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Miracle Food Mart
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryGrocery Retail
Founded1969 (1969)
Defunct1998 (1998)
HeadquartersOntario
ProductsGroceries
ParentSteinberg

Miracle Food Mart was a supermarket chain in Ontario, Canada, owned by Steinberg's, a Quebec-based retailer in the 1970s and 1980s.

Steinberg purchased the Canadian division of Grand Union, with 38 stores, in June 1959 to make its entrance into Ontario. These stores operated under the Steinberg banner until January 1969, when the marketing program of "Miracle Discount Pricing" was introduced and the entire chain of stores was converted to the Miracle Food Mart banner.[1] The marketing philosophy was a simple one, reduce all of the "fancy" advertising such as colour flyers, television and radio spots and offer everyday items at deeply reduced prices as a line item within the weekly black & white flyer. This move proved to be successful as the chain expanded quickly (to approximately 80 stores) over the next ten years, gaining a substantial increase in market share.

In 1973, the Miracle Food Mart division made a revolutionary move to abolish its general-image advertising and to mount a "give-'em-the-facts" consumer-oriented campaign. The program included a formal Consumer Bill of Rights, nutrition booklets, a key to the codes used to mark perishables, and clearly labelled price tags.

The supermarket flourished in the 1970s, and expanded with the Miracle Ultra Mart banner into bigger stores with a wide range of health care and general merchandise. The company spent C$30 million in improvements for its Miracle Food Marts in 1987, creating several large 24-hour food-and-drug stores called Miracle Ultra-Marts. The stores offered fresh fish and deli departments, party-planning services, kitchen centres selling microwave ovens, and hardware and electronic centres. In 1989, the chain was sold to A&P Canada. A&P converted the Miracle Food Mart stores into A&P, Dominion or Food Basics stores, but continued the Ultra Mart banner (dropping the "Miracle"), which it later rebranded as Ultra Food & Drug.

Miracle Food Mart stores were often paired with Miracle Mart discount department stores (another Steinberg chain) in mall settings, some operating as one Miracle Beaucoup store. But in the latter years, they became stand-alone locations at smaller plazas across the Greater Toronto Area.

Locations

Ontario

Most locations continue to be used as supermarkets, but some have been redeveloped for other retail or non-retail used:

Location Later use Current use (type if not supermarket)
Ajax - Harwood Place now a Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Barrie - Bayfield Mall converted to Winners now a Centra Food Market (Asian supermarket)
Belleville - Quinte Mall Location split into Toys R Us (toy store), East Side Mario's (eatery) and Work Authority (other retail)
Bowmanville - Bowmanville Mall converted to A&P Acquired by Metro after sale of A&P Canada
Bramalea (Brampton) - Bramalea City Centre Operated with a Miracle Mart, for a time as a Miracle Beaucoup, later Miracle Ultra Mart became Ultra Food & Drug, later converted to A&P in early 2000s Acquired by Metro after sale of A&P Canada
Brampton - Hurontario Street & Steeles Avenue converted to A&P Food Basics - after Metro Inc. acquired A&P Canada
Brampton - Brampton Mall, Main Street South converted to A&P Acquired by Metro after sale of A&P Canada
Brantford - Lynden Park Mall converted to A&P Food Basics - after Metro Inc. acquired A&P Canada
Burlington - Fairview Street converted to Ultra Food & Drug, then a Metro (closed in September 2014) Now a Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Burlington - Guelph Line and New Street converted to Shoppers Drug Mart Burned to ground, was rebuilt and remains as Shoppers Drug Mart
Burlington - Guelph Line at Upper Middle Roads Food Basics - after Metro Inc. acquired A&P Canada
Cambridge - Cambridge Centre (Highway 24 & Bishop Street and formerly John Galt Centre with Miracle Mart as second anchor converted to Bulk Barn and several smaller stores, then all relocated for H & M anchor store Forever 21 (clothing retail)
Cambridge - Highland Shopping Centre (75 Dundas Street) converted into Canadian Tire store Canadian Tire
Chatham - 100 King Street West (Downtown Chatham Centre) converted to Food Basics (Metro Inc.) Closed and turned into other retail spaces
Chelmsford - Chelmsford Mall Your Independent Grocers (YIG)
Dundas - University Plaza converted to The Barn Markets (A&P Canada), then a Metro (closed in March 2019) Canadian Tire
Etobicoke - Browns Line & Evans Avenue Now a Farm Boy
Etobicoke - Eringate Mall, Renforth Road south of Eglinton Avenue Demolished and replaced by residential dwellings
Georgetown - Highway 7 Acquired by A&P Food Basics - after Metro Inc. acquired A&P Canada
Grimsby, Ontario Village Inn Plaza, Main Street Food Basics - after Metro Inc. acquired A&P Canada
Guelph - Stone Road Mall replaced by Chapters; successor to Miracle Food Mart, Ultra Food & Drug, opened at nearby location and now as Metro.
Hamilton - Upper Gage at Fennell converted to The Barn Markets Acquired by Metro when A&P Canada sold
Hamilton - Upper Gage at Mohawk Road East Food Basics - after Metro Inc. acquired A&P Canada
Hamilton - Upper James at Mohawk converted to The Barn Markets (A&P Canada) and Canadian Tire Metro after A&P Canada sold (closed in July 2019), now a Food Basics
Hamilton - Queenston Road & Nash converted to Food Basics Demolished and site now a Canadian Tire
Kitchener - Westmount Road at Ottawa converted to Dutch Boy, then a Price Chopper (Oshawa Group) FreshCo - after Sobeys acquired Price Chopper from Oshawa Group
London - Adelaide & Huron - store 266 FreshCo - after Sobeys acquired Price Chopper from Oshawa Group
London - Cherryhill Mall - store 247 converted to an A&P Metro after sale of A&P Canada
London - Wonderland & Commissioners Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
London - Baseline & Wharncliffe - store 278 converted to XS Cargo (closed in January 2013) & Nevada Bob's Golf (closed in August 2010) (other retail) Demolished and now a Shoppers Drug Mart which was previously next to Nevada Bob's Golf
London - Oxbury Mall - store 248 converted to an A&P Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
London - Bradley Square - store 270 converted to an A&P Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Markham - Markville Shopping Centre Demolished Site is now a Best Buy (electronic retail)
Markham - Shops on Steeles and 404 Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Erindale (Mississauga) - Westdale Mall Store 229 converted to Dominion, then a Metro FreshCo (Sobeys)
Erin Mills (Mississauga) - Meadowvale Town Centre became a A&P, then a Dominion Metro after A&P Canada sale
Erin Mills (Mississauga) - Millway Plaza converted as Food Basics Giant Tiger (other retail)
Park Royal (Mississauga) - Park Royal Plaza Store 216 Dominion Save-A-Centre Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Malton (Mississauga) - Westwood Mall Food Basics, closed February 2012 and demolished. Later converted to Walmart, closed in June 2021.
Mississauga - Mississauga Marketplace (Hurontario & Eglinton) Food Basics (Metro Inc.) Oceans Fresh Food Market
Mississauga - High Point Mall (Dixie & Bloor) Grant's Foodmart
Mississauga - Applewood Village Plaza (North Service Road & Stanfield) Dominion, then Metro (closed in January 2014 and demolished Has become a Longo's Supermarket
Mississauga - Iona Square (Mississauga Valley Blvd) Dominion Metro
Niagara Falls Victoria Avenue Later as Hy & Zels and then Pharmacy 1 (other retail) Shoppers Drug Mart (pharmacy) - after collapse of Pharmacy 1
North York - Store 269, Willowdale Plaza, Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue East converted to Dominion, then Metro Closed in January 2010 and demolished and replaced Hullmark Centre condos (residential) with three-floor retail podium which includes a Whole Foods Market
North York - Sheppard Plaza, Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West converted to Dominion Metro
North York - Newtonbrook Plaza, Yonge and Cummer converted to Food Basics (Metro Inc.) Closed in January 2019 and demolished. To be replaced with condo development.
North York - Bathurst St. and Cedarcroft Blvd.
North York - Store 236, Victoria Park Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
North York - Finchdale Plaza Converted to Galati Brothers then as Asian supermarket Oriental Food Mart Centra Food Market
North York - 1090 Wilson Avenue Became Dominion Metro
Oakville - Upper Oakville Plaza converted to an Ultra Food & Drug, then Dominion Metro
Oakville - Kerr Street and Speers Road Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Oshawa - Rossland Square, Rossland and Wilson converted to A&P, then Metro. Closed in August 2019. Food Basics
Orillia - Front and Coldwater converted to A&P Metro after sale of A&P Canada
Rexdale - John Garland Plaza converted to Food Basics Bestco (Asian supermarket)
Scarborough - Bamburgh Circle converted to an Ultra Food & Drug and later as Bamburgh Food Mart now Asian supermarket Foody Mart
Scarborough - Cedarbrae Mall converted to Loblaws now No Frills (Loblaws)
Scarborough - Scarborough Town Centre Converted lower food court and various stores on upper floors
Scarborough - Alton Towers later as Ultra Food & Drug and later as Asian supermarket food fair Asian supermarket Al Premium
Scarborough - Store 275, Parkway Mall converted to Dominion Metro
Scarborough - Markham Corners Ultra Food and Drug, Converted to Food Basics in ca. August 1999 Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Scarborough - White Shield Plaza at Lawrence Avenue East at Kennedy Road[2] converted to Valdi Asian supermarket Lake Tai
Scarborough - Kennedy Park Plaza Giant Tiger (Other retail)
Simcoe converted into A&P continued to use the "Miracle Food Mart" name until the mid 1990s creating 2 A&P stores in town, now Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
St. Catharines - The Pen Centre converted to Dominion and closed after 4 years Zehrs Markets (Loblaws)
Sudbury - Notre Dame Avenue Converted to A&P Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Sudbury - LaSalle Boulevard Converted to A&P Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Sudbury - Southridge Mall converted to A&P, then Metro. Closed in January 2015. Giant Tiger
Thornhill - Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue West Later as Food Basics (Metro Inc.) FreshCo (Sobeys)
Toronto - Jane Park Plaza Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Toronto - Gerrard Square at Pape Avenue & Gerrard Street East Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Toronto (East York) - Thorncliffe Shopping Centre converted to Dominion Food Basics (Metro Inc.)
Toronto Bathurst and Viewmount converted to Dominion Purchased by adjacent school - Bialik Hebrew Day School which subsequently expanded its campus (educational)
Welland - Seaway Mall Converted to a new wing of the mall, which currently includes Dollarama, Bulk Barn and several other stores and services (other retail)
Whitby - Dundas & Frances Converted first to A&P, then Food Basics Giant Tiger (Other retail)
Whitby - Whitby Mall Closed in 1996 Office Depot (Other retail)
Windsor - Devonshire Mall converted to A&P Chapters/Indigo (bookstore)
Windsor - University Plaza converted to A&P, then Metro Closed in Sept 2016. Now a Food Basics.

See also

References

  1. ^ Bradburn, Jamie (21 February 2009). "Historicist: From a Grand Union to a Miracle". Torontoist. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  2. ^ Gwynn, David. "Toronto Chain Supermarket Locations, 1950-1980". Groceteria.com. Retrieved 16 July 2013.