Jackson Square getting a grocery store

[FallenPixels]

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...ntown-hamilton

Downtown Hamilton’s food desert is about to be filled by a $7-million supermarket expected to bring 200 jobs to the core. Nations Fresh Foods, owned by Toronto-based grocery chain Oceans Fresh, will open in a 55,000-square-foot patch of Jackson Square next spring. Nations, owned by Mississauga-based grocery chain Oceans Fresh, will be a full-service grocery with an emphasis on ethnic foods. It will include a fish counter, deli, prepared foods section, bakery, and salad bar... (more on link)

Thoughts?

Anyone know if the other stores accept coupons?

[Ciel]

What seems not to be mentioned in the newspaper's coverage is that there is a small IGA store on James St. S. about 2 blocks south of the GO Station. If that location is not downtown, I don't know who defines it.

Jackson Square-if the Nations Fresh is similar to Highland Farms in terms of variety of foods, then it might take off and do well. If Nations Fresh is just pushing the drugstore food sections out of existence, then I'm not optimistic. James Street North has a Mexican grocery store (kind of lightly stocked) and a couple of produce/Portuguese grocery marts.

[FallenPixels]

Where is that? I dont recall seeing anything other than the convenience store on James

[Ciel]

I was downtown yesterday but forgot to stroll through James Street South- I was catching my connecting bus in that chilly centre.

Using Google Maps, 159 James St. S. is where Adam's Marketplace is. It used to be an IGA grocer but that may have been within the last 10 years. Almost diagonally across the street is Rose's Food Mart @182 James St. S.-never have been in there but I would call it a small grocery store.

[FallenPixels]

I will have to watch next time I am in the area, I am familiar with the Pharmasave beside it but have never seen the marketplace, I think it may be gone, When Council discussed it they said there was only the Busy Bee in the area

[Sunshyne1]

if you're talking within a block of jackson square...there is only the busy bee on the corner of King & Caroline.
In reality there is no grocery stores (big or small) within a 4 block radius of where this store is being located.
Fortinos is down at Dundurn...and the any other smallish stores may be named food marts...but they are basically glorified Variety Stores with mostly high priced staples.

I m at the west end of the mall...right over top of where this store is going in. I am curious to see what they will offer and what their prices will be.
my fear....the Farmers Market is going to take a huge hit and end up being a ghost town.
I already hear other co-workers saying they can't wait till it opens so they don't have to walk all the way down to the other end of the mall to do some produce shopping. :0(

[FallenPixels]

I looked while I was out today, and there actually is a market store almost opposite the Busy Bee on James South, but the Busy Bee probably sells more than it and fresher too judging by the look of it from outside

The only nearby Grocery stores are Food Basics at Barton & Mary and Fortinos at Main/King and Dundurn

I know that produce costs have gone up over the last year but the Farmers Market has become increasingly overpriced. On several occasions I have had to wait while the store/stall holders bickered over farmers market politics (seriously I thought they were going to fist fight one day, completely unprofessional) and the several times the produce had 'product of USA' or whatever so did not come locally which you would assume it would

[barbiexxx]

I looked while I was out today, and there actually is a market store almost opposite the Busy Bee on James South, but the Busy Bee probably sells more than it and fresher too judging by the look of it from outside

The only nearby Grocery stores are Food Basics at Barton & Mary and Fortinos at Main/King and Dundurn

I know that produce costs have gone up over the last year but the Farmers Market has become increasingly overpriced. On several occasions I have had to wait while the store/stall holders bickered over farmers market politics (seriously I thought they were going to fist fight one day, completely unprofessional) and the several times the produce had 'product of USA' or whatever so did not come locally which you would assume it would

I agree with you! I shop at the market on my lunch sometimes and honestly i think some vendors are buying their produce from the food terminal and reselling it. Hardly any "local" food anymore. I bought three steaks for a special occasion the other day for $30 and they were disgusting.

[FallenPixels]

These apples actually had product of usa stickers - they were not local
when I mentioned it, he said only a portion had to be local, so why are your USA apples 2x price of the ones in the grocery store?

[Giddymonkey]

I read an article in the Spec today about a group trying to start up a non-profit Co-op downtown. Might be nice because they are more likely to focus on local products and anyone would be able to shop there, but members would receive special offers and coupons.

[FallenPixels]

Yes, the initiative has been going for a while, I hope they are successful

[FallenPixels]

I read an article in the Spec today about a group trying to start up a non-profit Co-op downtown. Might be nice because they are more likely to focus on local products and anyone would be able to shop there, but members would receive special offers and coupons.

Both are hoping to open by May!! You can buy a membership to the coop already

and here is the layout for the new grocery store, looks quite impressive

[Ciel]

Sigh-the elevator technicians strike means no elevators for Nations Foods. Opening was planned for this weekend but looking towards Canada Day weekend now.
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/32...grocery-store/

[FallenPixels]

They told me a few weeks back they were delayed anyway, but July 1st is so far!
I was looking forward to them opening soon, I was POed at a Farmers Market stallholder yesterday who was asking people not to shop at the grocery store and he hoped he could count on me (all of us there) to still shop the Farmers Mkt. He was all 'Buy Local' when the stuff in front of me were product of USA

[anastasia1009]

a fellow classmate is being trained for two days this week for that store as a cashier and deli. She said a soft opening in two weeks and then a grand opening for end of June. They asked her to be available in the evening starting next week so they can start opening. They had problems hiring people she said.