Bigs als in Calgary Decemebr 1st

[Porthos]

Delphinus, you are right, I am in the North

However, I'm in the far North, so like you, I would also consider Wai's and Ocean's to be pretty central, just like Riverfront and Golds. The only store I can visit somewhat easily is Red Coral (although it is still out of the way), but luckily that is also one of my favourites to visit.

Elite and Golds are actually too far for me so I don't visit them often. The new Big Al's is also out of the way, but I work close by, so I can visit it at lunch and after work pretty easily. Hopefully it will be good so that I can check things out often. I wasn't in the hobby when the old Big Al's was around.

I think those that live far North have it just as bad as those that live in the deep south. Most of the stores are pretty central when you think about it, other than Elite and Red Coral, and those are still somewhat central.

For people in the SW, if you have easy access to Crowchild, it is actually pretty quick to get to Red Coral if you aren't driving during rush hour. Red Coral is like a minute off of Crowchild Trail.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Originally Posted by Porthos

For people in the SW, if you have easy access to Crowchild, it is actually pretty quick to get to Red Coral if you aren't driving during rush hour. Red Coral is like a minute off of Crowchild Trail.

Take it back! Crowchild is my worst nightmare. I'd rather listen to screaming children on a 14-hour flight to Hong Kong (and I've done both, so I know...lol).

Let's face it, Calgary's just a crap city to have to drive long distances for things. We have two seasons here: winter and construction. Neither are very conducive to driving long distances and maintaining a healthy mental state.

Riverfront is downtown, which is a frustration all unto itself. Wai's and Ocean City are on 16th, which again, is a construction/traffic/HWY 1 nightmare. Red Coral is connected to Crowchild hell. Gold and Elite are pretty much the only stores I'll visit on an even remotely regular basis. I went to see if Pisces had a saltwater section (again), and it took me 30 minutes to get there, and that was mostly by Deerfoot.

When Big Al's opens, maybe I'll pack a picnic lunch, fill the car with gas, make sure my camera battery is charged, and make a day of it. Because I'm sure that's what it'll take. Then I'll write a blog entry about it entitled, "No Money for Fish, Spent It All On Gas".

[michika]

I tried a jaunt on over to Red Coral this summer and I just gave up. I got cut off like 6 times before I just packed it in. I like my car in one piece!

I go home quite a bit still and I do make an effort to visit somewhere when I have the time. Although lately I've found it harder and harder to get anywhere.

The biggest problem in Calgary now seems to be accesibility. If the trip takes more the 30 minutes one way, I don't really want to do it. When I left in 2002 it used to be about 20 minutes straight up crowchild to the university for me. Last time I tried it I hit 40 minutes BEFORE I'd made it to the university area.

But when I think about it, I would rather take the traffic, and the constant construction then Edmonton's monster potholes. There is nothing like bottoming out and getting your car stuck in a pothole in winter to make you love Calgary!

[digital-audiophile]

Does anyone even actually shop for SW at Riverfront?

I was in a couple weeks back for the first time in months (walked over during lunch) and it was still the fish horror shop it alwasy was

[danny zubot]

But when I think about it, I would rather take the traffic, and the constant construction then Edmonton's monster potholes. There is nothing like bottoming out and getting your car stuck in a pothole in winter to make you love Calgary!

You have a point, there's always somewhere worse to live. Take England for example; because I was just there. To drive the same distance from my house to Oceans for example, woud take longer. You'd have to cross three towns, battling complex '"roundabouts'', narrow roads with traffic wizzing by you at break neck speeds, and all while you are driving on th wrong side of the road! I will never compain about driving in the north west end of Calgary again. In England the roads are so messed up, I couldn't even tell which direction was north without looking at the sun's position, provided the sun was even visible.

For me, its not the driving that bothers me, I enjoy driving, pumpin' the tunes etc. Don't get me wrong though, if I don't feel like driving that day guess which LFS will get my business. What bothers me is that I can't wrap my head around having the bulk of the LFS clumped together in one area of the city. It just doesn't make sence to me. Where's the logic in it? Surely some research was done prior to selecting the location for the new BA's, so what factors are they basing their decision on for choosing a north location? When they open, I will drive up there one day just to ask that very question, as should we all.

[kari]

I would say it has a lot to do with lease rates.