The new Thrifty Foods store in Courtenay will open Wednesday morning with a "big reveal and special deals," according to the company's manager of communications Erin Kelly.
The opening ceremonies for the new 40,000-square-foot store at the corner of Lerwick and Ryan roads in Courtenay are set to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and Kelly noted a special surprise is planned for the big day.
"We will have a special reveal on Wednesday to do with the hospital (St. Joseph's General Hospital), and some interesting props, which people have to come down and witness for themselves," Kelly said Monday. "Some tie in between pumpkins and hospitals — I'll leave it to your imagination."
Kelly pointed out Thrifty Foods normally holds a Pumpkins for Charity fundraiser around this time of year where the company donates $1 from every pumpkin sold to local hospital foundations. She added there will be a special fundraiser at the store for the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation through to Halloween.
Thrifty Foods' general manager Jim Dores will be joined by Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula and St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation executive director Lynn Dashkewytch to officially open the new Thrifty Foods grocery store on the Crown Isle property.
First Nations members will also join the ceremony, as well as a pipe band.
The official opening ceremony will be at 9:25 a.m., and the store will be open by 9:30 a.m.
Kelly notes deals and food demonstrations with free samples will be plentiful on opening day, including the big cheese of food samples.
"We will be cracking the huge Parmigiano Reggiano wheel in the store," said Kelly, adding the enormous wheel of cheese has been aged for 30 months in a special region of Italy, and is worth about $300. "It is a sight to be seen and a fresh sample is out of this world."
The store is the second location in Courtenay, and will be the 29th Thrifty Foods location in the province.
The downtown Courtenay Thrifty Foods, at Sixth Street and England Avenue, will remain open.
Cascadia Liquor, which is the new Thrifty Foods store's neighbour at Lerwick and Ryan, will also open its doors on Wednesday. From 5 to 7 p.m. the store will offer samples of wine, beer and cider, as well as snacks provided by Thrifty Foods.
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