While construction crews continue to chip away at the Ryerson athletic facility on the upper level of the former Maple Leaf Gardens arena, Loblaws is preparing for its grand opening next week. Sure, Maple Leaf Gardens has been sitting idly for nearly a decade, but really, a grocery store? That’s the best we could do? Still, we can’t help but wonder what the big box giant has planned. Below, a sneak peak into some weird and wonderful features of the new Loblaws.
1. The Amazing Wall of Cheese. It sounds like the eighth wonder of the world, only for foodies. This is a staggering, 18-foot high wall of cheese that will stand between you and safety. What do you do? Eat it, of course. And while you’re at it, sample the 400 other cheeses from around the globe that lay stacked on shelves. Then, when you’re done digesting that, tackle the 100-pound wheel of Stilton, one of 100 in the world. You’ll be a cheese connoisseur in no time.
2. Hand-chiseled chocolate. Loblaws’ patisserie will have chocolate made by hand, chiseled in chunks. You can stand behind the glass and watch them make it, or you can take home a bag and eat it. Your choice.
3. The Tea Emporium. Sample one of 10 different flavours that will be brewed throughout the day, or make your way through 100 flavours of loose-leaf tea, like white tea, pear and apple, ginger or black tea. The only tea flavour that’s not here is beef, apparently — but nobody drinks that anyway.
4. In-house chefs. Watch on as these food ninjas — 14 of them, mind you — chop and dice take-out meals. We can’t tell you who these chefs are — I mean, we could, but we’d have to kill you. But really, we just don’t know yet, since Loblaws hasn’t disclosed them.
5. Free Wi-Fi. You know, just because.
