As an advocate of community building and a small town girl at heart, I love the idea of the corner grocer. Prior to its recent sale, the corner store by my home was as much a place to grab milk and popsicles as it was a place to catch up on the neighbourhood gossip.
For the most part, these stores have evaporated from urban Canadian life but Norton Commons, which opened last weekend at Larch and West Broadway, hopes to change that.
They plan to offer a contemporary version of the old school corner grocer, with a focus on organic, ethical and local goods produced by independent businesses. I stopped by to say hello before they opened and met the owner who was working away on the final renovations, endearingly covered in paint.
With words like local, organic and sustainable being overused to death in food marketing these days, I hope Norton Commons delivers on their promise. A community grocer who truly cares about its community would be a wonderful addition to the neighbourhood.
Norton Commons, 2501 West Broadway, 604-732-8525, www.nortoncommons.ca
Last modified: September 25, 2012
