Shoppers World

I can’t really give this place a bad review because it’s where I go all the time to get my grocery shopping done. Major stores you find here: Metro, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Reitman’s, furniture store/​rental, LA fitness, Office Depot, Dollarama, A &M meatshop, …, and a very useless small mall where Target used to be and houses several small shops. Parking is a hassle and driving through the narrow lanes is even a bigger headache. We come here because it’s the closest «shopping centre» to my family but I definitely don’t recommend anyone go out of their way to visit this place although with Low’s coming to this place, things might change.

This mall is a short five min walk south from Victoria Park subway station, or a two stop bus ride. The selection at the stores reflect the area residents which is low class income families. So I’m a bit surprised Metro and Staples can survive there. Since Target’s left, there is no point of going into the mini indoor section of this strip mall because nothing moved in.
The Bulk Barn location is one of the worse I’ve been to and I basically stopped going to this location because of their lack of training and business sense. There are often lots of small kids running through the store eating directly from the bins.
This odd little strip mall has a M&M meat shop — the last one in Toronto. There are two in Etobicoke and four in Scarborough, but for Toronto, only one and it’s in this odd little strip mall.
Even the Shopper’s Drug Mart I found a bit underwhelming but it caters to the residents of the area so not any of the usual luxury items as in other locations.
I normally like finding neat stuff at Dollarama’s, but this one like all the other stores in this strip mall caters to the area residents so this location is more like a mini dry goods super market with plenty of boxed foods, candy and toiletries. Best Dollarama is the one in Scarborough Town Centre.

It is not really the plaza’s fault, but this place is über depressing. I think it is more a result of the locals who live within scooter/​walking/​shuffling distance rather than the actual stores.
The place does have some interesting history though
1^st ever Shoppers Drug Mart
2^nd Eaton’s outside of downtown
Site used to build Model Ts
Metro, Staples, Shoppers Drug Mart, M&Ms, EB Games, Blacks, Moores + lots others… not low rent stores, so it is sort of a shame.
Seems like there is always someone smoking outside every single store in the entire complex. Gross.
The parking is usually terrible, and the fact that a couple taxi companies seem to use the parking lot as a depot do not help.
Hopefully it will improve when the Target moves in, but I am not holding my breath.

What is it about this place that makes everyone have to smoke!!!
Be aware that this plaza attracts smokers. Employees and patrons alike stand outside and smoke. Patrons light up for a quick smoke before moving on to the next store or while waiting for a cab at Metro. Employees hover outside the doors of their establishments taking breaks.
The need to smoke seems desperate.
The plaza requires a designated smoking area and employees should smoke ‘out back’.
This plaza is located within walking distance so I go there to use Shopper’s Drugmart (although, I don’t care for that particular location), Bulk Barn and CIBC. Parking is terrible but with Zellers closing it has eased up. Look out when Target opens, yikes.

So. I’ve sort of reviewed this plaza already, via my reviews of the businesses in this plaza:
SHOPPERS DRUG MART
DOLLARAMA
BULK BARN
Basically, the roster of stores/​businesses is great, but the parking lot and layout is TERRIBLE! It’s always ridiculously busy, and people drive like getting a parking spot is a life or death situation.
My advice: plan to park as far away from the stores as you can! It’s a small plaza, so you’re never going to have to walk far. Just avoid the chaos!