Westridge Shopping District


Main Street Shops  ◘ Westridge Shopping District  ◘ Orillia Square Mall





The A&W restaurant in the Westridge shopping area, Orillia, Ontario.
A & W Burgers
Along the western edge of Orillia is the Westridge Shopping district, and the large Walmart Supercenter. Although the shopping area at the west side of town may not officially be named "Westridge Shopping District", many of the locals refer to it by that name, and if you stop to ask someone where you can find "Home Depot" or "Sears", the answer you'll probably get is "over by Westridge". The crossroad in this area is Westridge, which runs from Highway 12/Coldwater Road (basically the same road), along the edge of the Westridge subdivision, and  meets "Old Barrie Road" at Highway the 11/Highway 12 crossover. The south side of the shopping area is divided by Monarch Drive, running between two larger areas and offering access to the many shops and businesses on the southern plazas.


Part of the plaza area at westridge showing Payless shoes, Marks Work Warehouse, Anytime gym, and Pennington's.
Payless Shoes, Marks Work Wearhouse
When the Westridge area started out, it began with a Walmart and a Home Depot, stretched apart from each other by some distance. In between those two monoliths a smaller plaza sprung up, housing a Payless Shoe Store, Marks Work Wear, Penningtons, Hallmark, a Bulk Barn and Sport Check. The newest addition to this section of the plaza is the Anytime Fitness gym.

Since the very early days when Walmart was almost the lone occupant on this large chunk of land, a number of other large stores have taken up residence in adjacent areas: the Food Basics Grocery Store, and Future Shop, each with their own little strip-mall attached.

Beside Food Basics is Carters & OshKosh (the former "Bonnie Togs" store), an Italian eatery
The Food Basics grocery store at the Westridge shopping area, Orillia.
Food Basics
(Garlic Democracy ), The Source, and an eat-in Subway. Along the little mall next to Future shop is a dollar store, and Reitmans.

Over the years since the start of this shopping area, the Westridge merchants have changed, expanded, and a few have come and gone (notably the Big Lots store which left shortly after it opened). Like the downtown area, keeping up with the changing store-scape can be a challenge so most often, quick updates can be found on our G+ page.

The Reitman's and Future Shop stores in a small section of the Westridge Shopping area, Orillia.
Future Shop & Reitman's
Two of my favourite shops are Reitman's and Carters/OshKosh, at opposite ends of the age gap. Reitman's caters to women (younger, middle aged, older) but carries clothing in relaxed styles that last and wear well, but most important, are comfortable. This is where I habitually shop for my clothing. I've never had a piece that didn't last "almost forever", or that didn't fit right. And they have amazing sales.

Carter's/OshKosh caters to kids, from newborn sizes up to about size 12, and carries good quality brands like OshKosh and Carter's (remember those Dr. Carter's pj's with the feet?) for very affordable prices (watch for their sales!). I don't have as much occasion to shop there since my grandchildren are all teens now, but that's where I head when I need a baby gift, or gift for a younger niece or nephew.

The PetValue shop at Westridge.
Pet Value
Boston Pizza restaurant, Orillia
Boston Pizza
You'll also find some smaller concerns on the adjacent areas where small malls and business have sprung up (Pet Value, a very handy variety shop with almost everything, an optical shop and eye care, hair care, nail spa, laundry mat) including a number of banks, a family dentist, and of course, a variety of eateries. Fast food types like A & W, to eat-ins like Montanas and Boston Pizza. And, of course, another Tim Horton's. I guess no plaza or shopping mall is quite complete without a coffee shop.

Sign from a convenience store in red white and black.
Westridge Convenience
The Westridge Variety is one of the shops I frequent regularly. They carry not just immediate conveniences and things like a variety of lottery tickets, but unusual products; beaded bracelets (pretty), and things like t-shirts, hoodies, soft pants (shorts, skirts and leggings in the summer), long-sleeved tees, belts and other similar "quick needs" that a visitor to town or cottager might need in a hurry. But besides the products, this is a family run business, and I like to frequent family run business when I can. The couple here (husband and wife at different times) are friendly and welcoming, and that's the kind of place I like to shop at.

Montana's road house/steakhouse restaurant with it's large outdoor porch area, Westridge area, Orillia.
Montanas Cookhouse
Over in the small plaza across from Pet Value, you'll find "Zats" Sandwich Shop, and First Choice Hair cutters. That's a place I've frequented and although I had a little trepidation at first, I can say with absolute honesty that they have provided me with excellent, friendly service and girls who seem to know just what I want, and actually give me what I asked for. That impresses me most of all. I don't walk out with a hair style I didn't ask for!

The original Walmart location stood empty for a couple of years after Walmart moved to a larger
property across the highway (see the map below). Eventually, the original building was sub-divided and Sears moved from their strip-plaza location in the south end of town up to this new, larger, brighter building. The middle shop was used by Big Lots, until they left, but on the opposite side of that empty space is a large Value Village, which gets a lot of daily traffic.

Walmart acquired land "across the highway" and built a larger store on the northern side of road - a Walmart Supercenter with grocery section. On the same piece of property a new larger dollar shop and a Winners store opened up so the march of commercialism seems to moving slowly into our countryside. Next to the dollar shop, you'll find a Sleep Country (if you happen to need a new mattress), and across the parking lot from that, a very large Staples. Directly across the parking lot from Walmart is a Michael's Crafts.


Westridge Printable Shopping Map (Click here to download full size, updated January 2015)


Small sample size of the download & print shopping map for the Westridge shopping area in Orillia, Ontario.

Above is a map of the Westridge area showing the locations and names of shops, and the Walmart. If you are a visitor to Orillia, you might want to save this and print it out before you visit so you can plan your shopping trip. (download printable size above)

For an online map showing the roads and surrounding areas and for directions, see the map below.