Michael Greenwood seems to get a kick out of the glimpses he gets into the lives of students at Queen’s. As owner of Bearance’s, a grocery store nestled conveniently between west and main campuses, he is at the perfect vantage point for observing university life.

“It can be quite hilarious, students running into their professors in the store. Their principal (Daniel Woolf) shops here. They love to chat him up,” says Mr. Greenwood, who’s owned the store for 28 years.

Asked if there’s any one student shopper that stands out for him, he says he remembers an international student, from Taiwan, who came in frequently to buy meat from the custom butcher shop.

“He was a master’s student, I think, and always wore a suit. He was so happy to discover Bearance’s – he was a foodie, a fellow of means, too,” says Mr. Greenwood, smiling. “He’d come in, knowing exactly what he wanted. And he was very polite. Our female employees always wanted to visit with him.”

A community hub, Bearance’s has been pleasing both the foodie and non-foodie crowds in the neighbourhood for almost 100 years. Before Mr. Greenwood bought the store, which was established in 1918, it was owned by the Bearance family – first by Elwood Bearance, and later by his sons Ron and Elmer. Prior to the Bearances’ ownership, the store was called Bannister’s, opened in 1890.

There are several reminders of Bearance’s long history in the store. A receipt from 1938 hangs framed on a wall near the produce section, and photos of Mr. Greenwood with the Bearance brothers are visible behind one of the cash counters. Mr. Greenwood is also keen to point out a hole (now covered) in the back of the store, where big blocks of ice from Lake Ontario were once inserted to keep the meat in the butcher shop cold.

“In the early 1900s, there used to be an ice hut around the counter – blocks of ice were stored there year-round, covered in straw in the warmer months, and delivered to the store,” explains Mr. Greenwood.

While modern technology has meant many changes in the store since then, Mr. Greenwood still tries to keep with the store’s traditional values of good food and good service. He strives to offer as many local products as possible, along with a great meat selection, and he’ll custom-order products for clients whenever possible. But, he says, the store’s best asset is its people.

“I don’t do it alone. I have a great staff,” he says, pointing to one of his longest-serving employees, Bibiana, who’s been there 27 years.

And Queen’s students are also key to the store’s daily functioning. Mr. Greenwood has hired dozens of students over the years and is very happy for their part-time help, along with the word-of-mouth advertising they provide, letting their friends know about the shop.

“Students are an important part of our fabric,” says Mr. Greenwood. “If they come in once, chances are they’ll come in again. They love when they ‘discover’ Bearance’s.”

Bearance's is open Monday-Saturday, 9 am – 6 pm.