Giant Tiger to open in Neepawa this summer

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson
 

  The renovations are underway and by next summer, a new Giant Tiger store will open on Mountain Ave. in Neepawa’s vacant SAAN store.  Last week, Scott McKay, vice president and general manager of Giant Tiger West, confirmed rumours that the discount family retailer would be establishing a store in Neepawa.
Hesitant to commit to an opening opening date given the renovations still to be completed on the building, McKay said, “I can confirm [that it will open] this summer.”
McKay describes the store as a “junior discount department store.. focused on all household needs” although he added that they have a strong grocery offering.  He describes the store as a smaller version of discount retailer Costco. 
In addition to the grocery department, McKay says that they have an extensive fashion offering of both affordable family basics and “fashion forward” designs.  He explain that they don’t purchase seconds and their buying office in Montreal puts them closer to suppliers and manufacturers, allowing them to quickly pick up trends.
The final component to the store is what McKay refers to as the “treasure trove” which contains unique items such as small pieces of furniture or solar lights; “fun stuff,” he explains.
Giant Tiger has been operating stores in Quebec and Ontario since 1961 when Gordon Reid opened the first store in Ottawa.  The company’s expansion into Manitoba is fairly recent, having opened the first Manitoba store in 2001.  There are presently Giant Tiger stores in Winnipeg, Brandon, Morden, The Pas and Thompson.
As for Neepawa, McKay says, “We see Neepawa as a great community, it’s an important trading area... We’ve wanted to be there for some time.”  The store will be located in the SAAN building at 300 Mountain Ave., which has been vacant since SAAN went out of business in the summer of 2008.  McKay is pleased with the building saying, “It’s in the right area of town... It’s a nice building with parking [on site].”
After the renovations, McKay says, “It won’t look like [a] SAAN [store].”  The renovations will include the addition of fridges and freezers for the store’s grocery offering as well as a change in the store’s facade.  The facade will pay tribute to the company’s Canadian heritage, something McKay says, “we’re very proud of”.
Overall McKay says, “[Neepawa] is a growing community, we’re excited about it.”