The Saunders family didn’t spend long outside the neighbourhood of Island Highway and Wale Road.
Having sold their longtime family Subaru dealership in Colwood to the Jim Pattison Auto Group last summer, Bob and Norma Saunders and their family on Wednesday confirmed their purchase of a commercial complex and property next door at 1790 Island Hwy. from a group of owners.
“The purchase of this site is something that the family has wanted to do for some time and we are very happy to have completed the deal as of today,” David Saunders said Wednesday.
The family had talked to previous owners of the property about a sale but nothing materialized, he said. The most recent ownership group was Greater Victoria, but this brings the ownership of the site back to the West Shore, he said.
Major tenants at the complex, to be renamed the Saunders Centre, include Speedy Glass, Subway and Bosley’s pet store. The family “very much values all of the current businesses associated to 1790,” David said, noting they look forward to building a long-term relationship with the merchants. The family hopes to meet them today (Feb. 3).
The goal, David said, is to use the property as a destination for fundraisers and other events, he added.
The Saunders family has signed a long-term agreement with Brown Brothers to manage the facility and property.
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