Not All Are Created Equal
Let’s face it: you get peckish at an odd hour, and you don’t want to walk that extra ten minutes to Sobey’s or Atlantic Superstore when you want just a single item. As such, you must rely on the good old university student staple that is the convenience store.
But not all corner stores are the same, as one quickly learns, and they each have their own unique style and atmosphere. Here is a breakdown of some of the various little shops found in Halifax’s South End, with special attention being paid to the Cleanliness, Stock, and Service of each store.
Big General Store, 6070 South St.: Right by the corner of South and Henry, and close to campus is this little corner store. It was relatively free of some of the clutter which seems to overcrowd other stores, and service was prompt and knowledgeable. The stock was relatively complete, but with a limited amount of Mexican and Asian goods. Item purchased: Reese’s Cups. Rating: B-
Jerry’s Kwik-Way, 5465 Inglis St.: This store is very different from most other grocers; it has a rather poor stock for anything except South Asian Cuisine. But for this, it is king, boasting a large variety of rice, curries and other goods. The location itself felt well lived-in, although service took a while as the clerk got into an extended conversation with one of his regular customers. Item purchased: Canned fava beans and chickpeas. Rating: C
Atlantic News, 5560 Morris St.: Just outside Gerard Hall, the Atlantic News is without comparison to other convenience stores in the South End – it is nice, clean, and filled with literature. As it is said, “Man shall not live on bread alone.” This considered, as a corner store proper, it kind of sucks. It’s only open until 9:30 p.m., and its stock of essential items is dismally low, but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. Item purchased: Cheddar Scone. Rating: A
Jubilee Junction, 6273 Jubilee Rd.: One of the more (in)famous offerings in this part of the South End, Jubilee Junction is best known for its amazing ice cream sandwiches. It also has an incredibly welcoming staff, talking with any customer who walks in as if they’ve known them for years – which is likely the case for the old-timers who walked in on my visit. There does remain some fault, though, in that its grocery offerings, while cheap and varied, are quite literally a mess, and some items were past their expiration date. But I suppose most students don’t care about that – it’s got cheap ice cream and goods. Item purchased: Oatmeal Crisp Raisin Cereal. Rating: A
Triple A Convenience and Pizzeria, 6279 Jubilee Rd.: The Montagues to the Capulets, the Prussians to the French, Triple A Convenience to Jubilee Junction – the world is full of famous rivalries, and none is more apparent than this one. They do also have what seems to be a better stock of general foodstuffs, a bit more cleanly arranged than what we see across the street. They also have some rather unique items, such as avocados (which were still a little too unripe for me to purchase). To compare them with Jubilee Junction is really apples and oranges – they just do not fulfil the same needs. Item purchased: Suzie’s Quinoa Fortified Quinoa Non-Dairy Beverage. Rating: A
Robyn’s Dairy Bar, 6169 Quinpool Rd.: This corner store is really odd. As far as its stock goes, it (wisely) forgoes much of the expected staples which could found at the Atlantic Superstore and Shopper’s (located in the same plaza). That said, it’s not a strike out. It’s full of some oddities and has a long dairy bar, well-stocked with ice cream. It’s cheap and varied enough that it can compete with the Superstore in this specific domain. It’s quite the likeable place, although as far as “corner stores” go, it leaves some room for improvement. Item purchased: “To My Special Friend” Card. Rating: B+
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