EDMONTON - In the past year, 50 new businesses have moved onto Edmonton's popular Whyte Avenue strip. But now, one long-time vendor is on its way out: Bubbles Car Wash.
Although the buildings have changed, there has been a car wash at the 10538 82nd Ave. address for at least half a century, when Time Car Wash originally shows up in the 1963 city directory.
The venue became a Splash 'n' Dash in the 1970s before Sal, the father of the current Bubbles chief operating officer, Natasha Toffoli, bought it in 1980 as the first outlet in what is now the 11-location Bubbles chain.
Now, the land is for lease.
Thomas Braun with Royal Park Realty explains that it comes down to the fact that Whyte Avenue is a foot-traffic location. "Car washes involve vehicles. It's a little bit harder operation for them to run," he explains.
"Operating a car wash on Whyte Avenue is very difficult, given back alley space and delivery vehicles," adds Toffoli. "Every vehicle that goes out of the tunnel needs to go past where people walk … on the sidewalk."
Bubbles' five other locations around town will remain open, and the company plans to open a car wash at a new location in 2014 as well.
Meanwhile, the owners of the Whyte Ave land are hoping to transform it into a place that can house some high end retail by next spring.
"The plan for it is to turn it into a 15-thousand square foot retail development, higher end," says Braun. "Some nice high ceilings, glass and some rock, really going to compliment the street quite well."
With an estimated 24,000 vehicles passing the area every day, and plenty of foot traffic, the location is pretty hard to beat.
"It's exciting to the retailers," Braun adds, "because on Whyte Avenue, new developments are hard to come by."
Some are worried, though, about the effect the redevelopment will have on the traditional charm of Whyte Avenue, as well as its price point.
"My biggest concern is just what it will do to the property value. Hopefully it stays reasonable so the smaller shops can stay open," says Tyler Stang, owner of Avenue Guitars, which moved onto Whyte Ave from downtown in the early 90s.
Shoppers agree it's a fine balance.
"I think development, in general, is a good thing," says Anahi Johnson. "I would prefer to see them stay away from the chains."
Joe Perry says while he likes the little stores, he doesn't mind the chains. "Just as long as they don't push the little guys out."
With files from Gordon Kent, Edmonton Journal and Kendra Slugoski, Global News
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2013.