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Safeway's largest Kelowna store closes tomorrow. The Dilworth and Leckie location is one of six in the province that Sobeys is closing to make way for FreshCo stores. It brings an era to an end for some loyal customers and employees who have been interacting at the store for decades.
Alex Draper has been out of the grocery store business for a decade now, but Safeway will always be a big part of his life. So when the doors close for the last time tomorrow, it means something to him.
"Not just people that worked here, but the customer base," recalled Draper, "You got to know your customers when they came shopping every Friday, you got to know their names, they knew your names. They knew the names of your pets."
Draper worked at the store for over 30 years. "There were people show shopped here for 30 years that you're still friends with outside, all because of this store."
The Pharmacy at the store will remain open during renovations that will take place over the winter. Sometime in the spring, it will re-open as a FreshCo.
There will be no bakery, florist or deli, but plenty of produce and a promise of rock-bottom prices.
FreshCo also plans to offer a good variety of multicultural foods. FreshCo’s low prices and diverse product offering will help customers in our communities make every dollar count,” said a statement from Sobeys.
The date of the re-opening has not yet been announced.
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