At the risk of sounding like a broken record, months after the dust have settled, the new University Heights Mall is shaping up to be an ok hub for some operations to exist. As an area where nearly all the banks are represented, I can respect that. Folks with multiple accounts at different banks can simply walk across the street. The food scene remains the same: corporate and sad, and as for who else will occupy the space opposite this expansion, only time will tell.
There’s a pit where the former library used to be, the other strip mall is under construction, and the rest? They are hardly 100% done. I even sounded off on my what I thought during an interview on Kathryn Marlow’s This is Vancouver Island a few years back. Although that segment didn’t make the final cut, I was glad to get that off my chest, and instead we focused on was What Else Is As Iconic As London Drugs? (courtesy of CBC Radio).
And we were talking about what makes British Columbia unique, and not just the island. No, I’m not talking about wanting to be stuck in the same era where every adventure on Netflix’s Stranger Things must happen (because the old digs were reputed to be haunted!), but small is better than big.
When news broke that the block occupied by this shopping complex had been sold to an American firm, my heart sank. There used to be smaller brunch places and more of a sense of community here, back when Gauntlet Games occupied the space. They moved to another mall, which at least can’t be rebuilt from the ground up. For the mall I can walk to that’s five blocks away, it was home. There was a comic book shop, an arcade, a gym, a video game rental store, a poster framing place, and even a place to file your income tax!
For students renting one of the apartments in the rebuilt version, this place is becoming ridiculously convenient for other things now. One can live upstairs, walk downstairs for ramen, poke, burritos, hot chicken, sandwiches, groceries or coffee, and go right back upstairs without having to travel very far. As for stocking the fridge, I see that the company logo for Save-On-Foods is up, but I can’t figure out for the life of me where that operation will be. That’s because I’m not allowed to explore the still in construction areas.
With the arrival of KINTON Ramen, Chipotle and Ono Poké & Grill in the new centre, I have to yawn. Kinton gives the development a proper sit-down restaurant, while Chipotle offers the predictable assembly-line experience and Ono Poké provides the lighter, customizable option. From my point of view, it also raises the question of whether convenience is becoming the entire personality of the redevelopment.
Dave’s Hot Chicken and Firehouse Subs are now open, and people are showing up and willing to pay those prices. Dave’s, in particular, is already developing a reputation for being pricey. Twenty-four dollars will get you two pieces and fries, with no drink. I’d rather walk down a block and get Popeyes Chicken instead. I’ve recently tried Firehouse Subs. They are good, but not too much different from Subway. The major difference is that they sell different hot sauces to put on your sandwich and the heat depends on how much intense one wants that meal to be. While there to try what they got, these meals are aptly sized, though I can’t say they are really special. There’s no smoking of the meats, and other than being hearty, that’s all I can about this operation.
As for other operations, HEAL Wellness opened its first Vancouver Island location during the month of August. There’s a nice bit of irony with this one because HEAL beat out Oakberry for who could open faster. Both operations are targeting the health-conscious crowd. Smoothie bowls, açaí, wellness branding and food that looks good in a photograph, but are they healthy? I tried the downtown location, and when the menu is the same, it doesn’t matter where you go. They will be there.
As for Fatburger, ugh. Like we need this burger chain to invade Gordon Head!
The same goes for Edo Japan, which is moving toward its University Heights opening, and Caffè Artigiano, which has listed the location as opening soon. The list keeps growing, as I believe there are still five storefronts that need to be filled. Save-On-Foods will return, although I’m guessing that’ll be in 2028.
And if you don’t like what this mall has, there’s Tuscany Village across the street. You’d think they were partners in bed. Over there, you’ve got Thrifty Foods, Mucho Burrito, Subway, Papa John’s Pizza, Rexall Pharmacy, First Choice Haircutters, C&H Nail Spa, and Burb Cannabis, to name a handful. Popeye’s Supplements will soon join them. And nearly every bank is neatly represented. You’d think Saanich approved of this mini-city centre for the lower municipality! Will this help the municipality’s economy? Heck yes, but at what cost?
Sure, the old University Heights Mall had its limitations and was the last holdover from its 90s-era renovations. But now that’s completely changed, and there’s even less of a community feel. Just where can I go to catch a movie? Oh wait, I can’t! This city is dominated by Cineplex and independent cinemas, Cinecenta at the University of Victoria notwithstanding. They rarely get commercial releases until months down the line. Plus, while downtown Victoria does not offer free parking until 8:00 PM, UVic charges right up until 6:00 PM, though Sundays are free on campus.
And that’s probably the strangest part of this whole redevelopment. University Heights is becoming better at providing almost everything you need, particularly if you’re a student living upstairs. Food, groceries, banking, supplements, coffee, pharmacies and a growing collection of recognizable franchise chain operations are all within walking distance, or more accurately, elevator distance. The convenience is undeniable. But somewhere along the way, the old sense of place has been traded for efficiency, and honestly, I have zero interest in shopping “locally” when most of my needs can be found at London Drugs, Thrifty’s and Root Cellar, a simple ten-minute drive away.
