CARLYLE - Alvin Kim moved to Canada with his family from South Korea 23 years ago, looking for a better life.
Seven years ago, Kim and his wife Sarah Park purchased the liquor store in Indian Head, which is now run by Park.
This store has been remarkably successful, according to Kim’s son John, and they felt they would have the same success in Carlyle.
John works for SaskTel in Regina and came to Carlyle to help his dad get the store ready for business.
The opportunity to purchase the old Carlyle liquor store came up and Kim felt it was the right time to acquire the space.
Days before opening, the entrance doors were still covered in newspaper, but the walls had a fresh coat of paint and the floors were cleaned up, with a large receiving area in the back.
With 3,500 square feet of retail space, it has a large walk-in cooler that was filled to capacity, with beer, spirits and coolers.
There is shelving around the walls, which will house liquors, wines and more beer.
Kim so far has three employees who were busy stocking shelves to prepare for their Jan. 12 opening.
The business is open seven days a week, with extended hours in the evening to accommodate people who work late.
Kim said they will have aggressive pricing compared to the city outlets. He believes although Carlyle is a small town, the prices can still be affordable.
Park will continue managing the Indian Head Store, while Kim will take care of Carlyle's location.
It is their plan to hold a grand opening in several weeks, once they have settled more into a routine and have hired more staff to share the workload.
Kim feels this store will be successful, due to the location, pricing, and longer hours.
