STORE PROFILE Once inside the sleek, modern store, located on the main floor of a new condo tower just off lively 17th Avenue at 906 16th Avenue SW, customers will see plenty of touches that reference the neighbourhood’s heritage, including the black-and-white checkerboard floors, ornate tilework, crown molding and elegant brickwork. But as striking and sophisticated as the design of the new store is, food is definitely the star of the show. A sign displayed prominently near the front of the store states Urban Fare’s mission, which is to provide “a unique food experience that is second to none”—an ambitious goal that the store works hard to deliver on. The nearly 27,000-sq.-ft. space is brimming with gourmet concepts including many not found in other Urban Fare locations, such as the banner’s first-ever wine and charcuterie bar. The concept was added to reinforce the message that the store is not only a place to shop for groceries, but it’s also a place where customers can sit back and relax with fine food and drink (in this case, local Alberta wines and beer). “We’ve brought a number of things we wanted to try out into the new Calgary
store,” says Darrell Jones, president of Save-On-Foods, the parent company of Urban Fare. Jones explains that when conceiving plans for the store, the company was inspired by Calgary’s vibrant local food scene. Another feature unique to the Calgary location is a fresh poke bar where customers can scoop up pre-made fish and veggie bowls to go, or have one made-toorder featuring sushi-grade fresh salmon, tuna (albacore or ahi) or tofu. “The poke bar is a brand-new program for us and we thought it’s a natural fit here. We’ll probably roll it out to some of our other stores as well,” says McMullen. Freshly prepared meals—either to takeaway or to eat at the dine-in area—are a big focus at the store. Led by executive chef Ryan McDonald, an in-house team serves up an array of freshly prepared options ranging from gourmet sandwiches to house-made Napoli-style pizza and Ocean Wise sushi. There’s also a large hot food section where customers can load up on prepared items, from samosas to pasta dishes to crab cakes. Customers shopping the store’s aisles will discover plenty of other specialties including fresh Wagyu beef, Beyond
“The whole concept of the store is ‘from Store manager Todd McMullen
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June/July 2019 Canadian Grocer