No Frills grocery store opens on North Broadway

Early Thursday morning before the store opening at 7 a.m., officials from No Frills corporate gathered with the owners of the new Tillsonburg store for a ribbon cutting. Left to right are: Liz Roth of No Frills; Ian McKay, group director Ontario No Frills; Darryll Mantel; Tracy Mantel; Correy Mantel, owner; Rita Machado and Luca, owner; Marian Mantel; Jennifer Teixeira, No Frills vice-president operations Ontario and Atlantic; and Ryan Barrett, owner Aylmer No Frills. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

People were lined up outside No Frills prior to the opening of the grocery store on Thursday morning at 7 a.m.

The early-morning turnout may have been indicative of opening promotions, but steady crowds have flocked to the town’s newest grocery store at 671 Broadway in the Northgate Plaza. This is the first new grocery store in Tillsonburg in more than 20 years since Sobey’s opened.

No Frills is a Loblaw’s company with local ownership. The chain’s aim is “focusing on great meat and produce, commitment to community and trusted low prices.”

Tillsonburg owners Correy Mantel and Rita Machado have a deep connection to the chain. Mantel’s parents own Darryll and Tracy’s No Frills in London, and he worked there nine years. The young couple met there after Machado started there five years ago.

This store is a smaller store format that Loblaws recently introduced that carries the essentials. It has a produce and meat counter, and also carries the no name and President’s Choice lines of products.

Mantel wanted to own a store of his own ever since he started working at his parent’s store. He underwent a training course over the past few months, preparing for Thursday morning.

“This has been my dream for as long as I remember,” he said. “After seeing how successful this business is, and what it brings to a community, I couldn’t think of a better goal to set for myself.”

“This has always been Correy's biggest dream and I am extremely happy to support in every way possible,” Machado said. “Before meeting Correy, this was definitely not even a thought in mind, however I love the joy it brings to make someone's day with simple acts of kindness and that is very much possible when serving the community in a grocery store.”

Mantel grew up in Aylmer and Belmont, so was familiar with small towns. Machado is originally from Portugal and moved to London in 2012.

“We both enjoy the smaller community lifestyle,” Machado said. “Correy having grown up in Aylmer/Belmont, and myself in smaller communities like Tillsonburg, it is always what we have been used to. We appreciate how much smaller communities do for each other, how the residents treat one another and the love shared for the town.”

Mantel’s hopes for the store are, “To bring the people of Tillsonburg the hard discounts they have been waiting for; and support the community in as many ways as possible.”

Stores hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.