State of the big chain grocery stores

[Mustapha]

im moving to young and empress area where the loblaws is. and it seems like that is my only option.... has anyone ever shopped at that particular one?

There is a No Frills at Yonge and Finch. South West side. Subway it up with a bundle buggy to get your basics. Buy your specialty items at - ugh - Loblaws.

 

[adma]

Who remembers the Loblaws that was briefly on the site of 18 Yorkville? That was probably as Sobey's Express-esque a Loblaws experience as the core ever saw...

 

[avatarreb]

Longo way home?

I'm looking forward to the Longo's near the ACC. I've always found them to have much better produce and fish than all the other big chains.

 

[Skeezix]

Who remembers the Loblaws that was briefly on the site of 18 Yorkville? That was probably as Sobey's Express-esque a Loblaws experience as the core ever saw...

I'd forgotten about that. It wasn't as small as a Sobey's Express, but it was small. Similar to the one that still exists at Broadview and Danforth, and probably similar to the one that used to be in the basement of the Arcade Building on Yonge. Wasn't it there for a number of years, though? In its final days, it had the feel of a late 70s/early 80s Loblaws.

 

[Therion]

im moving to young and empress area where the loblaws is. and it seems like that is my only option.... has anyone ever shopped at that particular one?

I live on Beecroft and do all my shopping on at the empress Loblaws. It's not too bad, but their organic selection is crap compared to the one at Bathurst and St. Clair where I used to shop. Lots of really crap Asian stuff at the Empress store, like instant noodles and pre-made dim-sum. I don't understand why they don't focus on high quality Asian ingredients like really good soy sauce, so we can make our own food. I've been in the Dominion at Yonge and Sheppard, but as I've stated previously, I don't like it. Practically no organics, and their Master's Choice is terrible compared to President's Choice.

 

[adma]

I'd forgotten about that. It wasn't as small as a Sobey's Express, but it was small. Similar to the one that still exists at Broadview and Danforth, and probably similar to the one that used to be in the basement of the Arcade Building on Yonge. Wasn't it there for a number of years, though? In its final days, it had the feel of a late 70s/early 80s Loblaws.

Come to think of it, it was off and on in various incarnations--was it originally built as Loblaws after the war, or was it something else?--I think it may have been some kind of Ziggy's thing for a while, but its final Loblaws incarnation started around 1989/90 or so. It may have closed around the time one of the larger stores opened (Dupont, maybe?)

 

[Therion]

To follow up on my two posts in this thread: we stopped by Dominion at Yonge and Sheppard, since we were in the plaza anyway, and they have some great deals on meat right now. I think that if you are budget conscious, it is worth shopping around the various grocery stores, if they aren't too far apart.

 

[Ahsun]

I think one of the problems with No Frill's inconsistency between store to store is mainly because they're franchises. Those Franchiees that don't really give a hoot, end up running fifthy / ill-stocked stores.

That said though, every Food Basics I've been to has been worse than any No Frills. Even the Food Basics that's attached to head office on the Queensway is in need of a facelife and clean-up in aisles 1-10

 

[Dan416]

I don't think all No Frills are franchised. The Bristol & Creditview location used to be "Tony's No Frills" but since a newer Tony's No Frills replaced the store (I think it was Dominion) at Burnhamthorpe and Creditview, the Bristole & Creditview No Frills has been nameless (you can still see where it said "Tony's" on the building, but the sign on the street corner there's nothing).

 

[Mustapha]

Here's a couple of reasons to go to T & T supermarket on Cherry street:

The food.

The view.

 

[canrocks]

I've been meaning to make a proper response to the goings on of this thread for a while, but haven't had time for it. In the meantime, I thought this might interest foodies of higher tax brackets:

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...k-mcewan-launching-gourmet-grocery-chain.aspx

Mark McEwan launching gourmet grocery chain

Posted: June 17, 2008, 4:50 PM by Rob Roberts

By Karen Hawthorne, National Post

Toronto celebrity chef and restaurateur Mark McEwan is taking on Pusateri’s, Whole Foods and other high-end grocers to launch a gourmet supermarket chain.
The first McEwan store is scheduled to open in Don Mills in January, featuring meals-to-go and grocery staples.
“If you travel to any major city in Europe, you’ll find these absolutely beautiful 25,000-square-foot food stores. There’s nothing like that here. So that’s what I’m doing,†says Mr. McEwan, 51.
The concept is restaurant-quality prepared foods at a 68-foot-long counter — cuisine he says would pass muster served at his top-flight restaurants — as well as an in-house bakery, fresh fish and meat counters, produce and other regular grocery items.
“It’s a full-service, one-stop shop,†he says. “You’ll never have to cook again.â€
The $6-million, 23,500-square-foot store will be in the new Don Mills Centre at Lawrence and Don Mills, next to what he’s describing as “the newest and grooviest Vintages LCBO.â€
Mr. McEwan is already scouting a second location.
He’s financing the chain himself, and plans to have four in the city over the next four years. He wants the stores to be “restaurant-like,†where the manager on the front floor can talk about the products and help customers make selections.
“It’s not about making a food store pretentious at all. It won’t be,†he says. “You can shop there 99% of the time unless you need to go to Costco to buy Tide and tissue paper.â€
The store’s name, McEwan, resonates with foodies in Toronto and internationally, he says, thanks to his Food Network TV show The Heat, now in its third season.
The question is, will people still want to dine in Mr. McEwan’s restaurants if they can get the same quality product at his food stores?
“Sure they will,†he says.
After 30 years in the restaurant business and working nights, he liks dinner at home with his wife. “Her spaghetti and meatballs is to die for.â€

 

[canrocks]

Giant Tiger? There's some scattered throughout small town Mid-Western Ontario; including at least one in Kitchener-Waterloo. I went there once or twice--a very "off brand" dirt cheap experience. Cheap t-shirts though (for work.)

Interesting post, canrocks!

Giant Tiger seems to be filling the gap left by BiWay. I didn't know they sold much in the way of food, besided a bit of canned and boxed stuff - I have been to a few of these stores.

Giant Tigers also vary from location to location, but the larger ones have huge food sections, with produce, dairy, bakery goods, and everything you need to survive, really. At rock bottom prices.

They didn't need zoning approval, as the building was occupied by Knob Hill Farms prior to sitting empty or acting as a flea market for 7 years til the T&T moved in. I personally think it was very appropriate for a depressed/dead area of the city and reuse of a building that will be torn down in a decade anyway. The 'destination style' grocery shopping that T&T represents (most people who go to T&T are looking specifically for asian-centric groceries) is also helping to bring people into the Portlands and hopefully help spur more development.

Oh, well, the reuse of a building I don't mind. I thought T&T had it built themselves. God willing it will be torn down once it's surrounded by some fantastic new community, and replaced by a T&T that fits in with its surroundings.

Hey canrocks, If you are really a grocery industry geek as you say you should give T&T a tryout or a walkaround inside.

It's the only grocery chain out there right now that generates anything like anticipation, delight and excitement when you walk in. Obviously it's not the single source of groceries but I've picked up all my 'Canadian' as well as my Asian groceries there.

How can you beat hot dimsum, roasted crispy skin pork, Vietnamnese subs and more all in one place - along with your OJ, bacon and Christies white bread.

Okay, that does sound pretty awesome. I might have to swallow my pride and go in.

But that was the point I was making. Years ago Loblaws had buzz. It's sad if all one can say now is that Loblaws is no more boring than its competitors.

Very true. And it leaves them in a very vulnerable position to be outbuzzed by Sobeys, which it looks like they're trying to do.

That said though, every Food Basics I've been to has been worse than any No Frills. Even the Food Basics that's attached to head office on the Queensway is in need of a facelife and clean-up in aisles 1-10

The same one that had mice?
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/260171

As I said earlier, the UK grocery industry is in many ways more awesome than ours. I'm really looking forward to depending on it when I move to London on exchange from Jan-June 2009. I'll be sure and update this thread with photos once I'm there.

 

[Urban Shocker]

You can rack up the Clubcard points if you re-use the special Tesco green bags. Load up with them, put a couple of items in each bag, and you're laughing all the way to the Tesco free groceries bank.

 

[urbandreamer]

^Did you enjoy using NCR's Fastlane self checkout machines at Tesco? I wonder which Canadian retailer will move towards self checkouts exclusively?

 

[Urban Shocker]

No. That sort of thing scares me. It took me several tries before I mastered the airport check-in machines.