Raise the Hammer
Trevor Shaw comes in from the suburbs to see what makes King West tick.
By Trey Shaughnessy
Apr. 14, 2005
King Street West Tour
King Street West in Hamilton is a microcosm of eclectic consignment shops, restaurants, gift stores, coffee shops, restaurant supplies, even a spa and tattoo palour. The King Street West shopping area is between Bay and Queen, a short stretch but nontheless exciting and interesting.
The north side of King W. features an elegant street wall
In its favour, King W. is anchored by Hess Village and Jackson Square. The merchants tend to keep good hours. Most are open until 9 pm and I have seen them open later. The shops compliment the Hess Village pubs well.
The restaurants are fanstastic. Kasturi serves exceptional Indian food. If you like super hot food, try the Banaglore style.
Kasturi Indian Restaurant
At King and Queen is the ever-fantastic La Luna, featuring authentic Arabic and Eastern Mediterrean dishes and outstanding service in a very nice décor that makes it also one of my favourite place to eat in all of Hamilton.
The landmark Harvest Burger looks like it was an old fashioned "drive-in," with the canopy for cars where waitresses on roller skates would take your order. Unfortunately, they don't do this anymore. However, Harvest Burger makes the one of the best souvlaki and gyros in town.
Harvest Burger recalls the glory days of Drive-In burger stands
A new coffee shop, Columbia Coffee House, is set to open soon at Bay St.
King and Bay, new coffee house opening soon
You also have to check out the two restaurant supply outlets, Chris' Store Fixtures and Hamilton Restaurant Supplies. These stores always impress me with their supply of stainless steel utencils and commercial kitchen appliances. If you've always wondered where the restaurants get their cool salt and pepper shakers, visit one of these stores.
Chris's Store Fixtures
Star Lounge is another cool place to hang. In the summer it opens the front "garage door" to the street. A live music venue at Reigning Sound adds to the many venues located in Hess Village.
Star Lounge
My favourite shops happen to be the cool consignment/second hand shops. Some feature new clothes like Metro. Metro looks like it belongs on Queen West in Toronto; inside and out this store ooozes cool. The clothing is all new and features urban and anti-Old Navy fashions. It also has fun gifts and accessories.
Metro
Metro
Déjà vu is another very cool shop. The clothing is used and new and ranges from suits to graphic t-shirts.
Déjà vu
Déjà vu
King West is a gem of stretch of retail in Hamilton. According to Louis, shop-owner of Déjà vu since 1983, the area has experienced ups and downs, but it seems to be enjoying a renaissance lately.
I only wish the south side of King wasn't stripped of its streetwall. It is a sad sight. Chain-link fencing around a vacant used car lot, a crappy strip mall, and a Tim Horton's parking lot make the south side barely walkable. Hopefully the south side of King West can be re-built to match the north side.
Puttin' On the Ritz
A sense of place on King W.
Screamin' Mimis
Keeping Watch at King and Caroline
It's money that we get which is very good, but it will cost us more money and that's the bad news. We can do some enhancements but we're going to have find some other resources as well, so we need to really deal with this very carefully." -- Hamilton Mayor Larry DiIanni, explaining why the city is reluctant to use gas tax money for HSR improvements
NewsfeedsISSN: 1715-1554
Aerotropolis: Will It Fly? - Wednesday, December 3, 2008, at Mount Hope Community Hall, 3027 Homestead Dr., Mount Hope.
Bratina: City Hall Plan Could Save $110 Million Over 20 Years (Dec. 2, 2008) - Councillor Bob Bratina, who has proposed that the City remain at Hamilton City Centre, is claiming that this move will cost only $50 million over the next 20 years, compared to $150 million to com
City Backs Down on Airport Development Size (Dec. 1, 2008) - Citizens at City Hall (CATCH) reports that the city has backed down on at least one aspect of its dispute with the province on the size of the Airport Economic Growth District (AEGD), a planned in
Same Old 'Traffic Trumps Everything' Thinking (Dec. 1, 2008) -
Apparently, the City Traffic department still doesn't get it.
After turning James and John into two-way streets that slowed traffic down, the city is now looking for ways to speed thing
Toronto Council to Vote on Corporate, Union Donations (Dec. 1, 2008) -
Toronto City Council has another opportunity today to decide whether to allow corporate and union donations to be proffered during municipal campaigns.
City Council has voted against such don
Poor and Dirty (Dec. 1, 2008) -
Your humble editor presents a modest tribute to the Hamilton Spectator report, "Poor and dirty", published November 27, 2008.
Poor and Dirty
They see us rollin'
On the highway
The
Double Downtown Density? We Should be Aiming to Quadruple It (Nov. 28, 2008) - Today's Spectator carries a head-scratching article on a proposal by Councillor Brian McHattie to double the downtown's urban density of 200 people and jobs per hectare to 400 people and j
By Car Ant
Posted 5/19/2008 12:55:07 AM
I feel that the photo tour idea should expand to all of Hamilton. Encourage others as to how they can contribute, in a controlled manner.
(Permalink)