Calgary-based Italian grocery chain Lina’s has opened its latest concept in the city – its fifth location in the Alberta city.
Lina’s Market Hall, in the Deerfoot City shopping centre, is 25,000 square feet with a combination grocery store, cafe and food hall with nine different stations for a fresh dining experience.
Matthew Rai, Vice President of Lina’s, said the concept is one that works in Europe and the United States.
“It’s coming to Canada. There’s other markets out there. I wouldn’t say it’s a market per se. It’s a food hall. It’s very food centric. A little bit of grocery but it’s more for food.”
“We’re starting to work and collaborate with other chefs in the city, across the country, to bring them in, and they can actually run each booth as their fast food concept for a day, a weekend. We’re also planning to do Lina’s After Dark so we can do a remix version of each booth.”
“So you could imagine we could do a stir fry prima pasta. We can do Indian pizza at our pizzeria. We can also do Korean street food at Cibo da Via (one of the food stations). So it’s very versatile. We can close down the doors and do private events or we can do a Lina’s After Dark experience.”
Rai said the grocery component of the location offers typical goods from Italy and elsewhere found at the other four Lina’s locations in Calgary.
“Once we opened the doors and people saw the weekend attraction, I had four more leads on other locations. But we’re slowing down. We want to just provide the best experience for our customers and we want to strategize on our growth plans,” he said. “Right now, the cost of building is way too high . . . We’re in a time of providing the best experience for our customers and be able to expand after that.”
“We’ve been approached in other cities. There’s opportunities out there. It’s really about the cost of starting these things up. They’re high in costs currently.”
“Today’s consumer, to get them into a retail format you have to provide them with an experience. And a lot of people say that. How do you create an experience? The smells, the sounds, the buzz. But you really need to hone in on your niche. And our niche is Italian cuisine. It’s very easy to dial into the Italian culture for us because of our heritage. We brought Lina Castle back (the original founder). We have a lot of Italians that have come from Italy that are new immigrants to the country. There is an essence of hard work with our people.”
Lina’s is set to redefine the culinary landscape of the area. The innovative food hall and market promises to create an Italian food community where patrons can savor specialized Italian culinary delights while enjoying a dynamic and vibrant space. Lina’s Market Hall is the latest venture by a passionate team with a vision to provide an ultimate Italian dining and shopping experience.
Market Halls have been a growing trend in Europe, and Lina’s Market Hall is honored to be among the pioneers in bringing this concept to Calgary. The establishment is set to cater to a wide range of tastes, offering a diverse array of Italian culinary treasures, from classic pasta dishes to delectable pizza, along with an array of delightful desserts.
“What makes me proud of this space is that we got to build this all together. This means that everyone who’s been supporting us and working with us put in their best efforts to make it happen. Nothing makes us prouder than the people who roll up their sleeves to make it happen. We want to thank our hardworking team and community for getting us here,” said Rai.
Lina’s Market Hall will be more than a food destination; it will serve as a versatile community hub.
“Lina’s Market Hall is a milestone for us. It solves so many problems in retail today. This space allows us to enjoy a cafe and catch up with loved ones. Then head over to Prima Pasta for lunch and enjoy a soccer game in our lounge. After the game, pizza and drinks with friends then shop for groceries to go home, all in one day and in one space.”
This is the second Lina’s new store to open in the past year. The brand opened its Lina’s Italian Piazza about a year ago in the trendy Inglewood neighbourhood of Calgary in 15,000 square feet of space previously occupied by Bite Grocer in the Atlantic Avenue Art Block Building.
