Open for Business

Just to let all know, we at Boo Radley's (1482 Dupont St) are now open for lunch 7 days a week! Same great food available more often. Order and pick up or enjoy on our fantastic patio its your choice! New lunch items and brunch items on Sat. & Sun (till 3p.m.), make it easy to have a healthy lunch on the go. Seven cold beers on tap make it complete.

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Great idea

We recently moved in to 163 Sterling Road. We would like to discuss this B.I.A. concept with you. www.onmedia.co

Colour Me Purple!

Another new business has come to the Junction Triangle. Ada Tattoo is marking its Grand Opening at 1555 Dupont (Perth & Dupont). Independent tattoo artist Lius brings his special skills to the hood from Bali. You can visit the store to checkout his designs or go online at www.adatatu.info for more details. The store is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12:30 - 8 p.m.

Wallace and Co.

We now have a new business in the old Yasi's location, the corner of Wallace and Campbell. They opened last Saturday. The owners have worked really hard on this place.

New Design Business Coming to the Neighbourhood

For anyone who frequents the Perth/Dupont location of the Toronto Public Library, you might have noticed a flurry of construction activity next door at 1587 Dupont. Workers are busy making a new home for the SOMA Studio which focuses on residential architecture, interior design projects and custom furniture. Led by principal designer Andrew Fee, his company has been operating for ten years and has been featured in a number of publications.
You can learn more about this fascinating additon to the neighbourhood and follow progress of the construction at http://somadupontproject.blogspot.com/.

Shape of BIA

That's good to know since there are a few little businesses dotted around and not just existing on Dupont, like Yasi's.

Can Be Any Shape

The Cabbagetown BIA is not a linear shape but I would think that Bloor street will probably develop as a higher density residential area with some stores while Dupont has the potential to become an actual retail strip like it once was. The bike lanes along Dupont have really helped slow down traffic and encourage non-driving which helps dead zones come back to life; become a destination rather than a freeway to somewhere else. There are strong anchors along Dupont like the Library and BMO and the puppet store but it will take a few more brave souls (and I think it will happen) before you have enough people to form a BIA.

hi

With regard to Katie's comment. I think that might be part of the issue. That is which part of the Triangle is more deserving of the BIA's attention? Dupont St. with its potential as a commercial- residential strip? Or Dundas West south of Bloor, which needs a little TLC?. So many issues, so little time!

BIA

Yeah looks like the BIA thing has to start at the grassroots level with a tough crowd to convince!

Business Improvement Association

Thanks for the feedback regarding a BIA for the Junction Triangle. I is clear from some comments that BIA is being confused with something else. While a Business Directory would be a good idea for people to quckly find out about their fave business, a BIA is an initiative really INVENTED by our Bloor West neighbours. They organised the world's first Business Improvement Association. It involves a minimum of 15 businesses contributing to a fund (monthly I think) that is administered by the City and allows those who contribute, access to funds for such things as beautification projects, facade improvement funding, new sign posts and so on. We are thin in the local business department but why not find out who would be in and who isn't interested? Thanks. Michael

Have an suggestion

Hey Mike, I still think it's good idea. I have a suggestion. Why don't you go to the business along Dupont street. Lets say from Lansdowne going west till Dundas st west and introduce yourself to the businesses and tell them what you want to do, regarding the BIA.

I know Alex Ling the founder of the Bloor Street West BIA, which a fountain was named after him on Bloor and Jane. We both belong to the same committee. We are actually doing a fund raiser on the Mothers Day weekend to raise money to send kids to camp. I can give you the name of the new chair if you want, for some suggestion. ideas or pointers. JF

http://www.toronto-bia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...

http://www.toronto.ca/mayor_miller/gallery/people/pages/alex_ling.htm

BIA

I was just wondering about a BIA's perimeter. Does a BIA have to be linear, Dupont Street, or can it be triangular, other businesses in the JT?

In Your Court

Hey Michael, I think the ball is in your court on the BIA idea. I doubt that most people visiting the site are either commercial property owners or run a business in the neighbourhood.
I know that Vic is happy to plug area businesses on the site and his idea of a Business Directory is just another part of his effort to encourage and boost business in the neighbourhood.
While lots of people in the area are involved in local community causes, a BIA is a strictly commercial venture. For many people in the area like me who operate their business from home, a BIA would not include us.

I would use the directory

I know I think a BIA would be a great idea, but a directory to use in the near future would be great. I would be willing to put in some time to help make that happen - and we could also mention great peripheral businesses, like Bike Pirates, Value Village and Big Daddys video. Maybe as a group we could organize a lot of the information to it would be easier to migrate onto the website?
-cc

B.I.A.?

Now that we are no longer "Fuzzy" has anyone given thought to organising a local B.I.A.? I know the process does come with many benefits but accessing it involves quite a bit of planning and organising. Something that some of us would welcome and participate in. Michael & Shelley

Junction Triangle BIA

The City of Toronto has all the information about BIA groups posted on their web site at http://www.toronto.ca/bia/toronto_bia.htm. I wonder if there are enough businesses here to support a BIA? While we are no longer Fuzzy, it will take time before more brave souls like you and Yasi are attracted to the area. One of the many things that the Fuzzy project revealed is the lack of a strong business base in the neighbourhood and that's why we decided to seek the support of property developers and realtors to fund the project.

Area Businesses

I would like to get more information about area businesses. I just found out about the climbing gym on Campbell above Dupont. Knowing about the businesses in the area may help the community utilize them better.

Local business directory

It has been a long-time plan to have a local business directory and featured businesses on this site. Need to find the time to do it though. :) Hopefully soon.

But if you know of any interesting / useful businesses that you'd like to give a heads-up to, feel free to post about them on this site.

Good idea

Mike, I think it's a great idea. The strip/businesses along dupont can use some support and sprucing. If you need some help, Simon Wookey has lots of experience with BIA"s. I don't know if you know about his family back ground with Hazelton Lane and stuff. I bet if you called him up he would help you. Few years back I spoke to Simon about doing something for the business along bloor st from lansdowne to Symington, not much businesses, but it was a start. Nothing every happened as we moved on with other things. If you ever need his# I can give it to you. JF