Cheese Store in the JT?
Hello Junction Triangle!
This is my first post on your forum and am simply looking for some feedback. I've been in the customer service industry for around 10 years and have been looking to open a cheese store in a community in need of one. This would be a boutique style shop with an array of Canadian cheeses as well as international standards such as Italian Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), French Brie/Camembert, English Stilton, Swiss Gruyere, Dutch Gouda, etc. I would also stock the store with lovely artisanal style breads (baguettes, yum), crackers, cured meats, jams/jellies, an olive bar and more!
I live just outside the JT, but have visited quite a bit and would love to open a shop right on Dupont. The Junction Triangle looks to be a growing community and one that's seeking more amenities within walking distance. My question to you, is a cheese store something this lovely community is looking for and would support for years to come?
Calling all Entrepreneurs!!!
I echo the sentiments here...if you are simply a speciality shop not yet...if those specialities are combined with everyday products for all income levels then ABSOLUTELY! We don't have a proper bakery(I discount all the ones that already exist). We also don't have a proper butcher shop or fish monger(again discounting what already exists). If we had a general store that stocks speciality pantry items, breads, cheeses, basic produce and maybe meats, I think you'd be on to something.
BTW-we also don't have a proper florist, dry cleaner/alterations, record/book store and specialty store like TOWN in Bloordale or Midoco/Juxtapose in the Annex. I think those will thrive too! For all you entrepreneurs!
New fish monger not too far
New fish monger not too far away with friendly service.
http://www.honestweight.ca
Balzacs
I know Davenport Village is just north of the JT, but exciting news in that it's confirmed Balzacs Coffee will be one tenant of the beautiful Powerhouse building http://fusecondos.com/pdf/FUSE-Newsletter-Vol2-Issue1.pdf
Imagine in time, walking along Dupont St, going to a new Library Branch, having Shoppers and Metro on the corner and perhaps walking a bit North into Davenport Village for a coffee and what looks like a pub/restaurant. Exciting!
The north side of the west
The north side of the west end is a cheese dessert. You should also consider bloordale! The strip of bloor between dufferin and lansdowne would serve not just JT but wallace-emerson and brockton triangle (all currently cheese-less). I think you'd have a bigger market, as demand in JT is already served by the businesses at keele/dundas, and that stretch of dupont might not get much non-local traffic.
I know people in bloordale who would go every day, just for the bread
Cheese please
Bloordale all the way! And don't forget the expresso bellavitano!
http://junctionfromagerie.com
http://junctionfromagerie.com/ in the The Junction among others.
Yes...we are growing strong.
I think getting your foot into the area is a great idea and a strong following before more stores open will keep you a step ahead. I agree with some of the posts that you do not want just a cheese shop. But it seems your intention is to have more than cheese anyway and that would go over much better. Personally, I think it would go over very well as there really is not place to shop here in this stretch. I personally do not count Eduardo's'. I think you are getting a mix of income coming into this area and I for one like to be able to go to a speciality cheese store.
Veggies and Fruit needed most
Any new retail would be welcome in JT. There once was a lot of it.
I love cheese but I am not sure a cheese only store would get enough business; cheese is expensive. As a comparison look west to the higher income Annette near Runnymede where one finds stores like Creme Fraiche Market Cafe. In their case their prices are higher but they also have a very large selection on ancillary items. There are a few other stores/cafes that are similar in that area. I dont think Dupont has the foot traffic for a specialty store at this time. When the Library moves east there will be even less foot traffic. I think we need a few more cafes and other retail before a specialty store would be supportable.
I echo all the other posters that our real priority is a good green grocer (not Metro). We used to have some in the hood many years ago.
Cheese Store in the Junction Triangle
It's good to read the positive comments above, and I definitely wouldn't want to dissuade you from opening an independent business. I own a fairly new retail shop on Dupont and I'm a firm believer in the potential of Dupont Street. I actually looked at buying a building next door to St. Andrew's Ukrainian Church on Dupont in the JT before I bought this place. Why I hesitated was because I sensed that it would be a minimum of five years before a critical mass of entrepreneurs would be willing to take a chance on the JT. There have been a couple of new food-service businesses that have opened up there in the last three years, but unless you have the resources to stay in business for a few slow years, you may wish to consider choosing a location on Dupont that's east of the JT. The Dupont/Dovercourt area is a very up-and-coming area, and we now have several small independent boutique-type stores on the south side of Dupont between Manning and Shaw. The north side of Dupont between Ossington and Kendal is slated for development (condo/retail combined) so it's definitely an area with legs. If you have deep pockets and feel like being part of pioneering the JT area, I'm sure your shop would be appreciated by the local residents, but my experience is that unless there are other retail stores to buy from in the immediate vicinity, people are less likely to make a special trip to visit one store. If you'd like to drop by and scope out our part of Dupont, you'd be most welcome. I hope that's helpful.
Cheese shop & factory already operating in area
FYI there is already a cheese shop on Dundas a little W of Keele and a cheese factory off Keele, N of Dundas.
I love cheese and the other
I love cheese and the other items suggested. However, there is a cheese shop and a cheese factory near Keele & Dundas.
Yes
it would be a great addition to the community
Cheese, please!
I would definitely come to your store for cheese and other items you mentioned, but I might not come frequently. I would come all the time if you could also provide fresh veggies, fruit, eggs, milk. If I were brave enough, I'd love to open a store that's partnered with a local farm(s) to offer local eggs, milk, veg, fruit, meat. I'd definitely support a business like that. Regarding location, if you could get close enough to the Farmhouse/Farmer's daughter, there would be more traffic, plus the employees at the Freshbooks office, etc in the Planet Storage building.
Absolutely!
The neighborhood could definitely use a cheese shop with fresh bread and produce. I moved to the area recently have have been surprised by the lack of fresh bread/produce/cheese. I agree with many others on this board in saying that the Bloordale area might be better off, as oppose to Dupont, only because of the higher foot traffic. I know many people in the area who are looking to get out of the Bloor subway after work a pick up cheese/produce/bread on the way home for dinner.
Yes definitely but as
Yes definitely but as somebody upthread said, think Kensington Market prices not Cheese Boutique.
Also: fresh fruit and veg
YES A MILLION TIMES YES!
Great idea, love the location, Dupont definitely needs a store like the one you are proposing. Can you stock produce as well? doesn't have to be organic or fancy or local, just something fresh and cheap. Also, if you hold off for further gentrification like some other people are proposing, someone is going to beat you to the punch in a neighborhood where there is zero competition!
yes to cheese. I think it
yes to cheese. I think it would do well, and you should get in before more retail comes in to serve all the condos that are coming up around the area.
Maybe
I don't believe a cheese-only shop would survive as I don't think income levels in the area could support it long term unless your overhead was negligible. I think a great cheese selection in an accessible green grocer would have a better chance of success. The green grocer wouldn't have to be large but I think having a combination of affordable everyday goods and higher priced specialty items would allow for the broadest appeal and best chance of survival.
However you proceed, thanks for thinking of the JT!
Yes please! And I second the
Yes please! And I second the produce suggestion.
OMG yes! We love cheese!
OMG yes! We love cheese! There are some chedse stores not too far into the Junction and down Roncies, but they aren't close enough that I can shop there regularly. I also find their prices extremely high (especially Junction Fromagerie). I am happy to pay for quality, but it's nice to have some chesses on the slightly cheaper side, like stores in Kensington Market if possible. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how much we would shop at your store!
cheese please!
A cheese shop would be wonderful! I'd far prefer to go up the street than to a large chain.
Yes!
We'd certainly shop there. Would also love a green grocer.
Further South
i think it would be more sustainable if you looked at opening it further south, closer to Bloordale. The neighbourhood is in desperate need of a good cheese, bakery and produce store.
Yes
I agree with what most of the others have said: I would definitely shop there! And I also wish we had a green grocer.
I love the idea of a cheese
I love the idea of a cheese shop but if you're looking for sustainability the neighbourhood is screaming for a vegetable and fruit store. A combination of both could be very successful.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! I would love to see a cheese shop in the hood. Would shop there in a second.
Now, if we can only get a green grocer and a butcher on board....
Not Sustainable.... yet
First off, I love cheese and I love my neighbourhood! Though, I must say while our community would love to support more local businesses, I do not believe a cheese shop would be sustainable – not yet. What makes the JT unique is that we are still a mixed community. I would anticipate a cheese shop to cater mostly to a higher end clientele that has more expendable income. As much as this pains me to say, I would suggest that The Junction or Bloor West neighbourhoods would help your business thrive better than the JT.
And I agree with the previous poster – the JT NEEDS a green grocer, first and foremost!
Yes please!! I would shop
Yes please!! I would shop there in a heartbeat.
YES
Yes, this is something I feel is lacking in the community.
Yes! The JT community is in
Yes! The JT community is in need of places to shop locally. I think you would find lots of support. I would also considering carrying some produce as there are no green grocers in the area....