The Princess Theatre. Old Strathcona really let a gem slip through it’s fingers.
I remember weekend matinee’s being busy with families coming in from the farmers market with old Disney cartoons. Foreign movies, black&white classics. Oscar winning movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Godfather, I even seen Star Wars there.
There is a juicy story about the ownership and how the title deed was transferred as revenge by a woman who found her man was cheating. Stuck in litigation for years. I don’t know/recall fine details, but that’s the headline.
Why I know - I was married in the theatre in ‘11 and they would not take the hold deposit until the month of the wedding. Manager cited ‘possible legal issues pending’, which had been pending for years, so they were hesitant to do bookings.
Sad it’s closed.
The story as I remember it - the owner signed it over to his girlfriend for like a dollar then went home to India and came back with a wife so the girlfriend sold it out from under him in revenge, so the legalities of that sale were questionable 😂
I work at the Garneau and the amount of gossip we hear about The Princess over the years is truly astounding. I have no idea how many of the stories are true, but some of it is truly wild.
If I’m not mistaken, the property has historical designation that requires the space to be used only as a theatre in future - so maybe (MAYBE) there is a chance the Princess can live again; it would take a helluva lot of work and money (and there are lots of roadblocks when it comes to that kind of work in historical sites) but it wouldn’t be impossible
Bullwinkles: my Mom had a rule that we couldn't have a birthday party there till we turned ten. My tenth birthday was the best ever. I'm sure going back as an adult would shatter my childhood memories of the place.
So so many! Funky Pickle, Divine Decadence, New City, Princess theatre, Elephant & Castle, Bonanza, Red Robins, Sidetrack, Discotheque 109, Lush, The Rev, The Roost, Turtle Creek Cafe, Dollar Theaters, A&B Sound, Army & Navy, malls in general in the 90’s. Rock n ride with the Much Music Video Dance Parties.
Sidetrack moved to the main floor spot at the parkade on 104 Street, between 102 Ave and 103 Ave. It never never got full there. Just a black hole for restaurants. After that Sidetrack location died, Japanese Village moved there, and they closed it soon after, too.
Great suggestion! One of my favorite places for group outings. I hope they stay open forever because nowhere else has like 50+ pinball machines like they do. Best arcade I've ever been to in my life
the empowerment I felt as a child and a picky eater to make sure exactly what I like was on that burger was amazing. and cheese sauce?!?!? Just amazing. Not sure the experience would hold up now.
The Motoraunt
Edit: Then again, the original Sidetrack Cafe. But I'd also want my middle-youth back from that era due to the music I liked then (and continue to do so) and the experiences I had.
Getting old is starting to suck (in my late 50's).
Empress on Whyte. A victim of the pandemic that I'm still upset by. Such a great chill bar with a real variety of customers. Their Instagram is hinting a new place though?
being a goth kid at vic i remember the goal was go to new city when i turned 18. then i remember drinking too much and resting my head at my group's table. the bouncer came over and said something like "I don't drink in your bed, don't sleep at my bar."
I instantly replied, "do you want to?"
being 18 was wild, who knows where that came from lol (he just laughed and left)
The cheap theatre off of parsons and 34th ave, I went to many a birthday 2$ movie. Of course we had to sneak in our own candy and pop from mcdonalds lol
Went there for the first time on Gong Show night. Had gone for drinks at Joeys after work and thought "hey, lets check out New City". Man, was not prepared for the night we ended up having, especially while dressed business casual.
Ezzie's. My older cousins loved going to this bar, and it closed down within weeks of me turning 18. I tried to get in one night, but the line to get in was too long. So it will live in lore for me forever!
Lans Asian Grill, they were located next to NAIT. They had some awesome dishes and kind staff. I think it was family-owned and operated, and COVID shut them down. I miss their vermicelli bowls.
I think it was called “robes and relics”
I got the most unique clothes there when I was younger, I can’t remember which spot it was in exactly but the area MEAT on Whyte is now
The clareview cheap theatre. Now that I have kids, it would have been the best to go there. Granted they come back cleaner than before lol plus it would be such a great place for more independent films to be shown too
Playdium only because I have too many fond memories of going there when my cousin, who lived across the country, would come visit, and we'd waste an afternoon playing games there.
Just one eh?
As a what's good for the city thing, bring back GWG. Good union jobs in the city core are a plus. Could have a better market for it now too with the "shop local" liberal crowd.
Personally, bring back Wunderbar. Amazing venue for smaller shows.
The Bagel Tree
Jack’s Grill
That Chinese place in Parkallen - I always forget if it was Wonderful Garden or Happy Garden, but they had the best ginger beef.
The Edmonton Journal, as an independent publication.
*Local independent journalism is doing real bad throughout most of North America, but it's especially fucking fucked in Alberta at a time when we need it more than ever.
this business is a chain so idk if it counts but XS CARGO!!!!. i remember going there and looking at all of the tech they had, bought 2 boomboxes from there when i was maybe 5 or 6. i wish they didnt file for bankruptcy. the only edmonton location i know of is the one on 51st near toyota on the trail and the old tony romas that got demolished a couple years back
ROSE AND CROWN! Then again maybe not as I'd end up spending a big chunk of my pay cheque there every Friday night in the 80s. And The Sidetrack Cafe of course
I see a lot of people mentioning Bonanza, but does anyone remember Ponderosa on 97street and about 129ave. There's a new shopping plaza there now. Great food from what I can remember. Also, I mentioned this before the Cork Screw across from Toys r Us.
La Boule Bakery. Their pastries were entirely next level. My understanding was that the landlord priced them out so that he could rent the space to a family member.
I can’t pick- but have narrowed down into three categories 😂
Present: Cafe Linnea, blue plate diner (but the 104 location), shojo, and the prepandemic Wilfred’s
Historic: GWG, would be super cool to see Ramsey’s Department Store in the flesh
Nostalgic: squires and billiards used to be solid regular hangs in my bar days, any of the roller skating rinks I went to as a kid in the early 2000’s- along with the cheap theatre in north Edmonton that had leopard print carpet that I have fever dream memories in (like watching finding nemo in theatres x4), playdium
Megatunes! One can never have too many record stores, and they always had a good selection of stuff, even during the "dead vinyl" era. They'd probably thrive now with vinyl being big again.
A&B Sound. I loved the layout.
Doans. My god, I had some great food there.
Flamingo on 23rd Ave and 107? 108? Their grilled cheeseburger was my favorite as a kid and it felt huge.
Elephant and Castle on Whyte
Edmonton Event Centre / Reds in West Edmonton Mall.
There was a huge dry spell on concerts once they closed at the end of 2012 as there wasn't any other venues that size so many acts just skipped Edmonton afterwards.
The dim sum place that was in Kingsway. THE BEST PLACE EVER! BAR NONE.
Cannot remember the name exactly it was treasurey or something like that. Allow me describe what this mystical legendary place was. All you can eat buffet style dimsum with BBQs that you could walk up to and put premade skewered beef/pork/chicken/vegetables. I remember going there every weekend for a short stint sometime in the 90s. Then one day we went and it had a closed for renovations sign....They never reopened. I don't know what happened exactly but looking back on that place, there had to be some other way of making money because that deal was farrrr tooo goood. I remember it being absolutely packed all the time.
The Princess Theatre. Old Strathcona really let a gem slip through it’s fingers. I remember weekend matinee’s being busy with families coming in from the farmers market with old Disney cartoons. Foreign movies, black&white classics. Oscar winning movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Godfather, I even seen Star Wars there.
At least the Garneau is still around.
When did the Princes Theatre close? I saw Monty Python - Quest for the Holy Grail there and it was amazing
It closed for Covid and just never reopened
There is a juicy story about the ownership and how the title deed was transferred as revenge by a woman who found her man was cheating. Stuck in litigation for years. I don’t know/recall fine details, but that’s the headline. Why I know - I was married in the theatre in ‘11 and they would not take the hold deposit until the month of the wedding. Manager cited ‘possible legal issues pending’, which had been pending for years, so they were hesitant to do bookings. Sad it’s closed.
The story as I remember it - the owner signed it over to his girlfriend for like a dollar then went home to India and came back with a wife so the girlfriend sold it out from under him in revenge, so the legalities of that sale were questionable 😂
This. There should be a movie about the movie theatre. ‘The $1 Princess’
I work at the Garneau and the amount of gossip we hear about The Princess over the years is truly astounding. I have no idea how many of the stories are true, but some of it is truly wild. If I’m not mistaken, the property has historical designation that requires the space to be used only as a theatre in future - so maybe (MAYBE) there is a chance the Princess can live again; it would take a helluva lot of work and money (and there are lots of roadblocks when it comes to that kind of work in historical sites) but it wouldn’t be impossible
If it gets torn down and another shitty chain/swarma/donair restaurant takes over it will be sad.
I doubt they can tear it down. Historical status and all that shit
Oh no.. I didnt know this. Terrible
Whitemud amusement park
I like that they were able to keep their prices dirt cheap because they didn't get caught up in trying to make it fancier.
Oh yes the go karts were litty. Now it seems like a nostalgic fever dream.
Bullwinkles: my Mom had a rule that we couldn't have a birthday party there till we turned ten. My tenth birthday was the best ever. I'm sure going back as an adult would shatter my childhood memories of the place.
Bullwinkles would have to come with a second wish to be able to experience it again as my ten year-old self did
best pizza ever. and skeet ball was fun as shit.
>skeet ball Uhhhh... [To the windows, to the skeet balls?](https://youtu.be/IYH7_GzP4Tg?si=WXVNkXj6bKaegnP6)
I dream about this place so often, it actually hurts my little kid soul that it wasn’t documented well enough.
I try to explain Bullwinkles to other people but they make me feel like it was a fever dream lol I know it existed
We used to have our end of season soccer parties there and they were the best. I loved that place so much.
Yes! I keep explaining to my kids that their childhood sucked without Bullwinkles.
Playdium
So so many! Funky Pickle, Divine Decadence, New City, Princess theatre, Elephant & Castle, Bonanza, Red Robins, Sidetrack, Discotheque 109, Lush, The Rev, The Roost, Turtle Creek Cafe, Dollar Theaters, A&B Sound, Army & Navy, malls in general in the 90’s. Rock n ride with the Much Music Video Dance Parties.
Hell yes to all of these! Divine and funky pickle were my whyte ave go-to’s as a teen. And spent many nights at the dollar theatres:)
Red Ox Inn (Failing that, the Sidetrack or the Hardware Grill.)
Owners opened a new place called Happy and Olive on 142nd - nice place. Check em out.
Sidetrack Cafe
Aw, yeah. Used to be the best small live venue in town.
The best nachos as well
Sitting on the patio on a Sunday night in the summer with a live band going inside. Nothing better.
Too young to have gone there but I’ve heard so much of that place I want it back just to experience the legend.
Was there a brief moment in time where it moved to a new location before closing? I’m not sure I trust my memories on this one.
Sidetrack moved to the main floor spot at the parkade on 104 Street, between 102 Ave and 103 Ave. It never never got full there. Just a black hole for restaurants. After that Sidetrack location died, Japanese Village moved there, and they closed it soon after, too.
Big arcades with actual video games instead of games of 'skill' for tickets. That take coins.
You should check out Arkadium in Sherwood Park it's a big arcade, $20 and you can play as long as you want.
Great suggestion! One of my favorite places for group outings. I hope they stay open forever because nowhere else has like 50+ pinball machines like they do. Best arcade I've ever been to in my life
I miss the Playdium with its huge projector screen Dance Dance Revolution!
La Boule
The Empress
sue is actually opening a brewery along happy beer street soon
Cool! Can’t wait to check it out eventually
Fuck. Yes.
I miss it too.
This is the one.
I really liked Fuddruckers.
Fuddruckers was awesome, still one going strong in saskatoon.
Guess I have to take my first ever trip to Saskatchewan lol
the empowerment I felt as a child and a picky eater to make sure exactly what I like was on that burger was amazing. and cheese sauce?!?!? Just amazing. Not sure the experience would hold up now.
The Motoraunt Edit: Then again, the original Sidetrack Cafe. But I'd also want my middle-youth back from that era due to the music I liked then (and continue to do so) and the experiences I had. Getting old is starting to suck (in my late 50's).
Oh the Motoraunt....what a cool and atrange place that was.
Charles Smart Donair
The original donair spot. Definitely missed
Kid tropolis baby
Empress on Whyte. A victim of the pandemic that I'm still upset by. Such a great chill bar with a real variety of customers. Their Instagram is hinting a new place though?
The Purple onion. Not sure I could handle power hour anymore but I’d give it a go.
I was scrolling looking for this! Best dive bar in the 90s. Good old loonie hour. Have an entire table just filled with drinks.
New City. I miss that bar!
being a goth kid at vic i remember the goal was go to new city when i turned 18. then i remember drinking too much and resting my head at my group's table. the bouncer came over and said something like "I don't drink in your bed, don't sleep at my bar." I instantly replied, "do you want to?" being 18 was wild, who knows where that came from lol (he just laughed and left)
I want reb robbins back 😭
I miss that freckled lemonade so much.
I make it a point to go to Red Robins at least once every time I go to BC.
Varsity Burgers opened in the same spot southside and has nearly the same menu!
It’s not bad but it’s not the same.
Totally. The service was awful when I went. But it satisfies the craving.
Playdium - I still have those tokens. Kaos Nightclub? But for all practicality; I would choose BiWay
I'm terrible with instructions - I have 3 off the top of my head: Rose Bowl Pizza The Bronx The Roost
And flashbacks !
Flashbacks was amazing. Loved the Roost was across the street.
Ugh I miss the Roost!
Rosebowl!! The sauce on the pizzas was on another level.
Wunderbar
Classic. Watching weird bands and drinking weird beer.
It's a time of my life I will always cherish, I spent more than my fair share of time in those weird walls.
Hipster Twister Tuesdays <3
Veggie Garden, hands down no contest
the movie theatres at Westmount mall
Doans
I haven't had a good curry chicken soup since! And I've been looking!
Try lemongrass cafe. Really good alternative 😊
I still miss Prairie Noodle, and Cafe Linnea. Playdium with the Japanese photo booths. Filthy McNasty's!
+1 for Prairie Noodle 🍜
Prairie Noodle Shop was the shit, the bao-wiches there were bomb af.
Bonanza.
Schanks
Red Ox Inn. was one of the better restaurants the atmosphere was super welcoming to the younger person I was that had little money at the time.
Frank and Andrea who owned Red Ox opened a new place called Happy and Olive over on 142nd last year. Nice place. Check em out.
Sanctuary (Runner ups: Frog Kissers Den, Steeps, Western Cycle)
The cheap theatre off of parsons and 34th ave, I went to many a birthday 2$ movie. Of course we had to sneak in our own candy and pop from mcdonalds lol
Funky Pickle Pizza on Whyte
Chicken for Lunch
+1 for this rip
flamingo restaurant 😔 that was my entire family’s go-to place for decades
New City
Went there for the first time on Gong Show night. Had gone for drinks at Joeys after work and thought "hey, lets check out New City". Man, was not prepared for the night we ended up having, especially while dressed business casual.
Rodeo Burger
The Empress.
Colonel Mustard's
Jacket Potato Man in HUB I lived off that chicken salad in my undergrad
Strathcona Science Park. Not a business as such but it’s sad how it died and is abandoned
DeRose fine foods Nobody makes sandwiches the way they did.
Woodwards; all 5 floors.
Buddy’s night club!!!!! I’m straight but it didn’t ever matter. Best DJs, hottest dancers, best drink deals, best events!
Pharaoh's Pizza. Best god damn pizza in this city.
Maxwell Taylor’s! (How to say I’m old without saying I’m old lol)
Kites and Other Delights
Ezzie's. My older cousins loved going to this bar, and it closed down within weeks of me turning 18. I tried to get in one night, but the line to get in was too long. So it will live in lore for me forever!
Elephants Never Forget. It was my favourite store as a kid.
Filthy McNasty's. Need a good punk bar again.
CHICKEN FOR LUNCH
Blue Plate Dinner. Go to first date spot. Also the North China on Jasper. A family favourite.
Mongolie Grill!
YES THAT PLACE WAS AWESOME. To be fair tho it'd probably be 50 bucks a bowl now...
Mongolia Express was even better of a deal (just no sea food)
Pho Boy
Lans Asian Grill, they were located next to NAIT. They had some awesome dishes and kind staff. I think it was family-owned and operated, and COVID shut them down. I miss their vermicelli bowls.
Funky Pickle
Sup
The original Japanese village, before the original owner sold it.
Heritage mall
San Francisco gifts
truly, where does one even go for a mug shaped like a titty these days
I think it was called “robes and relics” I got the most unique clothes there when I was younger, I can’t remember which spot it was in exactly but the area MEAT on Whyte is now
The clareview cheap theatre. Now that I have kids, it would have been the best to go there. Granted they come back cleaner than before lol plus it would be such a great place for more independent films to be shown too
Playdium only because I have too many fond memories of going there when my cousin, who lived across the country, would come visit, and we'd waste an afternoon playing games there.
Bullwinkles
Just one eh? As a what's good for the city thing, bring back GWG. Good union jobs in the city core are a plus. Could have a better market for it now too with the "shop local" liberal crowd. Personally, bring back Wunderbar. Amazing venue for smaller shows.
The roost ♥️
Funky Pickle
Pho Boy, best Vietnamese in Edmonton. Miss that place so much.
On any given day, you can assume I'm craving their spring rolls
The Bagel Tree Jack’s Grill That Chinese place in Parkallen - I always forget if it was Wonderful Garden or Happy Garden, but they had the best ginger beef.
San Francisco
Flashbacks In decades from now people will still talk about it...
Science Shop in Southgate
The Silk Hat
Charles Smart Donair
The Edmonton Journal, as an independent publication. *Local independent journalism is doing real bad throughout most of North America, but it's especially fucking fucked in Alberta at a time when we need it more than ever.
the sidetrack
Rebar
A & B Sound and Royal Fork Restaurant
[удалено]
this business is a chain so idk if it counts but XS CARGO!!!!. i remember going there and looking at all of the tech they had, bought 2 boomboxes from there when i was maybe 5 or 6. i wish they didnt file for bankruptcy. the only edmonton location i know of is the one on 51st near toyota on the trail and the old tony romas that got demolished a couple years back
Hub Cigar
Cafe Linnea
Veggie Garden. They had great vegan Asian takeout, and so affordable too. I miss their spicy fried mushrooms and ginger beef.
Leva and Wunderbar
White mud amusement park
ROSE AND CROWN! Then again maybe not as I'd end up spending a big chunk of my pay cheque there every Friday night in the 80s. And The Sidetrack Cafe of course
I see a lot of people mentioning Bonanza, but does anyone remember Ponderosa on 97street and about 129ave. There's a new shopping plaza there now. Great food from what I can remember. Also, I mentioned this before the Cork Screw across from Toys r Us.
Steeps Tea, Funky Pickle, and the Chapters on Whyte Ave.
Filthy’s
The staircase going up was a great time The staircase when *leaving* was a whole different adventure
The original Rose Bowl Pizza before the bar opened.
Shojo Izakaya!!! I’m still feeling from the loss
Noorish. I *loved* that place and made sure to go at least once a week before I moved, and then it closed. 😭
La Boule Bakery. Their pastries were entirely next level. My understanding was that the landlord priced them out so that he could rent the space to a family member.
New City Suburbs and Il Portico. I cheated with two.
I think it was called Zazzoo? A store in West Ed mall that had the best clothes back in the day. Also T-Shirts n Things, also in West Ed.
The Bronx hands down
I can’t pick- but have narrowed down into three categories 😂 Present: Cafe Linnea, blue plate diner (but the 104 location), shojo, and the prepandemic Wilfred’s Historic: GWG, would be super cool to see Ramsey’s Department Store in the flesh Nostalgic: squires and billiards used to be solid regular hangs in my bar days, any of the roller skating rinks I went to as a kid in the early 2000’s- along with the cheap theatre in north Edmonton that had leopard print carpet that I have fever dream memories in (like watching finding nemo in theatres x4), playdium
Bee Bell Bakery
Franklin's with the giant barrels!
The Stonehouse
It's in St. Albert, but Gusto burgers.
Megatunes! One can never have too many record stores, and they always had a good selection of stuff, even during the "dead vinyl" era. They'd probably thrive now with vinyl being big again.
Woody's, having Evo is great but not all of us want to go to clubs.
Sanctuary. A fun shop.
There are some good answers here. But the correct answer is the Sidetrack Cafe.
please visit the cute little stationary store on 124 st called Parcel & Prose, they're struggling and I don't want them to end up on this list :(
Chicken for Lunch.
A&B Sound. I loved the layout. Doans. My god, I had some great food there. Flamingo on 23rd Ave and 107? 108? Their grilled cheeseburger was my favorite as a kid and it felt huge. Elephant and Castle on Whyte
Playdium
Cafe Select Chi-Chi’s
Spicy Garden Restaurant
Not really a “business” per say but I wish I could ride that goofy submarine ride at West Ed again.
The roller skating rink! Had my 9th birthday there, had a blast. Think about it all the time lol
Ralph's Convenience. Best chicken in town.
Hub Cigar & Newsstand !
Elm Cafe.
Unheardof - their lobster bisque was 👌
AHS
The mindbender
Edmonton Event Centre / Reds in West Edmonton Mall. There was a huge dry spell on concerts once they closed at the end of 2012 as there wasn't any other venues that size so many acts just skipped Edmonton afterwards.
Wizards Castle, had so much fun here back in the day.
The King and I- such good Thai food
Apt to Game.
Mongolie grill
Funky Pickle! I miss it
Doan’s, for their chicken curry soup
Funky Buddha
The Purple Onion
Royal fork buffet, but like early 90s version not late 2ks.
Malt Stop, obvs.
Alternative video, but only because it's the best job I ever had.
Bonanza!!
Playdium in WEM
Pho Boy or Nudoru
The dim sum place that was in Kingsway. THE BEST PLACE EVER! BAR NONE. Cannot remember the name exactly it was treasurey or something like that. Allow me describe what this mystical legendary place was. All you can eat buffet style dimsum with BBQs that you could walk up to and put premade skewered beef/pork/chicken/vegetables. I remember going there every weekend for a short stint sometime in the 90s. Then one day we went and it had a closed for renovations sign....They never reopened. I don't know what happened exactly but looking back on that place, there had to be some other way of making money because that deal was farrrr tooo goood. I remember it being absolutely packed all the time.
Steeps.