Bright, airy, open.
These are just a few of the words shoppers used to describe the new Askew’s Uptown that opened Friday.
Owner Daivd Askew pointed out the property at the top of Tank Hill was acquired seven years ago while his sister, Karen, was manager.
But the site, which drops 50 feet from corner to corner, was a challenge to develop, he says, with a wry grin.
“We spent 18 months working on different ideas,” he said at Friday’s grand opening. “The downtown store always had a nice feel and we wanted to keep that.”
He says a breakthrough came when the father of one of his daughter’s friends, a health-care facility designer, suggested siting the building in the southeast corner, with the back of the store towards the Trans-Canada Highway.
Askew launches into a story about finding a suitable architect when Florian Maurer, walks by.
“We wanted to make it more urban rather than industrial,” says the architect. “We wanted a neighbourly feel.”
What Askew also wanted was to incorporate the inherent knowledge possessed by generations of Askew’s staff.
He notes how meat manager Karl Kreipe was trained by former meat manager Harry Hopkins, who began working for the store in the 1950s.
“We wanted to make sure that what we know was incorporated into the store.”
To accomplish this, staff members in all Askew’s stores – including the many longtime employees – were asked for input.
Looking around, a proud Askew points to an attractive 45-seat café, where shoppers can sit and relax while they sample items from the nearby deli section of the store.
An outdoor patio is ideal for warm summer days.
The deli serves pizza, paninis and more. Shoppers can sip a refreshing fruit smoothie or a cappuccino.
Also new to the uptown store is a pharmacy.
The pharmacy was new to us and a challenge,” says Askew. “And the deli was bigger than anything we’ve done.”
Pharmacy staff will work hand-in-hand with the wellness centre, which carries a wide variety of vitamin supplements, homeopathic remedies and natural skin-care products, backed up by a knowledgeable professional.
Blooms are, well, blooming, in the floral department just inside the front door. A skilled floral designer will create custom-designed arrangements for all occasions.
The bakery in the uptown store offers everything from breads made from the healthiest of grains to the most decadent desserts.
“We’re happy to be open for the summer,” said a relieved Askew, who got the occupancy permit the previous day.
Rick Semenzin is also happy – happy the building is completed and that Askew is pleased with the result.
Longtime partner with Bill Laird in Exel Construction, Semenzin calls the building a unique “one-off.”
“This has never been done by us as a team,” he said, noting the building is a “green” facility, with windows that open to allow natural airflow and are controlled by sensors.
Semenzin says it has been a busy two years, starting with six months of site prep.
“That’s always a challenge, but we had a good team of sub trades,” he says. “That’s what makes it a great project – working toward the goal, giving the owner the best job you can.”
Other “green” features include heating provided by waste heat from the refrigeration system, increased insulation and interior lighting controls.
