What to know
- Loblaws has been hosting live music every Sunday (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at select Toronto locations, including Maple Leaf Gardens and Leslie & Lakeshore, to support local artists and improve the shopping experience.
- The initiative has sparked mixed reactions online — some shoppers enjoy the vibe, while others say it adds to an already overwhelming grocery run.
- A viral TikTok showing a St. Patrick’s Day performance added to the debate, with Loblaws clarifying it was a one-time event, separate from its smaller-scale rotating Sunday performances.
Grocery shopping is already a chore — and with today’s prices, it can feel depressing. But Loblaws is trying to change that with live music, one Sunday at a time.
Earlier this year, the Loblaws location at Maple Leaf Gardens announced weekly live music.
The community had mixed reactions.
One Facebook user wrote, “Super talented group!” But another complained, “Nothing like hearing some off-key tunes while getting robbed by Galen and his minions.”
This Facebook user was not the only one to disagree with the initiative.
@rkonamission Loblaws decided to bring out a live band #loblaws #groceries ♬ original sound – RK
A TikTok user posted a video of a busker performing with a guitar on St. Patrick’s Day.
“When you’re already overstimulated and Loblaws decides to bring out the live band,” the creator wrote on the video.
Many TikTok users agreed with him, “I would immediately [say] no.” Another suggested Loblaws invest their money elsewhere, “Or they can hire more cashiers.”
But one user joked, “It’s to make the shopping experience less painful.”
Now Toronto reached out to Loblaws for a statement.
“The video posted online shows a one-time event at our Bathurst and Lakeshore store. The individual, a member of the local community, had expressed interest in performing on several occasions, and we were happy to welcome them for a special performance on St. Patrick’s Day,” the statement said.
A Loblaws spokesperson added that, while live music is not part of a larger program, they host a band every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., rotating between their Leslie and Lakeshore store and the Maple Leaf Gardens location to foster a positive atmosphere for customers, support local talent, and build relationships within the community.
