong to think that the neighbourhood was completely wealthy. It was pointed out that there was Manitoba Housing in the ward and a mix of income groups from lower to high. The community club volunteers stated that 40% of the young people at the clubs needed some sort of income assistance to help pay for their sport.

The first segment touched on crime and there was an indication that the area was not devoid of it and that it was a misconception to think so. Many had first hand experience with vandalism, theft and fear of going out at night within the ward.

The second segment was about the needs and issues of the ward and what people thought about taxes. Everyone on the panel agreed that tax could go up and maybe should go up if there was an indication that it was addressing infrastructure and needed programs in the community as well as policing.

The third segment was about what everyone wished for in the community. There seemed some agreement that whoever was elected at to be thinking about community issues beyond Charleswood-Tuxedo. There was a desire for connectivity with the rest of the city in terms of transit, policing and programs. What this meant was that people on the panel thought you can't solve crime in Charleswood without thinking of the city as a whole. You can't fix infrastructure only in Charleswood if you simply bottleneck on Portage Avenue or Kenaston. And it means nothing if your community club is vital if all the others in the city are falling apart. The recognition was that parochialism does not serve the community well.

There was not much talk about the candidates in general. We are still in the dark to a great extent about who is running and what they are about. I hope that we see even great information in the days ahead. Still, the CBC panel was and should be illuminating to those in ward and in the city in general.

Charleswood is such a large ward. I both live and work in it and hope for the best in it and the city as a whole in the years ahead.



The Charleswood-Tuxedo ward.



myspace hit counter

Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre Part 3

It will be a sad day for some when Salisbury House restaurant closes at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre.

I have eaten there many times in the past but so often in recent years. The restaurant has been at its Tuxedo location for 27 years. I can imagine that some people are upset and with the closure, there will be very little in the way of eating establishments aside from Starbucks.

By all accounts it is a busy place but it wasn't enough to appeal to the managers of the mall who probably thought that a better class of clientele with a faster turnover of parking spaces lay in choosing the the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission's Liquor Mart expansion into the restaurant's space.

The 2,613-square-foot space will now be renovated into a full size Liquor Mart.

I can remember the petition several years ago that the MLCC undertook to get approved for a location at Tuxedo. There were some initial reservations. It looks as if those concerns have been swept aside in the last few years.

NewWest Enterprise Property Group has been upgrading the mall for some time. The Mac's store was discarded some time ago and now it will be followed by the Sal's in December.

The mall is filled to the rafters so there isn't a spot elsewhere that Sal's could move to. There is probably a need for place like Sal's in the River Heights/Tuxedo/Charleswood area given the seniors in the area but there is no spaces available until Charleswood. Senior's in Charleswood have been using the McDonald's at the Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza for some time as a gathering spot.

It is possible that a Sal's could succeed at the Charleswood mall if the owner's of Sal's were willing to make that investment. My suggestion would be a restaurant in the parking lot.

Edit: Forgot to add that Salisbury House is building a 150 seat store in the former location of Longhorn's Texas Steakhouse (the Branigan's before that) on Leila Street in Garden City. It will also serve as their new headquarters as they move from St. James.



myspace hit counter

Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza Update

One of the last open spots in Charleswood Shopping Plaza Centre is being filled now. It will be a 24 hour Snap Fitness. The company is a franchise operation that costs about a $1 a day. Locations are very small and don't seem to include personal training, massage therapy, dietitians or the popular group exercise classes.

There is already one Snap Fitness on Pembina Highway.

It will be interesting to see how this place works out.

I should mention that I work at Goodlife Fitness as the registered massage therapist there. The location I work at is also 24 hours at the Kenaston Co-Ed location.



myspace hit counter

Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza

The Charleswood Shopping Centre Plaza is a community shopping centre on Grant Avenue. At one time, it was an enclosed mall and went by the name Forest Park Mall. It was built around 1978 by my recollection. In 2004, the owners of the mall announced that they were going to do a convert the mall to a big box strip mall. This was precipitated by fact that one of the anchors of the mall left to occupy Wal-Mart's old location at the Grant Park Shopping Mall. Zellers had not been the original department store tenant. That distinction went to Kmart which died a slow death in Canada and was bought over by Zellers in 1998. The departure of Zellers caused a re-think of what the mall should look like to ensure success in the future. The problem with enclosed community shopping centers as time went on was that many of the smaller businesses had difficulty staying economically viable. The initial attractiveness of an small enclosed mall supported by anchor stores was starting to wain. Zellers wasn't exactly the draw it used to be (if it ever was) and the mall, like so many in the suburbs, was starting to look dowdy and unappealing. For anyone driving past the Charleswood mall, it was easy to see that the place had no street presence. Aside from Safeway, McDonald's and the Zellers, no one was sure what the mall offered unless they parked and went inside. With the departure of it major anchor, it seemed the wisest choice was to turn the mall inside out. It has been a long process with renovations continuing well into the fall of 2007 and with new tenants taking a very long time to occupy the new space. In the spring of 2008, there are only three smaller units still left to lease out. The latest tenants to move in are major additions at least in terms of unique and attractive businesses to draw shoppers in the Charleswood area. One first is Sushi Park, a family owned sushi restaurant tucked in close to the Safeway. It is an attractive place with good food and an excellent addition to the area. The other new business to move in this spring is Blockbuster. For a number of years now, Charleswood has been underserved by the presence of a video store. Between Assiniboine Park and beyond the Charleswood Parkway and from the Assiniboine River to Wilkes, there hasn't been a video store of any sort for some time. While some people say that video stores are becoming less relevant with the Internet, Video on Demand, cable and satellite movie channels, there are still many people who like to rent videos and games. This can be witnessed by observing the Rogers Video store at the Kenaston Village Mall. It is filled with people; some no doubt from video store-starved Charleswood. Safeway continues to be the main anchor on the west side of the mall along with McDonald's which sits out on the corner of the lot. On the east side of the mall, the new anchor is Shoppers Drug Mart. Many of the small pharmacies have fallen due to competition from the grocery chains. Shoppers has emerged as a formidable challenger to that trend. The east corner of the mall opposite Royal School is reserved as park and ride lot for Winnipeg Transit. Beside that is a Tim Horton's to cater to the commuters travelling down Grant Avenue. A Liquor Mart and a Dollarama round out some of the larger retailers to rent space in the mall. One unique entry to the mall is City Looks Spa and Salon. The salon business has really taken off and several regional shopping centers have benefited from this type of business moving in. The 2007 revamp of Safeway has given the store a much better deli selection as well as a Starbucks. The outside of Safeway still looks boring but the inside is clean and generally an improvement. A Quiznos, a Pet Valu a Bank of Montreal branch and a local insurance office round out the services at the mall. So as the mall nears full occupancy, what is the verdict? I'd have to say as far as community malls go, it has found the right formula and the right mix of stores to appeal to its residential core and to the commuters along Grant. The mall's street appeal has improved and the selection of stores has improved. All in all, it is a welcome re-development in the Charleswood neighborhood.