Downtown Grocery Store List (current + proposed)

[onthestreet]

Rabba's taking over the vacated Fresh City Farms at Bay & Gerrard.

Rabba To Replace Shuttered Fresh City Farms on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto

The Toronto-based grocery store will be opening in one of the most significant density of grocery brands in the city.

retail-insider.com

 

[rdaner]

I don’t see this as a negative as they provide a lot of necessities. There are full range grocery stores nearby for everything else.

 

[evandyk]

I don't shop at Rabba a lot, but it's a fantastic store to have near you. Not a real grocery store, but way better than a convenience store.

 

[C-mac]

"Full range" is relative. When I was living at ROCP, I often shopped routinely at all three grocery stores in the area (MLG Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys) on the same day because I could not find what I needed in a single store. One didn't have celery, the other didn't have cilantro, the third didn't have whipping cream, it was infuriating.

I wouldn't say it's "relative".

Those 3 stores would all be considered "full range". Doesn't mean they're going to have everything you want.

 

[RGB_11]

I wonder what will move into the 1840sqft of remaining space: https://retailinsider.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screen-Shot-2023-06-16-at-1.27.34-PM.png

 

[AlbertC]

Interesting. I've never set foot in that former Fresh City Farms store before, but this Google review is rather telling of its gradual downhill trend. Some of their other later reviews are similar, whereas the ones from a couple years ago are generally quite positive.

 

[evandyk]

Of course, and I am sure things are different now with Farm Boy and the renovated Metro. Back in the late 80s, when I was living at the Liberties at Bay and Gerrard, there was literally nothing but a couple of convenience stores. I had to take the trolley bus to Manulife.

And the big Loblaws at Church and Carlton too. I lived there in 2003 and it was just the dingy Metro at the time, and then the nicer Metro at Gould and Dalhousie.

 

[Jonny5]

Metro workers in Toronto are in position to strike at midnight tonight. All Metro branded stores in the GTA will be shutdown if they do and while it doesn't say this in the article, I imagine all deliveries will be cancelled.

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

EDIT: I suspect the other stores are not at all prepared to absorb the extra customer load. If you normally do a grocery run on the weekend, it may be a good idea to at least grab some staples tonight.

 

[Richard White]

it may be a good idea to at least grab some staples tonight

Why would I buy staples at a Grocery store when I can go to Grand and Toy?

But seriously.. I wonder if brands like Food Basics will be affected by this.

 

[Northern Light]

Metro workers in Toronto are in position to strike at midnight tonight. All Metro branded stores in the GTA will be shutdown if they do and while it doesn't say this in the article, I imagine all deliveries will be cancelled.

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

EDIT: I suspect the other stores are not at all prepared to absorb the extra customer load. If you normally do a grocery run on the weekend, it may be a good idea to at least grab some staples tonight.

It'll be interesting to see what happens; but FWIW, Metro has always come to an agreement w/Unifor (for the retail workers); there was a 1 week strike by warehouse staff last year. Despite what the grocers may want you to believe, when talking to the media or politicians, this is a pretty tight oligopoly,

I would be surprised if Eric (LeFleche) has not talked with Michael (Medline) and Galen (Weston) about the general state of labour in the industry and what could/could not be lived with.......

 

[evandyk]

I would be surprised if Eric (LeFleche) has not talked with Michael (Medline) and Galen (Weston) about the general state of labour in the industry and what could/could not be lived with.......

As of this June, that's a new criminal offence, so they are probably being a lot more careful than they have been in the past.

 

[evandyk]

The infamous phone call about ending covid "hero pay" could now land a CEO in jail, so I suspect the phone calls now are a lot more guarded.

 

[RGB_11]

Metro workers in Toronto are in position to strike at midnight tonight. All Metro branded stores in the GTA will be shutdown if they do and while it doesn't say this in the article, I imagine all deliveries will be cancelled.
EDIT: I suspect the other stores are not at all prepared to absorb the extra customer load. If you normally do a grocery run on the weekend, it may be a good idea to at least grab some staples tonight.

Basics is not unionized. It is only Metro that will be closed due to strike. Knowing this,
I am not aware what contract the drivers fall under. What about Basics delivery? Can the drivers do that instead?

 

[Northern Light]

Basics is not unionized.

Not correct.

Some Food Basics stores are union, Unifor Local 414 represents 20 'Basics' stores across the province:

See this news release from their 2020 contract:

Unifor workers at Food Basics ratify contract

/CNW/ - Unifor members of Local 414 at 20 Food Basics stores in communities across Ontario ratified a new four-year collective agreement by 79 per cent. Votes...

www.newswire.ca

From the above:

That said, it's a different contract from the Metro workers.

 

[Jonny5]

The Metro workers reached a last minute deal.

Metro workers at 27 stores across GTA reach a deal and avoid a strike

Metro workers at 27 grocery stores across the Greater Toronto Area reached a deal with the grocery giant just after midnight when they were set to go on strike.

www.cp24.com