A Toronto supermarket that was shut down is now reopening

Residents in one Toronto neighbourhood are scratching their heads after two notable supermarkets in the area shut down in the same week, leaving people with limited options when it comes to accessing groceries by foot. 

Tasteco Supermarket, located near Birchmount Road and Danforth Road, was the latest grocery store to shutter its doors in the Scarborough Southwest community after failing to pay rent for two months. 

"Take notice that by reason of default by the tenant, Tasteco Supermarket Inc. in failure to pay rent for two months, the landlord, Key Anlouis Investments Limited, is hereby exercising its right of re-entry to the subject premises," a sign on the supermarket's storefront read. 

The notice revealed that the lease was officially terminated as of Aug. 2, to the surprise of local residents who only discovered the closure after visiting the supermarket. 

However, a sign posted on the supermarket's storefront on Aug. 8 reveals that the store is "under renovation" and will be reopening soon. 

A sign announcing the supermarket's reopening was posted on Aug. 8. 

Just a few days earlier, Sun Valley's last surviving location at 486 Danforth Rd. shuttered its doors after a four-decade run in the neighbourhood. The supermarket closed indefinitely on July 29, with a 12-storey condo development slated to take its place. 

Grocery store closing after 40 years in Toronto and locals are heartbroken https://t.co/MGSFVVkA3w #Toronto #TorontoBusiness

— blogTO (@blogTO) July 23, 2023

Amid Tasteco's temporary closure, Scarborough Southwest residents are scrambling to find other grocery store options in the area, but are coming up short.

For many, the next closest options are No Frills supermarkets both located about three kilometres away at Victoria Park Avenue and St Clair Avenue East, or Kingston Road and Midland Avenue. 

There's also a Metro located about three kilometres away at Danforth Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue, however, it's currently shuttered due to the ongoing Metro strike. 

The abrupt closures have led some to categorize the community as a food desert — which can be described as an area where residents' access to affordable and healthy options is restricted or nonexistent due to the lack of grocery stores within a convenient travelling distance.