In 2013 and then again in 2015/16 I worked close to Welburn's and used it. Boy was it bad. Run down yes, but much more importantly filthy. The selection was not great Fresh fruit and veg were not great. The prices were not cheap even though they paid minimum wage and obviously did not spend money on a lot of stuff other stores spend it on. Staff also told me it was not a great place to work, bad management culture.

The only reason Welburn's lasted as long as it did was because it had no competition for quit a distance. I was certain once Save On moved in they would be gone rather quickly.

... The prices were not cheap even though they paid minimum wage and obviously did not spend money on a lot of stuff other stores spend it on....

Being a nearby resident I visited Wellburn's semi-frequently - at least before Save-on-Foods opened - since it was convenient. I am sure they had a reputation for being cheap, but the dingy setting did not equate to low prices. Aside from sales, no one saved much money by doing all their shopping here.

In 2013 and then again in 2015/16 I worked close to Welburn's and used it. Boy was it bad. Run down yes, but much more importantly filthy. The selection was not great Fresh fruit and veg were not great. The prices were not cheap even though they paid minimum wage and obviously did not spend money on a lot of stuff other stores spend it on. Staff also told me it was not a great place to work, bad management culture.

The only reason Welburn's lasted as long as it did was because it had no competition for quit a distance. I was certain once Save On moved in they would be gone rather quickly

Yeah - it was the worst of both worlds.

If it were super cheap/had a decent selection while being run down/dirty, it'd have its place in the market. However, the prices were quite comparable to Save On and the quality was low.

I wish we lived in a world where it would have survived. The idea of a local grocer store is not only rare, but quite likable IMHO.

That being said, it makes sense it is gone now.

In 2013 and then again in 2015/16 I worked close to Welburn's and used it. Boy was it bad. Run down yes, but much more importantly filthy. The selection was not great Fresh fruit and veg were not great. The prices were not cheap even though they paid minimum wage and obviously did not spend money on a lot of stuff other stores spend it on. Staff also told me it was not a great place to work, bad management culture.

The only reason Welburn's lasted as long as it did was because it had no competition for quit a distance. I was certain once Save On moved in they would be gone rather quickly.

Reminds me of another local grocer also located on Cook St.

A local grocer that works and is on the cheap end is Fairway. Welburns could have been a Fairway equivalent but chose not to be one