The other day when I arrived at Oranj Studio—a hair salon and gallery with designs on retail in the South Waterfront district—I was confronted with the question, "Have you ever been down to this area?" Actually, not much. I haven't even ever ridden the tram (Is it really that exciting? Be honest.). I still think of the area as empty, a monument to failed condo sales. And in a way it is, but after converting some of those spaces into rental properties, there appears to be some nascent life in in it, with retail ventures slowly filling in the rows of empty windows along its quiet streets. Oranj is among the hipper additions, built literally out of the ashes of a fire on NE Alberta. Click over to MOD to take a tour.

• Oranj Studio mascot and pound puppy: "Captain."