Meet your match at Metro's singles night

Single shoppers will be checking out more than the weekly specials at a Metro store in downtown Toronto on Thursday night.

The grocer is inviting singles via social media to drop by its store in the trendy Liberty Village to shop, mingle and maybe meet the girl or guy of their dreams.

"It will be a fun, party atmosphere," said Kathleen O'Hara, Metro's director of marketing.

Hosted by relationship expert Jen Kirsch, who will serve up some sage advice on how to evaluate and engage potential partners while picking through produce, the event will feature a DJ, light refreshments, raffles, complimentary gift bags, and other in-store surprises.

Kirsch writes a weekly column about relationships for younger women on the popular lifestyle and fashion website.

Single shoppers are being asked to put a red ribbon on their carts or basket to signify their marital status.

"Grab a cart, tie on a ribbon and let’s go shopping!" reads the Facebook invite.

According to O'Hara, the idea for Thursday's event was suggested by a customer a few months ago.

"We thought it would be a great way to bring some buzz to the store, which is undergoing a complete design overhaul," she said.

Those renovations, which will be completed later this year, will emphasize fresh foods and prepared meals ("to meet the needs of the residents of the neighbourhood," said O'Hara) and match the decor of other renovated Metro locations in Toronto, including the store at Bayview and Eglinton.

Similar events have been held periodically at grocery stores across Canada and the United States for decades.

The most recent was a single's night at a Safeway store in Winnipeg in March. That event attracted more than 1,000 people and generated widespread media coverage.

O'Hara is confident there will be a large turnout on Thursday.

"We've had very positive response in store and (on line)," she told Canadian Grocer. "It's going to be a lot of fun."
Some comments on the event's Facebook page suggest that will indeed be the case.

"What if you are married but looking for something on the side? Is that a different colored ribbon?" writes one wag.

"So," writes another, "we're all going to gather at the area with the solo cartons of ice cream, right?"