Why some retailers and commercial building owners see and feel the need to have windows bars fitted to the shop windows of their buildings is odd.
This happens throughout the Greater Junction Area. It is really unnecessary, as smash and grabs are almost unknown here, even during the period of “The Decline” in economic activity in the year.
And with today’s prosperity in the GJA this activity only harms that area the community, especially the residential sector. It causes passers by to get that chilly fright of a risky area, which we are not.
Isn’t it time we let these shops and building owners know we don’t what these window bars blighting our visual views and the living character of our streetscape.
In the following images the black painted shop with the window bars is in the Junction Triangle and the other store is on the Dundas St strip.
13 Comments
I feel the same. makes me feel criminal.
Agreed. Wong Cafe (Keele & Dundas) is a prime example. Cannot imagine anything of high value in that place! I think it keeps more CUSTOMERS away than criminals.
Sanction is protecting their expensive merchandise as late at night Dundas West is a ghost town and considering that one snowboard is $800+ I don't blame them for having roll shutters. Insurrance for business is expensive and roll shutters lower your premium and protect your insurrance rate from rising due to theft.
There was a smash and grab on Vine Ave earlier this week (beside the alley across from Public Storage) Sometime between 6am-10am somebody smashed the window of a front door and helped themselves to what was inside. I work on Queen West early in the morning and I see front window/door smash and grabs pretty frequently. They usually clean and replace any glass by the time the rest of the city is waking up for breakfast.
And for Raymond. Take a close look at Wong Cafe. There is something fishy going on there. Lived in the area for over 6 years and have never seen anyone eating in there. I do see lots of couriers and drop by customers who leave with no food. Just my observations.
I think you're overreacting. Although they may not be attractive, I would doubt most people give them a second glance, it makes the shop owners feel safe and in my opinion an empty store front is far less attractive to a neighbourhood an also far less safe looking.
redacted personal attacks violate blog policy
Actually some do – care about opinion, mine and others, yet they are friends of mine. This post was the result of causal and points made by some businesses owners over years of knowing them. some business owners would disagree of course.
When tempered glass is broken, it will usually break into very small pieces instead of into big shards. Laminated glass is produced by layering layers of glass together with a resin. Laminated glass will flex before shattering. Laminated glass is strong but not as strong as tempered glass. There are laminated tempered glass, but are very expensive.
I like Sanction. The guys who run the place are really kind, and it's great for the neighborhood. If they need to protect their livelihood then so be it. The benefits of having such a great store outweigh the ugly bars in the window. Anyone know what is going into the Highpark Family Fun place? And didn't someone say a dollar store was opening at Blockbuster? What happened to that?
Whatever makes them feel safe is just fine. I think there will be a trend to remove them in the coming years. Either way, I wouldn't take it personally.
I disagree. Stores have the right to protect their inventory and some times the most affordable option is bars on the windows as opposed to unbreakable glass etc. When you have retail stores that have a very large and expensive amount inventory and some one breaks in and steals all of it, those stores might get their money back through insurance but the revenue that would have been made on those items isn't covered and as everyone knows the insurance process is very long. If you look at a lot of the stores in the junction which consist of restaurants and coffee shops that don't have things people actually want to steal or can openly sell after stealing, this just increases the risk of the few shops in neighborhood that do of being targeted. It doesn't matter what neighborhood you live in, if there is something there that people want to steal and they are motivated enough to steal it, they will. If you take a closer look at Sanctions windows you will notice that they are gates and not permanent steal bars so during the day they can't be seen. I think anyone with enough common sense can figure out that the bars aren't a big deal. Especially if you hang out in the Junction or even do a little google searching you will find out how safe it is around here. Sometimes you have to look past the bars in the window to really understand what is being protected. Theft can completely destroy a business.
I think that permanent bars that are visible during business hours are uninviting and make a place look like it has a crime problem. However, when the business is closed, it makes sense to put up a barrier to protect against smash and grabs, which can happen in any neighbourhood. Thus, I prefer retractable barriers if such a security feature is necessary. Roll-down metal screens are also an option (rarely seen in Toronto), but I dislike the cold and anonymous look they give to storefronts when the business is closed.
I agree with A.R. and Jim, I'm no fan of around the clock bars, but shutter style when the business is closed is fine by me.
As you all seem to feel bars are an eye sore, I also agree but because our family experienced, not just once, but twice, smash and grabs, we have since invested some money into security laminates for our windows. We found a terrific product, made in Canada, that has been featured on shows like Daily Planet and Frontiers of Construction and we put that on our windows. What smash and grab idiot is going to stand there pounding a window a hundred times with a baseball bat to get in? It just won't happen. And its 100% clear. We don't even know its on our windows.
That may be a solution to offer. I will leave their blog address here.
stealtharmour.wordpress. com
Our family does feel safer because we have seen the results. We had a 3rd attempt and it totally stopped them. Remember, 2 things thieves fear most – being seen and being heard.
Good luck and yes, so understandable about the bars. Its disconcerting and ugly and serves to reinforce distrust.
I eat in Wong Cafe regularly and there is always someone else eating there as well. Often Asian students from the nearby school for foreign students. Don't know about couriers but I do see people leave without food because they have placed a a take out order and are coming back to pick it up.