An empty former Beer Store in London, Ont., is set to undergo a major transformation into a vibrant café, dining area, and catering hub for one of Canada’s most sought-after restaurants, Cintro, which has recently earned a spot among the country’s top 100 dining establishments. The restaurant, known for its ever-changing Asian-fusion dishes created by Chef Joe Tran, has experienced overwhelming demand, with reservations fully booked for the next 60 days and waitlists ranging from 20 to 100 people each night.
To meet the high demand, Cintro’s team is relocating to a vacant Beer Store nearby to open the new Lotus and Lime café and Lanoa Restaurant, which will have a capacity of up to 120 diners. The co-owner, Shauna Versloot, expressed immense excitement about the expansion.
Meanwhile, another former Beer Store in the area has been repurposed into a pet store, joining the 86 shuttered Beer Store outlets throughout Ontario due to Premier Doug Ford’s alcohol expansion plan. While these locations have found new tenants, the challenge of replacing the Beer Store’s massive empty alcohol container recycling system remains a significant hurdle for grocery stores.
Grocery stores in Ontario are now required to accept empty alcohol containers for recycling, but many are reluctant due to the associated costs and complexities. The issue has sparked concerns among grocers, with some considering surrendering their alcohol sales licenses rather than handling the empties. The province’s move to offer more convenience to consumers by allowing alcohol sales in grocery stores is facing resistance as Beer Store closures continue, leading to potential restrictions on alcohol availability.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and the Retail Council of Canada have raised concerns about the viability of the recycling system and the impact on grocers’ operations. The grocers are evaluating the situation on a store-by-store basis, weighing the economic feasibility and competitive fairness before making decisions.
The province aims to address the challenges of the recycling system before 2026 to prevent potential disruptions. The current plan requires grocery stores over 4,000 square feet and located more than five kilometers from a Beer Store to participate in the Ontario Deposit Return Program (ODRP). By 2026, all grocery stores will be mandated to join the ODRP, except those with under 4,000 square feet of retail space.
The Beer Store will continue to manage the ODRP until its contract expires in 2031. The ongoing debate highlights the need for a sustainable solution to handle the recycling of empty alcohol containers in the province.