Knob Hill Farms - Closure

Closure

In August 2000, Stavro announced that all stores would close. At the time, the company had about 800 employees at 10 locations. Knob Hill Farms had lost market share to new competitors, including Costco and large Loblaws stores, and had racked up significant debts. The final store — the Weston site — closed in February 2001.

The Markham site was sold for $11.5 million to Michael-Angelo's Market Place Inc. Loblaw Companies paid $34.2 million for three properties (Lansdowne & Dundas, Mississauga, and Carlaw & Gerrard). It subsequently purchased the Weston site, redeveloped as a Real Canadian Superstore, which opened in 2006. The Cambridge site is now occupied by Home Depot and (recently shut down) Sam's Club. The site in Scarborough became a Wal-Mart Supercentre. The Pickering store is now occupied by DOT Patio and T-Phat Supermarket. The Cherry Street site became a T & T Supermarket in 2007. The Knob Hill Farms building, at 500 Howard Street in Oshawa, became a discount/liquidation outlet and a flea market for a brief period of time before finally closing its doors and sealing off the property. The Knob Hill Farms logo is prominently visible from the immediate surrounding area. There has been some discussion of re-using the site as a GO Transit station on an extended Lakeshore East line which would run right in front of it, but Metrolinx and the properly owner did not reach an agreement.