Lease negotiations with eight more retailers for the Crown Isle Shopping Centre are underway, and restaurant and medical uses are likely, according to Sobeys Developments.
Luke Moran, leasing manager for the western division of the company, wouldn't say which specific uses these retailers may be leasing the space for because negotiations are in various stages and some of them are conditional. But, he did say the development at the corner of Ryan and Lerwick roads is well-suited for food, professional and medical uses.
"Food uses, restaurant uses, there's certainly lots of room for restaurant uses, medical uses, professional uses, any kind of professional uses are certainly — you know, we're working with and hopefully going to be tying up leases with several different professional uses that will add value to the neighbourhood," he said.
"We figure with being sort of kitty-corner to the identified location of the hospital or the potential location of the new hospital, it would be ideal for sort of medical uses and we've got several spots allocated for those types of uses."
So far, a drive-thru national bank, local insurance agency and national wealth management office have been announced as uses for space leased, but company names have not been released.
A Starbucks and Cascadia Liquor Store are named businesses that will go in next to Thrifty Foods, which is anchoring the project.
Pamela Sanderson, regional manager for Cascadia Liquor, confirmed a Cascadia Liquor store is expected to open at the same time as Thrifty Foods in October.
According to Sanderson, the new store will create about 15 to 20 new jobs, some of which will be part-time and some full-time. The store will start hiring in September and resumés can be sent to pamela@cascadialiquor.com.
She noted the specialty liquor store has two stores in Victoria with a third on the way there, as well as the one here. She's looking forward to when the store opens in Courtenay.
"It could not be in a better location and all the new development around it suggests that this area is going to be very central to both Comox and Courtenay," said Sanderson. "We are also very excited to expand the selection of wines, spirits and ales that people have access to. Being private retailers we can bring in products that the government stores do not carry, as well as products they do carry."
The store will carry Coastal Black wines from Black Creek and Blue Moon wines from Courtenay, and Sanderson added she looks forward to carrying spirits from Shelter Point Distillery near Oyster River.
The store also offers plenty of craft beer and was voted 'The Best Store for Craft Beer' in Eat Magazine's readers vote last year.
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com