Raise the Hammer

Wow. Other than Ottawa Street, there's nothing between Wellington and Stoney Creek.

(Stoney Creek starts at Centennial, right?)

Comment edited by mrgrande on 2012-04-09 10:58:14

Yeah. Someone open a coffee shop at like King and Sherman please!

I guess heart of the hammer doesn't count since it has a license as well..

comment from banned user deleted

I heard they were moving, but never where to. Did they just never re-open?

I hope something else opens on the corner to take its place. By the way, anyone know when the restaurant next door will be opening? Its been under renovation since January.

Interesting that other than Ottawa street the entire east side has no coffee shops.

This map proves my point ...Tim's is not coffee. ergo no one between wellington and ottawa drinks coffee. .... goes downstairs to make another cappuccino.

I should probably point out that Tim's Store #1 is on that map, but I get what you are saying.

As if people hopped up on one cup of caffeine and hogging a table for hours at any given coffee house with free Internet are being productive.

Nice development. This year is also the first time that Tourism Hamilton's Downtown Dining Guide has dropped the Bauhaus Cafe, which had been closed for more than a decade (later Star Lounge, and currently some kind of tartan hole-in-the-wall). The information age is full of wondroud things!

While the map of coffee houses is nice to see, I think it is a little misleading on a couple of fronts:

1) The list shows only the first Tim Horton's. Whether this is just for posterity, it could lead one to believe that Store #1 offers more than the other 100-odd locations in and around the City, which it doesn't.

2) By the inclusion of Starbucks, Tim's, and Second Cup (which are both incomplete for number of locations as well), credit should be given to the big giant who is taking a bite out of Tim's coffee sales: McDonald's. With the introduction of their McCafe and modifications to their interior, MickyD's is vying to compete with Tim's and the independents.

3) And to the above points, I'd like to see a map showing only independent coffee houses. The Corporate guys are plentiful and visual, while it's often difficult to find those indies when in an unfamiliar communinity.

As a side note to the growing trend in coffee consumption, it should be noted that the combined growth in coffee sales in Canada through Tim Horton's and McDonald's, coupled with the rapid growth of consumption of coffee in India and China...and then add-in the continued development of independent and "fair-trade" coffee houses, that coffee prices will continue to increase, and availability of securing "green" beans will become increasingly difficult.

I'm all for more niche consumer tools, both for locals and visitors. Hopefully TH's new ties to EcDev lead to more up-to-date content.

That's not always the case. Of the 7 "Asian" restaurants now listed in their dining directory, two are out of business, one has moved and one has changed its name. Based on the restaurants listed, the catch-all seems to be a way of signifying "Korean" (North Asian), but it could arguably include Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Thai & Vietnamese, plus South Asian (eg. Indian) and West Asian (eg. Lebanese) eateries.

Now overlay it with red points for Tims, Yellow points for McD's and Green points for Starbucks and I think you will see a trend as to why most of the local shops seem clustered in the core, and why the larger corporate shops will appear to dot the mountain/suburbs. Simply put, great density makes it easier for local, small business to succeed and create a better, more competitive marketplace.

Also, no love for Williams at the Bay? They have done a lot of good for the outdoor rink/skate programs and helping out Bayfront events.

Edit: Wait never-mind, it's there.

Comment edited by -Hammer- on 2012-04-10 17:59:27

I agree that Tims should be fully represented. Anyone who thinks that there aren't meaningful discussions or diruptive schemes hatched in TH franchises across the city needs their head screwed on straight. These are legitimate third spaces where you will find the face Hamilton without makeup.

Moreover, from a tourism standpoint, you best believe that visitors ask about familiar chains far more frequently than they do indie coffeeshops. For one thing, they keep hours that few other shops do. It's handy to know about Red Hill or Columbian Coffee, but if you're unable to align your caffeination needs with market hours, you're going to hit up Second Cup, Country Style, or Tim Hortons.

Suggestion? Create a field of locations that can be activated or deactivated, but don't disown an iconic element of the city's heritage.