The Gateway Co-op will be offering not only a new convenience store, but a new liquor store to serve the Canora area.
The Gateway Co-operative was selected as a new liquor vendor as part of the privatization of alcohol in Saskatchewan. The Gateway Co-op was selected as the successful applicant in Canora among 13 other Saskatchewan Co-ops that successfully completed the Request for Proposal (RFP) process to apply for one of the province’s 50 available liquor store opportunities, according to a release from the Government of Saskatchewan.
Dana Antonovitch, the Gateway Co-op’s general manager, said that the Board, management and staff were “very happy” to be given the rights to pursue a liquor license, and said that the Co-operative currently has plans to add the liquor store to the convenience store that is already under construction and is to be finished in 2017.
“We’re happy to serve the needs of the community to add something we already have experience in,” said Antonovtich. Gateway Co-op currently operates the liquor store in Buchanan, and previously operated an establishment in Pelly.
“We will be continuing to invest in the community through the liquor store.”
All successful applicants of the RPFs are required to open their locations within 12 months of the announcement date on November 23, with locations in Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Melville, Lloydminster, Moose Jaw and Kindersley to be opened within 18 months. Gateway Co-op plans to have the convenience store open at the beginning of 2017, though plans on when the liquor store segment of the convenience store will be open are still being finalized.
The liquor store sales floor will consist of 1,200 square feet, including refrigerated self-serve doors and a walk-in beer cooler. It will be constructed along the north side of theconvenience store towards the Gateway Co-op Food Store.
“It will be nice to serve everyone from one location,” said Antonovitch, who stated that shoppers will be able to purchase groceries, gas and liquor all in the same part of town.
“It’s very convenient for members and consumers who shop at Co-op,” he said.
