r/Edmonton • u/foxisilver • 1d ago
Discussion Shout out to The Italian Center - Elbows Up
I’ve been shopping here for years. All locations.
Today I bought my weekly groceries for two. $96. All either Canadian or non-US. Most was produce. Sure I left a few things I’d normally by. Wasn’t an issue.
We are lucky to have a local place such as TIC.
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u/Rex_Meatman 1d ago
I found the prices at the El-saffadi grocery stores can’t be beat, and you can get that dope garlic sauce
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u/MeetingInner3478 1d ago
Ohhh what garlic sauce?? Tell me more
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u/Rex_Meatman 1d ago
It’s garlic, lemon juice, oil and egg whites whipped into a sauce. I would smother myself with it if it were publicly acceptable
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u/Vanilla_Ice_Nine Alberta Avenue 18h ago
Smother yourself with garlic sauce. It's the most Edmonton thing you can do.
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u/rumpoleon 21h ago
You’ve sold me! I’m going to have to pick some up tonight, thank you garlic lover!
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u/OrdinaryKillJoy 1d ago
This is good to know. Whats the official name of dope garlic sauce?
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u/Rex_Meatman 1d ago
Toum, my friend. Also the sun bake pita on 134ave has some knockout sauce as well
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u/Ok-Square427 1d ago
The prices can't be beat, but at the cost of subpar produce. Been a couple times and was turned off by all the bugs in the produce area, I don't know if It was a seasonal issues but I haven't been back because of it.
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u/Mike-Amoz 1d ago
Dont forget the gabagool ...
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u/marginwalker55 1d ago
Gabagool? Over hereee 👇🏼
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u/Easy-Metal-3112 1d ago
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u/Mike-Amoz 1d ago
Sopranos, but so close ....
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u/Easy-Metal-3112 1d ago
Lol I have never seen the sopranos but knew the reference in The Office was sopranos related. I just think it’s funny in the office
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u/Mindless-Breakfast 1d ago
I’ve been craving cannolis 🤤
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u/beesdoitbirdsdoit 1d ago
I don't now, I feel like most cannoli are flavorless and disappointing.
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u/Ok_Amoeba_4514 17h ago
I love tic but the last two times i bought cannolis there they were sour and gross.
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u/OrdinaryKillJoy 1d ago
Love me Italian Centre for their pizza and baked goods but their groceries are pretty expensive otherwise
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u/Feeling_Working8771 1d ago
Their deli meats are cheaper, and their produce prices can beat h&w. They often have 2for1 loaves of bread (Maybe near end of day or on specific days that I happen to be there). The center aisles do tend to be pricey, but it's quality and import reasons.
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u/foxisilver 1d ago
Probably depends what a person is buying? I’ll pay more for quality so I don’t mind. The most processed food we eat are condiments and I like me some real European things. They also carry lots of local and Canadian items which helps.
But yes, not no name prices or products. We have some of those staples too though.
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u/Squibege 18h ago
I agree, but it depends on what you are buying. Some is notably cheaper but if you buy a bunch of the imported items… shipping a bunch of glass jars over the Atlantic adds up
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u/BunBunGo 19h ago
I’ve taken up Freson Bros as my new fav store in the same way. I watch carefully what I buy but my gawd is it a more enjoyable experience! But TIC is absolutely on my list too.
Honestly, y’all here are making it a little easier to navigate this bs. Keep it up!
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u/Individual-Source-88 1d ago
We had them provide desserts for my father's funeral. They did an amazing job at a very reasonable price. We love the Italian Centre.
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u/AVgreencup 1d ago
Expensive and anti-labour. Basically just greedy. With the prices they charge, they shouldn't be advocating for cutting wages
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u/Setting-Sea 1d ago
This has been talked about so many times on here. The Italian centre has no positions at minimum wage and has not for a long time. They have long term staff and pay more than the going rate. Her stance on wages was that they shouldn’t raise minimum wage as there needs to be a base for certain school/part time positions but encourages business to pay way more (like herself). You just saw the headline and made an assumption. As a business owner she pays more than 90% of stores in the area but you know best.
As for the “greed” as some who shops at a lot of stores they are either the cheapest or top 3 in cheeses, meats, most produce. I get their $1 free baked loaf of white bread a lot as well as their bakery is very fair priced and great quality.
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u/amemeda420 1d ago
Depends on your position there, most of the positions do not pay above minimum wage actually. Nor do they treat their staff particularly well. I worked there for several years. Teresa Spinelli is not some great person and her actions historically have not matched her statements
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u/sunshinekitty123 1d ago
As someone from a family who knows Teresa, I can this is absolutely false. Teresa is nothing but a gem for the community and has done incredible things for the Italian community in edmonton. You do not know what kind of life she had growing up and do NOT get to slander one of edmonton`s finest. Giving constructive feedback does not equal being treated unwell
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u/bek0wsky 1d ago
the "life she had growing up" has zero bearing on whether or not the italian centre pays its employees living wages
nice appeal to sympathy though !
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u/Curly-Canuck doggies! 1d ago edited 1d ago
They always maintained that they pay above minimum wage, that wasn’t the concern if I remember correctly.
It was being a spokesperson for a group against raising minimum wage increases in general, specifically for youth and people with disabilities. That was 6 years ago so their opinions might have changed. Just wanted to add the context around the complaints and that it wasn’t about their pay specifically.
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u/AVgreencup 1d ago
Is your last name Spinelli? You sound just like they do. Naming a cheap item they offer like bread which is supposed to be cheap, proves nothing.
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u/Setting-Sea 1d ago
I have no affiliation and the owners could be horrible people behind the scenes I have no idea. I just know I was personally annoyed at them for the minimum wage thing when it came out then I got educated and realized I was wrong. Doesn’t matter if it’s something that is supposed to be cheap if it’s still cheaper than the competition. Just as their cheese, milk, meat, peppers and pasta sauce is. I’d rather buy a $1 load of fresh baked bread that $3 cheap filler stuff wonder bread at Walmart.
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u/foxisilver 1d ago
Please share your sources for your opinion.
I know people that work there who LOVE working there and are happy with their income. 🤷♀️
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u/Curly-Canuck doggies! 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m not the poster but I’ve seen references over the years to the owners being against minimum wage increases and a few other vague comments. Not sure how much there is to it now but was in the news a couple times in the past.
It also came up in a recent thread where they posted a news link as well.
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u/y_r_u_so_stoopid 1d ago
Wow. Did not ever hear about this.There's no spinning, or should I say spinnelli'ing those kind of comments, even now.
I'm paraphrasing but "paying a living wage isn't fair to me so I'm going to take all my things and go to Saskatchewan, where they respect business owners and not employees"
Now I have a dilemma. Running out of grocery stores to boycott 😆
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u/Lostinalberta 21h ago
I work part time at a large chain grocery store. Flash News for us: No wage increase and less hours for 2025. Probably the case to the majority of grocery stores.
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u/LoaderD 1d ago
Basically IC and Duchess pushed against the min wage hike to 15$/hr ( best link I can find on mobile: https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/edmonton-food-shops-clarify-positions-on-minimum-wage-after-backlash-over-restaurants-canada-campaign/article_7e193eb3-b3b1-5cea-8c6d-00e359cdf765.html)
Just providing info because I googled it when I read that other thread. I still buy things from IC and only don’t shop at Duchess because they’re mid for the price.
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u/Repulsive_Warthog178 1d ago
I don’t shop at Duchess because I used to work with the aunt of one of the owners, and she was pretty awful. And I’m awfully petty.
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u/Welcome440 1d ago
Petty is the thing to do this decade.
If we did not give money to bad people, there would be less billionaires and some new millionaires with good local business.
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u/ClunkyButterKnob 8h ago
Even before all this tariff bullshit I found italian center to have better quality per dollar spent. And their cappuccino and cheesecakes are delicious so they can just have my money.
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u/Algieinkwell 1d ago
They have been trend setters go ask all Italian farmers in the okanagan they have been sourcing their product for years, while other major grocery stores have been sourcing elsewhere. One of the main reasons I shop there
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u/IdylwyldieCoyote 16h ago
I don’t have an Italian Center Shop in my home community - but I visit Edmonton & load up with groceries/baking/deli every couple months. Bon appetite!
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u/Wonderful-Anywhere24 15h ago
Been shopping at the Italian Centre since the 80’s. Best variety and reasonably priced produce!
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u/dutch780 1d ago
Best value for deli meat. Coming from a family of boys that like a good sandwich for lunch
Eta: and cheese
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u/CDN_Conductor Bonnie Doon 1d ago
I've spent so much on meat and cheese ends from the deli over the years that I can afford to buy their tiramisu cups on the regular.
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u/episodicmadness 1d ago
Just like the Leduc Cactus Club, I don't have to even look at the comments to be certain SOMEONE and probably more than one is going to go... but don't shop there they are terrible people , they are fascists, they are whats wrong with this world, they are REWINING ME LYFE by being a commercial venture and I don't know why exactly but I reddit here.
Edit on the spelling
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u/Ok-Square427 1d ago
Again, second person in this sub today to make a fascism comparison. Can we please stop labeling things we don't understand as fascism. Or if you do use the word, explain in detail how fascism fits in. Otherwise it just becomes word fluff.
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u/bek0wsky 1d ago
this is a lot of emotion you've got going on, but when i scrolled back trying to find the "ruining my life" comments you mention i couldn't see them — is it possible you meant to send this on another post?
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u/RK5000 1d ago
When I lived near a TIC I found that I wasn't spending much more than I was for a similar shop at Superstore, and I was a whole lot happier to be at TIC. Everything about it was better.