Gourmet grocer Urban Fare opens 1st Calgary location

The upscale British Columbia-based grocery chain Urban Fare opened its only location outside of that province on Friday in Calgary's Beltline.

The nearly 27,000-sq.-ft. store is on the main floor of The Royal, a new high-rise condo tower at 16th Avenue and Eighth Street S.W.

"We are going to go have a whole bunch of different things to try, whether it's square watermelons or specialty coffee from Africa … it's more like a fun experience. That's what we are trying to portray here, and we think we've done a really good job of that," said Darrell Jones, president of Save-On-Foods — Urban Fare's parent firm.

The gourmet food store features a charcuterie and wine bar, hot buffet and salad bar, and both take-out and dine-in options, alongside freshly-baked breads and desserts, an old-fashioned butcher shop and seafood counter, and one of the largest cheese selections in the city, Urban Fare says.

Jones said he knows Calgary has struggled economically but he believes this upscale store is a good investment in the long run.

"We have a full range of grocery products priced the same as all the major supermarkets. You are not going to pay extra for your Tide when you come to Urban Fare. What you are going to get is an experience that you can't get anywhere else in terms of high quality produce, all at really good prices," he said.

"It's a very expensive investment for us ... but we are big believers in this city, this is an unbelievable city. Look, it's having a bit of a tough time right now, but we think Calgary, long term, is a great place to be. We think this is a smart investment."

The company had a store in Edmonton in the early 2000s, but it closed after its lease expired.