Lina's, Italian Supermercato — Attraction in Calgary

My husband and I just left the store, and today’s experience was vastly different from anything we've ever encountered in Calgary at any store, including at any Lina’s Italian locations. We have been shopping at the 130th Avenue location since the very week it opened. I still remember filling a whole cart with groceries the very first day we visited. This is just to say that we have been a loyal customer.

Today, my husband bought four bottles of milk and returned the empty ones. The slim lady with grey hair told him to wash the bottles next time he visits the store. He mentioned this to me in the car, and we decided to go back in to understand what this was about. No store has ever told us to wash bottles ourselves. She said she can’t wash the bottles because she doesn’t have time for that.

She then called over another pregnant lady and a Filipino lady. The Filipino lady said it was fine if we couldn’t wash the bottles, but then the pregnant lady interjected, saying it’s the vendor’s policy to receive clean bottles. I told them that it’s the store’s responsibility to clean the bottles before handing them over to the vendor. As customers, we’ve always been instructed to return the bottles to the store, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing since we started shopping here.

While I was picking up another bottle of chocolate milk, I noticed the milk had an expiry date of only five days. I pointed out that this should be addressed — either by making the expiry date more visible or discounting the product. Not everyone notices these small details. The pregnant lady shrugged as if it wasn’t important and said their policy is to keep items on the shelf until two days before expiry.

This is a specialty store, and loyal customers like us deserve to be treated with respect. I left with a crucial question unanswered: Should we not shop at this...

Food is Delicious! As per usual. BUT. I was a little hesitant to write about this, but I had a slightly unpleasant experience with staff. I was picking up a bag at the food service counter, super excited but met with the woman behind the counter, who was a little “salty” with me as the kids say. I was my happy sweet self. But she was very abrupt, and snippy as she handed me my bag with contempt on her face, walking away in a huff. But hey, I have worked food service and retail for almost 2 decades of my life. So we all have bad days, and I know what it is like to have really bad days! Went over to the dessert bar/cafe and the young lady was super friendly, sweet and helpful. And as I walked out of the market, I went out of my way to say “Thank you have a nice day!”. The woman at the checkout just stared at me with a blank almost mean expression. I left thinking, did I do something wrong? Was it because I was wearing lots of black, and I have a septum piercing so maybe I look weird? I felt a little down as I left the lot. I went on my daily walk all the way to LIna’s a few miles from my house to pickup food, as I love this market. And as I walked home I put it out of mind. When I finally got to sit at my kitchen table and ate that first bite of the cake of the day….the insane amount of wonderful flavours, the real whipped cream melting in my mouth…..and the moist cake, transported me to a state of higher consciousness eating that slice of heaven. IT SLAPPED. And in that moment I realized I will put up with any amount of snark, more contempt….if it means I get to eat at Lina’s again….I don’t even care. The food is THAT good. That Panini? Deliziosa!! Grazie mille! I will keep...

5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Wonderful Experience at Linas Italian Supermercato!

From the moment I walked into Linas, I was greeted with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I first stopped by the café to try their coffee, and that’s where I met Myka. She welcomed me with a genuine smile and offered some delicious treats to sample. She gave me great suggestions for coffee and snacks, which made my visit even more enjoyable.

As I continued to explore the store, I headed over to grab a panini and check out the pizzas. To my surprise, there was Myka again, this time helping out at the hot line, which had a huge lineup. I didn’t even notice how she got there so fast, but she jumped in and kept things moving efficiently with a positive attitude.

Later, while checking out my groceries, guess who I saw at the cash register? Myka again! She was literally everywhere, assisting wherever needed, making sure everything was running smoothly. It’s not every day you see a supervisor with that much dedication and hands-on involvement. Management should truly recognize and appreciate this level of effort and commitment.

Aside from Myka’s standout service, the deli ladies were also very friendly and accommodating. Grocery ladies, Fikirte? and Gagan helped me with my grocery. The entire store gave off a welcoming and community-driven vibe.

Highly recommended! A fantastic place to shop with top-notch customer service. Thank you, Myka, and...