A New Era In Grocery Shopping

TORONTO — If you want a snapshot of how grocery shopping is evolving, look no further than the corner of Longo's sprawling store in downtown Toronto.

The supermarket in Maple Leaf Square, beneath the city's condo belt, has the usual state-of-the-art features for a sophisticated crowd. There are pristine rows of glossy eggplants, pomegranates and Ontario apples. Cooking demos flash from flat screens. At the ready-made meal centre, platters are heaped with stuffed pork loin with apple and fig glaze, jumbo shrimp and salad made from quinoa and feta.

But stroll past the Aisle43 wine shop and Starbucks, and it's clear something else is going on here. That's where you'll find Corks, a bar featuring local beer and wine, comfy armchairs, Wi-Fi and a big-screen TV for anyone who wants to catch the Leafs first period before grabbing a shopping cart.

In an industry that has always chased women, this is one grocery store with definite guy appeal.

"Our store managers are telling us we're seeing more men than ever before," says Rob Koss, vice-president of marketing at Longo's, which opened its 24th store in the Toronto area this month.

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