Changes on the Drive

#161 – 1 December 2025

Because rain was predicted for December 1st, we took advantage of the fabulous weather on Sunday, November 30th, and joined the throngs of locals and tourists clogging the sidewalks and streets of Commercial Drive.

There were a lot of things going on. Grandview Park was taken over by the annual Christmas Festival, with live music and a giant stuffed and animated bear.

Across the street was the boarding station for the free Horse-and-Carriage ride, courtesy of the Commercial Drive Business Society. There was a huge line-up for this. And there was even a parade, put on by the Friends of Cuba Against the U.S. Blockade.

With all this activity, it took us a bit longer than usual to observe the Changes, but we persevered, and here are our results:

The 900 block of the Drive seems pretty stable — no changes since last month. In the 1000 block, the former location of Turnabout (1003–1005) is still empty, but the For Lease signs are gone from the windows. We’re not sure what this means – has someone taken over the space, or were the signs needed elsewhere? We’ll keep an eye on this one.

Mary Jean “Watermelon” Dunsdon and her Licorice Parlour at 1002 Commercial was just featured in a sweet article in the Capilano Courier.

At 1010 Commercial, the former location of Dream Cycle, we met its new tenant, Sarah Anderson, proprietor of Joy of the Find, the newest vintage shop on The Drive. Sarah says she will be in that location for at least a year. Currently, the stock is mainly clothing, but she told us that she plans to add more housewares soon. Best of luck Sarah, and welcome to The Drive.

There is another new business in this block. Alexia Dyer has taken over the premises at #202 – 1011 Commercial for her psychotherapy practice.

At 1045 Commercial, the Pizza Garden still seems to be recovering from September’s fire, but the Crowsnest Barber Shop has managed to re-open.

At 1111 Commercial, the Drive Canteen closed at the end of October, but across the street at 1110 Commercial, Dante Italian Sandwich is now open, with a little Vespa scooter parked out in front, and is selling sandwiches like there’s no tomorrow.

The old Joe’s Cafe and Wander storefronts at 1146–1150 are still for lease and they have taken quite a graffiti-and-poster beating during the time they’ve been vacant:

At 1268 Commercial, Nomo Nomo has applied to the City for an extension of its hours of liquor service from midnight to 2:00 a.m.

And down at 1288 Commercial, a new dental establishment is still being set up. It looks like most of the major work is done, just a few loose ends being tied up. (Is “Family Dentistry” going to be its official name?)

In the 1300 block of Commercial, we were pleased to see our old friend Laughing Hand (AKA Keith McKellar) parked in front of the Pharmasave, with his old brown Econoline van festooned with his distinctive artwork. He is the epitome of the pop-up entrepreneur — pops up one day, gone the next — so if you run across him, don’t dither, he might not be back for ages.

At 1301 Commercial, Mum’s The Word has also applied to the City for an extension of its hours of liquor service from midnight to 2:00 a.m. Is this a trend? Will late-night revellers from these establishments disturb the nearby neighbours?

Remember the old Beckwoman’s store at 1314 Commercial (now Bangtown Beauty and Barber)? There was a dramatic fire at Beckwoman’s in January of 2015:

Eventually, some months after the fire, the longtime and eccentric owner Bonnie Beckman moved to a storefront over on East Hastings. We’re sorry to report that she died recently, and Donna Jean MacKinnon wrote us to say that there will be an auction of all the zany stuff in the Hastings Beckwoman’s store sometime soon.

Down at the south end of the block, we were surprised to see that the Famoso Pizzeria & Bar has suddenly and permanently closed its doors. According to someone we talked to on the street, the owner decided to move to Italy, leaving behind a functioning restaurant structure in a pretty primo Drive location. We wonder how long it will be before another eatery moves in?
(Incidentally, if you loved Famoso, it is a franchise, and there are three other Lower Mainland locations listed on the closing sign on their door.)

’Tis the season, and you can tell because the Magnet Hardware roof is stacked high with Christmas trees. Business was brisk as we went by on Sunday and, if we remember correctly, they ran out of trees early last year, so don’t postpone your purchase!

Any day now, the old Salvation Army building at 1640 East First Avenue will open its doors as The Landing Youth Centre, built to serve and support vulnerable youth and their families in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and Grandview-Woodland neighbourhoods. The organization will carry on with the programs developed at its old Gastown facility, which are geared towards providing youth with a safe place where they can learn to develop self-confidence, a sense of community, and the skills required to live in the real world. The building has been extensively rehabilitated, and features such amenities as a commercial-grade kitchen, a gym, a recording studio, and lots of spaces for just hanging out. This is a wonderful addition to the culture of Commercial Drive. Many thanks to the Herrendorf Family Foundation for making it happen.David

At 1733 Commercial, it was either a good day or a bad day for Belli Pizza, as they ran out of pizza early, and had to close down for the day. We noticed a couple of weeks ago that they managed to have the crudely etched graffiti polished from their windows and front door. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Sadly, it looks like the Indo Chinese Street Wok at 1851 Commercial had a run-in with one of the local glass vandals. One of its big front windows was smashed and is now covered with plywood.

On a whim, we poked our head into Jefferson’s Barber Shop at 1949 Commercial and discovered it to be one of the most eclectic businesses on The Drive. It’s been in its current location for 12 years. Prior to that it was known as The Chop Shop, and was located for a few years at 1035 Commercial (the north end of what is now Choices!).

There is good progress at 2062 Commercial, the former location of Rinconcito (where they used to serve such delicious pupusas). Peering through the door we saw an edge of fresh floor tile poking out from a layer of protective paper, an assembly of cabinets in one corner, some wall-mounted shelving, and freshly painted walls and ceiling. Looking promising!

2111 Commercial, which used to be Dose + Wellness before they moved to their new location at 2211, is now used as storage by the building owner, but they removed most of the old Dose + Wellness sign lettering on the front window, leaving just “DO WELL” a cheery/positive message combined with a rather bizarre window display with mannequins. The storefront is no longer open to the public.

So… DO WELL, thanks for reading our column, and please pass the link along to anyone you think might enjoy or appreciate it.

Also, as always, if you notice or hear about any “changes” or skuttlebutt that you think we might want to include in next month’s post, or if you’d like to get on our mailing list and be notified each month of the latest posting, just send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com and let us know.

And… if you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is. This month’s changes are in green.

#160 – 1 November 2025

Welcome to Changes on The Drive for November, where we are making our very own changes to this column. Starting this month, we will be including the businesses that aren’t technically on The Drive, but are located around the corners on some of the streets that intersect The Drive. Regular denizens of The Drive are probably already familiar with them, but if you don’t get down here as often as you might like, you may just find something of interest. We’re also including some of the businesses whose only street presence is a door leading up to second-floor offices. (If we’ve missed any businesses that you think we should include, do let us know…)

So let’s get started, appropriately, with a couple of our new additions. At 1642 Venables is Vennie’s Sub Shop, where you can get delicious hand-crafted hot or cold sandwiches and snacks. Right next door at 1696 Venables is The Bunny Cafe, which features all the usual cafe fare and — you guessed it —  live bunnies! (Just to be clear, this is a vegan establishment, so no, the bunnies are not on the menu.)

1011 Commercial is a street door leading up to two offices – Into Being Psychotherapy and Positive Change Counselling.

There is a colourful new mural next to Eternal Abundance at 1025 Commercial, worth a look:

In the week heading up to Halloween, Choices Market (1045 Commercial) ran a contest where folks were invited to guess the weight of their giant pumpkin. Here’s the pumpkin itself, shown in the storage area at Choices immediately after the contest…

The winner, who guessed the exact weight — 159 pounds! — was none other than longtime neighbourhood resident and food-security activist Ian Marcuse, shown here on his bike, not with the giant pumpkin. He won a little gift basket. He was also offered the pumpkin itself, but he turned it down.

After four years serving an enormous variety of snacks and drinks to its faithful customers, The Drive Canteen (1111 Commercial) is closing. The owners are apparently looking for a new location in the immediate neighbourhood, so stay tuned.

For all you lovers of sardines, the Portuguese Club (1144 Commercial) is hosting another Sardine Day on Sunday, the 9th of November.

Down the street, at 1288 Commercial, the former A + A Dental Clinic, has finally been leased and will soon be, wait for it… another dental clinic! Don’t forget to floss.

Around the corner from The Drive on Charles Street, we have three well-established businesses. At 1704 is Arts Off Main Gallery, the city’s longest-running artist-run collective.

At 1706 is the Dawa Day Spa.

At 1716 is Home N Art Plus, a thriving variety store with a wide selection of stock — plants, cut flowers, hardware, stationery, housewares, and lots more.

And let’s not forget the heritage brick building of great historical significance that houses these fine businesses:

Around the corner from The Drive on Grant Street, there are several more businesses to add to the list: 1701 Grant is home to two of them, both upstairs – Dr. Michelle Tao Dental and Drive Counselling Group. At 1707 Arc Studio offers pilates and yoga. And at 1717 is Grant Street Wellness, registered massage therapy.

Across the street at 1720 Grant is the entrance to Spartacus Gym.

1416 Commercial is a street door leading up to four businesses:

Masala Marinated Meats (1458 Commercial) has updated their signage to feature the restaurant side of the business.

Work continues at 1604 Commercial, transforming the old Norman’s Market into a restaurant. There’s another big mess outside.

And an even bigger mess inside:

Across the street at 1605 Commercial, TWK Lebanese Sandwich Spot is now open, serving up some great-looking sandwiches.

Nasa Bakery & Cafe (1678 Commercial) is now open, with a very professional-looking sign and some tasty Turkish treats. We tried the Turkish-style simit bagels and the mini-apple pastries and they were delicious. It was quite busy the day we stopped by.

The mall at Il Mercato is now host to the new Thai restaurant Sud Soi, which is now open for lunch and dinner. We had a nice chat with Bea Chuanil, the owner and manager, who has been managing Thai restaurants in Vancouver since 2011. The place looks great, and we plan to head there soon to try it out. Here is Lita Thaiprasert at the greeting podium.

Around the corner from Il Mercato at 1615 East 1st Avenue is the Olympus Fitness Centre, another new addition to our survey. A fitting replacement for the long-forgotten MacDonalds!

Across the street at 1640 East 1st Avenue, the old Salvation Army building is nearing the end of a long renovation and will soon open as a youth drop-in centre. It’s unclear as to who is in charge of the development; we have reached out to Family Services of Greater Vancouver to see if they can provide more information.

Back on The Drive, Belli Pizza at 1733 Commercial is now open for lunch and dinner, and according to a hungry customer anxiously waiting for the door to open, the pizzas are terrific. Sadly, it looks like someone has vandalized the front windows. What is it with people?

When we last looked in on 1816 Commercial, the sales office for The Cut, a condo development on Kamloops Street, workers were clearing the place out. The space is now completely empty, with no indication as to what its future holds.

We had a peek through the grimy windows at 2062 Commercial (the former Rinconcito Salvadoreño) and saw signs of actual progress in the form of a stack of plywood boxes in the middle of the floor — future cabinetry?

Around the corner, the mural on the south-facing wall of Hariyali Express (2066 Commercial) continues to evolve with the addition of some highlights to the figure pouring tea (?). It really is a fabulous and mysterious piece of art.

Well, that’s about it for this month’s Changes, but before we go, we’ll bring up one of those features of The Drive that doesn’t change:

Dennis, who can be found most days working his way up and down The Drive (mostly in the few blocks just south of 1st Avenue) clearing the sidewalks of leaves and litter as a service to the businesses and pedestrians, a lovely fellow who always has time for a chat. Check in with him the next time you’re out.

So long for now, thanks for reading our column, and please pass the link along to anyone who you think might enjoy or appreciate it.

Also as always, if you notice or hear about any “changes” or skuttlebutt that you think we might want to include in next month’s post, just send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com and let us know.

And… if you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in green (and the few adjacent-to-The-Drive businesses that we’ve added are in green as well; now that we’re including them, they won’t be green next month…).

#159 – 1 October 2025

30 September 2025. A perfect fall day – bit of a chill in the air, sudden sunny breaks through the clouds, throngs of people walking The Drive, filling the coffee bars, waves of orange heading to Grandview Park to participate in and honour the ceremonies of this Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

Clipboard and pen in hand, we joined the crowds at Venables and headed south.

Not much to report for the 900 block, but at 1010 Commercial, Dream Cycle is now just a memory – the space is completely empty and the only signage (aside from the Dream Cycle awning) is a large FOR RENT notice in the window.

Pizza Garden (1042 Commercial) is still closed after the 4th of September fire. It looks as though it will be a while before it will be able to open up again. Next door at 1044 Commercial, the Crowsnest Barber Shop is also closed; whether it’s because of the holiday or smoke damage from the fire is unclear. October 3rd note: Brent wrote us to say that he’d heard Crowsnest was hoping to re-open sooner but an inspector came for a second look at the fire damage next door and upstairs and said they won’t be re-opening anytime soon. Some of the barbers have moved over to Iron Lung Barbershop on Broadway at Fraser. 

At 1110 Commercial, the former Pizza Castle & Vegan Indian Curry is transforming into a Dante Italian Sandwich shop, the latest project from Dom and Frank Morra, the folks who brought you Via Tevere. They appear to be in the drywall-finishing phase of construction, so it might be a month or so before they are open for business.

Down the street at 1134 Commercial, Kulinarya closed on 8 September for a “refreshment”, but now it’s back, refreshed and open.

The three storefronts at the south end of the block are all still for lease, although the occasional sounds of power tools can be heard in passing, so something’s going on behind those papered-over windows.

Good news for all you fans of Japanese Izakaya bars – Nomo Nomo at 1268 Commercial is finally open, and if last night’s crowd is any indication (it’s a very small space, but it was packed to the gills!), it’s going to be a roaring success.

At 1458 Commercial, Masala Marinated Meats is now offering sit-down service at their inside restaurant , which is called “Masala Moose”.

Because of the current BCGEU strike, there’s an unsettling change at 1520 Commercial, location of the government Liquor Store – lots of empty shelves! We’re sure that this too shall pass, we just don’t know when. Contract talks appear to be stalled.

The main floor of the Dolce Amore building at 1588-1590 is still tarped up, so it’s hard to know what’s going on there, but at least the apartments on the upper floors have been refinished and are now occupied again.

There’s a lot going on in the 1600 block of Commercial:

Firstly, the old Babylon Cafe is being reborn as the TWK The Lebanese Sandwich Spot. According to one of the workers on site, it will open for business in two weeks. Follow them on Instagram for an “exclusive opening discount”!

Across the street at 1678 Commercial, the short-lived Super Dishes Egyptian Restaurant will morph into Nasa’s Bakery and Cafe, offering Turkish breakfast treats.

It’s hard to know what’s happening behind the wall of pizza boxes at the former site of Lombardo’s, but out in the lobby there’s a new sign for the new enterprise, Sud Soi, a Thai restaurant:

South of 1st Avenue, work is proceeding at 1733 Commercial, home of another pizza establishment by the name of Belli Pizza. We had a brief chat with Scott, one of the owners and the Chef, who said he was hoping to be able to open in about ten days. We wish him good luck.

We imagine that work is still under way at 1736 Commercial, which, one day, may become another dental clinic.

At 1815 Commercial, Park Drive Restaurant has added a new dimension to its existing business – a separate bar, a speakeasy, if you will, tucked away in the back of the original room. Cool tunes, funky snacks, and exceptional cocktails according to a glowing review in the Georgia Straight. We’re looking forward to checking it out.

Across the street at 1816 Commercial, the sales office for The Cut, a residential development at 4835 Kamloops Street, is being dismantled as the developer gets ready to set up a display unit on the townhouse construction site. We wonder if there are plans for the space … or will it languish as another For Lease storefront?

Is the fellow in that promotional photo walking a pet pig?

Next door at 1818 Commercial, Pho 37 Vietnamese Restaurant is open and bustling.

If you’re looking for a new fitness regime, you may want to check out Local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy at 1840 Commercial. We spoke with Neto Estrela, one of the principals in the venture, who is very enthusiastic about their presence on The Drive. It’s a big space, open and bright, and they offer classes for all ages and skill levels. Check out their website for more information.

As we strolled south on the 1900 block, we noticed a sign posted in the window of Spin Cycle Laundry (1910 Commercial) advertising its free recycling service, sponsored by Build Local Communities. Seems like a worthwhile enterprise.

At the end of the block, in front of Prado Cafe, a cheery musical interlude with an anonymous fiddler:

Audiopile Records (2016 Commercial) is continuing their expansion into the space next door with an impressive collection of storage and display units.

At 2018, Tierra Latina (not to be confused with Mi Tierra Latina at 1034 Commercial) has a beguiling skeleton out in front for the Halloween season and these folks posed with her.

At 2062 Commercial, progress at the former Rinconcito restaurant site continues, but at a snail’s pace, with two small sections of the interior walls now covered with new drywall. Not much else has happened since our last report.

As we walked past Sushiville (2068 Commercial), we commented to each other that they always seem to be playing lively upbeat non-Japanese music.

We’re not sure when it happened, but an intriguing mural has appeared on the north wall and storefront of 2105 Commercial. We have been told that the owner of the building uses it for storage; it has now also become a canvas for some very interesting street art.

Well, it’s time to get this off to the Editorial Department for a rigorous cleanup and posting. We hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s tour of The Drive. See you next month!

As always, if you notice or hear about any “changes” that you think we might want to include in next month’s post, just send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com and let us know. And… if you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in green.

#158 – 1 September 2025

Happy Labour Day everyone! We hope you have all had a terrific summer. Here in the city, we have been fortunate to enjoy the long run of fantastic weather, but our hearts go out to those all those folks across Canada whose lives have been affected by the wildfires. Here’s a link to the Red Cross Canadian Wildfire Fund page if you’re able to make a donation.

We headed out just after ten on September 1^st, clipboard at the ready and trusty dog in tow. The first thing we noticed was how little vehicle traffic there was, but how busy the coffee shops were. Denizens of The Drive do love their coffee!

There were no visible changes in the 900 block of Commercial, but at 1010 Commercial, Darren McKay was almost done clearing out the former space of Dream Cycle, his much-loved and most excellent bike shop. He told us that there had been a flood of postings thanking him for his great service over the years, and expressing their dismay at the demise of one of the best bike shops in the city. The cost of doing business on The Drive (and in the city) claims another victim.

At 1108 Commercial, Sake Maki is expanding their footprint with a nicely crafted mini-patio that can seat at least two, maybe even four, customers:

It looks like their neighbour to the south, the former Pizza Castle & Vegan Indian Curry at 1110 Commercial has entered the pupal stage of its life – the door and windows have been tarped over, and presumably, at some point in the future, they will be removed to reveal a shiny new organism.

Across the street at 1109 Commercial, the former Bikram Yoga studio has a new name – B90 Yoga – and a new entrance policy:

RIP Joe Antunes, 11 May 1937 to 7 August 2025. Joe Antunes, the founder of Joe’s Cafe at 1150 Commercial, passed away in Portugal, his home country, at the ripe old age of 90. He owned and ran the business for nearly 50 years, but had to close it down in October 2024 due to his ill health. Here is a link to more links about Joe and Joe’s Cafe.

Today the three storefronts that made up Joe’s empire (1146, 1148, and 1150 Commercial) are all for lease, after having had basic upgrades to the plumbing and electrical and new drywall to walls & ceilings. In the meantime, they just sit there empty, collecting tags and handbills.

At 1268 Commercial, work on Nomo Nomo continues, getting ever closer to completion, we hope.

1288 Commercial, former home of A and A Dental Clinic (which is now in the old Fet’s location at 1230 Commercial), is still vacant and still for lease.

Across and down the street at 1305 Commercial, the old Don Oso storefront is still shut up tight with no sign of anything happening, not even a for lease sign.

At 1588–1590 Commercial, it looks like at least some of the apartments on the second and third floors have been re-occupied, two years after the fire that closed the whole building down. Work is still continuing on the main floor renovation for Dolce Amore, but it’s good to see that some people are back in the building. If any of our readers know someone who has moved (or moved back) into the building, we would love to have a chat with them about how things are going.

1604 Commercial, forever known as Norman’s, is still in stealth mode — walls painted black, padlocks on the door — but at least it’s being kept reasonably tidy. Someone has installed an interesting retrospective collage of photos of Norman’s on the wall beside the front doors – worth a look:

Across the street at the Babylon Cafe (1605 Commercial), it looks like a major refit is underway. The ubiquitous brown paper has been taped up on the front doors and windows, but when we passed by, some of it had fallen away, and we had a glance at some renovation chaos:

The tenants at the Mercato Mall have always been fairly stable, but that has recently changed with the demise of Lombardo’s, the popular Italian restaurant that had been at that location for nearly 40 years. There’s a good piece in Vancouver is Awesome by Lindsay William-Ross that goes through the history of the restaurant and gives the low-down on what will replace it — a new Thai place. Worth a read.

We’re counting down the days until JN&Z Deli (1729 Commercial) reopens after their summer holidays – 11 September (only 9 days left as of this writing). Looking forward to new products from their Creative Team!

We’re not holding our breaths for the new pizza place at 1733 Commercial to open. It seems to be in the last throes of construction when all the fiddly bits need to be wrapped up, and there are so many of them that it takes forever.

Speaking of taking forever, the dental clinic at 1736 Commercial certainly falls into that category. We had a chance encounter with an open front door yesterday and saw that no visible progress had been made in what seems like months. That must be mighty discouraging.

In the next block, at 1818 Commercial, we come across a perfect case of “the exception proving (that) the rule (exists)”. The transformation of The Fish Counter to Pho 37 has taken no time at all, maybe a couple of months, and we were assured by two fellows in the know that the new establishment would “be open next week!” Fingers crossed…

At 2012 Commercial, Audiopile continues the expansion of its enterprise with more shelving and millwork units.

The wonderful mural on the south-facing wall of Hariyali Express Indian Cuisine (2066 Commercial) keeps evolving. A very evocative street scene has been added to the last section of wall, and the effect is magical. Definitely worth a look.

If you notice or hear about any “changes” that you think we might want to include in next month’s post, just send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com and let us know. And… if you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in green.

And finally – an announcement: Car Free Day on The Drive, Saturday 6th of September, from noon to 7:00 pm. It just goes from 1st Avenue to Broadway this year. See you there!

And see you next month.

Addendum: We didn’t post this right on Sept 1st, and, at 9:30 a.m. the morning of the 4th, we happened to be walking down to Britannia and saw that there was a fire at Pizza Garden! There were several fire engines and there was some pretty dramatic white and black smoke coming out of the chimney and out of the front windows. We think Lunch Lady and the Crow’s Nest barber shop and even the apartments above Pizza Garden were all okay. We heard from one of the people watching this that the owner of Pizza Garden had just purchased the business five days earlier! So sad, if that’s true. More on this next month, but it looks like it’ll be closed for a while.

#157 – 1 August 2025

Well, dear readers, how has your summer been so far? The weather has certainly been splendiferous — hot days, clear skies, cool breezes — pretty hard to beat! For some folks, summer means holidays, and that is certainly the case for several of the establishments on The Drive, so let’s get those out of the way right off the bat:

Vancouver Donair (933 Commercial): closed until 10 August.

Portuguese Club (1144 Commercial): closed until 27 August.

Il Mercato Mall: limited hours from 4 August to 8 August.

JN&Z Deli (1729 Commercial): closed until 11 September!

We hope that all these folks have great holidays, and return to The Drive refreshed and ready to roll!

Now for the changes:

At the former Turnabout space (1003 Commercial) the window repairs are now complete and a For Lease sign is up.

Sad news for cyclists… After 20 years of business on The Drive, Dream Cycle (1010 Commercial) will be closing at the end of August. Darren McKay, the owner, said that the recent rent increase broke the last spoke in the wheel, and has made it impossible to keep the shop running as a bricks-and-mortar business. He already has an on-line sales presence (https://dream-cycle.ca/), which he is going to focus on, so you will still be able to get parts. In the meantime, the SALE is on! As well as the increased operating costs, staffing has always been a problem; he reckons that over the years he has trained about ten people in the ins and outs of bicycle maintenance, only to have them leave to set up their own shops elsewhere. At least, he says, he will have more time to get out on his bike. Safe rides, Darren!

Another departure on this block — Toby Rogers, manager of the Choices store at 1045 Commercial, has been reassigned to their Burnaby store. It’s a shame, since Toby lives in the neighbourhood and has been able to walk to work. We sure hope the new manager Choices brings in is as keen to know and support his shoppers and the community as Toby has been. Farewell, Toby, and happy wedding in September!

At 1110 Commercial, the Pizza Castle & Vegan Indian Curry seems to be frozen in time. All the store fittings are still in place, but there is no sign of life at all.

There are, however, plenty of signs of life at 1146, 1148, and 1150 Commercial, the old sites of Wander and Joe’s Cafe. We were able to have a peek inside all three storefronts the other day, and saw that work was proceeding with improving the spaces for potential lessees — walls all freshly drywalled, ceilings open for new electrical work (?). This level of investment seems to indicate that there will be no outright sale of the building, which we think is good for the Drive.

We’re happy to see that Rewind Cash 444 Clothes (1204 Commercial) has finally managed to replace their old tagged-up piece of plywood with a fresh new piece of glass. Let’s hope it stays that way!

Further down the block at 1268 Commercial, the old Pacific Poke continues its transition to the new Nomo Nomo Izakaya Bar. A look through the front window shows millwork in place and boxes of chairs — a good sign.

At the south end of the block, 1288 Commercial is still empty and still for lease.

Over at 1301 Commercial, Mum’s The Word counsels passers-by to “Choose Wisely”:

Indeed!

We have noticed that fresh Chilliwack corn has now hit the markets, and it has been brought to our attention that one of our favourite purveyors of fresh cobs — the ever affable Corn Man — has yet to appear. We hope that it’s because the season is early and he’s busy filling his van with fresh product. If anyone knows of his whereabouts, please let us know – we’re all ears!

And thanks to John B. for the tip and the great photo.

The pop-up plaza at Kitchener Street is more popular than ever as it now has umbrellas! We think Livia is serving “Piazza” meals in the plaza, too.

In the front window of Bar Corso (1566 Commercial) is a very big sign of their application to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch for a 15-person curbside patio, which is a bit puzzling, because it looks like they already have one. Oh well.

At the former site of Norman’s Market (1604 Commercial), work may be proceeding inside, but it’s impossible to tell, since the place is locked up tight. Whoever is in charge though, is doing a great job of keeping the exterior clean and free from debris.

A sudden change at the Babylon Cafe (1605 Commercial) — door and windows all papered up with no explanation. Does anyone out there know what’s happening?

The former bank and payday loan shark business at 1690 Commercial is still for lease.

On the south side of First Avenue, workers are still beavering away at 1733 Commercial, turning it into another pizza restaurant. It looks like it could be ready to launch in a month.

Lots of action in the 1800 block of the Drive:

Here’s a link to a good article about the Rufus Guitar & Drum Shop at 1803. A must-read for anyone interested in collecting vintage guitars.

At 1818, The Fish Counter has closed (presumably to re-open somewhere else, sometime) and is being replaced by a new branch of Pho 37, a popular Vietnamese chain.

The old East Van Wear & Tattoo at 1839 has morphed into the Naughty Comrade Tattoo Studio, where you can either get a tattoo or lose one.

And finally, the long-defunct tattoo parlour at 1840 will soon become the LOCAL Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Upon hearing this news, Julie, our Brazilian relative in New Zealand, said “Woah! There’s going to be heaps of Brazilians around.”

Some good news – Canterbury Tales Books at 2010 Commercial is back in business! After Lea Watson’s sudden passing back in May, the store was closed for a while, and many of us were wondering what would happen with it. Well, Lea’s daughter, Brandee Holdsworth, has decided to turn the page on her previous career and bring the store back to life. Hours will be a little sporadic until the official opening sometime this month. We wish Brandee well!

At 2016 Commercial, Audiopile Records has finally started the work of its expansion into the space next door. We could see lots of display units and shelves just waiting to be put in place and filled up with vinyl.

The old Rinconcito at 2062 Commercial seems unchanged at first glance, but a closer look through the none-too-clean front window reveals some fresh steel stud work where the old kitchen was, as well as along the south wall, and if you squint hard enough you’ll catch a glimmer of some fresh copper piping. We’re guessing that it will eventually be another restaurant. Only time will tell.

The Hariyali Express Indian Cuisine & Bar sits on the northeast corner of Commercial Drive and McSpadden Avenue, and the south-facing wall features a fantastic mural, a work in progress. If you are in that area at all, you must make a point of checking it out. It is magnificent.

We are all aware of the high turnover of restaurants on The Drive. It’s probably the number one subject on COTD. It’s a hard business. Here’s a link to an article from The Sun that lays out some of the difficulties restaurants are facing these days, and what can be done to maybe make things a little easier for folks in the business. Let us know what you think.

That just about wraps up this month’s edition of Changes on the Drive. As always, if you see or hear of anything that you think might be of interest to other readers of this column, please , please send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com. We’re always happy to hear from you.

And finally, a quick shout-out to our faithful followers Sydney and Ashley for sharing their back-alley berry and fig secrets with us. It was great to meet you!

If you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in green.

#156 – 1 July 2025

Happy belated Canada Day! We did our tour of The Drive on the 1st of July, but are just now sitting down to organize our notes for this month’s posting. Apologies for the delay.

A beautiful sunny morning, clipboard and pen in hand, dog in tow, mountains at our back, we head off down our favourite street.

Not much in the first block – the Covid Art Cafe still seems very closed, and the commercial space at 938 Commercial is still for lease. During a brief stop at Vancouver Donair (933 Commercial) to pick up some lunch we find out that it has been in business for 29 years! Big congratulations!

In the next block, Turnabout Luxury Retail (1003 Commercial) has turned about and abandoned their location on the Drive. Their website refers to eight locations across Greater Vancouver and Victoria, but there is no mention of a Commercial Drive store, so there are actually only seven.

At 1020 Commercial, Cafe Nuts is patiently waiting for the City to approve their request for a permit to install a grinder so that customers can grind their own nut butters. Seems like a good idea!

Between Choices and Sweet Cherubim on the west side of the Drive is very well-used feature of the Drive, Napier Square Greenway. Enter from Commercial and you’ll find yourself in a carefully landscaped green space maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers known as Britannia Neighbours, who have been taking care of the space since it was installed with help from the City in 2001. Benches and chairs provide places to sit and read a book, eat your lunch, or take a break from shopping. Carry on westward through the Square to Britannia Community Centre and all its facilities, elementary and secondary schools, and our local branch of the Vancouver Public Library.

Sadly, it looks like another restaurant has fallen victim to the high cost of doing business on the Drive. Pizza Castle & Vegan Indian Curry at 1110 Commercial has been closed now for several months, and shows no signs of life.

The broken window at Rewind (1204 Commercial) is still boarded up, collecting more and more graffiti as time passes. That particular window has been broken several times in the past; it must be very discouraging for the business owners.

At 1268 Commercial, the future site of Nomo Nomo Izakaya Bar, work is progressing, and judging by the look of the sidewalk in front of the door, drywalling has begun!

At 1288 Commercial, the former dental clinic (which recently moved north a few storefronts) is still for lease.

The former site of Don Oso (1305 Commercial) is still closed, with the only change being a piece of plywood covering a previously broken window. Across the street at Santa Sahel (still known to many as Santa Barbara), almost all the interior shelving has been upgraded, including spiffy new display cases for the deli counter, and climate-controlled shelving for the produce section.

The pop-up plaza at Kitchener and Commercial is proving to be a popular place to hang out, especially on these lovely summer days.

On Italian Day, we spoke with one of the people setting up the Dolce Amore stall, and got some more information regarding the future of the site. As reported previously, they will be taking over the whole main floor for their new establishment which will be similar to their new project in Burnaby, including a gelato outlet, a casual “Caffetteria”, and a full-service restaurant. Sadly, this won’t be open until sometime in 2026.

Across the street at 1604 Commercial, the wait for permits seems to be dragging on at the former Norman’s Market. At least the new owners are doing a fine job of keeping the front area clean. Good work!

At 1690 Commercial, the former bank and payday loans building is still for lease.

In the first block south of First Avenue, 1733 Commercial is still closed, awaiting renewal as.… another pizza restaurant? Time will tell. Across the street at 1736, the new dental clinic (formerly Take Thai Home) is still under construction.

East Van Wear & Tattoo, set back from the street at 1839 Commercial, has just closed.

Across the street, 1840 Commercial is yet another empty storefront.

On a sad note, Lea Watson, the owner of Canterbury Books at 2010 Commercial, has passed away. The store is temporarily closed. Lea will be missed by many.

2062 Commercial Drive (formerly Rinconcito) is still pretty much unchanged, although if you look closely you can see very small signs of activity. Very small. A big change, however, on the south facing wall of Hariyali Express Indian Cuisine & Bar, a fabulous mural is in progress:

Congratulations to the Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant at 2149 Commercial for being in business for 25 years! Pick up an anniversary coupon – either from their website or in the restaurant – for a 25% discount from July 14–19. They serve some of the best Ethiopian cuisine in the city.

Finally, although its’s not actually on The Drive, we want to give a shout-out to Lucy’s Frozen Custard, a new family pop-up at 1695 Franklin Street. It’s not quite in our section of the Drive yet, but Lucy and her family live in our section. And yum! Creamy smooth frozen custard, fabulous cookies – great summertime treats.

That’s it for this month. If you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in are in green. If you hear of any changes on the Drive that you think we might be interested in, please send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com.

Have a great summer! Steve and Penny

#155 – 1 June 2025

We had planned on doing The Changes on Saturday, but it was such a grim, miserable day, we decided to hold off until Sunday morning, which was definitely the right decision – crisp and clear, not yet too crowded — a perfect day for our stroll up and down the Drive.

Heading south from Venables, there were no changes in the first block. The Covid Art Cafe still seems closed, and the space at 938 Commercial is still For Lease.

Things got busier in the 1000 block. At Turnabout (1003 Commercial), the window vandals had been at it again, and that all-too-familiar sheet of plywood partners up with the plywood at Miscellany Finds at 1029 Commercial.

It’s really kind of depressing to see this happening so regularly on the Drive.

On a cheerier note, we were happy to see that the new shop at 1020 Commercial (formerly a mushroom dispensary) is now open as Cafe Nuts. It’s a very nice space, clean and open, with a wide variety of pre-packaged nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

We chatted with the proprietor, Ramin, who told us they were working on adding more products to their inventory, including a machine that customers could use to grind their own nut butter.

It’s encouraging to see new businesses opening up on the Drive, especially in these uncertain times. We encourage you, dear readers, to drop in and go nuts!

On a sad note, at Lunch Lady (1046 Commercial), there is a shrine to the memory of Nguyen Thi Thanh, the original Lunch Lady of Saigon, who died on May 19 in Toronto, on a visit to open a new Lunch Lady restaurant in that city.

Good news for all you long-time fans of Sake Maki, which, a few years ago, was located at 1414 Commercial, where Viet Family is now. They had moved to Fraser Street for the interim, but they are now back on the Drive! You no longer have to travel to Fraser Street to satisfy your cravings for their creative rolls and bentos. Their new location at 1108 Commercial (beside Moja) is now open for business! It’s a little smaller than their old place, but you can eat in or get take-out.

Next door at 1110 Commercial, the future of Pizza Castle & Vegan Indian Curry seems a little shaky – it’s been closed lately, and the other day we noticed a gas disconnection tag on the front door. We hope they get it sorted out. They have a loyal — especially vegan — following that will be very disappointed if they don’t.

The biggest change is down at the south end of the block, where the former Wander joins the former Joe’s Cafe in a state of empty readiness for a new incarnation as…? Well, the signs on all three storefronts say Retail For Lease, so that would seem to eliminate the possibility of any kind of restaurant or food service establishment going in. One thought is that the owners of the property are just hunkering down until the economic situation improves and a buyer with deep pockets comes along and buys the whole package for development. Time will tell.

At least someone seems to be keeping an eye on the property. A few weeks ago, a large tag appeared on the south wall of old Joe’s and, within days, it had been painted over. And on the morning of our survey there was an unsightly pile of garbage in the entry of Joe’s, but two hours later it was gone, all cleaned up. Good work, whoever you are!

Across William Street at the very green Rewind Cash 444 Clothes (1204 Commercial), plywood is still covering the hole where their front window used to be. Hey, you glass-smashing mud-for-brains idiots, life in retail is hard enough without your lunkhead antics. Lay off, will ya??

1268 Commercial is still a construction zone for the soon-to-be-opening Nomo Nomo izakaya bar, and 1288 Commercial, former home of A&A Dental Clinic is still empty and For Lease.

The 1300 block of Commercial has been pretty stable this past month, with one exception – yes, a broken window on the former Don Oso, but this time there’s no plywood:

Let’s hear it for tempered glass!

The next change we came across is actually on Kitchener Street, just west of the Drive – a pop up plaza, with about eight full-sized picnic tables.

Vehicle traffic is of course blocked off, and it all looks pretty temporary, but it looks like a great place to hang out without having to buy anything.

Work is still going on at 1588/1590 Commercial, the old home and future site of Dolce Amore. Here’s a link to an article in the Vancouver Sun about a project the family has been working on in Burnaby ever since the Commercial Drive business was lost to a fire in 2023. It seems they expect to re-open something on the Drive in 2026.

Across Graveley Street at 1604 Commercial, the transformation of Norman’s Market slowly continues. The front has been painted shiny black, and the stucco has been removed from the underside of the suspended roof. A few weeks ago there was a lot of jack-hammer work inside, and at least one disposal bin of concrete chunks were hauled away. The space on the front wall above the suspended roof has been graced with a terrific graffiti tribute to Trey Helten, a deeply loved and respected resident of the Downtown East Side who overcame years of drug addiction to eventually become general manager of the Overdose Prevention Society. Trey died in April at the age of 42. The Tyee has a very good article on his life.

The old bank building and later payday loan place at 1690 Commercial, on the northeast corner of Commercial and First Avenue is still for lease. It’s hard to imagine what might fit in there.

Construction continues at 1736 Commercial (formerly Take Thai Home), which will eventually be another dental office.

1839 Commercial is an odd location, separated from the sidewalk by the small parking lot for the Park Drive restaurant. It has been the home of East Van Wear & Tattoo for years, but it will be closing its doors at the end of June. Big sale! Everything Must Go!

Mediterranean Specialty Foods has been at 1824 Commercial for years, but a recent article in the Vancouver Sun exposes an issue that affects the bottom line of this and any other small businesses that import food items from their home countries — delays in the inspection process by the Canada Border Services Agency that bring extra costs to the importer and can affect the  quality of perishable items. This is exactly the kind of thing small businesses do not need. There is very little we can do to change the inspection process, but we can and must support our local small businesses. They are the glue that keeps our community together.

1840 Commercial (formerly Next! Tattoo) is still for lease.

We usually do our Changes survey in late morning or early afternoon, which explains why we have always assumed that Delhi Fusion Indian Cuisine at 1859 Commercial was no longer an active business. It was always closed when we walked by. It turns out that their hours are from 4:00 pm to 3:00 am! So if you have a late-night craving for some fine Indian Fusion cuisine, you now know where to go.

Canterbury Tales Books at 2010 Commercial has been closed for the past month; we hope that the owner is okay and that it will be open again soon.

There are very small signs of progress at 2062 Commercial, the former site of Rinconcito Salvadoran Restaurant.

Dose + Wellness has now settled in at their new location at 2211 Commercial Drive.

Well, that’s it for the June 1 edition of Changes on The Drive. Don’t forget that Sunday, June 8, is Italian Day on The Drive.

If you’d like to view this month’s whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in red and places for lease are in green. If you hear of any changes on the Drive that you think we might be interested in, please send an email to grandviewheritage@gmail.com.

#154 – 1 May 2025

May Day! May Day! Early afternoon start to this month’s Changes — a brisk spring day — sunny and clear, terrific clouds, lots of folks out on the street, lots of spring finery and new tattoos on display. Yay spring!

As is the tradition, we started at Venables Street and headed South.

At 933 Commercial, the venerable Vancouver Donair was having its front window operated on, swapping out the old four-pane units, which were scratched and foggy for one new sealed unit. “I needed to improve my view,” said the owner cheerfully.

The space at 938 Commercial that was going to be a cafe/bistro Gauche is still for lease.

Miscellany Finds at 1029 Commercial had a break-in a couple of days ago, and now has that too-familiar sheet of plywood gracing its storefront. The perp was caught on security video, and is apparently known to police. Nothing of great value was stolen.

Across the street at 1020 Commercial, the former mushroom dispensary is being replaced with a dried fruit and nuts store, which should do well. They hope to be open in a month or so. Good luck!

There’s a lot going on in the 1100 block of the Drive. The defunct Hem 377 snack bar is being revived as that old Drive favourite Sake Maki! Not sure what the time line is, but the interior renovation seems to be moving along at a good clip.

We noticed that the For Lease sign at Drive Canteen (1111 Commercial) was gone, so we poked our collective heads in and found out that there is a new business setting up to move in, but not until September, so the Canteen will stay in place for the summer when it will move to a new location “very near by”. Stay tuned!

At 1146 Commercial, Wander is no more. All the unsold merchandise has been moved to storage, and now we are left to wonder what happens next in that space.

The door was open so we peered in nextdoor, at 1150, the place formerly known as Joe’s, and which has been completely gutted and is now being drywalled, so it looks as though it is being prepared for a future tenant, and will not be torn down for development, at least in the immediate future.

Across William Street, Rewind was another victim of a break-in, possibly around the same time as Miscellany Finds, possibly by the same person. Whoever it is, PLEASE STOP!

At 1230 Commercial, the A&A Dental Centre is getting a spiffy new sign:

Work continues at 1268 Commercial on Nomo Nomo, the upcoming izakaya restaurant. It seems they will probably open later this summer.

The space on the northeast corner of Commercial and Charles (former location of the A&A Dental Centre) is still vacant and still For Lease.

No changes on the 1300 block of the Drive. Absolutely nothing is happening at 1305, the former site of Don Oso.

Down at 1470 Commercial, the former location of Black Dog Videos (and more recently, the short-lived SoulEssentials) is now up and running as Painted Lady Records. Proprietors Donny Childs and Kemp Edwards have created a clean, bright space with tons of vinyl — and live music every Friday from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. No cover! Here’s Donny:

Work continues at 1588/1590 Commercial, the old site of Dolce Amore and Hanai Restaurant. The main floor area has been drywalled, and there have been some deliveries of kitchen equipment, but beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess as to what’s happening.

Across the street at the old Norman’s Market, the awning has been removed and the security fence has been taken away. Someone seems to have assumed responsibility for keeping the area cleaner, which is a welcome development. Even without the fence, there has been no accumulation of trash in front of the building.

Further south on the block, Super Dishes Egyptian Restaurant is now open for business.

On the other side of First Avenue, 1733 Commercial (just to the south of JN&Z Deli) is about to undergo a renovation, possibly for a pizza restaurant, if you believe the City documents taped to the door. Time will tell.

Across the street at 1736, work on the interior seems to have stalled. There used to be a little backhoe parked inside on a mound of dirt – it is gone, the dirt is still there, and the formwork that was ready for concrete a couple of months ago is still ready.

1840 is still For Lease.

In the next block, at 1859 Commercial, the Delhi Fusion Indian Cuisine still shows no sign of life, even though a couple of tables up front have place settings that look ready for customers.

Right next door, however, the Erbil Turkish Restaurant is definitely open, with cheery photos of food in the windows and a sidewalk sandwich board printed with the menu. Open 24 hours! Turkish breakfast every morning from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Nothing new in the 1900 block or the 2000 block. Audiopile hasn’t yet taken over the space at 2012, and there has been very little progress with the renovation at 2062, the old Rinconcito (still missing their pupusas!).

2111 Commercial used to be a Dose + Wellness mushroom shop, but they are moving down the street to 2211 Commercial, which for years was Universal Technology Inc. (formerly bright yellow but now freshly painted white), which surely was one of the oldest computer supply stores in Vancouver. The Dose + Wellness people told us that owner (who also owns the building) has retired but is hanging on to the building.

2235 Commercial is the new home for the second location of Fast Cell on the Drive. (The first one is in Il Mercato across from Tim Horton’s.)

And at long last, Rollzzy Rolls & Kebabs has opened at 2247 Commercial Drive!

Well, like the rabbit said, That’s All, Folks! Have a great Merry Month of May, and we’ll be back in June with all the changes for yet another month.

If you’d like the whole block-by-block pdf file, here it is! This month’s changes are in red.

Updates for April (April 6th)

Here are a couple of updates to our most recent Changes on the Drive:

Firstly, the unsightly mess at the former Norman’s Market has been cleaned up! We had a brief chat with a fellow who came out of the building as we were checking it out (looked like a boss – safety vest, gumboots, roll of drawings), who confirmed that it was going to be a restaurant of some sort, and that now they are just waiting (and waiting) for permits. We’ll keep track of the progress.

Secondly, a big thanks to Lee-Ann, one of our faithful readers, who sent us a link to an article by Lindsay William-Ross, Editor-in-Chief of Vancouver is Awesome, with lots of details about the new Japanese restaurant-to-be at 1268 Commercial (former location of Pacific Poke).

#153 – 1 April 2025!

Today’s walk started out cloudy with a chilly bite to it, almost wintry, but manageable. The clouds parted about halfway through, so things warmed up a bit, dropping another little hint of spring, which we’ve been told is just around the corner. We’re ready!

Anyway, starting at Venables and heading south, here’s what’s going on:

At 938 Commercial, the long-promised Gauche Café & Bistro has folded its tent and taken down its signs, which have been replaced with a big “For Lease” sign. No word as to why, but I would hazard a guess that it had something to do with money, probably the lack of it. You need deep pockets to set up and run a restaurant in this town, and these feel like particularly risky times.

At 1034 Commercial, Mi Tierra Latina has finally got their in-store Taco Bar up and running. We haven’t had a chance to sample their wares yet; if you have, do let us know how it is.

HEM 377, the Vietnamese snack bar at 1108 Commercial, is definitely closed – a letter taped to the front door says that failure to pay rent is the issue.

For all you grilled sardine lovers out there, the Portuguese Club (1144 Commercial) is having Member Sardine Day on April 18th, from noon to 3:00 pm. If you’re not a member, you can still get your sardine fix for $15.00.

I poked my head in to 1150 Commercial (formerly known as Joe’s Cafe) to see what’s been going on there. I had noticed several large demolition bins in the parking lot behind Joe’s, and was not surprised to see that there were no cabinets or fixtures left in the space,  that the remaining walls were being stripped down to the studs, exposing old plumbing and wiring. I spoke briefly with the site foreman who said that they were renovating in anticipation of a new tenant, unknown so far, which indicates to me that there are, as yet, no plans to demolish the building and go for a new development. Time will tell.

This information is posted in the window next to the door:

At 1268 Commercial, former site of Pacific Poke, one section of the window covering has fallen down, and I was able to see that there is a lot of work to do on the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system, so it will likely be a few months before they are ready to open for business.

At 1288 Commercial, former site of A & A Dental, the “For Lease” signs are gone, and the premises look to be ready for a tenant, but there is no indication as to what sort of tenant that might be. Stay tuned!

In the 1300 block, the former location of Don Oso is still blacked out and locked up, with no sign of life, kicked to the curb by an egregious rent increase. Another example of how hard it is to run a business on the Drive.

Across the street, at 1322 Commercial, Santa Sahel has rolled out spiffy new sidewalk produce display bins with angled adjustable shelves and serious casters. This should make the morning setup and evening takedown much easier! It also really opens up the sidewalk area in front. Tables! Chairs! Coffee! Live music & dancing!

At 1470 Commercial, the former SoulEssentials Records is getting ready to open up as Painted Lady Records – windows are covered with plastic and a tasty new graphic graces the main window. When we last spoke with them, they were hoping to open on the 5th of April; let’s hope they hit their target!

On the north-east corner of Commercial and Graveley, work seems to be ongoing at the Dolce Amore building, although they keep it pretty buttoned up, so it’s kind of hard to tell. The other day, however, the side door was open and I saw that the main floor has been completely drywalled, which is a major step on the road to completion.

Across the street, at 1604 Commercial, the former Norman’s Market is looking more abandoned every day. Apparently the new owners are waiting for permits from the City, but in the meantime, they are allowing it to sink into squalor behind the useless “security” fence. It shows a shameful lack of respect for the community.

At 1678 Commercial, the former Vancity Donair & Fried Chicken establishment has re-invented itself as the Super Dishes Egyptian Restaurant. The new signage is up, but there’s no indication of when it will actually open.

1690 Commercial, the old bank building on the corner of 1st Avenue, is still closed and for lease. It’s hard to imagine what could possibly go in there.

Further south, at 1736 Commercial, work is continuing on the transformation of the long-gone Take Thai Home into a dental clinic. Peering in through the front door, I could see a little digger parked on a pile of dirt, and new formwork, ready for concrete, all along the north wall where the new plumbing has been installed. Still a lot of work to be done!

Last month, it looked as though the Erbil Restaurant at 1861 Commercial would only be serving breakfast, but fresh new signage announces that you will be able to eat there all day long!

1977 Commercial is the location of the Grandview-Woodland Community Policing Centre, and they have a sidewalk sign out in front advertising weekly walks for folks over 60 years. Every Wednesday morning, with refreshments after! I may have to check this out in person!

2012 Commercial is still empty, but a staff member at Audiopile (next door) assured me that the “wheels are in motion” for their expansion into that space.

Further down the block, there is some action at 2062 Commercial, the long-closed Rinconcito Salvadoran Restaurant. The front window is partially covered, and I could hear the dulcet tones of a jackhammer somewhere in the back. I imagine it will be another restaurant, and if so, I hope it will be as friendly, funky, and family-oriented as the old Rinconcito. It was always one of our favourites.

Lastly, at 2247 Commercial, Rollzzy Rolls & Kebabs has been working on a few finishing touches, and might be opening soon. Good luck to them!

That’s it for this edition of COTD. As always, if you hear about changes we may miss, want to comment on our monthly post, or if you’d like to receive a personal email notification every month when COTD is hot off the “press”, just drop us a note at grandviewheritage@gmail.com.

See you next month!

#152 – 1 March 2025!

Steve and I did the walk on March 1^st, a lovely sunny day and a Saturday, so the Drive was chockablock with shoppers and pedestrians of all sorts. We kept running into friends so the walk took much longer than usual. As usual, the Drive is pretty stable; there haven’t been a lot of changes, but the ones we noticed seemed significant.#152 – 1 March 2025!

Steve and I did the walk on March 1^st, a lovely sunny day and a Saturday, so the Drive was chockablock with shoppers and pedestrians of all sorts. We kept running into friends so the walk took much longer than usual. As usual, the Drive is pretty stable; there haven’t been a lot of changes, but the ones we noticed seemed significant.

(We always begin our walk at Napier and go south to the SkyTrain tracks on the east side of the Drive and then walk back to Venables on the west side and then cross back to the east side and do Venables to Napier.)

We report block by block going south, starting at Venables.

We actually produce a 15-page Word/pdf document where we record our findings. I attach it here in case you’d like to view/save/print it.

Starting at Venables, then, there were no changes in the first block. The Covid Art Café (931 Commercial) still appears to be a viable business but we haven’t seen it open in a few months.

Gauche Café and Bistro (938) hasn’t opened yet and there is still no sign of development activity.

In the 1000 block, also, there were no changes. 1020, between Bombay Kitchen and Mi Tierra Latina, is still empty and still for lease.

In the 1100 block, Hem 377 is closed. The Drive Canteen is still open and super busy at high school lunch time, but it’s for rent and the owner is looking for another/smaller location on the Drive. Wander is closing at the end of April so they’re already having a closing-out sale.

Wander’s two storefronts and Joe’s one are all owned by Joe’s family and it seems likely that their large frontage will be (sold and?) redeveloped. Joe has meanwhile retired to Portugal.

Between William and Charles there’s really no news. Work continues at 1268 Commercial (former site of Pacific Poke) and we look forward to seeing the new Izakaya-style Japanese restaurant opening there.

The former site of A&A Dental, on the corner at 1288, is still empty and for lease; A&A’s new location, where Fets Whisky Kitchen used to be (arguably one of the best locations on the Drive for a restaurant with a terrace facing Grandview Park — oh well!), is up and running.

In the 1500 block there are no changes. We’ve heard that Dolce Amore gelato and Hanai Hawaiian restaurant, which suffered a fire way back in August 2023, will reopen as just a super-large Dolce Amore.

The former Norman’s produce store at 1604 is still a disgraceful mess.

And Vancity Donair & Fried Chicken is “closed for renovations” but all their outside signage is gone. No evidence of what it will be its reincarnation.

There were no changes in the 1700 block except a new sheet of plywood on the front of the old Take Thai Home space at 1736. [Update March 3rd! Renovations are starting to take place! Once new water lines are installed, the space will be turned into a dental clinic! More progress reports next month!]

C&T Fried Chicken at 1861 has been closed for ages but now signage indicates that it will reopen soon as a Turkish restaurant called “Erbil” (which is a city in Iraq, but not too far from the Turkish border…)

No changes in the 1900 block, but in the 2000 block, the storefront that used to be Bone Rattle Music … and then became Athletic Fuel … will soon become part of Audiopile Records store, thus doubling its size.

Records certainly seem to be enjoying a major comeback. The old Salvadoran restaurant Rinconcito has been closed for ages; when it first closed, there was a flurry of dismantling activity, but that has stalled. Now there’s been no obvious activity for a few months.

No changes in the 2100 block. JQ features its usual entertaining window display.

At 2235, Vape Street is still closed, but there are signs on the front saying “Vape Store” with arrows pointing south to 2245 and Haze Smoke Shop.

Rollzzy Rolls and Kebabs is still not open at 2247.

The 2300 block is the same.

That’s it for March. If you hear about any changes or notice anything interesting along this stretch of the Drive, please send photos and remarks to grandviewheritage@gmail.com. We’d really appreciate tips!

Cheers,

Penny & Steve (and Jessie)

Note

To see a few of Jak’s original Changes on the Drive entries on his personal website, here is a link to the “WayBackMachine” Web Archives for #123 through #140.

https://web.archive.org/web/20240116114604/https://jaksview3.ca/category/grandview-the-drive/history-and-heritage/changes-monthly-series/

I wasn’t able to figure out how to get #1 through #122 or the last few entries that he posted.

Cheers, Penny

#151 – 2 February 2025

We did the walk a bit early this month (on Wednesday, January 29^th) because snow was in the forecast. Glad we did! As usual, changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but some businesses show evidence of struggling.

In our first block, Venables to Parker (the 900 block), Kin Kao and Down Low Chicken are still busy. Covid Art Café seems to be closed. For good? Everything else is basically the same as last month. Still no sign of the alleged Gauche Café & Bistro opening any time soon.

In the 1000 block, Parker to Napier, it’s all the same. 1020 still for lease, Mi Tierra Latina still planning to add a taco bar. Lunch Lady thrives.

In the Napier to William block, Moja is very busy, as usual. Hem 377 seems closed for good. We heard they were trying to sell the business/lease. The Drive Canteen (owned by the Down Low Chicken people) has a For Lease sign.

They’re still open and busy, but looking to move to a slightly smaller space on the Drive. Thai Basil is busy, open again after renovations. The double-wide Wander store is closing at the end of April.

They’ve been evicted by the building’s owners, the Joe’s Café family. Wander might move elsewhere if they can find a new and affordable location. Will Joe’s and the Wander buildings be tear-downs and a site for new development? Some of the immediate neighbours are happy that the crowd that used to hang out beside Joe’s is gone. Where did they come from? Where did they go?

The 1200 block all the same. 1268, which had been Pacific Poke, is still owned by the Lunch Lady people, and is being renovated and will reopen as a fancy Izakaya-style Japanese restaurant. Not sushi! It’s not clear yet what will go in at 1288 (the former dental office), but the For Lease sign is gone.

The only change in the 1300 block is that Don Oso’s Mexican restaurant closed suddenly just a few days ago. A woman (perhaps one of the owners?) who was helping to dismantle the place when we enquired said that the building owners had raised the rent 150% and that was untenable! No kidding. If you loved and will miss their place, there is another Don Oso’s restaurant at 4421 East Hastings.

The 1400 block is unchanged from last month. So is the 1500 block. Repairs continue after the August 2023 fire at the Dolce Amore gelato place and the Hawaiian restaurant Hanai. We heard that Dolce Amore will be expanding to include both spaces. No more Hanai.

The 1600 block is also unchanged, which in the case of the former Norman’s produce and grocery, is bad news. It is still a major eyesore. The supposed “security fence” doesn’t prevent people from getting in. There is a mountain of garbage/litter including human feces and layers of graffiti.

The owners of that building have allowed it to get run down and it’s really an insult to the Drive, in the middle of that otherwise thriving block, to leave it so derelict for such a long time. It’s been like this for many months.

There are no changes in the 1700 block (south of 1^st Avenue) or the 1800 block except it looks like the Fish Counter at 1818 might be open again after renovations. Hard to tell. No changes in the 1900 block. This is a classic old sign though:

In the 2000 block, 2012, the storefront that was Bone Rattle Music for many years … and was then, very briefly, Athletic Fuel Inc. … is now vacant and it seems that Audiopile Records at 2016 will be expanding and taking over that space as well. Vinyl is a thing again. The Salvadoran restaurant Rinconcito is long gone (Pupusas! Boo hoo!), but there is no sign of new business activity in its partly dismantled premises.

2137 had been empty but is now a “Lead Tax” tax-preparation company. Maybe a franchise? Their website seems oddly generic — created with AI and stock photos?

Last month it looked like Rollzzy Rolls and Kebabs at 2247 would be opening soon, but now it’s a month later and it’s not open yet. 2287 on the corner has a new owner and there’s no longer a Western Union office there.

The 2300 block includes the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction BC and St. Augustine’s “Craft Brew House and Kitchen”. No changes there.

The most dramatic changes this month seem to be Drive Canteen and Wander closing and hoping to move somewhere else on the Drive and Don Oso’s sudden closing. High rents are a big issue for businesses on the Drive.

That’s it for now. More around the first of March!

#150! – 2 January 2025

Kind of a cold, wet morning when we set out, pretty quiet, too. We did our usual route – down one side and up the other – but for the purposes of this account, we’ll start at the North end at Venables, and finish up at Grandview Highway, doing both sides at once. So, let’s get started.

Not many changes in the 900 Block, but we did notice that the Covid Cafe was actually open! We hope this is not a portent of things to come… At 938 the signs for Gauche Cafe & Bistro are still up, but the windows are still covered, and there are no signs of any sort of progress.

At 1020 Commercial, the former Mind at Large shroom shop now at least has a For Lease sign in the window. Rumour has it that Mi Tierra Latina (1034) will be adding a taco bar to the premises, but there’s no sign of it yet.

At Moja Coffee, the City has finally removed all the debris and offcuts from the removal of the large horse chestnut tree on the corner. The enormous stump is still there, but the top has been flattened and the edges trimmed off, so when the good weather returns, it will be a nice place to sit. There doesn’t seem to be much activity at HEM 377, the Vietnamese snack bar. Thai Basil, across the street at 1179, has the front window covered up, and a sign saying that they are closed for renovations. No timeline given. The Portuguese Club will be closed until January 9 for maintenance. The windows at Joe’s Cafe are papered over so you can’t tell what might be going on, but given how long it was in operation, it may well have to be gutted before it can assume any sort of new identity.

It looks like work has started at 1268 Commercial, the former Pacific Poke. The door and windows are covered with signs for AMINI Construction, whose tag line is the somewhat cryptic “Building the Future of Construction”. Time will tell. At 1288, the former home of A&A Dental Clinic, which moved a few storefronts north to the old Fets site, the revamping of the interior seems to be finishing up, and the For Lease signs are gone, so something might be going in there pretty soon.

No changes in the next three blocks, but when we get to the 1600 block, there are two things that bear mentioning. At 1604 Commercial, the old Norman’s Market site, the area between the “security fence” and the actual storefront has become a garbage dump. Nobody is making any kind of effort to maintain the area, it is a blight on the neighbourhood, and the mess shows a total lack of respect by the owners of the building.

The big change on this block is at 1690, where the Moneytree Payday Loans used to be. It is now permanently closed, along with all the other Moneytree branches in the province. No more predatory lenders on the Drive!

South of First Avenue, we see that the fine folks at JN&Z Deli are taking a good long holiday, and won’t be open again until February 13th.

Also, Fratelli’s Bakery is now open on Sundays from 9:00 to 4:00.

In the 1800 block, the Fish Counter (1818) is closed for a renovation, and at 1859 (the old Carthage Cafe), the Indo Chinese Street Wok is open for business. C&T Fried Chicken at 1861 claims to be open, but it seems pretty quiet, and the Japanese decor makes one wonder what is really going on… Another sushi place?

The 1900 block has no changes from last month, but at 2017 Commercial, the Hanoi Corner seems fully open, selling a variety of Vietnamese coffees and banh mi sandwiches. Rinconcito, at 2062, is supposedly being renovated, but a glance through the front window shows that nothing has happened in months.

 At 2137 Commercial, what used to be Eggs Canna Cannabis Boutique is now an empty space with windows all papered over. According to a seemingly knowledgeable passer-by, it is destined to becoming a tax preparation office.

The old Vape Street storefront at 2235 Commercial is now For Rent, and at 2247, Rollzzy Rolls & Kebobs will be Opening Soon!

And that, folks, is it for Changes on the Drive for January 2, 2025. Tune in next month for the next gripping instalment.

Peace, love, and a Happy New Year to all.

#149 – 3 December 2024

Steve and I did the December walk this cold and sunny morning. The main thing we noticed was that there were amazingly few Changes on the Drive! You could nearly say none. Oh, there were a few storefronts that were empty last month are still empty but now have a “For Lease” sign in the window, to wit:

One business disappeared (“Vape Street”, 2235). Last month it seemed a going concern; this month it’s totally gone — no sign, nothing. Poof.

We started at Venables and headed south. There were no changes between Venables and Parker. Down Low Chicken Shack still thrives. Gauche Bistro is still not open and shows no signs of opening any time soon. We got chicken donairs at Vancouver Donair and they were delicious!

In the block between Parker and Napier, Bombay Kitchen has reopened after an issue with the Health Department. Mi Tierra Latina was giving away lots of packages of free corn chips and tostada tortillas with a best-before date from a year ago. We forgot to go in to check to see if their new taco bar was up and running.

The only change in the 1100 block was that the empty space of Joe’s Café now has its windows covered with brown paper … and someone has sprayed the windows with new, ugly graffiti.

In the 1200 block (between William and Charles) we noticed that Oca Restaurant has a new small sign on the door, “Magari by Oca” (which looks a bit like graffiti).

There were no changes in 1300-block, Charles to Kitchener, and the only change in the 1400-block is that Commercial Cards Plus, which is mainly a postal outlet, has altered its hours during the postal strike. 

The 1500, 1600, and 1700 blocks have no changes.

In the 1800 block “Indo Chinese Street Wok” (1851, formerly Carthage Café), which opened on November 1^st, has a sign out front saying they have the best fried rice in town.

“C&T Fried Chicken” (1861) still seems closed, but when we peered through the windows, it is sporting a very Japanese decor. So maybe next month when we go by it’ll be open as a sushi place.

There was only one change in the 1900 block. Spartacus Books (1983) has a fancy new awning and also has a kind sign in its window.

At 2017 The Hanoi Corner is now officially open and serving Vietnamese drinks and sandwiches.

Otherwise, there were no changes in the 2000 block.

At 2160, CUPW postal workers were picketing in front of the Canada Post building and getting lots of supportive honks and waves from people driving by.

“Vape Street” at 2235 Commercial seemed to be a going concern last month, but it is completely gone now. No signage and empty storefront.

We think it’s good news that there are so few changes. We interpret that to mean businesses are hanging in there and basically doing okay.

#148 – 3 November 2024

Steve and I did the “walk” on Sunday, November 3^rd, and our friend Brenda Johnson joined us and took brilliant notes. It was a nice day and the three of us and our dog Jessie had a jolly stroll… and we were lucky, because it was just a few hours before a humongous rainstorm/windstorm on Sunday night.

There were relatively few changes this month. Most vacancies are still vacant. Quite a few blocks have no changes whatsoever. It’s good to see that kind of stability.

Starting at Venables, at the north end of our walk, 938 Commercial Drive, in the new building beside Zawa, the Gauche Café and Bistro is still not open and there doesn’t seem to be any visible progress toward opening.

As we noted last month, Windjammer Fish & Chips (937) has changed its name to The London Fish, but the owners haven’t changed and the menu is the same except they’ve now introduced “English Breakfast” on weekends.

Bombay Kitchen & Bar (1018) is temporarily closed because of Health Department issues. A closure notice is posted on their door. Hope they’re able to resolve that quickly and get back to business.

Mi Tierra Latina (1034) is in the process of adding a taco bar in the store. It will be open in “a couple of weeks”! Yay!

The giant horse chestnut tree on Napier Street alongside Moja (1102) dropped a branch about three months ago and the City’s forestry people have now come and taken the entire tree down. The pile of wood is impressive and the outdoor seating on the north side of Moja is no longer under a spreading chestnut tree.

Lotus House Tattoo Salon & Barber & Carwash (1124) now has a new shelter for the carwashing service in their back lane.

Sula Indian Restaurant (1128) has reopened after what seemed to be extensive renovations, and the interior looks as if it has more tables/seating and seems a bit less formal. They’ve removed the seating in the street across the sidewalk from the restaurant, but probably just for the winter.

Joe’s Café (1150) is closed for good. There was a big farewell party on October 26^th. We are wondering if the Joe’s space will be rented out again or if the building will be sold. Joe (and his nephew?) own the Joe’s building and the Wander (1146) building to the north. Do they also own the Portuguese Club (1144) building? Joe himself has retired to enjoy life in his home country of Portugal.

Havana (1212) has also removed its street-side seating for the winter.  

The Smoke Shop at 1344 has a new name and look, BuzzBerry.

Prinkle Korean Style Fried Chicken has now opened at 1431. It’s a franchise or a chain with several locations in Vancouver and Victoria.

We peered into 1736, what used to be Take Thai Home, and it’s very much gutted and empty — with what looks like a lap pool when you peek inside — and has been closed since March.

They’ve done something to Craft Maison (1740) that makes it seem much more inviting from the street. We noticed a “DIY Workshop” in the back, too.

The former Carthage Café (1851) is now an Indo Chinese Street Wok place. It just opened on November 1^st and smells delicious. The Drive has needed a Chinese place for a while! It has quite an unusual pan-Asian menu. Try it out!

And another brand new restaurant is The Hanoi Corner (2017). We checked it out and they were celebrating a “soft opening” and will have their official Grand Opening soon. They will specialize in drinks (coffees and bubble teas, etc.) and banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches).

2137 is still empty, but a fellow we talked to on the street (who seems to be connected with the building or business in some way) said that it would open in two or three months as a “tax office” (in competition with H&R Block at 2005, we assumed).

And that’s it! We still have a wonderfully diverse and eclectic high street. Keep on shopping and eating locally!

#147 – 4 October 2024

We did the October walk yesterday afternoon. There are remarkably few changes in our usual stretch from Venables to the Cut. Going north to south, Windjammer Fish & Chips (937 Commercial) has officially changed its name to The London Fish. A friendly woman (one of the owners, we think) came rushing out to greet us as we stood in front to contemplate the new signage. She assured us that the menu and owners remain the same.

Sula (1128 Commercial) was closed for renovations last month with a hoped-for reopening of September 13th, but it’s still very much in construction mode, and if you peek in the window, the dining room won’t be ready for customers for quite a while. There is a sign indicating that they are still providing food for pick-up in the lane!

We stopped in at Joe’s (1150 Commercial) to see what its future will be after their Official Closing on October 26th, and Joe’s nephew said they’ve had people enquiring about renting the space and they’ve also considered selling, and they either aren’t saying or haven’t yet decided what the future will be. The family owns Joe’s and the two large storefronts to the north of Joe’s, now occupied by Wander so it would seem there is a huge potential for development there.

The relatively new and small Indian restaurant Beeryani (1432 Commercial) seems to have closed already or perhaps they are just undergoing renovations.

Renovations seem to be moving right along at Dolce Amore and Hanai (1588-1590 Commercial and the apartment building above), which have been boarded up since August 2023 because of a significant fire in the building. We noticed a huge load of drywall being delivered.

The huge pile of debris around what used to be Norman’s Community Market (1604 Commercial) has been cleaned up, but there’s still a bit of a mess and a very intimidating security fence around the storefront. Not a very welcoming sight!

The deck at Park Drive (1815 Commercial) was undergoing repairs when we did our September walk, and now it’s been transformed into a nice cosy enclosed space, perfect for “outdoor” seating in the winter.

What used to be Tunisian food at Carthage Cafe looks like it will soon be reopening as “Indo Chinese Street Wok” (1851 Commercial)! It says it will feature “Fine Dine In + Bar”! We’re looking forward to seeing this. A new one would be just the ticket!

C&T Fried Chicken (1861 Commercial) hasn’t looked like a going concern for quite a while.

That’s about it! Everything else is pretty much the same as it was last month. Studio Full Bloom (1319 Commercial) and Bump & Grind (916 Commercial) are still selling used clothes in addition to their flowers and coffee. All the places that were empty and/or and/or for lease and/or under construction remain that way. All in all, the Drive is fairly stable although we did agree that quite a few small businesses seems to be hanging on by their fingernails. Shop local, folks!! Give the Drive your business!

#146 — 6 September 2024

We did the walk from Venables to the Grandview Cut this beautiful sunny morning. Considering that we didn’t even do the walk for August 1^st and we were comparing today’s Drive to what we found on July 1^st, there have been relatively few changes. Some entire blocks are exactly the same as Jak had reported at the beginning of June. 

Probably the biggest and most momentous change is that Joe’s coffee bar (1150 Commercial) will be closing for good at the end of October. The family also owns the Wander store to the north, so there might be some elaborate development in the future of those properties. Joe’s has been there “forever” (close to fifty years) and is a one of the last survivors of the “old Drive”.

This month there are a few premises that are actually closed/vacant with or without FOR LEASE signs — including 1020, 1230, 1604, 1733, 1736, 1840, and 2137 Commercial. 

Some of these businesses are closed permanently — Next Tattoo (1840), Take Thai Home (1736), and Norman’s (1604).

Norman’s has a daunting security fence around the entire frontage but it’s really a horrible mess and the owner should either sell the place or take better care of it. It’s a blight.

Pacific Poke (1268) seems to be closed permanently, but the owners, the same people who own the wildly successful Lunch Lady (1046), say they will be opening a new and very special restaurant in that space by the end of the year. Watch for it.

A few businesses look as though they are either not thriving or have actually closed but do not yet show “FOR LEASE” signs — namely the Covid Art Café (931), Rollzzy Rolls and Kebabs (2247), Blossom Market (2091 ), C&T Fried Chicken (1861).

Some businesses seem to be trying out survival strategies. Two that are not primarily clothing stores have put racks of used clothing out in front — namely the Bump & Grind coffee shop (916) and Studio Full Bloom flower shop (1319). Lotus House Tattoo and Barber (1124 Commercial) offers car washing in the alley out back. Vancity Donair and Fried Chicken (1678) now offers “New Zealand Real Fruit Ice Cream” AND electronic products (AirBuds).

Pasture to Plate (1420) provides the kindest service to local pooches. Some dogs, like our Jessie, know they give out nice raw meat treats. If this were a video, you would see her stubby tail wagging in anticipation.

The refurbished interior of Mostafa Super Market & Halal Meats (former location of Dollar Grocers, 2210 Commercial) has a beautiful interior — clean, cosy, and inviting.

It’s lovely to see the festive garlands of flowers painted on the windows and door of My Sister’s Closet (1830).

Although the inside looks delightful and the food is likely very delicious, the Carthage Café (1851) could use a good English-language sign painter for their window sign. Their website is actually very professional-looking and well written.

Some establishments are undergoing repairs or renovation. Sula (1128) is closed until September 14th for renovations and Park Drive (1815) is repairing its outdoor seating area. Dolce Amore and Hanai (1588 and 1590 Commercial) have been closed and under renovation since they were gutted by fire in August 2023.

Cobs Bakery, a franchise, has a fairly new owner and it seems to be doing well. Karma has new owners and now provides eye examinations, not just glasses.

The JN&Z (1729) people are on vacation until Sept 25^th.

There seem to be more and more distressed people sleeping or begging on the Drive. Some are homeless, some have mental health and/or drug or alcohol dependencies. 

Some people have taken up full-time residence in the Napier Greenway between Choices and Sweet Cherubim, which is also the main entrance to the Britannia Community Centre, the elementary and secondary schools, the VPL library branch, the Seniors Centre, and Britannia daycares, etc. They are surrounded by their belongings, including open plates and packages of food the rats enjoy. The rats have multiplied and scurry across the pavement as you walk through. Not nice.

It’s wonderful though that the beautiful mural in the Napier Greenway, originally painted by Victoria Oginski on the south-facing wall of Choices, has been restored/refurbished by Victoria herself with the help of her trusty assistant Clae Brown. Thanks to Victoria, Clae, and Toby (the manager of Choices).

One significant change on the Drive these days is that it’s even harder than it used to be to get medical care on the Drive. Care Point (1623) is now no longer a drop-in-clinic. 

REACH’s Urgent Care is terrific but in crazy high demand and it seems they reach the maximum number of people they can see each day by about 11:00 a.m. The REACH medical clinic downstairs has never been a drop-in.

Sweet Cherubim is the only business we notice on the Drive these days that has a Development Permit sign on it. It may have been up there for a while. You have to look up to see it. The changes they’re proposing don’t seem to be hugely significant. The building height won’t change. Check it out.

We’ll do our best to carry on Jak’s “Changes on the Drive” tradition. We’ll do the walk from Venables to the Cut around the first of every month and post our observations. To see Jak’s previous entries #1–#145, you’ll need to visit his website.

Cheers, Penny & Steve

Jak King’s Legacy

Our dear friend Jak King passed away on July 3 (2024) and one of his dying wishes was that someone would take over “Changes on the Drive,” his long-standing series of observations and analysis of the evolving businesses along Commercial Drive. At around the first of every month he would walk the length of the Drive from the Grandview Cut to Venables and make note of the various changes. Then, on his website, he would post a short article summarizing his findings. The first one appeared on September 1, 2011. The last one he posted was #145 on June 3, 2024. As his infirmities got worse in recent months, we started doing the “walk” for him; we’d tell him what we found, and he would write the posts. Now we’ll be doing our best to carry on Jak’s tradition. To read from #1 to #145, visit Jak’s website. We’ll start with #146 sometime in the first week of September, and from now on we’ll be posting “Changes on the Drive” here on the Grandview Heritage Group’s website. Hope you enjoy it! Penny Street and Steve Holmes