At Centenoka Park Mall, change is in the works.
Manager Lance Johnson says an announcement is expected later this month regarding the future of the former Blockbuster video building on mall property.
He said the mall is in negotiations regarding the site, with some conditions still to be met.
Regarding the Winners store expected for the mall, Johnson says it’s on hold at the moment.
“Winners has been delayed; their head office has delayed everything in Canada and the delay has nothing to do with the shopping centre, Salmon Arm or anything – it’s all across Canada.”
Construction will begin once the delay is over, but he declined to say where, exactly, the store would be situated.
Johnson said because Winners is owned by a corporation with other stores, it might not be a Winners that’s proposed for Salmon Arm – but there is a formal agreement that something is coming.
“I can’t say it would be Winners; they can put in whatever they want…,” he said, noting that the company is opening new stores in western Canada under the name of Marshalls.
The TJX Companies, Inc. website, the entity that owns Winners, lists Winners, HomeSense and Marshalls as the three stores it offers in Canada.
“Marshalls launched in Canada in March 2011, joining Winners and HomeSense as part of TJX Canada,” the website states. “Marshalls, a leading off-price retailer in the U.S. and well-known for brand names at prices 20 per cent to 60 per cent below department and specialty store regular prices, offers TJX another growth vehicle in Canada.”
It continues: “In Canada, Marshalls offers brand-name women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, including a large, family footwear department featuring designer and brand names and a high-energy boutique for juniors and young women called The CUBE.”
Randolph David Jewellery is moving across the hallway in Centenoka to the former Sears location, with an expected opening date at the new site of March 1.
“It will be about 50 per cent bigger,” said owner Randolph David, noting it will include about a dozen engraving machines so will offer full goldsmithing and engraving.
Everything in the new store, which will feature a full glass front, will be brand new, he said.
Over at Westside Stores, owner Jason Bellows said he and co-owner Sheena Haines have no plans to expand space, but they are making changes in product lines.
“We’re doing our best to bring in products that people are looking for and expand on areas where people are having to go out of town.”
New products coming in include a camouflage line as well as UnderArmour.
“There again, we’re open to suggestions,” he said, noting the store is willing to bring in items if people want them and will support them.
The store is open more hours than the mall, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursdays and Saturdays, Sundays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays 9 to 9 except for January and February when Friday hours are 9 to 7.
At the Real Canadian Wholesale Club, when asked about potential changes, the public relations department of Loblaws Companies Inc. stated only that: “Currently, there is no information to share at this time regarding the Real Canadian Wholesale Club in Salmon Arm…”
