Much-needed grocery store opens in Little Italy
Residents of Little Italy will soon have a new spot to get their groceries, have a bite to eat, and even enjoy a glass of wine while they browse the aisles.
Tony Zacconi of Sala San Marco on Preston Street has turned one of his banquet halls into a place that will serve his community, in more ways than one. Pivoting from hosting events, which couldn’t happen due to COVID, to giving the area a much-needed grocery store he calls Mercato Zacconi.
"I had to pivot, this is what I came up with," says Zacconi. "What Preston Street was missing was a grocery store. A really good, really fresh produce, grocery store."
Residents will be able to enjoy everything from fresh wood-oven pizza, to things normally sold only in Italy.
"It's all specialties Italian stuff," says Zacconi. "High-end produce. High-end fish. Very fresh, locally sourced meats and butchery."
Preston Street has sometimes been described as a food desert. Lindsay Childerhose is the executive director of the local B.I.A. and says she’s happy to see that there’s finally a place to pick up groceries nearby.
Mercato Zacconi grocery store opens Friday at Sala Sans Marco on Preston Street. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
"Mercato Zacconi is just going to bring a totally new experience to Preston Street and to Ottawa," says Childerhose. "You know, throughout the pandemic we’ve watched as our small businesses pivot and adapt to the changing times. And Mercato Zacconi is just a shining example of the resiliency of small business."
The area is also surrounded by massive new condo developments, housing thousands of new residents like John Byway who moved to Little Italy in February 2020. He says locals will need a convenient way to get their food, and now they have it.
"With the addition of the new business here, it’s going to have a major impact on people's shopping habits and the need to not have to travel at a distance for groceries," says Byway.
And this isn’t your regular Italian market. With specialty coffee, beer and wine all available for customers, it’s a shopping experience like no other.
Mercato Zacconi grocery store opens Friday at Sala Sans Marco on Preston Street. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
"You can sit down, eat, enjoy their company, meet up with some friends," says Zacconi. "And have a glass of wine while you’re doing your shopping."
Mercato Zacconi will open its doors this Friday at 9 a.m. and run seven days a week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Mother's Day movies that pull at ALL the heartstrings
This Mother's Day Weekend, take a look at some of the most emotional movies inspired by moms.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.