By Joanne Rodgers, Bruce Peninsula Press
To commemorate one year after a devastating fire that shuttered the doors of the local grocery store for ten months, the Hellyers invited their customers to come and enjoy a slice of cake and share their stories.
Closed due to the fire on 29 August 2023, and reopening in time for the summer season in June 2024, Kara Hellyer says “it has been business as usual” for this summer. The grocery store has been able to hire back almost all of their staff and everyone has worked hard to ensure the smooth operation of the store.
With a new layout and the shelves being reoriented, the store seems more spacious, open and airy. However, it is the same square footage with only one shelf added to the pre-fire number. It has been a bit of a treasure hunt at times as staff and customers adjust to the new layout and seek to locate items.
There is also a new freezer system in place, more energy efficient and with monitoring sensors that send alerts if there are temperature fluctuations, thus reducing the need for owner Kyle to constantly monitor the freezers.
The Hellyers say they have gotten good feedback all summer long as many of their regular customers returned to shopping locally at the grocery store. They are aware that some of the local shopping habits have shifted during the time that the store was closed. They also report that tourist traffic is down. But even with the shift in purchasing patterns, the Hellyers say it has been a successful summer for their grocery store.
However, the Hellyers wonder what the winter months will be like. They say “When you shop local, it benefits everyone. When you shop at our store, you are helping support our whole community – something we learnt the truth about this past year.”
Kara explains that the store also stocks many local products. While they do not actively solicit local goods, they are approached daily by vendors and very rarely do they refuse to buy local goods once the products meet their quality standards. Look for local seasonal produce such as corn and locally produced maple syrup, granola, honey and lots more in the grocery aisles.
Kara is excited to report that Grandad’s Attic is being stocked and she expects it to be fully stocked by summer of 2025, but there are lots of items available now such as mugs, sweaters, toys, yarn, etc.; a good place to check when looking for gift items, especially for the upcoming Christmas season.
The Hellyers thank the community for their continued support and look forward to meeting the grocery needs of their customers.
