Archive for the ‘Stores & Businesses’ Category
Empire Gaming has been open for about a week now. We’ve checked it out and it’s a pretty nice set up. Each XBOX360 comes with its own television. It didn’t take long for us to notice that you probably won’t be playing beside the friends you came with, unless you’re on a team with them, or don’t care that they are cheating by looking at where you are. Anyway, here’s a listing of tournaments scheduled for September 12th, 2009:
Rock Band 2
9:00am – 12:00pm
Gears of War 2
12:00pm – 5:00pm
Halo 3
12:00pm – 5:00pm
Halo Wars Limited Edition XBOX game up for grabs and bragging rights. No fees to enter, only regular hourly rates apply.
Most people do not have an air compressor and most people probably neglect their vehicles maintenance, even the simple things like filling their tires up when they get low. Fortunately, most gas stations in town also have air pumps. Some are good, some are not. Quick access to air pumps that I have used can be found at the following places:
- Fas Gas – One on Dunmore Road and one on Kingsway Ave SE
- Co-op Gas Bar – Dunmore Road
- Husky – Trans-Canada Highway (More suitable for semi’s or bigger vehicles.)
- 7-11 – Carry Drive (Often has leaks in the hose, but as a last resort, it will serve.)
- Southridge Mohawk – 13th and Strachan Road (Somewhat weak pump in my experience.)
I dislike driving behind or beside people who have more-or-less flat tires. It is bad for safety and mileage, so fill those tires up!
I don’t go to the Medicine Hat Mall very often as I find parking usually congested and walking distances to a selected store more than I am accustomed to, compared to shopping at a power centre where one can park close to a desired store.
Recently I needed some electronic parts that I could obtain only at the Mall and on my journey I discovered the Lids store. Bonus! In addition to baseball-style caps for a myriad of different teams, Lids also embroiders blank caps with logos or words of a person’s choosing.
A section in the store that was more to my interest included a nice black Fedora that followed me home. As the years have passed me by I apparently have misplaced more and more of the hair on my head. In order to avoid going down the path of a bad comb-over, I have gone to a very short haircut and need a hat in the heat and cold.
I recommend the helpful staff at Lids, and don’t forget to check the sale rack. Close to the fountain on the aisle leading to Sears.
Contact Lids at 403-527-0115.
Previously posted about, Empire Gaming, is now officially open. It will be open all day and until around 9PM tonight (or later). I won’t re-iterate what was said in the previous post, but for those of you that don’t know, or forgot (it was quite awhile ago), Empire Gaming is a new business in Medicine Hat dedicated to video gaming. There’s a ton of high-end PCs, lots of Xbox360’s, and a Wii on projection all for you and your friends enjoyment. Dusty and I went there today and played some Call of Duty 4 on the Xbox360 and joined in with some others who were playing.
More information will come over time about tournaments, events, and other special things going on. Today, ROCK 105.3 is on location there and they are serving BBQ hamburgers outside sponsored by Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Medicine Hat. If you go in and play for an hour you also get a chance to enter a contest for a free mini-laptop or a Playstation 3. Go down there and check it out!
Empire Gaming is located at 104-7 Strachan Bay SE (across the street from the Walmart, kinda).
Car washing is buckets (of water) of fun and I am usually pretty consistent, though not to the extreme, with keeping the outside of my car clean.
It is not uncommon to see dirty vehicles driving around with the archetypal “Wash Me” rubbed out on the windows, so luckily there are a lot of car washes in town to remedy that. Often times you can also see people around town doing car wash fundraising as well, so that is an alternative.
Car washes can not only be utilized to clean your car, but also if you park outside throughout the winter season, you can use the hot water to melt off all the built up snow, ice and mud. This is particularly good if you have a lot of ice built up in the treads of your wheels. If the treads are filled up with ice, there is not much friction to stop with, just the weight of the car, brakes and gravity. Sliding through intersections is not really ideal.
The two car washes I go to most often are Crestwood Coin Carwash, located on Dunmore, by Sushi Miso, and Southridge Mohawk, located on 13th and Strachan Road. Both offer hot water, soap, wax, foam brushes and vacuums. The bays are almost always very clean and if there is a line, it generally is not too long of a wait. But of course, do not even think about going in the middle of a hot Saturday unless you want to wait for a long time.
Some other car washes in town include:
- Clean Machine Car Care – Dunmore (includes an automated wash)
- South West Carwash – 9th Ave SW (lots of heavier vehicles go through, caked with mud, and the owner seems to get mad if you are waiting for her to clean the bay out)
- Saamis Heights Car Wash – Sierra Drive SW
- Kingsway Esso – Kingsway Ave SE
The United Conservatory of Music is the first musical destination for many, if not all, musicians in Medicine Hat and surrounding area. The Conservatory, or “UCOM”, as it is commonly called, started up in 1972 with only 25 students in its mix and 37 years later with hundreds of students, it is going stronger than ever.
The comfortable atmosphere is accentuated by the knowledgeable and friendly staff who generally greet you within minutes of entering the doorway. It is not uncommon to open the door and immediately hear guitar riffs filling the air.
The walls are lined with a wide array of products and brands, including Gibson, Ibanez, Tama, Sabian, Zildjian, and much more. The prices are usually the best you can find in town for brand name products.
I am no stranger to the drum section of the Conservatory, going there most often for new drum skins, sticks and the occasional piece of hardware. I am sure my face is not an uncommon one to see there after years of occasional visits.
The United Conservatory of Music is located in downtown Medicine Hat at #560 – 4th Street SE.
The now controversial fledgling segment of Friday Failure is now gone and dead.
Originally started as a way to add some localized humour to the site, it has has ruffled a few too many feathers in a negative way for Medicine Hat Media on behalf of myself. While I did receive some nasty emails about it personally, I also got some “laugh-backs” as well, but unfortunately the people that liked the humour aspect will have to look elsewhere, more specifically, just add some locals on Twitter to get your fix. I’m definitely interested in any opinions on the matter, especially on the following aspect, please read on: THE JUMP – Read the rest of this entry »
Rims of Steel Optiks home page
Although I’m a little late on this one, I wanted to mention more new websites on Medicine Hat Media. Rims of Steel Optiks, local eyewear store now has a website. The website is fairly clean and simple, but includes all the information you would want to know about the store. This includes a full listing of exactly which brands and types of lenses, sunglasses, contacts, and frames they carry.
The website also features some things you may have not known about the store including the fact that they have a lens lab on site as well as vision testing services. You can call or email them to make an appointment. They are located at Bay #8 – 3295 Dunmore Road S.E. and you can reach them by phone at 403-526-9472.
Excerpt from the website:
Rims of Steel Optiks (division of Alberta Vision Centre Ltd.) has been serving Medicine Hat for 34 years. Rims of Steel is a unique optical dispensary and strives to deliver very different & unique eyewear, from other retailers in Medicine Hat.
Beef Jerky is an addiction that many people share. Fortunately, there are many cattle ranchers in Alberta, and as such, the Medicine Hat area has no shortage of fresh jerky that is vacuum sealed.
Taylor and I both share this addiction, so a few months ago we took up the task of finding out the best places to get jerky around Medicine Hat and compiled the following list:
Premium Sausage is a locally owned meat store located in Seven Persons, Alberta (about 15 minutes out of Medicine Hat on Highway #3). They have both beef jerky and pork jerky, although the beef is a little stringy, but the pork is exceptional. Apart from jerky, they have a wide selection of meats, baked goods, and the business functions as a General Store of sorts for the Seven Persons community and surround. My previous post on the Premium Sausage store can be viewed here.
Sobeys is a grocery store in town and has some of the best beef jerky in town. They stock three flavours: Regular, Peppered and Teriyaki, all of which are very good.
Mike’s Meats is a locally owned meat store located on Foundry Street in Medicine Hat. Their beef jerky is top notch and I have been back there numerous times. Apart from jerky, they are much like any other meat store, carrying an assortment of meat products.
Reg’s Homestyle Meats & Deli Ltd is a locally owned store located along Sierra Drive SW in the Southridge area of Medicine Hat. They have beef jerky, although it is pre-packaged, and sometimes deer jerky. Along with this, they have a lot of frozen meat-goods, ice creams, drinks, and a deli. Reg’s is a regular stop for me and Taylor, not for the jerky, but because their deli makes the best sandwiches ever.
Medicine Hat Farmer’s Market is, as title says, a market for farmers. They come and sell their wares, a lot of which includes jerky and other meat. Most of the attending farmers who raise cattle have their own style of processing jerky that vary in type (Angus and Deer being notable) and flavour. The Farmers Market is without a doubt the place to go for the biggest selection of jerky in town. Vaughn did a post on the market in the Spring and can be viewed here.
Website: www.mhstampede.com/farmers/index.html
Medicine Hat Meat Traders is a local business in Medicine Hat that processes and sells natural meat. Their “Dang Good Jerky” is just as it says, dang good! They have different kinds of jerky and is by far one of the best in town.
Engaging Minds Storefront
Engaging Minds for Learning, which is Medicine Hat’s newest and greatest retail supplier of toys, games, puzzles and teaching supplies is having their huge Grand Opening this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (August 20th, 21st and 22nd). Be sure to check it out as they have marked down everything in stock by 20%, and have free giveaways for teachers and kids. If that wasn’t enough, if you make a purchase during the three day sale you are automatically entered into a draw for some fantastic prizes.
Engaging Minds for Learning is Southern Alberta’s premier educational resource store and a welcomed addition to the community. They are located in the Ross Glen Business Park, (near Petland) at #10-3307 Dunmore Road SE. Be sure to visit their website to get all the details about the fantastic Grand Opening.
http://www.thinklaughgrow.com/
Telephone: 403-488-9070
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