The Great Canadian Grocery Store Thread

[JHikka]

Great news about T&T in Montreal. Although local Chinese and Asian grocers are great at servicing local communities T&T really comes in at that higher lever and provides a wider array of things that either can't be brought in or are easier for them to provide. It doesn't exactly cross of local grocers like a Loblaws or Sobeys would - the clientele is usually different enough to provide for both.

Originally Posted by le calmar

About time! Most of the alternatives were lacking imo. There is even one named “C&T” in Brossard. Here in Ottawa I am waiting on the new Kowloon Market location that will eventually open in Kanata. Kowloon Market is the largest Asian grocery store in Chinatown.

There's a C&C at Don Mills & Eglinton which I joke is a direct competitor of T&T. It's very good.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by niwell

It probably depends on area, but I do virtually all my shopping at independent greengrocers, butchers, bakeries and convenience stores within walking distance of my place. Roncesvalles is particularly good at this but it's been the case for most areas I've lived (far too many over the past 15 years). Lots of convenience stores disappearing in fully gentrified areas though.

A lot of the unassuming places that look like convenience stores sell a surprising variety of produce or other groceries, and often at a weirdly low price point. One of the several near me I frequent (Garden Milk and Variety) has a big selection of spice and vegan alternatives which is interesting.

This is something London is severely lacking. Downtown also still lacks a grocery store, despite population growth over the past decade, though there's two Valu-Mart stores (a Loblaws banner) on the peripheries - one just north of downtown and one in Wortley Village. But they're not easy to walk to if you live in the core. Many cities, including ones smaller than London have full service grocery stores in the core - Kingston has a Metro store right on Princess Street.

Originally Posted by SpongeG

there is also HMart and Hannam Supermarket. The city of Lougheed says the new grocery store will open in 2023. Rumour was it would be Whole Foods, but I wonder what brand would open there.

Whole Foods would be a good addition to the area, and would put one within reasonable distance of where I live.

Originally Posted by SpongeG

A popular Indian grocer is Fruiticana. Mostly in Surrey, but one on Fraser in Vancouver.

They also opened a location in uptown New West last year.

Originally Posted by Al Ski

I remember chains having them then quickly realizing that they weren't viable, way before the pandemic.

As I recall, the majority of A&P stores in Ontario were 24 hours, and continued to be 24 hours after the rebrand to Metro. I believe it was around 2015 that many of them began abandoning 24 hour operation.

[WhipperSnapper]

They were called Dominions around these parts. Rebrand and 24 hours shutdown would just be a coincidence. It was a fad. The Home Depot had a 24 hour store in north Scarborough. The Loblaws close to home was 24 hours too. There were a few others (beyond fast food) that tried it too. The Home Depot or the various grocery stores is where I would end up.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

They were called Dominions around these parts. Rebrand and 24 hours shutdown would just be a coincidence. It was a fad. The Home Depot had a 24 hour store in north Scarborough. The Loblaws close to home was 24 hours too. There were a few others (beyond fast food) that tried it too. The Home Depot or the various grocery stores is where I would end up.

The removal of 24 hour operation was quite a few years after the rebrand - most A&Ps and Dominions changed over to Metro in 2008-2009. It was a solid 6-10 years before 24 hour operation wound down.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

Fortinos looks nice. It reminds me of Wegmans which was a highlight of the day I spent in Syracuse (and no, that's not me being shady towards Syracuse).

Yes, exactly. They are going for the closest look to a Wegmans that I've seen in Canada.

I was going to make that comment but thought that the bulk of Canadians on here wouldn't understand what I meant

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Yes, exactly. They are going for the closest look to a Wegmans that I've seen in Canada.

I was going to make that comment but thought that the bulk of Canadians on here wouldn't understand what I meant

I went into a Fortino’s in Hamilton once back when I had a friend living there. I was surprised to see it didn’t resemble a Loblaws at all on the inside.

Fortino’s is also not exclusive to Hamilton and area - I believe there is at least one in Toronto.