In-Store Experience: T&T Supermarket Opens in Downtown Toronto
T&T Supermarket held a grand opening for its downtown Toronto location, the Asian grocery chain's second in the city.
The 31,000-square-foot store, located at 26 Edward St., occupies two levels near Toronto Metropolitan University.
The Loblaw Cos. Ltd. banner features T&T’s usual fare, including street foods and self-serve options, sushi, PaPa Chicken and Egg Tart.
According to a T&T news release, it's the only store in the greater Toronto area with a self-serve kiosk in its ground-floor street food section, where customers can order Chinese crepes, rice wraps and more.
Crowds braved heavy snows on Feb. 13, lining up at 4 a.m. for its grand opening, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a lion dance (believed to bestow good fortune upon a business) and remarks from T&T CEO Tina Lee, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Per Bank, president and CEO of Loblaw.
The store is stocked with food and nonfood SKUs representing several Asian cultures that include fresh produce, meat and seafood, beauty products and small kitchen appliances.
Internationally known brands including PepsiCo and Coca-Cola Co. are sold at T&T as well, often with different labeling and in flavors geared toward Asian palates. For example, Lay’s snacks in flavors such as cucumber, fried crab and hot & spicy braised duck tongue.
The Edward Street T&T is the chain’s 38th in North America. T&T’s other Toronto location is at the intersection of College Street and Spadina Avenue. It also recently opened its first U.S. store in Bellevue, Washington.
