When we posted on Hell’s Kitchen closing doors, it seems some readers thought Bibo Italian restaurant‘s short-term closure was also part of the ostensible trend toward unaffordable retail rents on West 4th Avenue. Good news: You’re wrong. Bibo is only closed for renos. In fact, they’re back just in time for Valentine’s Day and the pizza experts are taking reservations.
Bibo’s master pizza maker, Salvatore, won the first place for Canada at the World Pizza Championship held in Salsomaggiore Terme (Italy).
Bibo, 1835 West 4th Avenue, 604.568.6177
Last modified: October 14, 2020
Thanks for reminding everyone that The BiBo is reopening after their reno… the brand-new B4 Bikes at 4th & Burrard is now open, plus there’s a new healthy/quick-serve restaurant – Tractor – opening in April at 4th & Cypress, as well as Bootlegger (between Arbutus & Yew), the new Longboarder Labs at 4th & Burrard and the new 49th Parallel/Lucky’s Donuts combo at 4th & Yew all opening this Spring. But come on… It’s disappointing that Kitsilano.ca highlights an individual closing and perpetuates the whole “unaffordable rents” myth without fact-checking… our West 4th rents are much lower than Yaletown, Robson, Downtown or South Granville. Businesses are still flocking to Kitsilano’s West 4th – we’ve had 25 new shops open between Fir and Balsam in the last 12 months.
Thanks for sharing the new businesses. To clarify the facts on what’s “disappointing” about our coverage: We cover openings and closings as they occur.
We devoted a great deal of time and space to Kings Head Inn’s triumphant return, for example. Our coverage of the Hell’s Kitchen closure didn’t speculate about rental rates. It simply said Hell’s Kitchen is closed.
In response to those who believe there is a high rental rate epidemic on West 4th and used Bibo as an example, we pointed out that the restaurant is not closing. If readers choose to comment giving opinions on rental rates, that’s their prerogative.
Glad to hear they’ll be back soon, I love the 3 cheese pizza from The Bibo and takeout is ready in a flash!
Respectfully, it wasn’t your readers who erronously wrote on this post that the West 4th rents were too high, it was you as the author of this post who chose to use faullty ‘opinion’ as fact to illustrate your very first sentence. Put simply: it’s not true.
At West 4th BIA (Russ?) – the opinion in the first sentence – by me – is listed as such. It isn’t listed as my personal opinion.
I’d be happy to interview you on the topic of retail rental rates on West 4th and post on the West 4th BIA’s data.
I have no opinion until I have hard data – ie what’s the rate per sq ft throughout the city, what’s the rate on West 4th, how has it changed in the last 5 years, how does Vancouver compare to other Canadian cities as well as places know for having low rent, such as Portland.
You know my email. But just in case: It’s taraneh@kitsilano.ca