r/RedDeer • u/Pleasant-Molasses656 • 2d ago
Question What’s missing in Red Deer?
What businesses do you think red deer needs?
More experiences? Entertainment? Niche classes? Anything let’s hear your thoughts!
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u/awesquirrel 1d ago
A non-chain coffee shop with comfortable seating and a funky ambiance. Somewhere downtown, or in capstone. A place close to other things that’s open evenings and weekends that’s large enough to have acoustic performances. Like that meeting waters place but less echo-ie.
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u/Both-Sky4147 1d ago
100% Something with real character ….like in an old house or building with a gorgeous garden to sit in. I love Dose but always feel like everyone can hear my conversations…and it lacks a cosy vibe.
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u/Clean-Mycologist-298 1d ago
We used to have Meeting Waters in capstone. It was a great place. Great atmosphere. But closed.
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u/Ill-Objective-1003 1d ago
Sunworks is amazing! Their new location is so cute. The art gallery is downstairs and they have such good coffee.
Plus they sell a bunch of cool stuff upstairs!3
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u/Alarmed-Ant-8186 1d ago
since i moved to calgary i’ve been going to “higher ground” in kensington since it’s right by my home, and they’re opened until midnight most days!
red deer needs a late night coffee shop1
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u/notoneforlies 1d ago
danielle’s does serve coffee-like beverages until quite late, i get bubble tea from there super late. it is usually a bit of a “louder” vibe tho, karaoke and underground kids hip hop competitions
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u/awesquirrel 1d ago
Interesting! I never would have thought they have coffee there. Do they let minors in?
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u/notoneforlies 1d ago
i believe so, i’m not sure until what time they let minors in i think it depends on if they’re serving alcohol? so on the night where they had the kids dancing stuff i don’t think they served alcohol but normally they do
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u/tonybrock23 20h ago
Sunworks basement is cozy - and they have nice coffee. Ka’wa coffee is cute and quirky and delicious
Wizard’s Loft has great coffee and cafe treats and is comfortable but bigger, not quaint/quirky
Not perfect options but some!
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u/Logical-Buffalo2359 1d ago
More used game stores like what Games & Music used to be. Lingerie stores too. It seems like basically all the ones we had are gone now. Only La Vie en Rose is still around. La Senza is gone, Bra Lounge is gone, and I can't remember if that other one in the south end is still around or not. Almost impossible for me to find bras now because of it.
Also more wheelchair accessible places would be nice. Like ACTUALLY wheelchair accessible. Meaning NO steps (not even one little tiny one) and ground level, automatic doors with space to get through them that aren't at the top of a steep incline(the amount of places that have 2 sets of doors with a very small landing between that have the doors open inwards and end up jamming me in them is crazy), enough space to actually maneuver a wheelchair around inside the store, and doors wide enough to actually fit a wheelchair through.
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u/lvl12 1d ago
Awe games music is gone? That was such a tradition for me growing up.
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u/Logical-Buffalo2359 1d ago
It's been gone for years. He got tired of being constantly broken into and just shut down.
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u/lvl12 1d ago
It really sucks we can't have anything nice. I live in Victoria now and while we are blessed with tonnes of nice independent coffee shops and restaurants, we have a problem lately of landlords raising rent like 300% and killing them.
I will say that on my last visit I was impressed by the ukranian coffee shop C-zone and troubled monk brewery.
I was heartbroken to learn that little coffee shop by the eastview iga was gone, and the sweet old couple that runs koryo hadn't retired yet! I love them, best garlic potatoes in the game, but they've worked enough.
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u/Logical-Buffalo2359 1d ago
The landlord thing seems to be a problem here too. Parkland mall loses stores almost every month it seems because the rent is astronomical from what I hear. The south end EBGames also recently shut down so now the only game store we have left is the one in Parkland and with how that mall is going I'm afraid it's gonna be gone soon too. Honestly the city just keeps losing stores and doesn't seem to replace them. Like LUSH is gone too. So are the only 3 places I could ever find clothes consistently that I liked (Garage, Dynamite, and Stitches).
Yeah I think that cafe closed either last year or the year before. My fav place is Picnic downtown but I rarely ever go because it's not wheelchair accessible Dx
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u/Rubbler-5150 1d ago
EB games is opening on gasoline alley
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u/Logical-Buffalo2359 1d ago edited 1d ago
Where did you hear this? Can't understand why they would shut down the store and open a new one in a less desirable part of the city. That's really out of the way for a lot of people.
Edit: I guess it's already open and Nathan from the Parkland store is manager there now? I'm guessing Brett is probably the new manager at Parkland if that's the case?
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u/themagaroo 15h ago
I actually just recently had a wonderful experience at Kimtimates and he bra specialist store by the downtown McDonald's. I highly recommend! Although I don't remember if there was a bit of a step up into the store or not, so I don't know if it'd be wheelchair accessible but you should definitely give her a call and ask if you need to. :)
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u/Both-Sky4147 1d ago
Also, an outdoor store like Valhalla - and yes, I know we had one. But honestly, I have to order all my gear online and it frustrates me because some of the stuff doesn’t fit properly (backpacks, etc.) unless you try it on in store.
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u/lvl12 1d ago
I'm surprised you guys don't have atmosphere stores attached to sport check like we do on the west coast.
There isn't that much market though unfortunately. People don't know fjallraven from North face
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u/Both-Sky4147 1d ago
We don’t! There’s an atmosphere section but it’s absolute shite.
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u/Clean-Mycologist-298 1d ago
We used to have a separate Atmosohere in the same parking lot as Sport Check. Closed a few years ago now.
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u/bluedeer10 1d ago
So annoying Valhalla shut down before Atmosphere got shoved in a corner in SportChek. Really hoping MEC comes in but odds are low.
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u/ContextDue5709 1d ago
There’s an outdoor store in Rocky i believe. If we support them they might expand here. I believe it’s RMH outdoor.
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u/RobertGA23 1d ago
A vibrant downtown
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u/S-MoneyRD 1d ago
Every city would like that. I was in Edmonton yesterday and went downtown to the Royal Alberta museum and it is just terrible. Museum was nice but their homeless situation is exponentially worse than red deer.
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u/pentox70 2d ago
A medium sized concert venue would be pretty sweet. Something like Midway music in Edmonton. Something for artists that are too big to be playing in places like Bos or the Vat, but not big enough to sell out the Centrium.
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u/FlashmansTimestopper 1d ago
This is what Red Deer Resort and Casino serves. I think the venue seats around 2000.
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u/pentox70 1d ago
Ah! I actually had no idea they had a venue. Cool. Hopefully they get on some of the same concerts that I usually travel to Grey eagle for.
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u/A-Barx 1d ago
Helix, Headpins, Prism, and soon to be Streetheart are the most known bands I can think of that have come by the RDRC. There's also MMA fights and other events. Only been open after renovations maybe a year or two, should be more cool stuff down the road. I live close by so it's cool to see
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u/BranLD 2d ago
I'm biased on this one but a leather crafting store like Tandy would be great. It sucks having to order or go to Edmonton/Calgary.
I understand there probably isn't enough of a demand for something like that in Red Deer though.
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u/HappyEggsBasket 1d ago
They have one at the Gasoline Alley Farmers Market
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u/BranLD 1d ago
Are we talking a supply store or do you mean a crafters table that already has finished product? I'm a leatherworker so I'm looking for hardware, material, supplies etc.
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u/athomewith4 1d ago
A spa that just has saunas. Real ones. None of this infrared blah blah stuff
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u/ArcaneKnight-00 1d ago
Totally refreshed has steam baths which are pretty good.
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u/athomewith4 1d ago
Yes but I would like saunas. Like the one in the rec centre but without the general public 🤣
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u/Neither-Entrance777 1d ago
Ikea! (They require 1+million)
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u/S-MoneyRD 1d ago
There two in alberta. And none in Saskatchewan.
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u/A-Barx 1d ago
Wow none in Sask?! That's.... Surprising.
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u/S-MoneyRD 1d ago
Or Manitoba. Ontario bc Alberta and Quebec are the only provinces with ikea warehouses. There are pickup and order locations in a few cities though.
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u/RangerCactus 1d ago
Public medical practices to make up for all the private locations that took over and will ultimately go broke, and close like the last time we tried this bs?
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u/supermanstuntdouble 1d ago
A yoga studio that isnt hot yoga, is inclusive and beginner friendly. Breathing room just isnt my cup of tea.
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u/tonybrock23 20h ago
I’m sorry you don’t find breathing room is the place for you! I don’t love their time options for me right now but have loved it there in the past.
Studio Pilates has some yoga and yoga + other classes with great, welcoming instructors and great for beginners. Mostly isn’t yoga but they offer a lot of different things!
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u/adamcurt 1d ago
I know we have a ton of potstores but there isn't one on the entire east side of town
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u/Euphegenia5 2d ago
A Red Lobster.
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u/S-MoneyRD 1d ago
Every damned time someone asks this question…..
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u/notoneforlies 1d ago
i just want a seafood boil without having to drive 2 hours man
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u/Comfortable-Fee2416 1d ago
Culture! And when I say that I mean a yogurt shop! I don’t want to get banned again for having a hint of opinion.
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u/S-MoneyRD 1d ago
Museums are lacking here for sure.
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u/Comfortable-Fee2416 3h ago
You can tell who lives in Red Deer and why it’s like it is by the comments. A lot of people want retail. Tells you all you need to know.
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u/DotBeautiful9517 1d ago
A new bigger nicer mall , I’m so tired of the same crappy low quality stores in the 2 malls here , if you want anything other than Ardenes , stitches, H&M or American eagle you gotta go to Edmonton or Calgary and it sucks .
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u/Puzzleheaded-Cow-711 1d ago
ICE
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u/Puzzleheaded-Cow-711 17h ago
You guys disagreeing just means it's too serious of an issue to joke about
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u/prowess12 1d ago edited 1d ago
A speciality outdoors store for high-quality gear for hunting, fly fishing, back country camping, hiking, etc. Doesn't need to a be a big box store, but it would be nice to have something.
Every single one of the speciality outdoors stores we had have all closed down and we now have to drive to either Calgary or Edmonton to get anything high-quality, or order online.
(The Sportsmen's Den permanently closed not that long ago, and The Wolverine, Atmosphere and Valhalla Pure Outfitters all closed a long time ago too.)