Fresh and Wild - Bayview

[tochowchick]

OK...who's been since they opened? I have not yet...driven by a few times but haven't gone in yet.

Is it worth tying to find a place to park (pretty agressive parking control officers on Bayview!!).

I used to go to Nunzio's on a semi regular basis for various items so I miss them somewhat....is F&W similar.

Let me know what you think...thanks...

[embee]

So we have a place with less selection and higher prices than Nunzio's? Ouch. Why bother?

I originally expected Nunzio's to revert to Bruno's when they closed. Bruno is related to Nunzio, the store was originally a Bruno's, and Nunzio advertised Bruno's on the window when he closed.

Too bad.

[FoodyGirly]

But do you think it has anything to do with branding? As in, is it too expensive for 'Fresh & Wild' or 'Nunzio's', but if say, it WAS a Bruno's or Pusateri's, would it do well?

[embee]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I certainly don't buy detergent at Pusateri's. To me it's about selection and quality. Much of the stock at Nunzio's was not widely available in supermarkets and the prepared foods were well edited. Although many of Nunzio's housemade items weren't great, there were many of them. Fresh & Wild sounds more like it's just an enhanced convenience store.

Nunzio had obviously stopped trying very hard by last year. He did strange and stupid things, like selling prepared foods labeled "boneless chicken breast" that actually contained thighs on the bone with little actual meat. I eventually stopped going there very often, but was still drawn in by the occasional bargain on high end meat.

While Nunzio's had been an alternative to heading much further afield, Fresh & Wild doesn't sound like one. With an open to midnight Valu Mart on that strip, a small but decent 24 hour Metro at Eglinton, and a small but decent Loblaw's at Moore, why bother?

[tochowchick]

I agree with pretty much everything embee says...I will be driving by going to Valumart or Metro and doubt I'll make any effort to frequent F&W...too bad...

[jayt90]

I read somewhere that Fresh and Wild was committed to local foods, but I don't see that in the website: http://www.freshandwild.ca/leaside.htm

Bruno's recently closed a store in Oakville, and may not be in expansion mode.

[kawarthagirl]

We went last week - it's Nunzio's with less choices and somewhat higher prices on some items. Less prepared foods... Overall, not worth the drive.

[bangers and mash]

I completely agree kawarthagirl...so much hope and no improvement from Nunzios. The Bayview strip offers a good variety of individual stores (bakeries, butchers etc.), but Nunzio's did offer one-stop shopping and a reasonable fish counter. If anything, now, there are fewer prepared foods and the fish counter is less extensive.

[tochowchick]

Thanks Kawarthagirl and b&m...sounds like I won't be rushing over there anytime soon...

[sleepy]

yep overpriced, dont see them lasting long. went in one morning there were about 10 employees stocking/cleaning and the place was empty