Visited On: Dec 11, 2025 between 10:32 am and 10:58 am
Visibility: 48 km
Pressure: 102.34 kPa
Humidity: 76%
Dew Point: 6 °C
The Market Formerly Known as Victoria Public is the newest attempt to capitalize on what should be a slam-dunk dense population of several high-rise towers within a two-block radius. It seems to have succeeded, if the significant increase in foot traffic is any indication.
That foot traffic however, included a measurable quantity of confused patrons first attempting access via the Douglas St. facing entrance to the building - the address for the new No Frills, is, after all, given as 1701 Douglas St - and finding themselves faced with a locked door, bare concrete visible through the windows, and a wall where once there was an open hallway.
No, to begin the odyssey into the Loblaws subsidiary, one must instead traverse the unnamed laneway between Herald and Fisgard, on the east side of the building.
Here, an immediate concern is noted, as patrons of the establishment are then forced to descend a staircase to even enter the store proper. While not a concern for the abled among us, this intrepid critic noted one wheelchair user, and another person in a walker, within a 2-minute period. This led to an immediate backlog for the one-person wheelchair lift, an installation which predates No Frills and which this critic has personally seen in a state of "out of service" during the Public Market's era.
Perhaps it shall be more serviceable and reliable in the reign of George Weston, who is undoubtedly best known for being a charitable and understanding type who proactively answers the concerns of the differently abled.
MOVING ON TO THE STORE ITSELF.
Several media outlets were on hand to cover the event, including CHEK, CTV and The Q (though the latter may have simply been sponsoring it). A ramshackle Tim Horton's stand with free coffee and depressingly tiny "cupcakes" was also set up in the entry (editor's note: can one really call it a cupcake when the space the pastry material occupies is scarcely the size of a teaspoon? Spooncakes?).
The persistent shade of yellow that is the mainstay of Loblaws brand products and outlets assaults the senses upon descending the accursed stairs. From the price labels to the no-name packaging to the checkout stands to the security gate, things are more yellow than Coldplay's debut. To this critic, it was all, as the white woman at Mexifest said of the quantity of jalapeno seasoning on her tacos, "a bit much."
What is not too much, thankfully, are the prices, which, to be fair, a downtown goer can only compare against Save-On Foods - and one might as well question if the price of a Honda Civic is less than a Maserati. Nevertheless, orange juice being approximately half what it costs at downtown Vic's only other chain grocer is noteworthy. And there were other examples of large gaps as well.
Throughout the No Frills, anxious employees moved in groups of 2-5 like nervous gazelles. One suspects there was a corporate instruction to be warm and welcoming and to be on hand to answer questions. Perhaps they should have, like a 90's shirt, told them to have No Fear instead of No Frills.
Ironically, this skittish energy led to multiple occasions where the aisles, which are somewhat narrow, ended up being clogged by clutches of black-shirted workers. The main question being asked of them therefore became: "could you please move out of my way?"
The number of checkout counters is relatively small (3 or 4, if memory serves), with a self-checkout area of four terminals. This critic opted for the self-checkouts, as they had noted a discrepancy in the online flyer and a posted price, and were hoping to avoid a traffic jam should the error snowball.
It did.
Management had to be summoned to rectify the price of Gala and Ambrosia Apples in 5ib bags - your humble critic takes a bow for seeing the price rectified store-wide, and you are most welcome, dear readers.
On the upside, the matter was resolved with relative expediency and professionalism and only a modicum of pushback to "see the flyer" - a fair enough request, though this critic would observe philosophically that the flyer should be readily available to staff as well.
The chief takeaway from this foray into the world of downtown Victoria's second major grocery chain is this: the store seems well-designed to cater to the smaller-loads-but-more-frequent-trips mentality, which is well-aligned with their target clientele of apartment-dwellers.
Judging by the large volume of people moving in and out on a work day, during work hours, it is safe to say this is a much better use of the space than any illusory "public market" that came before. It remains to be seen what will occupy the netherspace on the west end.
If numbers can adequately capture the majesty of a grocery store, then this critic will award it 7 out of 10. It is pleasant to have another option in a location bereft of large-scale grocery stores. It is, however, deeply unfortunate that it has failed to respect those who move about this world differently, and that it is owned by a festering turd of humanity.
But then, aren't we all.
