Talk:Dominion (supermarket)

Latest comment: 4 years ago by JaAlDo in topic List of stores

"Mr. Grocer" vs. "New Dominion" edit

Somewhere in the 1984-85 meltdown of this company, I recall some locations being closed, then franchised in an attempt to re-open them without unions as "Mr. Grocer". The rest of the chain remained "Dominion", with the remaining Ontario stores and the trademark being sold to A&P (as "new Dominion") in 1985.

Whatever happened to the "Mr. Grocer" name and the affected stores (signage was white-on-green, with the words "Mr. Grocer" and a line drawing of a grocer standing behind produce)? I thought National Grocers (which owns Loblaws) ended up owning the franchise trademark at some point, but the name would be pretty much worthless and most Loblaws franchisees outside this fiasco therefore went with Your Independent Grocer as a Loblaws brand.

There was one store on Dundas Street, Napanee which I think was part of the "Mr. Grocer" mess; it rests vacant and had been empty for years. I presume the rest either converted to some other name or closed, but who owns them and (if they're still grocers) under what names? I believe they were not part of the bloc of stores sold to A&P as they were technically no longer Dominions. I see National_Grocers#Defunct_banners lists this brand for Ontario. 66.102.83.61 (talk) 01:11, 18 March 2012 (UTC)Reply

CONRAD BLACK'S RAID ON THE DOMINION PENSION PLAN edit

How the hell could you leave this out? At the very least put in a link, it is one of the blacker moments, no pun intended, of the career of that notorious pirate, and one that augured the future for the average working stiff.

from wikipedia - edit and add as you wish.

"Dominion pension dispute

In 1984, Black withdrew for shareholders over $56 million from the Dominion workers' pension plan surplus without consulting plan members. The firm said it considered the surplus the rightful property of the employer (Dominion Stores Ltd.). The Dominion Union complained, a public outcry ensued, and the case went to court. The Supreme Court of Ontario ruled against the company, and ordered the company to return the money to the pension fund, claiming that though the most recent language in the plan suggested the employer had ownership of the surplus, the original intention was to keep the surplus in the plan to increase members' benefits.[26] Eventually, the pension dispute was settled in equal shares between the shareholders and the plan members.[10]" — Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.229.77.74 (talk) 22:23, 27 June 2013 (UTC)Reply

That would be a good bit of history to add to the article if you could provide a reliable source for it. There is no one author for this article, or for any Wikipedia article. Wikipedia articles are written by people like you and me who volunteer time to edit articles. Ground Zero | t 16:27, 2 July 2013 (UTC)Reply

Anniversary Cookie edit

'During this time period Dominion introduced a special product, the Dominion Anniversary Cookie. Their pledge to the consumer was this would be only available for the anniversary year. The product was a huge success and Dominion kept their promise and withdrew the product at the end of the 75th year.'

What year was this? 1919 + 75 brings us to 1994. The problem I have with that is that Loblaw's President's Choice, which is claimed in the article to have been inspired by the Anniversary Cookie, had been going for ten years (give or take) by that time. There's something awry here. 86.183.12.111 (talk) 10:32, 29 January 2014 (UTC)Reply

List of stores edit

Is there any reason to have a full list of the former stores? At best, it's just trivia and doesn't belong in an encyclopaedia unless they're otherwise notable. JaAlDo (talk) 22:12, 28 February 2020 (UTC)Reply

I've taken it all out for now, but I'm saving it below in case anyone has any huge objection. JaAlDo (talk) 22:15, 28 February 2020 (UTC)Reply


Slogans edit

  • "Mainly because of the meat"
  • "We're Fresh Obsessed" (A&P's slogan before re-branding as Metro)
  • "There's a definite difference at Dominion"
  • "We do that little bit more"

Stores edit

List of stores in Ontario:

Greater Toronto Area
  • Bathurst Manor Plaza (Wilmington Avenue and Overbrook Place) — became Sunnybrook Market, abandoned for 10+ years, now demolished.
  • Bayview Avenue and Cummer Avenue — Became Mr. Grocer in the 1980s, now Valu-mart on Bayview
  • 150 Berry Road at Stonegate Plaza; plaza demolished for condo development
  • 174 Wallace Avenue — first store; street renumbered (likely now 152 Wallace at Emerson Avenue, today Henriques Supermarket
  • 779 Queen Street East — second store and now a bridal store
  • City Hall Market on Queen Street West — discontinued 1960s
  • 614 Rogers Road near Keele Street — site now a mall and Value Village store
  • York Mills Road and Bayview Avenue — opened 1952 as Dominion Market, now operating as Metro
  • 243 Alberta Avenue — closed mid-1980s, sold and now a No Frills outlet
  • 1277 York Mills Road — converted to Food Basics
  • Kingston Rd and Victoria Park Ave, Scarborough
  • Finch Avenue East and Leslie Street — Sunny Supermarket
  • College Park (Yonge & College, lower level) — converted to Metro
  • Thornhill Square Shopping Centre (Bayview Avenue & John Street) — converted to Food Basics
  • Royal Orchard Plaza (Yonge and Royal Orchard) — formerly a Miracle Food Mart, converted to Food Basics
  • Don Mills Shopping Centre at Lawrence Avenue East and Don Mills Road — converted to Metro
  • Kennedy Commons at Kennedy Road and Highway 401 — converted to Metro
  • Lake Shore Boulevard West, at Browns Line — later became a Thrift supermarket, now demolished
  • Markington Square at Markham Road and Eglinton Avenue East — converted to Metro
  • Lawrence Avenue West & Keele Street — converted to Metro
  • Lawrence Avenue West & Bathurst Street — converted to Metro
  • 3000 Bathurst St. South of Lawrence. Demolished. Now an apartment building.
  • Wilson Avenue & Keele Street — converted to Metro
  • Yonge Street & Church Street — converted to Metro
  • The Villages of Abbey Lane (Rylander Boulevard) — now a Shoppers Drug Mart
  • Sheppard Avenue West & Bathurst Street — converted to Metro
  • Yonge Eglinton Centre — converted to Metro
  • Yonge Street & Sheppard Avenue East — converted to Metro, later demolished
  • Jane Street and Finch Avenue — converted to a Price Chopper, now a FreshCo.
  • Woodside Square, McCowan Road and Finch Aveue East, converted to a Dominion Save-A-Centre (before Dominion's demise), now a Food Basics in another part of the mall (formerly Zellers). Space now occupied by Shoppers Drug Mart.
  • Bridlewood Mall, Warden Avenue and Finch Avenue East (roughly 4 km west of the Woodside Square location, and also converted to a Dominion Save-A-Centre), now a Metro
  • Kipling Avenue at The Westway — now Food Basics
  • Islington Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard (Rexdale Plaza) — demolished
  • 5145 Dundas Street West (Etobicoke) Converted to Food Basics (#925) in 1998 then demolished 2004
  • 89 Gould Street, Toronto — converted to Metro
  • Ajax, Ajax Market Place — converted to Metro, now Food Basics
  • Aurora, Aurora Village — converted to Metro
  • Burlington, Appleby Mall — became a Mr. Grocer, then Fortino's
  • Burlington, Burlington Mall (777 Guelph Line) — closed early 1990s, becoming K-Mart expansion until firm left Canada in 1998; now Canadian Tire
  • Dundas, University Plaza — became a Barn and is now a Shopper's Drug Mart
  • Markham, Highway 7 and McCowan (south west side) — became an A&P in the early 1990s, then a Food Basics, now an independent Korean supermarket
  • Markham, Highway 7 East at Gallsworthy — became a Mr. Grocer in the early 1980s, space then occupied by Zipp Drugs, Big V, now a Shoppers Drug Mart
  • Milton, Laurier Plaza — converted to A&P, now Food Basics
  • Mississauga, Applewood Village Plaza — converted to Metro, closed in January 2014, now demolished. Now a Longo's.
  • Mississauga, Clarkson Crossing — converted to Metro
  • Mississauga, Derry Road & 10th Line — converted to Metro
  • Mississauga, Square One Shopping Centre — converted to mall space
  • Mississauga, Iona Square — converted to Metro
  • Mississauga, Lakeshore Plaza — converted to Metro
  • Mississauga, Meadowvale Town Centre — converted to Metro
  • Mississauga, Roseborough Centre — converted to Metro, closed in June 2012, now Adonis.
  • Mississauga, Sheridan Place — converted to Metro
  • Mississauga, Westdale Mall — converted to Metro, closed in September 2011, now a FreshCo
  • Mississauga, Woodchester Plaza — converted to an IGA, then Sobeys, now Terra foodmart.
  • Newmarket, Yonge Street & Mulock Road — converted to Metro
  • Newmarket, Dominion Plus Centre — converted to Metro, closed in January 2014, now a Food Basics.
  • Newmarket, 404 Town Centre — converted to Metro
  • Oakville, Hopedale Mall — converted to Metro
  • Oakville, Oakville Town Centre I — converted to Metro
  • Oakville, Rio Can Centre (Dundas Street/Neyagawa) — converted to Metro, closed in March 2014, now a Food Basics.
  • Oakville, Trafalgar Mall — became A&P, converted to Food Basics, now No Frills
  • Oakville, Upper Oakville Shopping Centre — converted to Metro
  • Oshawa, Midtown Mall — became an A&P, converted to Metro, closed in November 2015.
  • Oshawa, 199 Wentworth St. West — had been a Safeway, converted to Price Chopper, now a FreshCo.
  • Pickering, Amberlea Shopping Centre — converted to Metro
  • Pickering, Pickering Town Centre — store was closed in mid-1990s when the mall underwent extensive renovations. The location is where PJ's Pets and Sport Chek are located
  • Richmond Hill, Major Mackenzie/Bayview — converted to Metro, closed in September 2013, now a Food Basics.
  • Vaughan, Islington Ave. — converted to Metro, closed in October 2014. Re-opened in 2017 as a Food Basics
  • Vaughan, Weston/Rutherford — converted to Metro, closed in August 2012, now a Longo's.
  • Whitby, 104 Dundas St. W (Brock) — opened in 1928, closed in 1955.
  • 425 Bloor Street West — converted to Metro
  • Brampton Kennedy Road and Queen
Eastern Ontario
  • Belleville, Belleville Plaza — closed mid-1980s
  • Brockville, downtown, King Street West at Chase — now a Shoppers Drug Mart
  • Brockville, Central Avenue at Park St. Now a Giant Tiger Store
  • Cobourg, County Fair Shopping Centre — converted to a Sav-A-Centre and re-located when development converted into Northumberland Mall in late 1980s. later rebranded to A&P now converted and expanded to Metro
  • Cobourg, Midtown Mall — rebrand to Mr Grocer then rebranded as a No Frills. Currently the Mall was demolished making way for a larger No Frills
  • Kingston, Frontenac Mall — converted to A&P, now Food Basics
  • Kingston, Barrack Street, downtown — converted to A&P, now Food Basics
  • Nepean, Merivale Mall — converted to A&P, now a Farm Boy
  • Orleans, Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre
  • Ottawa, Bank Street at Heron Road — now a Shoppers Drug Mart
  • Ottawa, 10 Byward Market — closed in 1983
  • Ottawa, Hampton Park Plaza — converted to A&P, now Food Basics
  • Ottawa, Herongate Mall — converted to A&P, now Food Basics
  • Ottawa, Pinecrest Mall — converted to Dominion's Warehouse Plus format in the early 1980s, now replaced by an IKEA
  • Ottawa, St. Laurent Shopping Centre — converted to Dominion's Warehouse Plus format in the early 1980s, now a Toys 'R' Us
  • Peterborough, Brookdale Plaza (Chemong Road) — converted to A&P closed 1990s. Store Relocated to Portage Place.
  • Peterborough, K-Mart Plaza (Landsdowne Street) — Closed late 1980s, now The Brick
  • Renfrew, downtown — relocated to Pinnacle Mall in early 1980s, downtown store space is now Giant Tiger
  • Renfrew, Pinnacle Mall — became Mr. Grocer, then Your Independent Grocer, later Liquidation World, mall demolished in 2009
  • Trenton, Dundas Street East, at Byron Street — converted to Mr. Grocer, now a Liquidation World
Northern Ontario
  • North Bay, Nipissing Plaza — converted to A&P, now Metro
  • Sault Ste. Marie, Churchill Plaza — converted to A&P, now Metro
  • Sault Ste. Marie, Zellers Plaza — converted to A&P, now Metro
  • Sault Ste. Marie, Station Mall — converted to A&P, now closed
  • Sault Ste. Marie, Second Line West, at People's Road — closed, now Transcom call centre.
Southern Ontario
  • Amherstburg, 80 Richmond St.
  • Barrie, Georgian Mall — converted to A&P, closed and later became a Herbie's Drug & Food store, was demolished during mall's expansion in 2006
  • Barrie, Simcoe Plaza — converted to A&P. Currently a No Frills.
  • Brantford, 371 St Paul Avenue — converted to A&P, now Metro
  • Cambridge, 150 Main Street (The Mall, Downtown Cambridge) — later became a Mr. Grocer before the grocery store anchor space was expanded/renovated into a multi-story office for Stantec. The Mall was purchased by the Region of Waterloo and the space is now Region of Waterloo Public Health
  • Guelph — Eramosa Road and Stevenson Street, closed 1986; now Zehrs
  • Guelph — Speedvale Avenue East and Stevenson Street, closed 1984; later Knechtels, then IGA, now FreshCo
  • London, southwest corner of Wellington Street and York Street, closed and location demolished (now a parking lot)
  • London, Westmount Mall — converted to A&P, then Metro, closed in December 2012. Now a Superking Supermarket.
  • Midland, Mountainview Mall — converted to A&P, now Food Basics
  • Orillia, Memorial Avenue-converted to National Grocers
  • Orillia, Mississauga Street, next door to Shoppers Drug Mart
  • Orillia, Orillia Square Mall, Converted to a Zehrs
  • Orillia, County Fair Plaza on Coldwater Road (with Zellers)
  • Sarnia, Northgate Shopping Centre — converted to A&P, now Metro
  • St. Catharines, Fairview Mall — now Food Basics
  • St. Catharines, 333 Ontario Street — later became the Brick
  • St. Catharines, Pen Centre — demolished, now Zehrs
  • Stoney Creek, Hwy 8/Grays Road, now closed
  • St. Catharines, Linwell Plaza — now Shoppers Drug Mart/First Ontario Credit Union
  • Windsor, 655 Crawford Ave. (Wyandotte) — closed, became Thrift Food Stores, later became Elias Markets, now a bingo hall.
  • Windsor, 2515 Dougall Ave (Dorwin Plaza) — converted to A&P, then Canada's only Farmer Jack location then closed and became A&P again. Closed again and later became an 'Aren't We Naughty'. Food Basics opened at the other end of the plaza, which closed in July 2014.
  • Windsor, 3220 Dougall Ave (Gateway Plaza) — originally a Loblaws, converted to Gordons which closed in November 1978. Opened in April 1979 as Dominion to replace location at 3830 Dougall Ave.
  • Windsor, 3830 Dougall Ave. (Cabana) — closed in April 1979.
  • Windsor, 1440 Huron Church Rd. (Ambassador Plaza) — converted to A&P then closed down. Later became a Rogers Video & Bulk Barn, now a PetValu, Pharmasave & Bulk Barn.
  • Windsor, 1262 Ottawa St. (Hall) — closed in February 1976.
  • Windsor, 631 Ouellette Ave. (Wyandotte)
  • Windsor, Tecumseh Mall — converted to A&P and closed in the mid 1990s. Later became the south mall entrance with tenants including CIBC bank (now Bluenotes), Payless Shoe Store and Shoppers Drug Mart.
  • Windsor, 2425 Tecumseh Rd. E (Walker Rd.). — closed, became Thrift Food Stores, later demolished.
  • Windsor, 3975 Wyandotte St. E (George Ave.) — closed in December 1984, re-opened as Mr. Grocer in February 1985, later became Hollywood Bingo, sat vacant for a number of years, now a No Frills.
  • Windsor, 8100 Wyandotte Street E (Laporte Ave.) — closed, later became a Howie's, Shoppers Drug Mart, Elias Markets, Price Chopper, now FreshCo.
  • Woodstock, Springbank Plaza — converted to Home Hardware when new store opened on Ingersoll Road. That store closed in 1979 due to tornado damage.
  • Bracebridge on Manitoba Street across from the old A&P which is now a plaza with a Shoppers Drug Mart. The Dominion store was converted to a Home Hardware. The store had a stone front
  • Orillia on Mississaga Street, Memorial Avenue, Orillia Square Mall

Head offices edit

  • 174 Wallace Avenue 1919-1924 — residential development
  • Soho and Phoebe Street 1924-1945 — old Weston Bakery; now residential neighbourhood Soho Square
  • Rogers Road and Keele 1945-1970s — old York Arsenal; now Value Village store
  • The West Mall 1970s-2008; now Metro Distribution Centre