Joe Thomeh Kwik-Way

As with all convenience stores, most of the product here is over priced and it’s not very clean. I think that’s pretty standard convenience store fare. Anyone who knows me knows I hate going to these types of shops. However, the saving grace here for me are the people who run it. The old man can come off as a bit surly but I’ve managed to get a giggle or two out of him while he has rang me in. Who I can only assume as his son is fabulously friendly to me whenever I come in. I like that they occasionally sell homemade goods. They take credit.

While the store has a good selection of your typical convenience store fare, the store’s interior turned me off completely. It was filthy; there were visible layers of dust on some of the merchandise, most of which was intended to be edible. I wouldn’t recommend buying anything that isn’t fully packaged. There was also a lot of clutter and general mess.
It’s a good place to go if you live nearby and can’t get anywhere else to fill a craving, but it’s far from my first choice.

I’ve lived in Joe’s neighbourhood for about 6 months now and I really don’t know what I’d do without him. I live closer to Pat’s Grocery but the fact that they don’t accept debit and are only open until 5 makes me take a few extra strides to Joe’s Kwik-​Way. Completely family owned, you’ll find a member of Joe’s family happy to serve you.
Joe himself is quite a character, a strong silent type, but quirks like a funny grandpa. Sometimes he’ll suggest to me new products he got in that I should try, and not in a «I’m sitting on 3 crates of this stuff and it’s gotta go» kind of way. Granted, the store isn’t too quick to refresh it’s shelves, and stuff pretty much stays there until it’s bought, but nothing that’s totally out of control.
While your in Joe’s, more then likely when a customer comes in through the door, you’ll hear them say «Hey Joe» (They’re not quoting Hendrix) Joe is the most popular guy in my neighbourhood and he runs a good store too.

More variety than other corner stores in the neighborhood but I wouldn’t buy a lot from here. Thomeh’s is convenient. They are in the north end of Halifax, but I swear some of their canned food has been around for a few years. Or they don’t dust a heck of a lot. So if you are going to buy something from there, just make sure you check the expiry date. One really neat thing is that they make the food that they sell in the freezer and do takeout. And its good quality for a pretty good price. I actually bought a huge cheeseburger for $ 2.50. It tasted pretty good but due to the dark, sort of rundown look to the store, I questioned the cleanliness. But I turned out fine and the cheeseburger tasted great! The owner’s are nice but not friendly if that makes any sense. They will serve you and are helpful but don’t expect smiles.
All-​in-​all, Thomeh’s is the kind of convenience store I’d expect in this part of town. But there are others opening up on Cornwallis or already opening that are cleaner, and have a more «welcoming» atmosphere. I do like their cheeseburgers and they are open longer than other convenience stores so I can see myself going there if all the other stores weren’t open. And since Thomeh’s are open the latest, I can see myself stopping on by. Should you? If they are the only ones open yes. If there is another option, try that first.