The Mayfair neighbourhood in Saskatoon will soon have a new option for grocery shopping.
After Safeway closed for renovations this month, CHEP Good Food is opening two new food markets on March 10.
The markets will run on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mayfair United Church on 33rd Street West and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Carpenter’s Church on Avenue D North.
CHEP executive director Jean Goerzen said community members asked CHEP to step in after the Safeway closed for renovations.
“We realized the Mayfair neighbourhood would be without access to a grocery store. We started talking about how we could do pop up markets there to make fresh produce available to people in the neighbourhood,” Goerzen said.
Goerzen said CHEP is prepared to keep the Mayfair markets open until FreshCo renovations are complete.
The markets will offer typical foods like fruits, vegetables and dairy products. They accept cash only and encourage people to bring their own reusable bags.
Safeways in Confederation, Market Mall and on 33rd Street are expected to be closed for renovations for four to five months.
The change-over is part of Empire Co. Ltd.’s plan to convert roughly 25 per cent of its Safeway and Sobeys stores in Western Canada to its discount banner.
The parent company has said pharmacies at the affected stores will stay open during renovations and construction, albeit in temporary locations.