Fortinos

In 1961, Italian immigrant steelworker John Fortino opened his first Fortinos store in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1972, John took on seven partners and opened a second store on Hamilton Mountain. Owing to their growing success, subsequent stores were opened in Hamilton, Burlington and Brampton.

Fortinos is a European-style 'townsquare' shopping concept (which is experienced in new-store layout (i.e. Rexdale and Vaughan) in which the store is set like a European Street with Bakeshoppe, cheese shoppe, Butchers, Flower Shoppe, etc.; and in some locations allowing the customer to pay in each of those departments. The stores also feature Fortinos Bistro Cafes serving hot Italiano Coffee, baked goods, and fresh- made-to-order wraps and soups.

Fortinos became a part of Loblaw Companies Limited in 1988, but still without the No Name Brand (yellow packages) products. During the 1990s, Fortinos focused on the Greater Toronto Area, opening stores in the GTA: Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Rexdale, Woodbridge, and Markham.

Fortinos 'Your Supermarket with a Heart" stores remain strong in Southern Ontario's competitive supermarket options, with the majority of its stores in the Greater Hamilton Area, and the west GTA (West Toronto suburbs): Brampton, Burlington, Rexdale, Etobicoke, Oakville, Woodbridge, North York (in the Lawrence Allen Centre), and Vaughan (just outside the main gates for Canada's Wonderland).

John Fortino died of cancer on May 18, 2011 at the age of 76.[1] In 2012 a memorial to the founder was erected at the flagship Mall Road store in Hamilton.

23 locations:[2]

• List of supermarket chains in Canada

• Official website