THUNDER BAY – A north core grocery store is in for a makeover in 2021.
The Safeway on Court Street North will close in the spring to re-brand under discount grocery banner FreshCo, parent company Sobeys Inc. announced Monday.
That will see the store closed for four to five months for renovations beginning in the spring, the company said. However, the pharmacy located inside will remain open throughout, at a temporary location “at or nearby the current Safeway store.”
FreshCo will offer low prices and diverse offerings, including multicultural options, the company said in a release. It will price match, offer a double-fresh guarantee, and offer rain checks with 10 per cent off through its in-stock guarantee.
The company will work with the unions representing affected Safeway employees to ensure all terms of the collective agreements are met, it said.
“We will also work with the respective unions to provide options to impacted employees, including the opportunity to work at Safeway stores within the network or in the new FreshCo locations.”
An opening date for the Thunder Bay store has not yet been confirmed.
The conversion is part of a plan by Empire Company Limited, which owns the brands, to convert about a quarter of Safeway and Sobeys locations to FreshCo outlets by 2022.
The company also announced six new FreshCo locations in Alberta Monday.
