Shopped today at London Calling, the new UK themed shop on Carlton St. west of Parliament. I have to say I was disappointed with the employee and overall the experience. I'm a British born Canuck and you could tell when I walked in that I was a raving fan of all things British. However the staffer couldn't have cared less, didn't make eye contact, didn't get off his chair and just gave an unenthusiastic hello to my greeting. While I looked around with obvious interest, the staffer just watched his laptop or tablet. When I made my purchase the staffer again couldn't care less AFAICT, just bagged my purchase in a generic bag, without any insert to introduce the store or present call to action (i.e. go to my website, suggest new products, etc).
Folks if you want to run a store front biz you've got to emotionally connect with your customers, especially those who share your enthusiasm for what you're offering. Here's how it should have gone down today. I walk in, showing obvious enthusiasm for the over the top British genre, and you get off your chair, say hello, ask me if this is my first time in the store, I would reply yes, ask me about my interest in British stuff, at which time I mention my UK origins, my youth in the 1970s when my aunts would send me UK sweets and comics in the mail, and you then offer a tour of the small store. I then purchase what I originally wanted, and then also purchase three other items I hadn't intended, all of which you put in a London Calling branded bag and in goes an insert with the website and a call to action. Then I go home and post on Urban Toronto that anyone who liked British themed/origin products should go to London Calling. THIS is what I wanted to report back.....
I've finally been able to check out both
London Calling and the
UK Tuck Shop.
I found myself on Parliament about 10 AM a couple of weeks ago, and hit the UK Tuck Shop. Price are certainly very good! Though I was a bit disappointed in the range of selection, which was more limited than I expected. However they did have HP Fruity Sauce, which I've been unable to find at
Empire the Collection at Queen and Broadview, which is my regular haunt. And they had very reasonably priced Yorkshire Gold tea bags, which have been harder to find since the Sobey's at Front/Sherbourne closed, and at a very good price too (I've seen them in other UK import stores, but significantly more expensive - I've had no problems finding Yorkshore Gold Leaf tea at a good price in
Valuemart on Danforth - which is odd, normally leaf is harder to find than bags).
At 10 AM London Calling was closed though. But I found myself back there about 7 pm the other evening, and they were opening (I'd recommend putting a sign on the door with the hours!). I have to say my experience was very different from the Admiral's though. The guy in the store was very friendly and chatty. Almost a bit too so, as I wanted to look closer at the products. The selection was still a bit limited (the same is true at most import stores), but they did have some Marks & Spencer stuff that UK Tuck Shop didn't carry ... and the HP Fruity Sauce. Pricing is steeper than UK Tuck Shop, but not out of line for other import stores.
Comparing these 2 stores to Empire - they all carry somewhat different stuff. I'll likely keep going to Empire (who also have a selection of Marks & Spencer stuff), simply because I pass by it every day. But I'll be popping up to these 2 for some of the other stuff, or if I'm passing.
The best selection I've seen in
A Bit of Home out in Mississauga - but I'm seldom out there, and less seldom with a car. I also used to frequent The Chocolate Box on Donlands just south of O'Connor - I used to drive past it frequently, so it was convenient. Less so on transit. They probably have a better selection than any of the 3 stores downtown - but different stuff as well - though I haven't been recently, hmm, and the
webpage is down. Another favourite, is the
Apple Factory on Highway 7 west of Brampton - well pretty much in Brampton these days, just west of the Mount Pleasant GO station. They've got some different products - but also great pies - the lemon meringue is a favourite at my house (not British per se ... this is more of a small grocery/farm store with a line of UK products. Also a line of Newfoundland products for those looking for such stuff.
With the general limited selection in all the UK import stores downtown (well Cabbagetown and Riverside), and the variability in product availability, having more to choose from is a good thing! Hopefully they all survive!