SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A new grocery store franchise banner is coming to town this year, ushering out the city’s mainstay Extra Foods.
Gabriella Hardisty-Beaverho, 7, helps mom Melissa Hardisty-Beaverho select pears at Extra Foods on Old Airport Road while grocery shopping on Monday. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo
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Both the downtown and Old Airport Road Extra Foods locations are scheduled for renovations starting in late May and early June, when the Loblaw Companies Ltd. chains will be rebranded into Your Independent Grocer, another banner of Loblaw, based in Ontario.
In addition to the name change, the revamped retail stores will offer a larger range of products, including the expansion of the Joe Fresh clothing line, said Loblaws director of public relations Melinda Metcalfe.
"Under the Your Independent Grocer banner, we will offer an expanded variety and assortment of products including a larger selection of fresh food, meals-to-go, deli, cheese, meats and seafood, sushi, and expanded Joe Fresh area and more," Metcalfe said.
The Old Airport Road Extra Foods currently carries Joe Fresh children’s apparel. Your Independent Grocer will carry the expanded line, which includes women’s and men’s garments.
Shopper Melissa Hardisty-Beaverho is looking forward to the department store style approach, which offers a wider variety of items available in the expanding grocery store.
"It will be nice to get things done in one shot rather than having to run around town," she said. "I think that'll be good, especially the sushi because you can't get sushi at the Co-op anymore."
The Yk Co-op, which recently stopped selling sushi, has a fresh bakery and deli section with salads, which will be rivaled by the Your Independent Grocer expansion.
Hardisty-Beaverho said she likes the name change to Your Independent Grocer.
"The new name sounds good," she said. "It's a good way to make it sound local."
The franchises are owned and operated locally.
The stores, including the pharmacy, will remain open during the transition and customers will be able to continue to shop, Metcalfe said.
Employees will not be affected by the change.
"The same people that are working in the Extra Foods now will be working in this new store," she said.
Collectively, including the conversion of Yk Extra Foods, there are nearly 60 Your Independent Grocer chains across Canada, with the majority located in Ontario.
Loblaw continues to operate many Extra Foods stores in Western Canada, Metcalfe said, adding Extra Foods has been in Yellowknife since 1992.
