From:
www.canada.com/nationalpo...f95fb8ce06
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Whole foods eyes 2nd location to rival Pusateri's
Avenue and Lawrence
Andy Georgiades, National Post
Published: Friday, February 02, 2007
Whole Foods Market Inc., the high-priced natural food retailer, has its eye on a second Toronto location across from Pusateri's at Avenue Road and Lawrence Avenue, according to a retail-industry source.
For years the proposed site housed a St. Hubert chicken restaurant, along with an RBCbranch and a Mac's convenience store.
But Toronto's condo market remains a hot alternative for first-time buyers priced out of the housing market, and so most developers covet the site, surrounded by trendy boutiques and restaurants, for multi-storey, residential/retail development.
A Whole Foods spokeswoman said new stores are only announced during its quarterly earnings calls. The next one is scheduled for Feb. 21.
Whole Foods' choice of location could also be considered payback of sorts. About a year after Whole Foods opened its first Toronto store in Yorkville in 2002, Pusateri's -- a well-known family- owned luxury food retailer -- opened its second store down the street from the U.S. newcomer. Both stores feature a wide variety of prepared foods, catering to the condominium residents and office towers in the area.
But the new Whole Foods store isn't a done deal. A spokesman for a community group said no formal application has been filed with the city yet. In addition, there's talk that some homes adjacent to the site have already been purchased by a real estate company in order to expand the site.
That would indicate that the project, thought to be a condo/ retail development, could be a lot bigger (and taller) than the community is willing to tolerate, and could draw the ire of local residents concerned about traffic congestion and other matters.
As it is, the neighbourhood isn't starving for food stores, with privately held Bruno's Fine Foods and No Frills already present.
Since opening in Yorkville, Whole Foods has opened additional Canadian stores in Oakville and Vancouver. A second Vancouver site is in development.