22 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

All Ambrosio Markets across town are for sale.

Does anyone know what is going on?

[Bob Fugger]

All Ambrosio Markets across town are for sale.

Does anyone know what is going on?

The recession has hit them hard, from what I've heard. John had already sold Cook Street Village last year and I know that the locations that he does have, struggle. The James Bay location, for example, is barely keeping its head above water because of the exorbitant rent. I think at one point the woman that runs it told me what she needs to sell per day just to pay the rent and I was gob-smacked (I can't remember how much it is, now).

[Jacques Cadé]

Argh. Ambrosio made a point of selling local produce. Seems Victoria talks big about supporting Island agriculture but doesn't put its money where its mouth is. Guess I'm back to buying California lettuce at Thrifty / Sobey's.

[Sparky]

^ The bottle neck is always at the top of the bottle. The Red Barn Markets are thriving. The one at Wallace and West Saanich is near impossible to get into.

Smart products, and yes some of it comes from California.

Shelves are full and staff are alert.

It's a simple game.

[Bingo]

I liked Ambrosio, but something seemed lacking. Too small? Poor location? Located too close to the competition, mayby.

[Jacques Cadé]

Spoke with the guy at the Ambrosio in Oak Bay. His place is not for sale, but Cook Street is on the market and James Bay and Cadboro Bay are already gone.

From his point of view, the struggle is competing with full-service supermarkets that sell breakfast cereal, toothpaste, etc. When it comes to food, most Victorians still want one-stop shopping.

[pseudotsuga]

Root Cellar seems to be doing very well.
I didn't even know about Ambrosio, but I don't live in one of those neighborhoods.

[julienne]

Spoke with the guy at the Ambrosio in Oak Bay. His place is not for sale, but Cook Street is on the market and James Bay and Cadboro Bay are already gone.

From his point of view, the struggle is competing with full-service supermarkets that sell breakfast cereal, toothpaste, etc. When it comes to food, most Victorians still want one-stop shopping.

Interesting. As a consumer constantly looking for quality ingredients, especially in my neighbourhood, I've watched the evolution - and devolution - of Ambrosia. And I have long since realized that there is no one-stop shopping in Victoria. Not for me at least.
I really had high hopes for Ambroisa, and have supported them many,many times, but their quality and their overall service, from one week to the next, has been highly inconsistent. I can get that from Oxford Foods, thank you very much.
I got the impression they couldn't keep up with their business model. Too much, too soon perhaps? The Cook St village location took a huge nose dive when the new manager took over, and I had to stop shopping there altogether.
I'm kind of shocked about their James Bay location, though. I thought that one was the best thought out of all of them.
I'd still like a quality deli-type shop in my neighbourhood. I would support it no end. But as it stands I have to get my meat from one place, my fish from another, vegetables are sourced from all over the map, and cheeses from yet another location.

[G-Man]

I agree with the point that there is no one stop shop in Victoria. If someone thinks there is please let me know where as each store I know of makes you compromise.

Save-on: Great deli - crappy produce - selection is odd.
Thrifty's: Ok produce - Crappy deli - Decent Seafood - Crappy meats
Fairways: Great Ethnic selection - Good produce - Crap seafood - average deli.
Safeway: Good Bakery - crap meats and seafood - Ok produce.
Walmart: I guess it might be cheap but I have never bought anything there. It all looks unhealthy.

There are more choices but all have their limitations. I am usually shopping at about 6 places a week for different things.

[gumgum]

I agree with most of what you say, except Thrifty's. They have good meats. And I often buy things from the deli for lunch.
All in all, you can pretty much 1 stop shop at Thrifty's and be very satisfied.

The big drawback to Thrifty's is the price. It is very expensive. I like the new card though. In less than a year of doing less than half of my shopping there, I have accumulated $60 dollars credit.

[G-Man]

^ I disagree they have no fresh organic meats. On top of that their regular meat is very limited. Last week I wanted to get a turkey breast to celebrate the other side of the family and went to get one and none had any of the sign on it (integral for actually cooking it) so I asked for one. Nope sorry it comes in the way it goes on the shelf. I freaking turkey breast a month from christmas on American Thanksgiving when we live on the freaking border. FAIL

Thrifty's also has different products at different stores so you cannot just pop into one and expect it to be the same. And it is very expensive.

The one thing I will say is that they have great staff.

[gumgum]

What location are you talking about?

They don't have much, but the fairfield Thifty's has some organic meat.

MoYs is the only grocery store with a decent fresh organic meats selection. And that place is the most expensive in town.

[G-Man]

I am talking about the newly updated store at Cloverdale and Quadra. I have been to most of the thriftys and have only ever seen frozen organic or sliced organic sandwich meat.

[gumgum]

^But you're saying that Thifty's has crappy meats. That's harsh. Yes their organics are limited, but they are limited at 99% of grocery stores. Apart from the lack of organics, their meats are highly regarded from the people I talk to.

They sell fresh organic chickens on a regular basis. They also sell organic turkeys. Other than MoYs I have never seen this at any other grocery store.

Here's how I would rate the grocery stores by order. I will disregard prices in this rating system:

1. Thrifty's
2. Market on Yates (I would rate them first, but their selection cannot compete with major supermarkets)
3. Fariway
4. (distant 4th) Save-On
5. Safeway. (The place is an insult. Walmart selection, with Thrifty's prices.)
6. Walmart (What can I say? A lot of frozen dinners, massive boxes of fruit loops and produce from China. I have explored and will never go back.)

[jklymak]

1. Thrifty's
2. Market on Yates (I would rate them first, but their selection cannot compete with major supermarkets)

I'm really happy with MoY - we never shop anywhere else, largely because its almost next door. I used to live next to big grocery stores in the states (Ralphs and Whole Foods), and I have to say that I don't miss not having the selection one bit.

I do miss Trader Joes, but that was largely for the killer wine selection at something approaching 1/4 Canadian prices. Why BC residents put up with such high import tariffs on wine just to protect a marginal industry, I'll never understand.

[Matt R.]

I tend to shop in whatever area I live in, and over the course of the last 20 years have lived near Safeway twice, Thrifty's, Save On and of course Family Food Mart back in the day. These last two years living near Safeway at Tillicum I've been very happy with their produce and meat, and have noticed a decrease over-all in prices. I think they are reacting to the pressure put on them by Save On. Thrifty's has great meat (plainly put, anyone who thinks differently is uninformed).

It's not really a grocery store, but for meat (other than fish) Costco has them all beat by a mile. Nobody else is even in the game. Price, quality, selection - just outstanding. I wish I could afford to shop at many of our great local butcher shops, but I can't - the only place I buy meat is Costco.

Back on topic, Ambrosio is still going strong in the food service sector, and I expect they will be expanding this market, if indeed they are closing retail operations.

Matt.

[LJ]

I do miss Trader Joes, but that was largely for the killer wine selection at something approaching 1/4 Canadian prices. Why BC residents put up with such high import tariffs on wine just to protect a marginal industry, I'll never understand.

I don't think it is the import tariffs that are causing the problem, it is the taxes the govt. puts on all wines. I can buy Canadian wines at BevMo or Wine Superstore for 1/3 what they cost in Canada.

[Matt R.]

Way off topic, but Jake Skakun spells it out here. There's about an hours worth of very, very well informed commentary at the end of it.

http://scoutmagazine...ibution-branch/

Matt.

[Holden West]

Let's move it over here, then.

http://vibrantvictor...read.php?t=4015

[Sparky]

It's not really a grocery store, but for meat (other than fish) Costco has them all beat by a mile. Nobody else is even in the game. Price, quality, selection - just outstanding.

This is a bit off topic, but keeping with the discussion, I just ate a Kirkland filet mignon from Cosco for the first time tonight. It seemed so wrong....but it felt so good.

I have not tasted a steak like that since Hy's left town.....and I grilled it myself.

Running shoes, steaks, generators, Lipitor, and tents.........who would have thought that could be a marketing plan.

Maybe John should have thought about carrying running shoes.