Leslieville Cheese Market closes its Queen West location, blaming Loblaws

The west end Leslieville Cheese Market has shut its doors after a three-year run at the corner of Queen Street West and Augusta Avenue. A small handwritten sign posted in the window unabashedly points the finger at the agent of its destruction—local grocery giant Loblaws. The story follows a familiar refrain: a small, independently owned business is summarily ousted from the neighbourhood when a big-box super-chain moves in next door. Leslieville Cheese Market owner Michael Simpson tells us that after a successful two-and-a-half years, revenues rapidly declined with the introduction of a Loblaws location one block away. Given high operating costs, Simpson had no choice but to close. Those in need of cheese have two options: travel across town to Simpson’s other two locations—in Leslieville and Donlands—or check out the giant (but evil!) wall of cheese at the local Loblaws.