Fairfield Starbucks

[Fozzy]

Hi all. I was told this morning that the Starbucks at Fairfield is closing by the end of the month. Not sure what is going to replace it, but it looks like we need to find a new meeting spot for the Sunday rides. Cook Street instead?
Any other suggestions would be welcome.
Cheers

[wonger]

Demitasse?https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Demita ... 23.3172222

[Ann]

Neil, did they say why it’s closing? I’ve noticed two other busy Starbucks have closed recently too.

[Gerry L]

How about the Fort and Foul Bay Starbucks? I would also suggest a trial of 2 groups- A and B along the waterfront with C following the Friday route through Mt. Doug park converging at Mattick's farm. Both groups could mix and merge for the second half of the ride.

Gerry

[Rolf]

Ann: recent data from Edmonton and Calgary indicates a regional retail strategy that actions the optimization of market penetration by consolidating underperforming locations after years of aggressive expansionating.

[/businessspeak]

[Fozzy]

Great suggestion Geoff. The location makes it easy to transition to the waterfront.

[rduncan]

I'd second demitasse. Great spot for lots of bikes and a great coffee shop.

Starbucks and fort and foul bay works logistically for meeting but is not as good for connecting with the waterfront.

[Alan]

Just weighing in here. While I like the Oak Bay Demitasse, with its plants and funky vibe, it's too small and we'd be too disruptive showing up there en-masse for a ride. Those snooty Oak Bay people would come to hate us more than they already do. I'd nix that idea.

Fort and Foul Bay Starbucks? Nope, also less than optimal as it's too far from where we want to be starting those rides.
Plus do we really want to be contributing to a company, that word has it, is "aggressively expansionating?" On behalf of the Word Police, I'd say nada.

I'd suggest our best bet would be Cook Street Mocha.
It's close to where we currently meet, has decent coffee, lots of space, an obscure points program that Rolf can somehow wangle free coffees from, as well as fast service. What more do you want?

[LouiseF]

Agreed Alan, on all accounts. Can totally see how Cook St Mocha would work. But is the F&F SBX really that far from the waterfront? Seems like it might be a bit more central for everyone too.

[AJ Neale]

I think we should be asking Dvora.

Respectfully,

Andrew

[JTyre]

I agree with Alan on all but his last point. The problem with Moka House is that it doesn’t offer space enough for cyclists to congregate - for that we really need a parking lot.

My suggestion is the coffee shop at the Marina. The coffee shop opens at 7:00 am, has plenty of space, and outside there is a large empty (at that time) parking lot - and it is right on Beach Drive. Alan, am I right or am I right?

Disrespectfully,
J. Tyre

[Claire]

Unlike post-ride coffee shops, the pre-ride spot doesn't need to accommodate a lot of people indoors (when I've arrived early enough for pre-ride coffee, a half-dozen would be about the average number having coffee beforehand, with summer numbers boosting up to maybe a baker's dozen) but it does need to accommodate a large outdoor gathering of chatty cyclists and not offend any neighbours with pre-ride announcements and such.

By my figuring, essential qualities in a pre-Sunday TS cafe include:

• Open by 7am
  Spacious outdoor congregating area
  Walls and other vertical structures for leaning bikes on
  Reasonable proximity to waterfront (/not drastically far from our usual meeting spot...heavens know we lot are a tough sell on major changes!)
  Minimal ped/motor traffic to impede
  decent lighting so we're not ambling down dark alleyways
  A likeable company with tasty coffee

(Please add to this list if I've missed anything!)

F&F Sbux misses on a few key qualities. Demitasse seems to hit them all (minus perhaps one, according to some). Cook Moka is okay but the sidewalk is not the greatest spot to muster a few dozen people on a Sunday morning. I'm kinda liking John's Marina Cafe idea, actually. No strikes against that I can see!

[Rolf]

...heavens know we lot are a tough sell on major changes!

True dat! Is it time for a new TS cycling costume design contest yet?

Some non-Starbucks coffee place will almost certainly to take over the space. The Plaza can't be without a dedicated coffee spot. So we'll only have to change our orders from a "Venti" to a "Large".

Jim was saying this morning that Victoria's Community Plan contemplates the Plaza as a "Large Urban Village", and envisions upgrades including multi-level retail and subterranean parking—à la Tuscany Village on McKenzie. If that ever comes to pass, construction would involve a lengthy break, during which we could try out all the different, fun ideas above.

[mfarnham]

Nope.

Martin

[Fozzy]

True dat! Is it time for a new TS cycling costume design contest yet?

Yes Rolf!! Well volunteered my good man.

[rduncan]

The challenge with the marina is that the gravel folks regularly head the other way so it would be a big detour to start at the marina...

Demitasse is pretty spot on.

[JTyre]

The challenge with the marina is that the gravel folks regularly head the other way so it would be a big detour to start at the marina...

Demitasse is pretty spot on.

Rob, your point but about gravel rides is well taken, however the area around Demitasse is smaller than you think. And, as an Oak Bay resident, I’m quite certain that the neighbours would flip if they saw 40-50 cyclists on that corner early every Sunday morning (as Alan also noted).

John

[LouiseF]

Agree with John. I think Demitasse presents the same lack of outside space problem as Cook St. Mocha. The Marina is nicely away from residents so that noise would not be an issue early on a Sunday morning (like Mattick's farm). I can't think of a nicer place to start a ride from. And the parking lot is huge.

W/r to the cross folks, I don't think the location of the marina is a barrier really since cross rides often start at different times and from different locations. It isn't necessary for the cross rides to start with the road ride imho. I think it is has only been happening that way b/c of the convenience of the FF SBX for the folks who often call the CX rides. Since Sunday cx rides tend to head out to trails father afield, it often makes sense to meet further away from the Fairfield hub to maximize trail time. Most of the folks who live in better locations for accessing trails meet at the SB anyway b/c what is the point of riding away from trails in order to get to the trails (unless you just want extra mileage).

As someone who hasn't been on a Sunday ride in awhile, my opinion really doesn't count. But I certainly might make the effort to get to the beginning of the ride and have tea with friends for a lovely location like the OB marina. I think it elevates the TS Sunday ride to sublime status

[Ovi]

For my 2 cents, the Starbucks (not that I'm a fan) in Cook Street Village is practical - it has ample space for bikes and is open...

[Robgrant]

For the 5 times a year I do the Sunday ride, I don't really care but wanted to point out a couple of things if you've never been to the marina cafe.

Access to the cafe is via wooden stairs, concrete stairs or a concrete ramp. All you slippery plastic cleat wearing folk may have a tough time navigating on wet mornings. It will lead to Rolf taking video of you sliding down the stairs and cutting it into some gif posted endlessly on the cross portion of the forum.

Another practical consideration for the marina cafe- you'll have to leave your bike out of your sight if you are one of the first few riders heading in to get coffee. I don't think the cafe would appreciate bikes leaning up against their windows along the narrow deck.

Alan- Fort and Foul bay not where we want to start these rides (when every other ride starts 200m further down the road)? We could do a Tuesday ride start and then turn right at the Caddy Bay road intersection- down the hill to Caddy bay. It would be a whole new Strava segment!
Rob