Koby's Produce Town to be replaced by Viet Noodle Guy

Koby's Produce Town has permanently closed likely due to it's inability to compete with nearby Save-On-Foods and Whole Foods.  It also couldn't have helped them that they were very inconsistent stocking non-seasonal foodstuffs that should always be available.

Replacing Koby's is The Viet Noodle Guy opening in Spring 2018.

Which grocery name is next?

With Whole Foods having established itself in the Solo District as the 3rd major grocery store in the Brentwood area after Costco and Save-On-Foods, the question now arises of which grocery store will set up in the Amazing Brentwood location at Beta and Lougheed and later at the Concord Brentwood location on Dawson Street after Loblaw recently announced a store expansion.

Loblaws recently announced an expansion of stores across Canada and Brentwood would certainly make sense although Loblaw already has a foot in the Brentwood area through the recent opening of Shoppers Drug Mart in Solo District.

CBC Article Below

Loblaws to open 30 new stores in annual expansion

Up to 10,000 jobs could be added, company says, as it spends $1.3B renovating 500 stores

CBC News Posted: Apr 13, 2017 8:38 AM ET Last Updated: Apr 13, 2017 8:38 AM ET

Grocer Loblaw Companies Ltd. plans to spend $1.3 billion renovating 500 stores and opening 30 new ones this year, in an expansion plan that will include more fresh food offering at its Shoppers Drug Mart unit.

The grocery giant has made similar expansion plans in each of the past two years, spending $1.2 billion and adding 50 stores in 2015, and another $1 billion last year to do the same while focusing on upgrading existing locations.

This year's expansion will include "the continued roll out of Click & Collect e-commerce, improved health and wellness services, and the inclusion of fresh food at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations," the company said in a release.

Across all of its retail brands, the company currently has 2,400 locations across Canada.

The company says the expansion could add up to 10,000 retail, trade and construction jobs to its existing workforce of about 200,000 employees.

Koby's Produce Town closes its doors

Roughly a year and three months after it first opened its doors Koby's Produce Town has closed down. Sadly, I have lost the source of my favourite kimchi.  It probably struggled due to its close proximity to Save-On-Foods and Whole Foods.

Shoppers Drug Mart Solo District opening March 31

With Whole Foods and the BC Liquor Store having already opened, Shoppers Drug Mart will soon follow with a March 31 opening next week.  I have also heard that Uncle Fatih's Pizza is already open as well.

Whole Foods bustling on opening day

I had a chance to check out Whole Foods at Solo District on opening day today.  The place was busy as was the smiling staff who must have been just as excited as the customers there.  Finding my favourite organic tomato soup made my day.

A new restaurant will also be opening at Solo district.  We already know that Ricky's Diner is coming soon and Uncle Fatih's Pizza will offer a faster food alternative.  Pho D'lite will add to the food options in the area.

Whole Foods opening tomorrow

With the awaited arrival of Whole Foods upon us with its grand opening in Solo District, I wonder if it will be a good idea to check it out on its first day.  I will have to make a "gameday" decision tomorrow.

Burnaby Now article below

There’s a new competitor in town: Whole Foods set to open in Burnaby

Jeremy Deutsch / Burnaby Now

January 26, 2016 03:52 PM

The grocery store landscape in Burnaby is about to add a new player to the game in an already competitive market.   

This week, the popular American-based grocery chain Whole Foods Market will be opening its latest store in the Lower Mainland, in the Solo District development in the Brentwood neighbourhood.

The NOW was given a chance to take a tour of the new location ahead of Thursday’s grand opening.

The 41,000-square-foot store will offer similar products and shopping experience Whole Foods devotees are accustomed to – and then some, according to Grant Daisley, a marketing coordinator for the company in B.C.

He noted the company tries to model each store to fit the community, offering unique features that won’t be found at other locations.

Specifically, Daisley noted in Burnaby there is a crow theme throughout the store in a nod to the large number of crows that flock to the Still Creek area.

He also said the store is trying to bring in an assortment of international vegetables not carried in other stores to complement the diversity of the people living in the community.

The new store will also feature a mod bar espresso and coffee system. A mod bar essentially has all the major hardware under the counter.

If you’re not familiar, Whole Foods markets itself as “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” offering organic and natural foods.

Daisley explained Whole Foods chose Burnaby as the fifth location in B.C. and just second outside Vancouver because of the number of requests for a store in the city.     

But the company has also come under a number of criticisms, mainly that its products are overpriced. In the summer, Whole Foods became the butt of jokes when it was discovered that a store in California was selling water with three asparagus stalks for $6.

Daisley said the Burnaby location will offer a number of items at prices customers will want, also encouraging people to come and check out the store’s experience.    

“As people are learning and asking more questions about their food … you can come into a Whole Foods market and know we’ve done the work to ensure you’re getting the best food you can get,” he told the NOW, arguing the company’s quality standards are unmatched.

The company announced it would be opening a Burnaby store back in 2012.

It’s not exactly the easiest time to open up major grocery store, with the cost of fruit and vegetables climbing sky high and the Canadian dollar in a free fall.

Those will just be some of the challenges the new store will face, according to Lindsay Meredith, a marketing professor with Simon Fraser University.

He said the store is appealing to urban millennials and Generation-Xers with the healthy and organic labels but noted it comes with a higher price point.

However, the SFU professor suggested the company has picked the right location, pointing out Brentwood is a relatively high-income area with a lot of single-family high rises dotting the landscape. 

“What you’re looking for is the ability to purchase right off the bat,” he said.

While Meredith said the store is catering to a niche market, he expects the Safeways of the world to keep their market share.

Paul Holden, the president and CEO of the Burnaby Board of Trade, welcomes the new store and believes the company has done the research as it enters the local market. 

“I think they’re coming in here with the ambition to be very successful,” he said.

Holden also sees the location of Whole Foods, which is a member of BBOT, becoming a destination for people who want the Whole Foods experience, providing spin-off benefits to the local economy.

The new Whole Foods officially opens its doors on Jan. 28, but will mark the opening with a “breaking bread” event at 8:30 a.m. at 4420 Lougheed Highway.

© 2016 Burnaby Now

- See more at: http://www.burnabynow.com/news/there-s-a-new-competitor-in-town-whole-foods-set-to-open-in-burnaby-1.2159306#sthash.pYVmWpgw.dpuf

Whole Foods readying to open January 28

With 14 days to go for the opening of Whole Foods, the activity around Solo District will begin to increase.  I particularly can't wait for the Ricky's Diner to open.  BREAKFAST!!!!!

Brentwood Entertainment Plaza at street level

During my longest absence between posts, plenty of change has occurred and that change hasn't been limited to just the Brentwood area.  While our new Prime Minister will be extending Canada's credibility on the international stage, his infrastructure funds targeting Metro Vancouver will be extending Metro Vancouver's rapid transit system out towards UBC and into the Fraser Valley.  The development of mass transit infrastructure is the key to setting a framework and focus for urban planning in Metro Vancouver.

Now back to Brentwood.

Since my last post, the opening date for Whole Foods in Solo District has been moved from this month to sometime in 2016.  It's quite a surprising difference from the original planned opening but I guess all good things can't be rushed.

Solterra is moving ahead with promotional pieces on its latest development to begin on Alpha Ave south of Dawson St. (Vancity Buzz link below)

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/10/boutique-living-brentwood-area/


Further east near Holdom Station, the Lake City Inn is being slated for removal to make way for a new residential development between Springer Ave and Holdom Ave.  The development is being presented to the City of Burnaby by Ledingham McAllister.

International Sausage House has closed down to make way for a development at Halifax and Gilmore.

Finally, the Brentwood Mall Redevelopment is beginning to climb out of the massive pit that has marked the beginning of the highly anticipated transformation at Willingdon and Lougheed.

October 5 opening for Whole Foods

The opening date for Whole Foods Solo District has been pushed to October 5.  The rush is on to get the finishing touches completed on the building and the inner southern  side of the storefront is beginning to take form as seen from Rosser Ave.

Scenes around Brentwood

With the recent hot spell leaving me feeling lazy, I haven't done much more than muster a few photos over the past month.  Brentwood Mall's 3rd Tower is being forwarded to public hearing and Whole Foods will be opening soon as August is soon upon us.

Koby's Produce Town opening on Rosser Ave

I've recently noticed that a new produce store will be arriving on the scene at the corner of Rosser Ave and Buchanan St.  Koby's Produce Town will go head-to-head with Save-On-Foods and the incoming Whole Foods across the street.  Its arrival is a definite positive for consumers that have been missing the departed Kin's Farm Market.

It appears to be an independent store as a Google search did not turn up any pages other than broken links to the City of Burnaby website with a  "page not found" message.  It is not yet known when it will open.  If anyone knows. please post the opening date in the comments below.

October occupancy for Solo's Stratus

The Stratus tower in Solo District is now tentatively scheduled for occupancy by October this year.  The original occupancy had been August.  However, Whole Foods may open earlier than the occupancy date.

The Whole Foods sign has already been installed on the retail level of the complex.

Solo District ready by 2015

The first tower accompanied by Whole Foods will be ready for occupancy by 2015.  The project has progressed significantly since Morrey Nissan, Milestones and Good Year Tire cleared out.

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More commercial/retail tenants confirmed for Solo District

With Whole Foods, Shoppers Drug Mart and a liquor store already confirmed to move into the Solo District site, Uncle Fatih's Pizza will take up residence there as well.  There is word that Ricky's Restaurant and BCAA will also move in along with a Starbucks coffee shop.

It's nice to see another restaurant come into the area.  I wonder if Milestones will make a comeback.

Shoppers Drug Mart part of Solo District

We've already known for a while that Whole Foods will be an anchor store in the Solo District project. Now it has been learned that Shoppers Drug Mart will be part of the Altus Phase 2 of the project.  The addition of Shoppers Drug Mart will also be accompanied by a Signature LCB Liquor Store in the retail space in Phase 2.  The current Liquor Store at Brentwood Mall will close with the arrival of the new store in Solo.

The details of regarding Shoppers and the LCB Store are in the following City of Burnaby link:

https://burnaby.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=14107#

Burnaby NewsLeader article below:

Signature liquor store proposed for SOLO District

By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: October 01, 2013 12:00 PM

A new "signature" liquor store is being proposed for the SOLO District project under construction at the southwest corner of Willingdon Avenue and Lougheed Highway.

Signature Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) stores are the largest of the provincial government-owned and operated liquor outlets which offer the largest range of products and special events such as product tastings.

The proposal is to open up such a store in the 48-storey residential-commercial tower now being built as the second phase of Appia Development's SOLO project. It's expected to be completed in 2015.

If approved, the store would be located on the second level over two levels of parking and retail space, and underneath 11 storeys of offices and 33 storeys of condominium apartments, according to a city staff report.

The proposal would fall in line with a liquor store location framework, adopted by city council in 2006, which called for the establishment of a government signature liquor store in each of Burnaby's four town centres.

"The purpose of this objective is to offer equity and certainty for consumers throughout the City in terms of product availability, convenience, and stable pricing," the report said.

A smaller LDB store currently in Brentwood mall is expected to be replaced by the proposed signature store, said the report.

The store would be located on Skyline Drive, a new street that would be built through the development site parallel to Lougheed.

And while signature stores are generally open later than smaller liquor stores, such hours would be consistent with at least two other major commercial tenants confirmed for the project, Whole Foods Market and Shoppers Drug Mart, the report noted.

Burnaby's planning department will work with the applicant to create a development plan suitable to be presented at a public hearing in the future.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com

twitter.com/WandaChow

Whole Foods ready in 2015

The following article is from the Burnaby Now.

Whole Foods opening up in North Burnaby

Janaya Fuller-Evans / Burnaby Now
May 9, 2012

Whole Foods will be setting up shop in the Solo development at Willingdon Avenue and Lougheed Highway in North Burnaby.

The company's cofounder and co-CEO, John Mackey, made the announcement last Wednesday. He said the company has signed eight new leases since its first quarter earnings release, including one in Burnaby.

Jim Bosa, president of Appia Developments, confirmed Whole Foods would be part of Appia's Solo development.

"We'd been working with them on it for about a year," Bosa said in a phone interview Monday, adding that the documents were finalized right before Mackey made the announcement.

"It was all done the day before the announcement was made," he said.

The development is slated to go to third reading by Burnaby council this month. If it passes, it will go to final adoption by council in mid-to late June, according to Bosa, with construction beginning later in the summer.

"We're hoping to start, shovels in the ground, this August," Bosa said.

If that's the case, he expects Phase 1 would be completed by January 2015.

Phase 1 of the project is a 45-storey residential tower, with retail space, including space for Whole Foods.

Whole Foods would open about that time as well, Bosa said.

The plans also include space for a pharmacy, shop or restaurant, and a bank in Phase 2.

The last phase of the project - the 43-storey residential, commercial and office tower - is expected to begin construction in winter 2014.

Plans for Solo include space for a pedestrianfriendly high street for shopping, to be known as Sumas Street, in the centre of the development.

The Solo District Shopping Centre is slated to include four highrise towers with 1,351 units of residential space, according to the project developer, Appia Group.

The residential towers would range in height from 39 storeys to 48 storeys, and the development is also slated to include a 13-storey office tower, with retail and commercial space at the ground level, according to a city report.

© Copyright 2013

Grocery store envisioned for Beta and Lougheed

I've heard from different sources that a food store on the corner of Beta Ave and Lougheed Hwy will be a part of Phase 2 of the Brentwood Mall Redevelopment.  The arrival of this grocery store will result in 3 supermarkets along a 3 block stretch of Lougheed Hwy.  A Save-On-Foods is located at Madison and Lougheed and a Whole Foods will be located at Rosser and Lougheed where Phase 1 of the Solo District development is currently underway.

No Frills recently backed out of its plan to open a store at the Greystone Plaza next to Burnaby Mountain Golf Course.  According to the Burnaby NewsLeader article below, a SuperValu store is set to open there instead on May 22.

An explanation for No Frills backing out of Greystone might be that  it has plans to open in the Brentwood Town Centre but this has not been confirmed.  A No-Frills store might be a good counter-balance to the pricier Whole Foods and Save-On-Foods stores.

 

Supermarket set to return to North Burnaby location

By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: May 14, 2013 11:00 AM

Mike Belich could be the most popular guy in North Burnaby.

As the franchisee of a new SuperValu store set to open in Greystone Plaza May 22, all he has to do is show his face and he's got area residents wanting to talk to him.

"I stand out here, the people queue up to talk to me," said Belich, who grew up in East Vancouver and now lives in Chilliwack. "They wait for me to come out and then ask questions."

And while Belich has been busy inside in recent weeks setting up the store, "I'm pretty sure every person in this neighbourhood for a mile around has peeked in the window."

Indeed, while he talks with a NewsLeader reporter outside, a man gets out of his car and shouts across the parking lot, "It's about time. We've been waiting two years for this place to open!"

After a quick friendly chat with Belich, the man turns to his father and tells him to "say goodbye" to the supermarket where he's been shopping in the meantime.

It appears customers at the location, on the corner of Burnwood and Greystone drives near Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, are a loyal bunch.

Ever since the former Marketplace IGA closed in that location in November 2011, the NewsLeader has received periodic calls and emails from area residents wondering when a new grocery store would be opening.

At first Loblaw Companies Ltd. said it planned to open a No Frills store there but by the summer of 2012, it was to be a SuperValu "due to a change in the strategy of the business," the company said at the time.

With many seniors living nearby without easy access to transportation, the location provided a convenient place to shop. Area resident Allison Johns said in an interview a year ago that the IGA also served as a community gathering place.

That's just the sort of store Belich hopes to create.

A second-generation grocer, Belich grew up in the business and is a meatcutter by trade. He's been in the business for 40 years and has also owned the Supervalu franchise in Deep Cove for the past 12 years.

The new store will target customers who like to shop for fresh groceries daily and will feature organic and natural products, along with meat, deli and bakery departments and a selection of items from Loblaws' brands, such as Presidents' Choice. "We want people to tell us what they want," he said.

He believes the lengthy closure of the location was due to construction delays before he got involved as the franchisee.

Some of the former staff of the IGA will be back and led by manager Michelle who has worked with Belich off and on for the past four decades.

At 14,000 square feet, the store will be known as Greystone SuperValue and be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Belich aims to offer "real personalized service," including home deliveries and phone-in orders, and be a place where people can grab a sandwich and coffee in an environment where staff know them by name.

"I'd like it to be a little place where you can pop your head in and say 'how's it going?'"

Greystone SuperValu, at 1601 Burnwood Drive, will open Wednesday, May 22 at 8 a.m.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com

twitter.com/WandaChow

Traffic signals

New traffic signals are being installed on Rosser Ave and Lougheed Highway and at the intersection of Madison Ave and Dawson Street.  The signals at Madison and Dawson will improve on an existing marked crossing that has been inadequate at best at night due to poor lighting over the crosswalk.

The signals at Rosser and Lougheed will open up a north-south pedestrian crossing but will continue to prevent vehicles from crossing through.  In the future,  it will be an important crosswalk connecting the north and south sides of Lougheed Hwy next to the Solo District that will house Whole Foods.

Solo District Sign

A large sign advertising the Solo District development has been erected on Willingdon Ave in front of the sales presentation centre which should open shortly.  The project has already signed a major tenant in Whole Foods which should open in late 2014 early 2015.

Whole Foods confirmed for Solo District

The following story in the Vancouver Sun has confirmed that Whole Foods is coming to Brentwood as an anchor store in the Solo District project.  The store is slated for opening in late 2014 or early 2015. According to the story, Solo District will be completely built by 2016.

Whole Foods expands into Burnaby

By BRIAN MORTON, Vancouver Sun May 10, 2012

Whole Foods Market has announced plans to open its first Burnaby grocery store as an anchor tenant for the Solo District project at Lougheed and Willingdon near Brentwood Town Centre.
The 40,000-square-foot store, which is expected to open in late 2014 or early 2015, will be the fifth Whole Foods store in B.C. and the first located outside Vancouver and West Vancouver.
The company, which focuses on natural and organic foods, is also considering several other possible locations for new stores, primarily in Metro Vancouver.
“We think there’s potential for many new stores in the Vancouver metropolitan area,” Joe Rogoff, regional president for Whole Foods, Pacific Northwest, said Wednesday, noting that the company is also scouting possibilities in Victoria and the Okanagan.
“Demand for our stores is high.”
Rogoff said Metro Vancouver, with a “very educated population,” has a good demographic for their company.
Lisa Murrell, sales and marketing manager for Appia Developments, which is developing the Solo project, said the new Whole Foods will be part of a mixed commercial and residential project on a 2.4-hectare site.
The Solo development will include four residential towers, and office and shopping space. Pre-sales for the first tower, which is 45 storeys, are planned to start within the next two months.
Murrell said the Solo project will eventually have between 1,300 and 1,400 residential units and is planned to be completed in 2016.
bmorton@vancouversun.com

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