Extra Foods on Main Street set to close at end of March

The Extra Foods has been a mainstay for grocery shoppers in the city's North End.

Shoppers say employees are confirming the Extra Foods on Main Street will be closing. It will stay open until the end of March.

It's been a mainstay for grocery shoppers in the city's North End.

Josyf Mudryj, a longtime shopper, said he really enjoyed shopping there. “They've had really good prices, and much better prices than Safeway and Sobeys.”

Mudryj says he was told by employees at the grocery store that it will be closing its doors. Originally a Loblaws, customers say the store turned into an Economart before becoming an Extra Foods.

News of the closure isn't ringing well with many shoppers. They say the store has become a staple of the neighbourhood, similar to the Extra Foods that closed on Notre Dame Ave. in November.

Thoi, another shopper, said, “First they closed the one on Notre Dame, and now I hear this one's closing, which is too bad because they provide good service for the community.”

The good service is just one thing customers here say they'll miss. Even though there's a Safeway right next door, some shoppers are concerned about how this will affect their pocketbooks.

Ilena Bylyna is another longtime shopper. She said, “There's a lot of people here with lower income status, and shopping here gives them a little bit of a bonus because prices are a little more competitive.”

Shopper Lenore Davies is concerned about prices as well. “I like to comparison shop. And a lot of the times, it's more economical for us.”

Others say having the Extra Foods so close to home has also meant convenience. Esther Warkov foresees another expense in the closure of the store. “For all the people that don't drive cars, we're going to have to take a cab to Superstore.”

Mudryj says while it's a blow to the community, he also feels for the workers. He hopes to see another affordable retailer set up shop in its place.

CTV News contacted Loblaw - the parent company of Extra Foods - as well as the Union of Food and Commercial Workers. No one was available to comment.

- with a report by CTV’s Rajeev Dhir