The impending opening of IGA and Pharmasave down the street at Viridian Green (West 4th and Collingwood) is making some nearby retailers a little nervous.
We just got word that Buy-Low Foods at Jericho Mall has announced that they’ll closing their doors for good as of May 2nd.
Sad to see them go but it’s hard to believe a grocery store located underground that you can only enter from a parking lot lasted this long. I guess a lot of people still need to pick up snacks and mix to go with their purchase from the next door liquor store.
Last modified: March 25, 2009
Another IGA? Wow, that will make 3 IGAs in very close proximity. Will the IGA at Maple and Broadway be closing?
Sad to see a friendly staff leaving, and it was handy to be so close to liquor store. If anyone hears who else might be coming into that space, would love to know who.
Agree with Allan the staff were great and the specials decent.
I’ve never liked IGA too cluttered dark and clueless and Safeway is worse.
Buy Low is closing because of leasing issues with the landlord not because of incoming competition, this I have from the Manager Andy today.
I stopped and had a look at the former Buy Low today – it has equipment and renovation going on, as there is a No Frills grocery store to be installed. (As Buy Low is to Save On Foods, No Frills is to Superstore.) Competition for grocery dollars at the Kits/Point Grey boundary is going to get stiffer.
Thanks for the info Jason!
Looking forward to the new No Frills. I miss the one in Denman Place Mall. I still trek over there for groceries now and then, but it isn’t convenient anymore since moving to Kits. Anyway, you really save the bucks there and Safeway in comparison feels like highway robbery.
….and IGA’s model, I thought, was to move into under-served urban areas where no other groceries were around. Moving to 4th and Alma sort of breaks that tradition. But IGA is really a expanded 7-11 price-wise. The Marketplace IGA on Burrard is on two floors (which is inconvenient) and charges premium prices. It would send me to the poorhouse if I shopped there regularly.
I asked the security guard at the No Frills today and he said it should be a week to 10 days until they open.
I cannot wait for the No Frills to open. Buy Low was WAY too expensive for a bargain-type store. $3.99 per pound for mushrooms vs. $1.99 every day around the corner on Broadway!! And it wasn’t too clean either. No Frills have the best pricing anywhere in this city and we get the same prices as Ontario. Their flyer is national. Plus we get to pay for cauliflower, broccoli, celery etc. as per item rather than per pound. Major savings ahead.
Well No Frills is in business and literally kicking ass on the new 4th Ave IGA.
A recent Saturday visit to both stores saw IGA virtually deserted while No Frills aisles were full of shoppers filling carts with bargains.
While the produce @ No Frills isn’t much of a deal/the same prices as fresher produce on Broadway the dry goods and dairy are definitely cheaper than other stores.
can i just say that no frills is a godsend for me? having gotten accusomed to safeway pricing – it is like night and day…I am never shopping anywhere else again! I’m there nearly every day for bargains and can’t get enough. Smile the Nofrills banana smile if you see me!
Have you tried the awesome new moksha hot yoga studio at 4th an alma? Beautiful boutique bamboo floored hot yoga studio, terrific staff see http://www.mokshayogavancouver.com
I LUV our new NoFrills in Kits..a warm helping environment..
Staff and edibles stacked..woot!! Pat ox