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Downtown Grocery Store List (current + proposed)

From my understanding a lot of Pusateri's expansion plans through the years were the decision of the company's President (the founder/patriarch's brother in law). Who also once had lofty grandiose ambitions such as opening on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, before that was ultimately quashed.

Re: the Avenue Road flagship store's dirtiness. Yes, that was always a problem during the time when I worked there in high school. Rodents were a common sight underneath the elevated platform in the deli department. Along with sometimes droppings on the counter overnight.

Re: the new store opening on College, I also expect that store to fail. I would even say that it's disconnected to the point where it's not associable to "Little Italy". There hasn't been a significant presence of Italians in the area for decades, especially for around these parts west of Ossington that weren't even that Italian in recent history. Even the older Portuguese majority have gradually left. The Dufferin Grove area is now more of a newer influx of young-ish well-to-do type demographic, but I don't necessarily see Pusateri's appealing to them that much.
 
AlbertC said:
The Dufferin Grove area is now more of a newer influx of young-ish well-to-do type demographic, but I don't necessarily see Pusateri's appealing to them that much.
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That's me! Will be moving to that area and I wouldn't see myself (or my wife) shopping at Pusateri's very often. More like a combination of Nosso Talho/Gasparro's/No Frills. I'd get on the subway to Eataly if I wanted that type of store.

I could never figure out whether it was the pandemic or just incompetence that doomed the Pusateri's food hall under the Bay.
 
evandyk said:
I could never figure out whether it was the pandemic or just incompetence that doomed the Pusateri's food hall under the Bay.
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Likely both.

The Food Hall at the other end also closed despite having some good food pre-pandemic. Food Halls as a whole are a dying concept.

Pustaeri's never really knew what they were doing and went off the name mostly. If you were not over 30 and in Toronto you likely have or had no clue who they are.
 
evandyk said:
I could never figure out whether it was the pandemic or just incompetence that doomed the Pusateri's food hall under the Bay.
Click to expand...

The portion of the Food Hall selling to-go, ready-to-eat foods (pizza, sandwiches, cupcakes etc.) did pretty good business pre-pandemic.

The actual grocery (butcher, produce etc.) not as well, though ok'ish.

The former was fixable with a few tweaks in merchandising, as well as samples to encourage people to try less familiar, higher end product.

The design was always a bit too rabbit-warren'ish, but that wasn't a show-stopping issue.

The pandemic/WFH slaughtered traffic in HBC and The PATH more broadly.

The Eaton Centre has seen traffic fully resurge though, even w/o Nordstrom.

The lackluster investment by 'The Bay' in their Queen Store, from escalators turned off, to that sad sack Zellers pop up, to a shortage of staff on the floor have all taken what would still be a challenging situation and made it worse.

While the Pusateri's has actually been so under invested in (mostly closed) for almost 4 years now, that its actually a drag on traffic to The Bay.

That last bit, is incompetent.

Even right now, they actually re-opened the kitchen and associated counter in that store, but almost no one knows it, because there's a wall full of closed off store, and only one access point to the deli/cheese/kitchen area.

There's no meaningful effort to signal to customers they reopened that feature.
 
I don't think food halls are a dying concept. Assembly is packed Tuesday-Thursday, to the point where it's hard to find a seat after 12:00. The one in the new CIBC building is starting to pick up, and more stalls are planned. O&B just opened one at 1 York that isn't busy yet, but has some good stuff (and very nice seating area with windows).
 
evandyk said:
I could never figure out whether it was the pandemic or just incompetence that doomed the Pusateri's food hall under the Bay.
Click to expand...

Because the food is terrible! My mom had lunch there once, she said her sandwich awful, and also bought a box of pastries that were dry, like day olds. ( probably were) But they looked amazing in the display case. Pustaeri's is all style no substance.

I've been to Assembly a few times, the food was pricey, but at lesat it was good and filling! I don't mind paying a few bucks extra for big portions.
 
gabe said:
Because the food is terrible! My mom had lunch there once, she said her sandwich awful, and also bought a box of pastries that were dry, like day olds. ( probably were) But they looked amazing in the display case. Pustaeri's is all style no substance.
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To be fair, Pusateri's has, at times, delivered great product.

In the HBC space, anything that had to move same day, such as pizza, was generally pretty good and reasonable value for money.

But what you note, is the problem; where things were failing, the tendency was to be cheap and stretch a buck, where the answer, assuming the product when fresh, was good, was to give out free samples until people arrived in droves willing to pay for it.
 
Metro's online grocery now has suggestions on further things to buy when you pick something.
Occasionally they are quite comical.

1709259967746.png
 
Jonny5 said:
Metro's online grocery now has suggestions on further things to buy when you pick something.
Occasionally they are quite comical.

View attachment 544556
Click to expand...

Is someone saying Cayenne is hot?

I mean, I suppose if you just turn it upside down into your mouth............but Ghost Pepper it ain't...........
 
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Bayer said:
I've never been to their stores due to transit issues from Bay and Bloor. How does it compare to Harvest Wagon?
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Summerhill is nominally a full-service supermarket, albeit, typically in a space a bit larger than a Rabba.

The original, in Rosedale was quite nice, some of the newer ones, while spendo in their decor, I think lack some of the charm of the original. Though, the Forest Hill one (Eglinton, north side, just west of Avenue Rd.) is pretty nice:

1709507001449.png

Credit: Renée Suen - Toronto Life

Comparing them to Harvest Wagon - The produce quality and variety isn't quite as good. If you think of a typical new-built Summerhill, it won't be much larger than the current, expanded Harvest Wagon, but has more shoe-horned in to it.

Traditionally, where Summerhill shines is in the meat dept w/lots of good product and lots of it done in marinades, dinner-ready.

Like Harvest Wagon, they have a number of commissary/store-made condiments/soups etc.

They tend (Summerhill) to be a bit deeper in snacks and in deli; but not much; but again, less so in some of the newer stores.

You would probably find the most accessible location their one on Bathurst.

Though the original Rosedale one is on a bus route.

I think their Pot Pies are pretty good, nice puff pastry.

From their website:

Chicken Pot Pie:

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Flattened Chicken in French Marinade:

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Housebrand Chimichurri:

1709506376032.png


A5 Kobe:

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*note, I take some issue w/the above being labeled A5 Kobe, which I think looks more like this:

1709507442700.png

Source: https://wagyushop.com/collections/a...obu-gyu-a5-wagyu-beef-assortment-steaks-2-pcs

But I digress


Truffle Popcorn:

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Apple Pie:

1709506887111.png
 
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They have a pretty nicely curated lineup of hot sauces and condiments. I can't ever go in without coming out with a bottle of something.
 
I believe that the fact that No Frills in Leslieville is closing on 1 April (I know) is not news but I can’t find where it is on here or which store it is. Anyways being redeveloped and they are ready to go.
 
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