Ownership changes are on the way for Yellowknife’s two Independent grocery stores, and a search has begun for one new franchisee to come in.
Rochdi and Marwa Mortada, the franchisees who currently run the uptown Your Independent Grocer on Old Airport Road, are leaving to run an Independent in St Albert, Alberta.
The transfer will take place on June 1. Grocery giant Loblaw – which owns the Your Independent Grocer brand – confirmed the change in an email.
In their place, Loblaw said, Inderjit Singh and Khushboo Mahajan are switching from the city’s downtown Independent to take over at the Old Airport Road store.
On LinkedIn and elsewhere, Loblaw is now advertising for a franchise owner to take over the downtown Franklin Avenue store.
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Staff at the stores were informed of the news last week.
“It’s just the scale of it that makes a difference – more people, more employees,” Singh told Cabin Radio of the move from the smaller downtown store to the larger uptown supermarket.
“It’s a bigger store, bigger footprint for customers and also sales. Right now, let’s say I’m running at ‘2x’. There we will be running at ’10x’, something like that.”
In a statement provided by Loblaw, the Mortadas said: “It has been our absolute privilege to serve the Yellowknife community, getting to know so many families and build lasting relationships.
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“Your patience, kindness and support throughout the pandemic and wildfire evacuations will not be forgotten. We cannot thank the community enough.”
Moves at both Independents add to a fairly dramatic month in the world of Yellowknife groceries.
Earlier in April, the Yellowknife Co-op said it was acquiring Hay River’s Super A Foods.
The Co-op is also planning a name change to Lakeshore Co-op. A motion approving that change passed at a special meeting of members on Tuesday evening.
The new name is being “submitted to the territorial registry for final approval,” the Co-op said on Tuesday night.
