The Neighbourhood Grocery Stores

On First Avenue in Schumacher, there were Sebalj Groceries & Meats, Frank Zanchin’s Market, Joe Schwab’s Grocery and Nick & Bill Blahey’s (who had their main store in Timmins). The Northern Provision Store and McLelland’s Groceries & Meats were on Pine Street in Schumacher.

By the late 1950′s, Mike Ayoub had 2 stores in Timmins – the Mike’s Supermarket on Mountjoy Street South, and the Superette, which was located in the old Dominion Store premises on Third Avenue. The Mike’s Food Store chain with the ‘Smiling M’ logo went on to include 4 stores in Timmins, and other stores in South Porcupine, New Liskeard, and Kirkland Lake. It was once the largest independent food chain in Northern Ontario and it all started at a small grocery store on Mountjoy Street south.Also on Third Avenue, was the C & C store, Blahey’s main store, (which just closed in 1998) and Shankman’s Grocery (and the origin of the name, ‘Shankman’s Hill’ at the foot of Third Avenue between Elm Street and Mountjoy.)

In the south end of Timmins, were Bradette’s Store and Charette’s Cash & Carry on Commercial Avenue, Zudel’s Red & White Store on Tisdale, the Windsor Handy Store, Urquhart’s and Ralph’s on Maple south, Piche’s on Middleton, Mountjoy Street Provisions, Lalonde’s on Wende, Leo’s on Crescent and Dubien’s on Montgomery Avenue.

In what was once known as the Moneta section of Timmins, the Italian community had a choice of shopping at Ziliotto’s, Mazzuca’s, Angelo’s or Scullino’s on Pine Street south. Also on Pine south was a store owned by Pat & Rene Poupart. Their store advertised that they were open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.- as were most small, family-owned stores of the day.

Consumer’s Co-op had stores in both South Porcupine and Schumacher, but their flagship store was at the corner of Algonquin & Birch. The only other Algonquin Blvd. Grocery any of my researchers can remember is one owned by Leo St. Onge and which may have been located west of the old Hollinger Townsite (the present site of Mike’s Mid-town Bowl, the Canadian Tire Store and the Super Fresh).

Worker’s Co-operative of New Ontario had many stores throughout the north. At one time they also had their own dairy, a bakery and coal yards. Homes were heated with coal, stove oil or wood before the arrival of natural gas.

At the edge of the Hollinger Townsite, on Waterloo, was the Hollinger Store – owned and operated by the Hollinger Mine for its employees. Later it was known as Roy’s Townsite store.

There weren’t as many grocery stores in the north end of the old town of Timmins, but some that come to mind were Kremer’s Store and Keyes’ Red & White on Pine north. There was the Neighbourhood Market, Starr’s Grocery and W.J.Ross & Son on Toke street and the Residential Grocery and the Tamarack Grocery, both on Tamarack Street.

A 1957 listing for Sixth Avenue had a Mary Mate Store at number 276 and a D. Krakana Store at number 83. Foodlands was listed at number 154.

Most of the stores could be described as ‘mom and pop’ stores. Many were attached to the family home. The hours were long – from early morning to late at night.

Storeowners were expected to extend credit long before the days of the guaranteed payments of Visa and MasterCard. Because of this many were forced to close their doors due to uncollected debts. Customers expected and received, free delivery of their groceries. It was common to telephone a grocery order and have it delivered to your home within an hour or two.

The era of the neighbourhood grocery store is gone. The volume purchasing of the large chain stores gave the customer lower prices, and our buying habits changed with larger refrigerators and freezers. We lost our regular place to meet friends. We also lost the exchanges of camaraderie that we once enjoyed daily at the neighbourhood ‘corner’ grocery store.

That’s my view from Over the Hill.