News
& Media
Press Release
June 14, 2023
University District to add four new retailers to growing Retail Main Street
University District to Add UNA Pizza + Wine, Native Tongues Taqueria, Lagree YYC and Easy Blink Optometry to its University Avenue Retail Main Street
University District has announced the addition of four new retailers to its Retail Main Street including UNA Pizza + Wine (UNA), Native Tongues Taqueria (Native Tongues), Lagree YYC and Easy Blink Optometry. All are anticipated to open in 2024. U/D is currently home to more than 30 diverse retailers, including quick-serve and dine-in restaurants and bars, a bakery, grocery and specialty wine + liquor, apparel stores and fitness facilities. Additionally, the community boasts a 24/7 daycare, Cineplex VIP Cinemas, Staples office supplies + co-working space along with many professional services and commercial office space tenants. The Alt Hotel will also be opening later in June.
Upon completion, UNA and Native Tongues will be situated on the ground floor of The Forge, a purpose-built residential rental project by the Vivenda Group, while Lagree YYC and Easy Blink Optometry will be on the ground floor of Argyle, a condominium project by Homes by Avi.
UNA and Native Tongues are both beloved local restaurants, providing an ideal option for the city’s northwest residents. Lagree YYC delivers unique, 45-minute, full-body fitness classes and Easy Blink Optometry offers specialty eye care that focuses on vision therapy for sports performance, post-concussion symptoms, learning disorders and visual processing disorders.
Says Maureen Henderson, Vice President of Community Experience for University of Calgary Properties Group, “These new retailers will be significant additions to Calgary’s best-selling urban community, expanding even more choice for U/D residents and visitors, and creating patio options for both UNA and Native Tongues, capitalizing on the south-facing sun many like to enjoy. Retail Main Street has been mindfully designed with a feet-first approach, providing a great opportunity to have everything you need within walking distance to live a healthy, active and vibrant life.”
Says Cody Willis, Founder of Thank You Hospitality Group, which operates Native Tongues, “The Calgary community has been so supportive of our brand since we opened our first location in 2015 and second location in Britannia Plaza earlier this year. We believe our partnership with University District will provide another amazing opportunity to serve Calgarians in this incredible development.”
Founded in 2010, UNA serves California-inspired pizza and side dishes using ingredient-focused recipes with almost every element made in-house. The new UNA location in U/D is anticipated to offer a menu similar to its other Calgary locations, with possibly some new twists to its diverse cocktail offering.
Says Carmen Hamm, Co-owner of Taste Hospitality Group, the group behind UNA Pizza + Wine, “We pride ourselves on being a neighbourhood restaurant, and we are looking forward to calling U/D home in addition to our current locations in Calgary, Banff and Saskatoon.”
Image of existing Calgary location provided by UNA Pizza + Wine. The new University District location is expected to open in 2024.
Voted Top Fitness Center in Calgary for five consecutive years, Lagree YYC is a locally owned boutique fitness studio offering a unique workout that evolved out of Pilates. The patented Lagree Method is an intense, low impact, full body workout that is suitable for all fitness levels. The Lagree Method incorporates slow and controlled movements to build muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility using a patented machine called The Megaformer.
Easy Blink Optometry, experts in specialty eye condition treatments and comprehensive eye care and proudly offers luxurious eyewear collections. Discover high-end, designer frames blending style, exclusivity and craftsmanship. This unique range caters to diverse aesthetic preferences, offering a fashionable touch to everyday vision needs.
Adds Henderson, “We welcome Lagree YYC and Easy Blink Optometry in addition to the growing list of offerings in the community. They help to diversify our retail mix and make convenience an even bigger value proposition for University District. As a new urban destination, our growing list of businesses are elevating our community experience and can’t wait to announce eight more in the coming months. With all the right ingredients for a thriving community, U/D is an ideal choice for a business to consider as their new home.”
About University District
To the west of the University of Calgary and overlooking the Bow River and Rocky Mountains, University District is a comprehensive 200-acre community with a bold new vision for urban life in Calgary. Through a collaborative, people-first design process, the Master Plan and thorough engagement program forged strong respect between local stakeholders and UCPG. The neighbourhood applies the best ideas in city design and incorporates the wants and needs of surrounding legacy communities – weaving current aesthetic, technology, and lifestyle options into the strong social fabric of the city. University District is the 2022 national winner of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) Award for Best Growing Community.
For more information about University District, visit its Discovery Centre at 4410 University Ave. N.W., Calgary (just north of the Alberta Children’s Hospital) or go online: myuniversitydistrict.ca and visit Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, #UDLife.
Media Relations Contacts:
Maureen Henderson
VP, Community Experience
University of Calgary Properties Group
mhenderson@ucpg.ca
(403) 992-8388
Paula Worthington
Worthington PR & Story
paula@worthingtonpr.com
(403) 585-2429