Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Dec 15/99) - Consumers in Rankin Inlet now have another choice on where to purchase their goods.

Kativik opened its doors earlier this month and the store offers residents an eclectic mix of goods and services.

Located across the road from Arctic College, the new store is divided in half with a grocery/retail store on one side and an arcade/snack bar on the other.

New manager George Dunkerley says the store will probably hold its grand opening some time in January after the Christmas excitement dies down.

"The store's owners, Howard Green, Jody and Goretti Roach and Chantal Maley, approached me in August to be the first manager," says Dunkerley.

"It was a chance to start fresh for me. I'd been with the Northern Store for about seven years and had advanced as far as I was going to go.

"This was too exciting of an opportunity and a challenge to pass up."

Kativik will be open seven days a week from noon to midnight. The snack bar side will stay open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights to accommodate the teenage dances Dunkerley has planned.

"We'll be hosting the dances just as soon as we get our stereo system operational.

"We may have them going as early as this weekend."

Dunkerley says Kativik offers local consumers a complete line of grocery items and an ever-growing list of retail goods.

The store will employ four local full-time staff and another six part-time workers.

William Burrill will be the store's assistant manager once he completes training.

"We will be carrying everything our competitors do at equal or better prices," claims Dunkerley.

"While our competitors say quality customer service is their top priority, we will actually do it."

It's been months of long hours and hard work for Dunkerley and his staff to get their new store ready, but he says everything is finally coming together nicely.

Although the retail section of the store is a bit light right now, it will be constantly expanding.

"We already have some Christmas decorations, toys and a bit of hockey gear and hardware in stock. Eventually, we'll have everything in stock there's a local market for.

"The only word I can use to describe the past seven weeks is hectic.

"But, we're open now and looking forward to serving the people of the community.

"We hope everybody will drop by to check us out and say hello."