Is this the Royal We? Speak for yourself. I don't value lingerie or yoga pants!

You are right. There are no more coffee shops anymore in this city. I yearn for the good ol days when there was a coffee shop on every single street corner...

HMV's where it's always been (between Thurlow and Bute) and there's no shortage of coffee shops in the area. What are you complaining about?

I miss that old Blenz with the wood benches! Good memories...now its an overpriced yoga wear shop.... And now chapters is gone :(

not about what "we" value.

the profit margin on fancy lingerie and yoga pants is huge.

Why oh why did they have to close the Starbucks that was across the street from the Starbucks, that was on Robson & Thurlow?

Umm...I'm sorry, are "we" pitying the big brand names stores because they were replaced by other big brand stores? How can I exclude myself from this "we"?

have more affordable housing. While we are getting sentimental about the past..

...very well articulated point, OP.

Robson is just an outdoor suburban shopping mall. The whole reputation of the district as a fashion community was when there were real boutiques and unique shops. We destroyed it by letting the rents climb so high that only soulless chains staffed by bored minimum wage zombies ring up the same pair of boots for me that a teenager in Moose Jaw is wearing. What a pity.

It makes me sad when I remember we used to go to the public library and we used to bank at the td on the corner. And go for lunch at Denny's? Oh, the good old days.