The Story of Toronto’s Jean Lumb
How a Chinese-Canadian woman supported her family and community, saved
Open Wednesday to Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
PAT Market
When Your Local Grocer Feels Like Family
Image: “This is where Toronto has been getting Korean groceries for 50 years” via BlogTO by Amy Carlberg, 2015
As a landmark independent grocery store, PAT continues to bring Torontonians together over a love for food and a commitment to serve their local community.
Do you have a local grocer that feels like family?
For many Torontonians, it’s PAT Market. Their story begins in 1972 – in the early days of Toronto’s famous Koreatown. The store was founded and run by the Lee family – five siblings, a cousin and an in-law.
@myseumoftoronto Do you have a local grocery store that feels like family? 🫶 Give them a shout out in the comments! #toronto #torontotiktok #torontonews #grocerystore #fyp #yyz #inflation #canadiangroceries #shoplocalcanada #didyouknow #torontoeats ♬ original sound - Myseum of Toronto
The Early Days of Toronto’s Korean Community
While you might know PAT for its flagship location at Bloor and Manning, it was originally located around the corner at Palmerston and Barton Avenue. The Lee family lived in an apartment above the original location of the shop, home to three generations of the Lee family at once.
At the time, PAT was one of the first and few grocers in the city that offered a unique selection of Korean food. In fact, they were practically creating local supply chains for Korean grocery items. These products were in especially high demand because Toronto’s Korean community had gone from 100 people to 10,000 people between 1966 and the early 1970s. This influx of immigration is largely attributed to missionary connections between Canada and South Korea.
A Landmark Independent Grocer
After five decades, Toronto’s Korean community now includes over 53 thousand people – which is over five times larger than it was when PAT Market first opened. Toronto now has multiple Koreatowns both in the Annex and Willowdale neighbourhoods. PAT Market has ridden out the ebbs and flows of city life. Today, you can find PAT markets in four locations across the GTA — moving to their largest location on Bloor Street in 2004.
Throughout all of this – one thing has stood the test of time: their kimchi recipe.
If you find yourself at PAT, make sure to pick up some of their home-made kimchi. While everyone’s kimchi recipe is a little different, this recipe is attributed to the wide-spread popularization of the dish in Toronto.
As a landmark independent grocery store, PAT continues to bring Torontonians together over a love for food and a commitment to serve their local community.
Explore More
No Other Way: The Story of Jackie Shane
How a Black, trans woman from the American South took
Share this Article
Explore More
Content
Toronto’s 2003 Blackout: Remembering 48 Hours of Darkness and Unity
On August 14th, 2003, the lights went out across Toronto and didn't come back on for 48 hours. Though the city plunged into darkness, many have stories of unity and
The Story of Toronto’s Jean Lumb
How a Chinese-Canadian woman supported her family and community, saved Toronto’s Chinatown from demolition, and taught the Prime Minister how to use chopsticks.