News: Loblaws Confirms New Kensington Location

After much local opposition, grocer to open new small format store on College Street.

Rendering of The College at 297 College Street

Community group Friends of Kensington Market harnessed considerable public support against the proposal to bring Loblaws to a condo development at 297 College Street, a site 400 metres north of Kensington Market. The group cited the threat the supermarket would bring to local independent retailers.

Now Loblaw Companies Limited has confirmed that a new Loblaws will be part of a 15 storey condo building by Tribute Communities. The store will be 20,000 square feet and be housed on the second floor of the development named The College. Tribute called the planned store a "community-sized grocery store."

Loblaws has been eager to open new urban stores as it seeks to tap into a growing market of downtown condo dwellers. In fact one of the touted benefits of its recent acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart was the pharmacy chain's diverse network of stores including many urban locations. In addition to a massive new flagship at Maple Leaf Gardens, Loblaws recently opened a location at Queen and Portland Streets and announced the renovation of their St. Clair Avenue West store.

297 College Street

The College is planned for completion in 2016. Friends of Kensington Market have also been vocal opponents of a proposed Walmart store on Bathurst Street.