Venture northwest of the Scarborough Town Centre and it is easy to start smelling something sweet in the air.
It starts with a whiff passing the chain restaurants along Progress Avenue, and it gets stronger as the inconspicuous industrial outlets west of Brimley Road get closer.
Nestled among the industrial grey is a sign with two red logos: Kraft and Dad’s Cookies.
The Dad’s Cookies Outlet Store sits adjacent to a cookie factory, which has been in operation since 1966. During normal business hours, the public can get Kraft cookies and crackers at kooky prices.
“[The store] provides neighbours and people from around the city access to delicious treats, with brand names they know and love,” said Kraft Canada spokesperson Stephanie Minna Cass.
On an October day, candy cane-flavoured Oreo cookies are selling for $2 a package. Ritz crackers go for the same price, while a sleeve of chocolate wafers retails for a buck.
“I come by to see what deals they have,” said Jane Stevenson, a frequent customer who volunteers across the road at a Goodwill outlet. “It’s great value.”
Kraft runs the store to get rid of cookies it doesn’t put on regular retail shelves: trial flavours, lopsided frosting and packages with printing errors. They also sell perfectly fine Dad’s cookies in bulk.
“You can’t find a better deal than this,” said John Fitzgerald, clenching a beanbag chair-sized sack of his favourite cookies: oatmeal-chocolate chip. The hefty bag costs $10.
You can come hungry, but don’t bring a camera. A security guard escorted this Observer reporter off the premises, asking him to delete photos taken in the parking lot. Sometimes that’s how the cookie crumbles.
