Bree Rody-Mantha writing online in PostCity.com reviews the arrival sometime in 2015 of Whole Foods in the little commercial complex yet-to-be-built at 1860 Bayview Ave corner of Broadway Ave. This is the former site of Rumble and later Brennan Pontiac. The article is worth a read for the opinion offered by Stan Janecek, the owner of White House Meats at 1523 Bayview. The issue for many is just how hurtful yet another grocery anchor will be to business along South Bayview. Mr. Janecek seems to think that it will be a battle of the big guys (our term). Ms Rody-Mantha mentions Loblaws, Metro, Sobey’s Valu mart and Longo’s. She might have added Summerhill Market in both Rosedale and at 1054 Mt. Pleasant Rd. in Sherwood Park. Many families remember mom and dad shopping at the Mt Pleasant location when it was Bilton’s. Summerhill Market will be no slouch in defending its well-heeled clientele. What they prepare and stock is top notch and there’s no worrisome doubt about brand names. Whole Foods is finicky. The firm has a reputation for refusing to carry things like Coca Cola and other items apparently for dietetic reasons that aren’t always clear. In any case, it is commonly said that South Bayview, as nice as it is, cannot support a full-up grocery store which has no parking lot. Unlike most of the things one can purchase here, groceries are heavy. That was the lesson of the public-spirited effort by Bruno’s to plant his business in the old Bayview Playhouse. And those who followed Bruno’s at the playhouse location did not pursue an aggressive policy of carry-to-your-car for customers. As we know, the playhouse is now a Shoppers Drug Mart. Carry-to-your-car is a lesson that Summerhill seems to have learned. Bree Rody-Mantha
