A Winnipeg inner-city grocery store will be closing its doors Saturday.
Neechi Commons will be no more after extensive renovations and new construction left a very large debt load. The store owes close to $3.9 million.
The board is focusing on finding partners who are interested in redeveloping the space.
“We can partner with people who have an interest in keeping something happening here that continues to do some of the work that revitalized the neighbourhood, provides employment for people and generates a lot of Aboriginal pride,” Louise Champagne, Neechi Foods Co-op president said.
The Point Douglas-area grocery store opened in 2013 with a food market, a restaurant and catering service featuring regionally-sourced foods, and an arts store showcasing Indigenous fine arts, crafts, books, music and clothing.
But the board says a shortage of operating funds after large renovation blocked the completion of business development plans and the business was unable to gain enough sales to pay down the debt.
“Really sad”
Shoppers were disappointed to hear the news Friday.
“There’s no other grocery store near by and people come there for that. Now we have to go way down Main Street.” Barry Thimble, who shops at Neechi Commons once a week, said. “I feel sorry for the people with little mobility.”
“I was really excited that there was an indigenous grocery store to come and shop at,” Peetanacoot Nenakawekapo said. “I was really sad when I walked in this morning.”
Point Douglas activist Sel Burrows calls the grocery store a community hub, which he says the area already lacks.
“Having a place where people can come together and meet is crucial if we want to be a successful community and not an oppressed community,” Burrows said.
It is Winnipeg’s largest commercial employer of First Nations and Métis people with 80 per cent of staff positions being held by Aboriginal people.