Take Me Over

There’s a new Sobeys in town!

Note to anyone who works at Sobeys corporate: Your website doesn’t allow me to deep-link into “My Store” and thus I can’t share with my readers the awesomeness about the Butcher, The Baker, and the Mozzarella Ball maker. If you visit the site, select the Kitchener Ira Needles location.

Normally a new grocery store isn’t news. Or one that has 7 chains in the region. Or has recently frustrated my immensely by switching from being 24-hours to being open until 11. But there is a new Sobeys in town!

This is a new concept store. It’s a high point of illustrating what design can do to change the way we shop, the way we eat, and the way we interact with our community. Who knew big box could be so good?

There is a huge emphasis on awesome typographic statements, invitations and explanations throughout the store. It really makes you feel welcome and everything has become far more accessible. For someone like me who can have some anxiety issues in unfamiliar situations, this kind of stuff really makes me feel at ease.

Plus I had somewhere to put my coffee…

Giant signs hang from everywhere. There are so many! For everything! And the type!

This store has a user path. The traditional grocery store is laid out to have your main needs – produce, bakery, meat, dairy – around the outside of the store, and processed goods through the aisles. This forces you through the chip aisle to get a bag of milk.

This store is different: You’re forced into a path (IKEA style) through the store: Grocer, Cheese, Butcher, Deli, Bakery, Bulk, Dairy, Processed. By the time you get to consumer packaged goods you’re already done 90% of you’re shopping. The end result is you feel like you’ve gone to the farmer’s market. Given that most of the product, including the cheese, is local, it isn’t that far from the truth.

I found I’m already buying healthier. It changes the way you think about shopping for food (at least, while you are doing it).

THEY HAVE FOUR. HUNDRED. KINDS. OF CHEESE.

And you can taste any of them.

No photo, but there is an antipasto bar behind the cheese. I got some pesto and it was actually good. This isn’t the same product they have at the other Sobeys locations. It’s very special.

Instead of a wall of plastic-packaged meats, this Sobeys has a butcher. The specials are listed on butcher paper, as well as the butchers’ names. It’s very friendly. It is also a lot faster and easier to find product. This was the first time I could actually find beef short ribs at a grocery store!

Sorry for not taking photos of the product, but the signs are just too pretty. The fish selection is insane, and ridiculously fresh. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen fresh mussels, clams, or scallops in Waterloo region. We’re not near water, folks.

I’m not sure if they’re going to keep up that level of product quality long-term, but I certainly hope so.

Seriously, that type is orgasmic.

There is a large emphasis in all areas of the store on local product. They even treat the product right – leaving smoked sausage hung to dry. When we went, one of the clerks was actually removing the outer plastic packaging so the the product can breathe. That attention to detail is awesome. And if you want it plastic-packaged, they have a few still wrapped up at the bottom of the rack.

The product on this rack is from my parent’s friends store, Finest Sausage & Meat., and the next one over is from Noah Martin, who uses her grandfather’s recipe.

You can still get processed (i.e. Maple Leaf) meat products, but the emphasis is on healthier, in-house alternatives. They have an ingredient list with every product. I haven’t tried them, but I assume they will taste better. I’ve found that with all their other products.

The bakery has these signs everywhere. These aren’t your regular grocery store croissants, either. They are buttery, flakey, delicious. I had 3.

The bakery has a huge product selection including a cupcake carousel and a plethora of cakes. I’ve never felt the urge to get a grocery store cake, but these ones looked great. So far I’ve seen two seasonal display cakes, one for the Superbowl and one for Valentine’s Day.

More deliciously beautiful type (there’s about 5 of these over the span of the cake section, each one unique).

Once you finally make your way to the processed food section, you’re first placed into Organics, then Alternatives, and then Regular. Want Kellogg’s? End of the aisle for you!

Sidebar about the milk (not pictured): They sorted the milk by type – Homo, 2%, Skim, Chocolate… It makes so much more sense than to sort it by brand as customers are much pickier about their fat content than much else.

Every single display is designed in the store. You won’t find a typical steel candy bar display, well, you won’t even find a candy bar at the cash! All the impulse goods are local, in-house, or healthier alternatives.

These photos are taken from the upstairs cafe, with live music, and it leads to the learning centre.

GIANT UTENSILS!

Did anyone else know Wayne Gretzky has his own tea?

Overall I was impressed with the store. It is clear across town, but I’ve gone four times so far. I have friends and family texting me about how much they love it. Emma, my 7-year old niece, decided she wants to be a graphic designer after visiting the store. How cute.

Whoever led this project, whoever managed to get this level of awesome out of a typically stifling corporate process is amazing. You, sir or madame, are my personal hero.  I love this store.

Beyond all the benefits of local product, fresh product, and healthy eating, this store shows that no matter the industry, no matter the corporate culture, no matter what: you can make great things happen. It gives me hope.

The Music: Cut Copy have a new album, Zonoscope, with Take Me Over being a favourite new addition to my Race Day playlist. The whole thing is great, though.