The brand new mixed-use complex with Metro Vancouver’s new tallest building will be home to a large T&T Supermarket location.
The Asian grocery chain announced today it will be opening a new major store within the first phase of the Gilmore Place mixed-use complex in the Brentwood Town Centre district of Burnaby.
Gilmore Place is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Lougheed Highway and Gilmore Avenue — conveniently immediately adjacent to Gilmore Station on SkyTrain Millennium Line. The development also includes significant vehicle parking in underground levels.
This will be a 55,000 sq ft store, making it one of the chain’s larger stores — featuring the full range of T&T’s assortment, including Asian snacks, produce, live seafood, bakery, skincare, gifts, and in-store prepared food, as well as popular street foods like popcorn chicken, sticky rice wraps, and Chinese crepes.
“We’re so excited to expand our presence in Burnaby with a second store,” said Tina Lee, CEO of T&T Supermarket, in a statement.
“Currently, we have one T&T in Burnaby, and that’s at Metrotown Mall. If you’ve ever been there on a weekend, you’ll know it’s jam packed. This additional store will allow us to better serve such a rapidly growing urban hub.”
Construction progress on the first phase of Gilmore Place, as of October 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
Construction progress on the first phase of Gilmore Place, as of October 5, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
Construction progress on the first phase of Gilmore Place, as of October 5, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
T&T Supermarket will effectively become an anchor tenant — one of the largest businesses of the significant commercial retail space component at the Gilmore Place complex, a development by Onni Group.
As of now, the first phase of Gilmore Place on the west side of the SkyTrain station has almost reached full completion, with the project’s main contractor moving to hand over the completed barebone retail commercial unit spaces to the tenants. This is a step that enables the separate contractors of the retail brands and restaurants to build out the purpose-designed interior spaces of each business.
The first phase complex, where T&T Supermarket will be located, features condominium towers reaching 64, 47, and 43 storeys, containing a combined total of over 1,500 homes. The 64-storey tower reaching a height of 708 ft earned the title of the region’s tallest building last fall when it topped out in its construction ascent.
The three floors of commercial space in the base podium for all three towers in the first phase carries a total floor area of 180,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space and about 90,000 sq ft of office space, all fronting an open-air plaza. Future phases of Gilmore Place on the east side of the SkyTrain station will incorporate even more retail and restaurant space below residential and office uses.
Other businesses have yet to be announced, with T&T Supermarket being the first revelation. The store is scheduled to open in Summer 2025.
“We are very excited to welcome T&T Supermarkets to Gilmore Place,” said John Middleton, senior vice president of leasing for Onni Group.
“Given our experience with T&T Supermarkets at Ora in Richmond, we have seen firsthand the vibrancy they bring to a community. New home buyers at Gilmore Place have highly anticipated a quality grocer within the project and I know they will be thrilled with this announcement.”
Artistic rendering of Gilmore Place integrated with SkyTrain Gilmore Station. (Onni Group)
Artistic rendering of Gilmore Place integrated with SkyTrain Gilmore Station. (Onni Group)
Artistic rendering of Gilmore Place integrated with SkyTrain Gilmore Station. (Onni Group)
This will be the Brentwood district’s third grocery store — complementing the nearby Whole Foods Market and Save-On-Foods grocery stores. In addition to the significant residential uses in the levels directly above, tens of thousands of additional homes are proposed, planned, or already under construction in the surrounding area, which will add to the local demand for new additional and improved retail, food, and beverage options.
Currently, there are 14 T&T Supermarket stores across Metro Vancouver, with the newest store being the June 2023-opened location in South Coquitlam near IKEA, next to Highway 1.
Until this Brentwood store opens, the nearest locations are at East 1st Avenue (at Renfrew Street) and the 2019-opened Kensington Gardens (Kingsway) in East Vancouver, and at Metropolis at Metrotown mall in Burnaby. This will be the chain’s second store within Burnaby.
More to come…