Choices in the Park (Burnaby) closing
First published on March 8, 2012
Local Vancouver grocery chain Choices Markets is quietly closing its Burnaby south location near Edmonds SkyTrain station as of April 1, 2012.
It had been at 6855 Station Hill Drive for about 10 years as the commercial tenant for the “Claridges” condo development just behind it. I was told by Choices Markets head office that they are sad to close the store, and that they simply won’t be renewing their lease, but that another grocery store would take its place at an unknown date. Staff at the store are similarly tight-lipped, saying only that the strata bylaw states that the tenant has to be a grocery store.
Apparently the “new landlord” (not sure who, or whether they have any relation to the condo development) told Choices Markets that they had to buy the building; otherwise they wouldn’t be able to renew their lease.
April 30, 2012 update: The new grocery store called Habenfresh has opened at the old Choices location. It appears to have a focus on cheaper produce (rather than local and/or organic) and Chinese / related Asian foods.
April 14, 2013 update: Habenfresh is now scheduled to close on May 1, 2013. A new grocery store Park City Foods will take its place.
July 11, 2014 update: Park City Foods appears to be closed and has a distress warrant on its front door regarding unpaid rent.
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March 8th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Jocelyn says:
Oh my gosh that is so sad! I only hope a grocery store along the similar vein and values takes its place.
March 8th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Melissa says:
There goes the neighbourhood.
March 21st, 2012 at 10:39 am
Michael says:
I spoke to Choices. The story I received was that Choices wanted to renew the lease, and it was the landlord that sold the building when an offer was made by the new purchaser. It was the new purchaser who denied the lease-renewal. I suspect it’s because the new owner believes he/she would rather earn profits from the rent and grocery operations together rather than rent alone.
March 25th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
freshgreen says:
Sorry to hear that PK
In other matters, hope ur well
July 13th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Sabiya says:
Who is the new owner?
December 19th, 2012 at 10:19 pm
Kevin says:
I got a different story. Actually the rent does not go up in this location in the past ten years, but the Choices can not afford it because the sales kept dropping down. The Choices does not want to renew the lease. They are not making the profit in this location. But they don’t want to tell the cutomer the truth. That is why they make up the story about the new owner not renewing the lease.
The new store has quite a good quality and fresh produce and they are adding new pasta line in the new year.
January 28th, 2013 at 5:36 am
Old Choices Customer says:
^^ Let me guess? You’re the new owner?? I’ve been to Habenfresh a couple of times and have been very disappointed. The prices are very high.. I bought a bag of grapes for $10 and half the bag ended up being rotten. They also wouldn’t let me use their bathroom, even after buying a bunch of overpriced stuff.
Bad market. Stay away
February 25th, 2013 at 3:30 am
Passerby says:
New owner and old owner Pk? I guess…..
July 23rd, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Doc Java says:
Park City Foods has a distress warrant, dated 1 July 2014, on their closed doors.
Reply from Peter: thanks for the heads up; I’ve posted a picture of the distress warrant here
February 8th, 2015 at 1:27 pm
Nicola says:
Is anything in that location these days?
Reply from Peter: There has been a “For Lease” sign in front of the building for months.