Growing up, the “corner store” always referred to the slightly dingy mom-and-pop store that sold bulk candy, pop and some canned goods. The Coca-Cola signs would be out front, and the chest freezer would be full of individually packaged Popscicles and ice cream bars. Cigarettes and lotto tickets would become pretty standard, as well as long distance calling cards. This wasn’t a place you’d visit to pick up groceries, unless it was Christmas Day, you desperately needed butter, and nothing else was open.
These days, that type of corner store is still alive and well, but the concept has also undergone a radical makeover and has been reborn as a community builder that has never seen the inside of a Sysco truck.
Le Marché St. George
Take, for instance, Le Marché St. George. Since opening in 2010, owners and husband-and-wife team Pascal Roy and Janaki Larsen have offered artisan, local groceries and dry goods, along with fresh-baked goods and some excellent coffee. This quiet store at the corner of St. George Street and East 28th Avenue is just a block off Fraser, housed in a heritage building that is part-house, part-business (the owners lived upstairs when it first opened). It’s also a café that serves up light sandwiches, flatbreads, quiche and other lunchy fare, with 16 seats spanning both the airy interior and the sidewalk patio. You can find goods like Grain flours, Johhny Hetherington ketchup (made here in BC), as well as Salt Spring preserves, like the blueberry-basil jam or the Meyer lemon and lavender marmalade. You can find local rhubarb when it’s in season, and even some Turkish hammam-style beach towels. The pottery that used to be sold in the store has moved to the new atelier (7e7) nearby, which also sells Larsen’s ceramics and pottery, as well as clothing and new works from local artisans that rotate seasonally. Back at Le Marché, however, I would settle into the cushioned banquette seating and enjoy one of the flatbreads (Alsatian bacon and onion was quite tasty) and a raisin bun with a cup of coffee or tea, and get to know the neighbourhood.
The Federal Store
Not too far away, The Federal Store is a new iteration of a re-visioned corner store. What was formerly your typical corner store selling candy and smokes was taken over by local residents Colette Griffiths and Christopher Allen. After much renovation and rebuilding, this quirky, cheerful space opened in November 2016, and has been making the neighbourhood happy ever since. In addition to a nice range of artisan goods, the brunches here are becoming legendary, thanks to dishes like the quesadilla with potato hash, bacon, cheese, spicy beans and fried eggs. Both brunch and lunch are usually available until 3pm, so you could enjoy one of the burgers or else a simple continental breakfast with one of the house-baked goods (the blondies are good any time of day) and a cup of the house signature coffee blend, created in partnership with Ozone.
Pazzo Chow
Meanwhile, in the heart of Chinatown, Pazzo Chow has been offering Italian groceries, dry goods and meals since 2013. Owner Maya Sciarretta sells her own kombucha and Sugo brand of sauces in the store (the Puttanesca is, aptly, orgasm-inducing), but you can also find Brown Paper Packages ice cream sandwiches and cones, especially the lemon-olive-oil, made with oil sold in the shop, as well as pastas, breads, and a collection of sweets that make the idea of buying “just one thing” laughable. A recent potato-and-bean salad with leaves from Sole Food Farms was dressed with a zippy balsamic dressing and fresh dill. There’s a daily meal-to-go, as well as items you can eat in-store; although, be warned, the shop’s one table gets filled quickly. With everything made fresh daily, there’s no harm in going early and often.
Anya Levykh is a food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
