Band ownership drops grocery costs as Tssigehtchic store managers seek out less expensive suppliers
Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Tssigehtchic (May 07/01) - Tssigehtchic is becoming known as the place on the Dempster to stop and stock up on trips between Fort McPherson and Inuvik.
The reason is the change in prices at the Tssigehtchic Band Store since the Gwichya Gwich'in Band Council assumed full ownership.
Before Jan. 1, when the band bought out Super A's 49 per cent share, all groceries were shipped through Super A in Whitehorse.
"Nobody was able to shop around because all the product was from Super A," explained Bob Ansdell who manages the store with his wife Carol Norwegian.
"It was their product and their prices."
Now Ansdell can shop around southern cities for goods. That allowed him to drop prices between 10 and 50 per cent.
"Tomatoe sauce, a 14-ounce can was over $2," he said. "We now have canned goods that are a dollar-something. That was quite unknown before and now everybody comes here to shop."
Keeping customers in the hamlet of 300 residents has given the store its best sales in years.
"A lot of people said this is cheaper or the same prices as Inuvik and we are lower than Fort McPherson, we know that," Ansdell said.
Ansdell said there are now some people that take the near-hour drive from Fort McPherson specifically to shop at the band store.
