Eau Claire Market

The good about Eau Claire market is really good but the bad breaks your heart.
The space and the location is cozy and warm and just makes you feel good. The fact that it’s so dead most of the time and it feels like a waste of space somehow… Is disappointing.
The theater here has really good movies. Here you get to see movies that won’t be featured at a large cinema. These are movies that are borderline «artsy» or «literary». Great movies that make you think or explore humanity.
Unfortunately even though the shows are good the theater itself is OK. The seats are uncomfortable and old. Creaky.
So three stars. I wish I could give a five-​star to this place because I feel it has the potential but unfortunately that’s not how Eau Claire is right now.

The two Wanderlust stores and the Tibetan Shop are two unique places that i am always tempted to check out at Eau Claire. If I am at the Calgary Folk Fest then I will usually stop by the Eau Claire Good Earth for a coffee. It is nice that there are lounge chairs and free wifi. The location is good if one is intending to be in the area, near downtown or Princes Island Park. It is not usually crowded so that is nice. The food court does not have much that is worthwhile. The Middle Eastern place by the lounge area has good food. I would for sure miss Eau Claire if it went but it is too bad that the original grand plans for it did not quite gel. I’d give it a three and a half star rating if i could.

Eau Claire is a market that has struggled with it’s identity over the last decade or so. A bustling summer plaza contrasted with a lackluster interior market with ever-​changing tenants makes for a confusing place.
For many years, there have been rumours of the market being torn down to make way for condo developments. Perhaps this is why the market seems to always be in flux.
The list of the types of places that have occupied Eau Claire Market range from archades to gyms, artisan bake shops to candy stores, jewelry and art spaces, coffee shops, bike repare places, rug showrooms, cheap knick knack stores, humidors, wine shops, weird clothing, dentists, grocery, photo studios, offices and restaurants and everything in between.
All of those shops sounds like they should make Eau Claire Market interesting and popular. But alas, no tenant stays for long enough to attract crowds in any number, leaving the space largely devoid of life. The movie theater seems to be the only constant in this ever-​changing space.
Although the market itself seems to lack soul, summers at Eau Claire Plaza are nice as the outdoor area attracts food trucks and ice cream stands as well as houses a decent splash park. And with the easy access to Prince’s Island and bike paths, warm summer days on the plaza are bustling. In the last few years, Eau Claire has made itself a bigger part of the outdoor summer scene in Calgary by being the start or end point for many runs, hosting cookoffs and myriad of fun outdoor festivals.
The plaza at Eau Claire gets a 5 star rating from me for outdoor summer fun, but the lackluster market is a 2 at best; save for the movie theater, which is the least expensive in the city to see new releases or IMAX.
Stick to the plaza in the summer and see a cheaper movie in the winter.
T.

Cool little shops great little market and have had some amazing memories! clean but tired looking cant wait for the cool new design and how it will come to life! the people are super friendly! I will be coming back here again at some point!!! Just wish the Imax was still there aww miss it! lots of good old field trips back in my School days!

Eau Claire market has such potential to be an amazing locale for unique goods. The stores currently in Eau Claire aren’t bad, but they lack a certain character and vibrancy that gets people coming in repeatedly.
If a few trendy new restaurants, and maybe a farmer’s market type thing opened up inside I feel as though it would be a much busier, trendy place. But lately its feeling more and more quiet and ghostly.

The original concept behind this mall was great. It was a place for independent businesses and artisans to have a place like the the big stores do. It opened with Calgary’s first IMAX, long before Hollywood started showing the big blockbusters on the extra big screen.
Unfortunately, this hasn’t really worked out. Over the years the stores in here have turned over like a pig on a spit. A few have stuck around, but every few months when I visit here there’s another sign in a window with a space for rent.
When I was in university, my friends and i would come to the Cineplex here because it was less busy than other theatres in the city and it was central for all. Not sure if that is still the case, but guessing on the state of the mall, I think its safe to say that still stands.

In high school, my friends and I used to drive from our hicktown into the city and hang out at Eau Claire Market just to play House of the Dead 4 and laugh at all the dorks playing DDR. It broke my damn heart when that arcade was closed down and became a gym, or some other soulless thing.
Speaking of soulless things, remember when the Goodlife Bicycle Co-​op was in here and ended up having to move, and it was replaced with a PERSIAN RUG STORE? It seems like as the years go by, the businesses that occupy this space become more and more obsolete and useless, with the exception of the Wordfest office, and one of my favourite stops for coffee/​tea, The Bean Stop.
Eau Claire is a decent central meeting place for people, and I appreciate their movie theatre as half decent theatres that have half decent film selections are getting harder and harder to come by in this city. I have attended a few premieres here and tracked down some films that weren’t playing in other theatres. Lots of CIFF stuff has also been here in the past which is good.
We also used this as a meet up place for our last Walk for Farm Animals, and it’s a central space for a lot of events.
That said, such a central space on prime real estate, Eau Claire could be much, much better, which is why I rate it a two stars, because GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER GUYS.

Eau Claire used to be such a wicked idea and place. You had tonnes of booths and people and shops all around and it was a really happening area.
From what I keep seeing in the news though is management keeps raising the rent on places and they force all the small time guys to move out. Good Life bike shop is a perfect example. The whole point of a market is it’s the community coming together into one place, and that doesn’t happen there.
Don’t get me wrong with this review. I have nothing against the shops in there. I love a few of them. There’s a few really awesome shops there. There’s an accodian player there and he’s SO GREAT! My wife and I go to the theatre there and love it. My issue with Eau Claire is the management of the market as a whole.
To sum up I just don’t feel it contributes to the feel of a bustling happy community the way it used to.

The Eau Claire Wine Market is just a short walk from the Sheraton and other Downtown Hotels. That’s handy as I like having a bottle of wine in the room to relax at the end of a long business trip day.
This Wine Shop is on the small side, but has a nice selection of Canadian wine, plus good choices from most of the other Countries that you would expect. There was also a decent spread in the price points. The Owner was friendly, welcoming, and helpful. I wasn’t there to linger, but I would happily return the next time I’m in Town.

You know what? Eau Claire’s not so bad. It’s got some yummy choices in the food court to check out, free wifi and plenty of seating in the middle area, a couple of fun looking stores and, as Tiffany N mentioned, a theatre that’s generally not all that busy… so lineups be damned!
The main space out front is the home of many festivals and charity runs. It makes for an easy spot to set up by the north doors and seems to be relatively easy place to get to for most people.
If you’re coming in, parking is only $ 2 all weekend long and the underground parkade is nice (entrance on the west side of the building).
What do you do to make this a busier spot? I don’t know. I don’t know if you can. But as far as a non profit event destination… it totally works!

I love Eau Claire! I have no idea what it was like when it was a *busy mall,* but seeing as how busy malls make me anxious, I’m glad Eau Claire is so quiet. It also has so many things I’m often looking for! An iPhone repair shop, a quiet theatre, an inexpensive place to hem pants ($ 8!), strange British snacks, wine, etc. It also has a great food court that is brimming with independent restaurants; perfect, for when you’re looking for cheap meal options that won’t turn the button on your jeans in to a WMD.

I find myself at Eau Claire market on a semi-​regular basis these days. During the annual Calgary International Film Festival, it’s a hub of excitement, whether the CIFF box office is located on the premises or otherwise.
I’ve loved Eau Claire for years. When it first opened, it was a quirky intercity destination with exotic shops. Today, though roughly half is used for shopping and the other is filled with office space, I still enjoy it. So much so that if I’m at a loss for something to do on a weekend, I’ll often find myself at Eau Claire. I adore the atmosphere — the shops are unique and varied, from Tibetan Trom to Wanderlust, and the ample seating space and free wi-​fi make it the ideal location to kick back and just enjoy people watching or getting a little work done.
I recently booked the Community Room at Eau Claire — the IMAX lobby in days of old — for a free meeting with my book club. The space was huge, far bigger than I remembered. It was perhaps a bit sterile for our small gathering, but I would welcome using it again, particularly for large, nonprofit events.
Eau Claire is still the ideal location to spend a sunny Sunday in the summer, sipping a Jugo Juice or green tea by the fountains or wander the nearby Prince’s Island Park. While it’s been a bit neglected by many Calgarians, it still boasts a number of intriguing and well-​attended events throughout the year, from Taste of Calgary to BBQ on the Bow; Canada Day celebrations, Afrika Day and Folk Fest; fashion shows, weekend knitting, laughter yoga and so much more.
With a broad selection of food and drink options — I’m a particular fan of The Bean Stop — $ 2 evening and weekend parking and $ 10.50 movies, Eau Claire has continued to hold a place in my heart in the landscape of Calgary’s shopping destinations.

Oh clair!!! That’s how I really wanna say it! This place has seen better days and it’s time for a rehaul! In all seriousness though I still think its a rather cool place. I just want the place to rekindle its former full on glory!
That being said I really do like coming here on occasion, it has some cool shops and a funky vibe, it’s certainly a unique place and is a Calgary landmark.
I remember a few years ago my good pal Eddie and his riding partner John rode their bike all the way from cleavland and he used the bike store to do some major tweaks and fixes for his tandem bicycle. He really appreciated the fact that Calgary had a place to offer bike freaks a very important service and virtually free service. Thats a really cool feature of this place. Another big bonus is all the musicians who come here to busk, not many other places allow busking indoors! So it’s always nice to have some culture in a city that somtimes is a little too conservative and snooty with such things. So thats really where this place shines, it’s almost a micro cultural hub for Calgary.
Whether its talking with the «coffee wizard» who runs the bean stop or paying two bucks for the massage chairs Eau Claire is an experience everytime I go their! I like it, I like it a lot!
²⁷⁄₃₀

Oh yeah! this is my neighborhood mall. Not a bad place to hang out with a group of friends but not so good as any other malls. But if you are alone and would like to do window shopping, then for sure this is not the right place. The place is not big. But this is very different from other malls. They have a different varieties of shops like cycles shops, raft rental shop (where they rent rafts, cycles, skates etc), some ethnic wear stores, Gold’s gym, cinema theaters, travel agents, mobile service, etc.
They have a medium sized food court too. But the desi (Not sure if they were Pakistanis or Indians) food over here was terrible. They have subway as well.
I have never seen this place crowded. Very silent place. Not a great place for fun.
I keep visting this place for watching movies on tuesdays and roam around if I find sometime before watching the movie.
Unilocal’s 30 day challenge — ⁵⁄₃₀.

Well, this space doesn’t really have much going for it. During the day it is quieter than a performance of John Cage’s 4’33″, and evenings are not much better. The only time there is really much of anything going on here is when there is a festival going on outside, but even then people mostly come in for a place to sit down.
A small food court attracts the local business lunch crowd, and the Garage provides a decent anchor as a restaurant & bar. Otherwise there is Power in Motion, the Good Life Community Bike Shop, a Good Earth café, a movie theatre, and Gold’s Gym. Nearly all other businesses serve a specialty niche, be it high-​end wine, flowers, British ex-​pat goodies, or cigars. I’m really not sure how many of the businesses are able to keep their doors open. Perhaps it is with the help of the tourist population, but if I were a tourist coming across a place like this, I would be sadly disappointed.
The theatre and gym are both located upstairs, and quite frankly are the only reasons to go up there. The upper level really has nothing else going for it. And the theatre is, well, kind of gross.
The truth is, this space has undergone several attempted rejuvinations, none of which have been successful. Once upon a time, it was the city’s only IMAX theatre which brought people here. That is now long gone — you can now get your IMAX fix at Scotiabank Chinook Theatre.
Visually, the Market building looks like something time forgot, a remnant of the 1980s. The only thing I can think of in the city with a similarly offensive colour scheme is the new Alberta Childrens’ Hospital on the University of Calgary’s West Campus, overlooking Shaganappi Trail.
What could be done to «fix» this monstrosity? For starters, there are condos and apartments located immediately adjacent. How about making this into a true Market by building a proper grocery such as Sobeys or Calgary Co-​Op. Then local residents would not have to drive several kilometres in downtown traffic just to get their groceries. Encourage local artists to set up kiosks to sell their wares. Buskers already frequent the place, which is wonderful (although not all of them are easy to listen to, but that’s beside the point). With a local grocery and appropriate marketing campaigns, the place may just begin to flourish. Oh yeah — a new coat of paint would be nice, too.

It should be more exciting than it is, but to be honest, parking in the area is too expensive, there isn’t really that much to do, and it gets old fast.
the scenery around the river and park is amazing, i love going for walks in the area.
The mall itself is dull, stores often turn over really quickly.
The movie theatre here is usually empty, great if you want to avoid «sold-​out» line ups!

This is a great place to just hang out. Go to the cinema, grab a coffee, visit some stores and take a walk along the river. It’s one of the hidden treasures in Calgary. I think because it’s downtown people assume it’s expensive to park here… wrong it’s $ 2 all day on Saturday and Sunday and after 6pm during the week. It really is the heart of Calgary as it was in days of yore a time sadly missed by some. Come check it out :)

If you talk to any Calgarian about Eau Claire market, they’ll always tell you how disappointing it has been to see this mall suffer from high prices of rent during the boom. Since things became so expensive, many businesses have had to leave, leaving the mall pretty basic and plain!
But that has only meant great things for the people who still go to the mall, but not for the reasons you might think. The food court is pretty respectable with Jugo Juice, Subway, Taco Time and some independent choices too.
I love, love, love using the free wi-​fi in the mall. It is a great place to get a lot of work done. They even have high tables, so you look super-​chic while you do some blogging.
The movie theatre is really good too. On average, it is about $ 1 or two cheaper than most other movie theatres. And you didn’t hear this from me, but one of the theatres is beyond easy to sneak into!
Definitely a great place to hang out, drink some coffee and do some wonderful people watching!

I just want to put a huge shout out to the Eau Claire Market for being amenable as an event space for non profit organizations.
I am currently hosting a city wide audition for young actors and Eau Claire has been kind enough to offer me 3 nights for my initial auditions and another night for my call backs free of charge.
You just need to contact the communities’ coordinator and give her a brief rundown on what your group is doing, and if approved by their committee you have a very nice private space complete with basic tables and chairs to conduct your event. It is very central and easy to get to.
The process is quite simple and Jaime the woman I have been in communication with has been exceptionally easy to work with and so very eager to support our cause.
Kudos Eau Claire Market, for making your beautiful venue something that the community can utilize.

I can still remember when my parents first took me to Eau Claire Market. It was hustling and bustling, packed full of interesting stalls and a food court that went above and beyond fast food franchises. Fancy wines, different candies, many different food, fruit and vegetable markets, chocolates: there was a little bit of everything. Throw in some very talented buskers, and it was a little kids dream come true.
The Eau Claire market that exists now is a far cry from the one in my memories. Time and high rents have decimated or moved all but the most profitable of businesses, and much of the second floor is now office space. Soon it will be gone (projected 2010 is what I’ve heard, but that’s just gossip), and a new development will rise up in its place.
Even though the Eau Claire that exists now is a bit of a skeleton of what it once was, it’s good. The stores that have remained, like Amos and Andes and Wanderlust, the Egyptian store and the Tibetan one, along with the Latin Quarter Dance studio all add some diversity and character to the place. The movie theatre has big-​time movies for a much smaller price. There are a number of smaller non-​for-​profits tucked in, and the New Gallery adds a little spice.
I’m docking a star not because of the stores it has, but the ones it has lost that made it more of a destination. The other is for the outrageous parking fees that were part of what stopped people from coming in the first place.