Downtown Grocery Store List (current + proposed)

[Benito]

I don't mind walking a bit or even driving to a better grocery store particularly if there is a sale on something I need or if there is something that a nearby store just doesn't carry.

 

[khris]

Still no Loblaws at 111 Peter St. So odd!
Edit: It's going to be an Independent City Market.

Application: Building Additions/Alterations Status: Permit Issued

Location: 111 PETER ST
TORONTO ON M5V 2H1

Ward 20: Trinity-Spadina

Application#: 14 266288 BLD 00 BA Issued Date: Feb 3, 2015

Project: Retail Store Interior Alterations

Description: Proposal for interior alterations, complete tenant fit-up, for City Market.

 

[MetroMan]

Looks like it'll open any day now:

 

[grey]

In the news today:

Masterminding the Metro makeover is Carmen Fortino, a former executive at arch rival Loblaw Cos. Ltd. whose heritage is the Fortinos supermarket chain that bears his family’s name and was bought by Loblaw in 1988.

Now Mr. Fortino, a second generation member of Fortinos founding family, is fighting the grocery wars from the other side of the battle field.

“It’s intensely competitive, that’s what makes it fun,†Mr. Fortino said in an interview on the eve of Thursday’s launch of the new Metro prototype store surrounded by condominiums in Toronto’s west Lakeshore area. Over the next three to five years, the company will update most of its 137 Ontario Metro stores with an emphasis on fresh foods, he said.

Mr. Fortino, who started six months ago as head of Metro’s Ontario division, needs to win. Metro’s Ontario business underperforms operations in its home province of Quebec.

Metro is now betting on Mr. Fortino and his deep experience at Loblaw, including the fresh-food strength of its Fortinos, to give Metro a boost.

“Carmen is a veteran of that market and understands the dynamics of it and what needs to be done,†said Peter Chapman, president of grocery consultancy GPS Business Solutions and a former Loblaw executive.

But Loblaw and Sobeys Inc. are both focusing on improving their fresh premium offerings as well, making the mainstream market a crowded one, Mr. Chapman said. Upscale U.S.-based Whole Foods Market also has an ambitious expansion plan for this country. And the Weston family that controls Loblaw is believed to have the licence to operate the Italy-based food emporium Eataly in Canada and is looking for sites. (An Eataly spokeswoman said Canada is “of interest†but “no decisions have been made yet.â€)

“For sure foodies are a big part of what we’re trying to attract to these stores,†said Jason Potter, who heads a division of Sobeys that is rolling out its next-generation Sobeys Extra format, which also touts more fresh and healthy offerings.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...g-metro-supermarket-makeover/article23622635/

This is good news, because Metro is completely awful and stuck in the '90s. I don't think I've ever seen a person under the age of 60 buying anything from the meat section. It's competitive with Loblaws and Sobeys only due to customer desperation.

 

[khris]

In the news today:




http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...g-metro-supermarket-makeover/article23622635/

This is good news, because Metro is completely awful and stuck in the '90s. I don't think I've ever seen a person under the age of 60 buying anything from the meat section. It's competitive with Loblaws and Sobeys only due to customer desperation.

I shop at the meat counter all the time, and I'm 34.
Metro is okay. The worst part for me about them is their customer service. They just have a general attitude of not giving a crap about you or what you want.

 

[jaborandi]

They might want to start by restoring the iconic "Dominion" name. They lost my loyalty on that and other issues.

 

[Dan416]

Agreed. The Metro name, and especially the logo, are awful.

 

[Bayer]

The name "Dominion" is repulsive to me, probably because I am a former Québécois! Ontario Metro stores are indeed quite inferior to the ones in Québec. It was very noticeable to me last month when I was in Bromont, a small town of 8,000, where the Metro would put most Toronto grocery stores to shame. The difference was in a superior selection of products, instead of miles of shelf space dedicated to 12 different brands of white flour (I'm thinking of the MLG Loblaws here).

 

[MetroMan]

Shoppers King & Brant opened today.

Alas, no fresh produce. It's a regular Shoppers albeit a nice looking one inside an old brick and wood building.

Of note, the employees are super cheery and eager to help, almost annoyingly so.

 

[Jonny5]

Ontario Metro stores are indeed quite inferior to the ones in Québec. It was very noticeable to me last month when I was in Bromont, a small town of 8,000, where the Metro would put most Toronto grocery stores to shame. The difference was in a superior selection of products, instead of miles of shelf space dedicated to 12 different brands of white flour (I'm thinking of the MLG Loblaws here).

I like a wide selection of brands for some things. I don't know about flour, but; for pasta, canned goods, dairy, and some frozen foods; it's nice to have a selection beyond the store brand, and two others; one of which is often identical to the store brand, which they white-labelled. I want additional premium brands to try and compare, so I can learn what is actually good value.

For example, my local FreshCo always had three kinds of canned tomatoes: store brand, Unico, and Aylmer. I am certain the store brand is Unico, with a different label. Those two are OK, but Aylmer is not good. One day last year they added another brand, which was imported from Italy. It was better quality, and better tasting, while only a little more money; I think 30 cents. Unfortunately, despite taking up only one foot on one shelf, the bottom one, whereas the other brands took up more than ten times that space, FreshCo discontinued carrying it after a few months.

I've had the opposite experience with some premium brands too; finding they were not really much better than the store brand, or were so much more expensive as to not be worth it; such as many varieties of dried pasta.

The point is I like to be offered the variety.

 

[urbandreamer]

^They sell that Italian brand of 'matos at No Frills. I agree they're great value for making red sauce.

All grocery stores in Quebec are superior experiences to Ontario's offerings. Even Provigo has better gourmet food and fresh food--amazing baguette sandwiches for eg--than the so-called MLG Loblaws flagship.

But it's in the smaller towns north of Mtl where you really notice the difference. I think Quebecers are simply more sosphisticated.

 

[GKW]

Not quite a grocery store, but Toronto Life is reporting that a massive "St. Lawrence type" fresh food market (30,000 sf) will open at Union Station..other restaurants will also be opening as well
http://www.torontolife.com/daily-di...erie-chicken-burgers-priest-huge-food-market/

 

[Jonny5]

Loblaws just announced they will close 52 'unprofitable' stores in Canada across all operating names. No specific locations yet, but I can't think of any in Toronto that would be flat out unprofitable.

I'm guessing any closures in Ontario will be the older unrenovated small town stores where a large modern competitor like Wal-Mart has moved in and taken all the business.

 

[prosperegal]

Finally checked out the McEwan at TD. I know that they're mostly catering to the office people so it's 99.9% prepped food, but sorry, not a fan. I'll go up to Shops at Don Mills, thank you very much.

 

[crooked soul]

I came across this site-- dated April 14th 2015
http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2015/4/downtown-grocery-stores
http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2015/4/downtown-grocery-stores

not sure if any of this stands up now- regarding the Loblaws closures since then
- but # 5 on the list is intriguing..

Downtown Toronto:
Canada's largest city also has its fastest growing downtown, with thousands of new residents being added every year. Four grocery stores are confirmed, and a further six are proposed. The following is a summary of confirmed and discussed grocery store locations within the city's urban core:

Grocery Store Locations Confirmed in Central Toronto:

1) Loblaws: This 91,000 square foot store will include Joe Fresh's headquarters upstairs, and will be located at 500 Lake Shore Boulevard (at Bathurst Street).

2) Loblaws: Located at 111 Peter Street in the city's Entertainment District, sources say that the the new store will 12,450 square feet.

3) Saks Fifth Avenue by Pusateri’s: The approximately 25,000 square foot store is under construction, set to open in the spring 2016 on the concourse level of the flagship Hudson’s Bay building at Toronto Eaton Centre.

4) Loblaws: measuring about 20,000 square feet and located at 297 College Street, this store stirred controversy because of its proximity to popular Kensington Market.


Proposed and Speculated Grocery Store Locations in Central Toronto:

1) FreshCo (speculated): Estimated at 20,000 square feet, a grocery store is expected to locate at the base of a new residential tower at 565 Sherborurne Street.

2) Tenant Unconfirmed: Measuring about 11,000 square feet, at 101 Charles Street East. This grocery store will be at the base of a new condominium tower fronting onto busy Jarvis Street.

3) Tenant Unconfirmed: (Whole Foods speculated) - Measuring 39,434 square feet, a grocery store is proposed for a new residential development at 25 Bathurst Street, at the corner of Front Street West. Minto Developments has taken over a cancelled condominium project and according to a submitted application to the City of Toronto, it plans to include a grocery store at its base.

4) Tenant Unconfirmed: (Whole Foods also speculated): At an estimated 40,000 square feet, a grocery store will tentatively locate on the second level of 8 Spadina Avenue at Front Street West. Located at the base of the first tower in The Well project, this grocery store will serve the rapidly growing area.

5) Tenant Unconfirmed: Estimated at 42,000 square feet, this second-level grocery store will locate on the southwest corner of Wellington Street and Blue Jays Way in a large residential project with a municipal address of 400 Front Street West.

6) Tenant Unconfirmed: Located near the intersection of Queen Street West and University Avenue, we have few details on this rumoured grocery store proposal, given a recent study done by a prominent brokerage. Speculation persists that the grocery store in question may end up a couple of blocks away at the base of a new residential tower, east of the nearby Shangri-La Hotel.