[ÛRBAN NOTE] Two blogTO neighbourhood notes

[rfmcdonald]

Robyn Urback's brief post on the concentration of florists at the intersection of Avenue and Davenport, just north and west of Yonge and Bloor, is tantalizing.

There is certainly no shortage of places to get fresh flowers in Toronto, but one of the most concentrated blocks is at Avenue and Davenport, where a quartet of florists operates pretty much side by side. South on Avenue from Davenport, the first one is Kay & Young's, followed by Yang's Flower & Fruit Market, then Jong Young, and lastly, Grower's Flower Market & Gift. I've known the florists to be on the street for years, but little about how they came to settle into their spots, and why, for that matter, they've chosen to operate so close to their competition.

Unfortunately she never really answered this question.

And yes, "Is Greektown becoming less Greek?" by Robyn Urback, again, does contain its answer in the question that is its title. Rents are doing it.

Is it just me, or is there something about a Mark's Work Wearhouse that doesn't scream "authentically Greek?" Yet right in the middle of Greektown Toronto, at the corner of Danforth and Gough, the Canadian Tire sister chain has set up camp, giving its automatic doors a hefty workout in the few years since its inception.

It's less busy across the street, particularly on the strip of the Danforth between Gough and Carlaw, where four storefronts are now for lease, while another advertises a closing sale. As I continue walking west, I discover more; Athenian Originals Children's Wear has closed up, same with Iliada Cafe and Pikilia Mediterranean Grill. And who's moving in? Well, all sorts of different places.

Greektown TorontoSome sushi restaurants have sprouted up, a Kernel's a couple of years ago, there's Ardene, a Legs Beautiful, Tsaa Tea Shop, Aravind, Pizzeria Libretto and a new Dolce Gelato slated close to Chester station. And while the incoming businesses are all of varied mold, most share one distinct characteristic; that is, they're not Greek. So while Mark's may have once seemed the odd man out, if Greektown keeps heading in this direction, it may soon be less the anomaly than the trend.

The businesses that are closing down are disproportionately the Greek ones, many of which were independent and family-owned. As I went to talk to business owners on the Danforth to find out why, I kept hearing the same thing over and over: the rent is just too high.

Greektown Toronto"I use to work in real estate," a woman behind the counter at Athena Bakery tells me. "And I know that these rates are just astronomical. Then, when you factor in property taxes, which sometimes the business owners have to pay part of, it becomes too much."

"In the '80s, my father had a store here," she continues. "But when his lease was up, and the landlord wanted to raise it to $5,000 a month, he said, 'Enough!' and packed up and moved off the Danforth. I think the same thing is happening now."