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Only in Vancouver News: City NOT about to shut down popular neighbourhood grocery

December 9th, 2015 · 14 Comments

Reports have trickled out about the hugely popular Marche St. George (28th/St. George) about to lose outdoor seating/right to serve food/right to operate. A sign of the times: City has just issued the following news release. BTW, if the neighbour who complained about the Marche’s operations is ever identified, I would not want to be in his/her shoes.

Update on Le Marche St. George

In response to several media requests, the City would like to clarify that Le Marche St George, a popular local market in East Vancouver, is not about to be shut down by the City. Reports about an imminent closure as early as this weekend are completely false. As stated yesterday, City staff will work with the owners to better understand business practices and look at options to enable the activities at Le Marche St George to continue.

The City values local businesses and wants to increase and enable cafés and patios throughout the city. The Council motion of June 23rd is the latest example of these efforts: http://former.vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20150623/documents/motionb5.pdf

Le Marche St George is approved as a grocery store. A recent complaint from a neighbour identified some bylaw issues related to their restaurant and special events. Regulations of food service industry falls to Vancouver Coastal Health. The City is always looking to update outdated bylaws to enhance quality of neighbourhoods and support local independent markets and cafes, and looks forward to working with the owners to ensure the market and its activities can continue.

Categories: Uncategorized

  • Carlos Silva

    Apparently the neighbour is legally blind, and had trouble navigating the sidewalk under the circumstances. http://thethirtiesgrind.com/2015/12/09/le-marche-st-george-in-danger-of-being-closed-down-is-it-the-owners-fault/

  • Mike Klassen

    Nothing like watching city hall fly into action when you tick off members of Vision Vancouver’s base.

  • Mike

    It doesn’t seem like the sign of a very healthy psyche to criticize the city for doing what you think they should be doing. Maybe time for a step back from the partisanship?

  • Mike

    So as far as I can tell: someone complained about sidewalk encroachment, a bylaw officer did an inspection, and council has said they’ll make sure the bylaws won’t cause the marche to close. Am I missing something? This is what we’re getting all het up about this week?

  • disqus_xFUlOweL5Z

    She was identified, actually. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/marche-st-george-community-rallies-1.3356441

  • peakie

    Really!?
    Time for a weekend snooze, (in sunny weather), to see the Entitled lounging about at St. George and 28th. (3 blocks south of Tupper Secondary school for those not in the know).
    And yes, they do spill over the sidewalk.
    A few paint lines and some courtesy will go a long way.

  • peakie

    type “grocery” into the search box in the upper right hand corner of this FrancesBula blog to see earlier coverage of the uncommon corner grocery stores of the region.

  • Tiktaalik

    There was a widespread impression that the sidewalk encroachment issues lead bylaw enforcement to question whether Marché St George was allowed by their zoning to operate as a cafe. If they business was forced into operating exclusively as a grocery they’d have to close.

    “They are currently licensed for retail grocer,” said a spokesperson with the City of Vancouver in a written statement.

    “As it is currently zoned RS-1, they would likely require a rezoning to allow a restaurant/café (where food is served) to operate.”

  • Kirk

    Glad to see a business license problem won’t shut them down. Tearing it down for a monster home on the other hand….

  • Graham Winterbottom

    what seems to be missing from all of this discussion is that the original complaint came from a blind women who could not walk down the sidewalk because of the cafe

  • bikethegrid

    what seems to be missing from this whole discussion is that the original complaint came from a blind lady that could not walk down the street safely because of the cafe.
    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/marche-st-george-community-rallies-1.3356441

  • peakie

    Jason Proctor, who lives near the March St. George, (yet still calls the area “Mount Pleasant” that far south of Broadway) has fun with the story and gets his gentle digs in.

    Le Marché St. George, outlaw-quiche and the battle for Vancouver’s soul – British Columbia – CBC News
    by Jason Proctor
    LINK cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/le-march%C3%A9-st-george-outlaw-quiche-and-the-battle-for-vancouver-s-soul-1.3357702

    “…Remember the ‘No Fun City’ days? The pre-craft beer metropolis days?…”

  • AdamFitch

    Mike, I think that you misunderstand Mike Klassen’s comment. It is good political analysis. How often do you see Council address a rather minor bylaw enforcement so quickly and so publicly, and then issue a PRESS release?
    Mike Klassen got it right on. It may be a partisan comment, but it also cuts to the meat of the matter. How often does the city call its own bylaws “outdated”? (see the press release).

  • peakie

    Long (3300 words) attempt at clearing up the story of the City versus

    Le Marché St. George,
    Le Marché St. George,