27 h. ago Whole Foods Toronto stores are already seeing bonkers lineups for closing sales

American grocery behemoth Whole Foods is majorly slashing its footprint in Toronto, closing down two of its three stores in the city in the coming days.Employees at the company's Leaside and Yonge-Sheppard locations were given just one week's notice that their workplaces would be shuttering forever on August 22, and it looks like it's shaping up to be a hectic final week, at that, with massive clearout sales already in progress.We know that Toronto absolutely loves a lineup and, in this economy especially, a good bargain. So, naturally, the crowds have already been ridiculous.On the first day of the blowout event — which was Saturday, August 16, the day after news of the supermarket closures first broke — shoppers eagerly crowded outside the more northerly Whole Foods at Yonge-Sheppard's Hullmark Centre for the chance to nab some steep discounts on groceries.People were apparently happy to wait for extended periods in 30+ C heat, ...

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3 d. ago Whole Foods in Toronto having huge closing sale with steep grocery discounts

In case you haven't heard the news, next week will mark the end for two Toronto locations of U.S. grocery chain Whole Foods.The company, known worldwide for its fresh, organic produce and health-focused products, will be permanently closing the doors of its 4771 Yonge St. and 1860 Bayview Ave. stores, the former of which opened in 2014 and the latter, in 2017.Staff were allegedly told of their impending layoffs on the morning of Friday, Aug. 15, soon after which chatter about the developments started up on social media.A representative for Whole Foods has since confirmed the shutdowns to blogTO, saying that the two aforementioned shops will be open until Aug. 22.Given that there's only a week left of their operations, this means that there will also be a closing sale — which is actually set to be pretty massive, we've been told.The blowout events will begin at both locations on Saturday, Aug. 16, when customers will be able to nab products for 50 per...

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4 d. ago Grocery giant reveals it's opening a new store in Toronto amid closure of two others

Whole Foods, the health-focused supermarket chain with somewhat of a cult following, has just confirmed the closure of two of its Toronto stores — but, alongside the less-positive news, the company has shared that it will be opening a new outpost in the city to make up for it.Staff at the Leaside and Yonge-Sheppard locations of the American purveyor of organic, good-for-you groceries and pre-made meals found out early on Friday morning that their workplaces were set to close later this month; on August 22, to be exact, a Whole Foods spokesperson confirmed to blogTO after our initial reporting on what were, earlier this morning, just rumours."Like any retail business, we regularly evaluate each of our stores and make decisions to position the company for long-term success," a company representative told us over email around 11 a.m."We are committed to supporting all impacted team members and making any transition as seamless as possible, and l...

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4 d. ago Whole Foods reveals it's opening a new store in Toronto amid closure of two others

Whole Foods, the health-focused supermarket chain with somewhat of a cult following, has just confirmed the closure of two of its Toronto stores — but, alongside the less-positive news, the company has shared that it will be opening a new outpost in the city to make up for it.Staff at the Leaside and Yonge-Sheppard locations of the American purveyor of organic, good-for-you groceries and pre-made meals found out early on Friday morning that their workplaces were set to close later this month; on August 22, to be exact, a Whole Foods spokesperson confirmed to blogTO after our initial reporting on what were, earlier this morning, just rumours."Like any retail business, we regularly evaluate each of our stores and make decisions to position the company for long-term success," a company representative told us over email around 11 a.m."We are committed to supporting all impacted team members and making any transition as seamless as possible, and l...

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4 d. ago Rumours swirl that Whole Foods may be closing multiple Toronto grocery stores

Bombshell claims about Whole Foods potentially closing not just one, but multiple Toronto locations have been circulating on social media as of Friday morning from people who say they are current employees impacted by the shutdowns.In a subreddit dedicated to news about the grocery empire, one user posted that the chain is preparing to shutter the store they allegedly work at in just a matter of days."Both Leaside and Yonge and Sheppard locations in Toronto, Canada are closing next week," they wrote shortly after 8 a.m Friday. They continued on to say that they were informed during a team huddle earlier that morning, bemoaning the last-minute layoff process.A post to the r/wholefoods community on Reddit Friday morning broke the news of the alleged closure from someone who says they currently work at one of the Toronto stores set to close in the coming days.The stores in question are said to be the Leaside location near...

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4 d. ago Whole Foods confirms it's closing multiple Toronto grocery stores

Bombshell claims about Whole Foods closing not just one, but multiple Toronto locations have been circulating on social media as of Friday morning from people who say they are current employees impacted by the shutdowns.And, the company has now confirmed the allegations.In a subreddit dedicated to news about the grocery empire, one user posted that the chain is preparing to shutter the store where they allegedly work in just a matter of days."Both Leaside and Yonge & Sheppard locations in Toronto, Canada are closing next week," they wrote shortly after 8 a.m Friday. They continued on to say that they were informed during a team huddle earlier that morning, bemoaning the last-minute layoff process.The Leaside location in question is at 1860 Bayview Ave., near Eglinton Ave. E, while the Yonge and Sheppard store is in the Hullmark Centre at 4771 Yonge St.A post to the r/wholefoods community on Reddit Friday ...

Economics

4 d. ago Here are some Toronto laundromats that also serve coffee and snacks

Doing your chores can really work up an appetite, which is why these Toronto laundromats double as restaurants, cafes and ice cream parlours.Perpetually spilling ice cream and coffee on your shirt? Us too, but it doesn't have to be a trip-back-home-to-change level emergency.From swanky, upscale dry cleaners with full-service cafes inside to hole-in-the-wall snack bars hidden behind the facade of a retro coin-operated laundromat, these cafes are bringing you the best of both worlds, all with that novelty spin that the city can't seem to get enough of.Here are four cafes in Toronto that just so happen to double as laundromats::Creeds Coffee BarArguably the innovators of the laundry-cafe concept in Toronto, this dry cleaner and coffee shop comes with a history of more than a century in the making. Jesse MilnsWe'll spare you all the details, but nowadays, all you need to know is that you can drop off a load of dry cleaning at before knocking back an Americano all w...

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4 d. ago Toronto food alley that just opened on a buzzy strip last year has closed down

An outdoor food market in Toronto that once boasted a dozen vendors has closed permanently after only a few months.Founded in October 2024, Queen West's Food Alley promised to be a one-of-a-kind addition to the landscape of the buzzing downtown core.Transforming a vacant lot into a culinary bazaar populated by upwards of 14 independent vendors served burgers, pizza, dumplings, ice cream and beyond to scores of hungry shoppers under draping Edison string lights.Toronto alley transforming into a new street food market https://t.co/GbaL8AwG8r— blogTO (@blogTO) September 20, 2024Honestly, it would have been a cool idea had it been able to stick around. Alas, no more than 10 months after opening its gate, the Food Alley suddenly announced via Instagram post that it was closing down permanently, with little explanation."This is a goodbye! Thank you Queen W.," the stylized image reads, adding, "Queen West, you've been a dream," in the c...

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5 d. ago Cizzle Brands’ CWENCH Hydration™ Now Sold in all 84 Locations of Pure Hockey

Pure Hockey is the largest hockey retailer in the United States. With this chain-wide placement under wholesale distributorship by Muscle Foods, CWENCH Hydration™ is expanding its presence in the United States. TORONTO — Cizzle Brands Corporation (Cboe Canada: CZZL) (OTCQB: CZZLF) (Frankfurt: 8YF) (the “Company” or “Cizzle Brands”), is pleased to announce that Pure Hockey, […]

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7 d. ago Tacos from this Toronto restaurant were just ranked best in the city

Tacos from a Mexican restaurant in Toronto were just voted the best in the entire city, so here's everything you need to know about them.Another annual Toronto TacoFest has come and gone, leaving a tortilla crumb trail of carnage in its wake. While taco lovers across the city are nursing their birria-induced food comas, one taco joint in the city is busy celebrating its newly minted title as the creator of the best taco in Toronto.According to the scores of attendees at the food festival, at least.From Friday, Aug. 8 to Sunday, Aug. 11, dozens of local Mexican restaurants joined forces with food fanatics in the thousands to spend a weekend consuming as many tacos (among other things) as their bodies would allow.On the last day of the festival, the pièce de résistance came in the form of a golden taco trophy awarded to the local taqueria that won the majority of votes from attendees.This year, it went to Kensington Market force Birria C...

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7 d. ago New Italian restaurant from renowned Toronto restaurateurs is their best yet

A pair of Toronto restaurateurs closed down their previous restaurant to make way for a new spot in Little Italy. It was a great choice.Restaurateur Michael Sangregorio and Chef Fabio Bondi are no strangers to the Toronto food scene. In fact, they're currently on their third restaurant as a duo after shuttering their previous venture, the Junction's Lucia, to make way for their new project.It's called Sal's Pasta and Chops, and it opened its doors in the heart of Little Italy this past July.An unpretentious, comfortable spot lined with plush banquettes and framed black and white photos, it's a welcome addition to the neighbourhood, and perhaps Sangregorio and Bondi's best project yet. A healthy amount of its success can be attributed to the passion behind the project.The sons of two Italian fathers — both named Sal, hence the restaurant's name — Sangregorio and Bondi created Sal's as a love letter to the Italian-Canadian cui...

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1 week ago Secret sausage business quietly supplying some of Toronto's trendiest restaurants

An under-the-radar sausage business run by a Toronto chef is making waves at some of the city's most buzzy new restaurants.Ever find yourself sitting at a restaurant, wondering how the sausage gets made? Not in a metaphorical way, but literally, how the sausage you're currently eating was actually made? Moreover, who made it?Maybe that's a niche experience that only we've had, but we think that sausages and the people who make them deserve more respect. After all, it's a messy business, but someone's got to do it, for the greater good of pizzas, sandwiches and barbecues everywhere.One such sausage-maker is Ferdi's Foods, which, despite only having come into existence in early 2025, is already making a splash on Toronto's food scene, supplying sausages to a selection of noteworthy restaurants in the city.Ferdi's quick success (which is only growing, might we add) is largely, if not exclusively, due to its founder, Theo, who, before s...

Economics

2 w. ago Kehlani shouts out Toronto restaurant for 'best Vietnamese food I've ever had'

A Toronto restaurant is reaching new heights after getting a huge shout-out from R&B star Kehlani following a performance in the city.All it took was one taste of pho from an Ontario institution for singer/songwriter Kehlani to start saying "I Like Dat," going as far as posting about it on TikTok.What restaurant could have elicited such an enthusiastic reaction from the superstar? None other than the third and most recent location of Mississauga-founded Vietnamese food staple, Pho Ngoc Yen.The chain, which boasts locations in Mississauga, Etobicoke, and, most recently, in downtown Toronto on Adelaide, the latter of which was the location that Kehlani visited following a performance at Cabana Pool Bar in celebration of Caribana.To say that the singer enjoyed their meal would be a major understatement.@kehlani i’m finna start Life wit a Back Back Taurus series. TORONTO ILL BE DREAMING OF U PHO NGOC YEN! on Adelaide W lol @Towfu @Jamie-Lee B. ♬ original sound - Kehl...

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last month That time a lone rogue 'demon' cow caused mayhem in Toronto streets

From narrowly escaping fate as an expressway to being home to an iconic location of a beloved fast-food chain, Toronto's Spadina Avenue is rife with fascinating history.But one of its quirkiest and wildest moments was when a loose cow, possessed by what some at the time called "some strange demon," went on a rampage through this busy street.A cow on Spadina may seem weird, but in the early days of Toronto, there were a number of pet cow owners in the city — and some of the results of that were utterly chaotic.Toronto's cattle crackdownIn the 1830s, as the incorporation of Toronto was being solidified, the city was doing all it could to regulate domestic animals.In fact, one of the first nuisance by-laws, enacted in May 1834, helped regulate domestic animals — with stipulations like "no swine shall be permitted to run or be at large in any of the streets or any of the sidewalks of this city."But there are reports that residents didn't find ...

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