Photo by Vince Fedoroff
SOLD – The commercial lot that served as the former location for Ricky's All Day Grill has been purchased by major B.C. companies for future development.
Jim Pattison Group silent on plans after major lots purchase
The Jim Pattison Group has purchased two of the three remaining commercial lots behind Home Hardware which were developed by Argus Properties, the Star has learned.
The Jim Pattison Group has purchased two of the three remaining commercial lots behind Home Hardware which were developed by Argus Properties, the Star has learned.
The building that used to house Ricky’s All Day Grill sits on the larger of the two lots.
The lots were purchased in late December, according to legal documents at the land titles office.
The declared value of the larger 1.4-hectare lot with the former restaurant is listed as $4.1 million.
The smaller 0.55-hectare lot is listed at $1.6 million, for a total of $5.7 million.
The declared value is not necessarily the retail value, though generally there’s not much difference between the two.
Argus Properties purchased the land from White Pass in the late 1990s as part of the package that led to the development of the Chilkoot Way commercial centre.
Rumours have been going around the city suggesting a new grocery store chain is coming to Whitehorse.
The Jim Pattison Group is headquartered in Vancouver.
It is the second-largest privately held company in Canada with a wide range of business interests, including a variety of grocery store chains.
Sharon Joncas, the group’s real estate manager, told the Star this morning from the head office she could not provide specific details today, other than to say Jim Pattison Developments purchased the 4.9 acres for future development.
The Star has also heard the grocery store in question is an Overwaitea store.
There’s been no reply from Overwaitea to a request for an interview.
The Overwaitea chain is just one of the food and grocery store chains owned by the Jim Pattison Group.
In fact, the Jim Pattison Group owns many business interests, from radio and TV stations to vehicle dealerships and port facilities for overseas export.
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Comments (21)
Up 9 Down 7
Guncache on Jan 20, 2016 at 8:34 am
Every one thinks it's going to be a grocery store. Jim Pattison is also very big into car dealerships. Maybe it's going to be a VW or Volvo dealership. The plot thickens and some people have sleepless nights, wondering.
Up 9 Down 3
cost of groceries - comparison? on Jan 20, 2016 at 7:45 am
Hmm I agree with you. People who think groceries are substantially higher here may not have shopped elsewhere lately, prices have jumped all over the place. I don't think prices here are more or at least much more than other centres. I have seen pretty amazing prices at Shopper's, and Bigway in Copper Ridge will have prices on certain things that match YIG or Superstore. I really can't see where there's room in the market here but if it's true, I'm sure Pattison group has done their research.
Up 11 Down 3
Frediane on Jan 19, 2016 at 6:24 pm
@ Deborah and others who think competition from bigger chains will force the corner grocery stores out of business then it would only be because these convenience stores charge outlandish prices. I am amazed how they can still be in business!!!
Up 16 Down 27
Hmmm on Jan 19, 2016 at 4:26 pm
People who think the grocery stores are overpriced really aren't paying attention. I'm amazed at some of the deals at Your Independent Grocer and Bigway in Granger is pretty surprising, too. Customers must be pretty demanding, or else not willing to wait for sales. We have it pretty good for choice, and I don't agree there's "always room for competition". Food Fair closed several years ago, and it took years to get that kind of human-scaled, but wide selection, place back in YIG. The Food Fair building is still unoccupied.
People should be careful what they wish for, especially when locals have spent years investing and trying to build a business that's responsive to the local market. There's no difference between the cost of food here and in big cities in B.C. and Ontario.
Up 35 Down 6
mary laker on Jan 19, 2016 at 2:03 pm
The 'Super' Store is owned by the same company that owned Extra Foods, now called Independent Grocer. Extra Foods used to pay their staff about double in today's dollars what Superstore is paying. I knew people who worked there as a teller, and in the bakery.
Then there is the general disheveled set up, you can barely get your cart around the pallets sitting in the middle of the aisles in some places, empty shelves where they haven't bothered to re-stock, knowing you have no choice and will be back for the item anyway. And how many of you watch the screen as your groceries are scanned to catch the numerous over charges? Funny how only about 1 time in 7 is the 'mistake' in the direction of a lower price.
I give the Superstore credit for carrying Yukon grown products, finally. They support the Grain Farm, and that is great. Also there are some nice staff there, despite the fact that they are grossly underpaid by a company that is extremely profitable.
I welcome competition and would pay a little more for a more pleasant and less confusing shopping experience, stocked shelves, and staff that are paid better.
Up 17 Down 2
Lots of speculation, will be interesting to see what happens on Jan 19, 2016 at 6:17 am
Superstore is much better than it used to be, but I agree with previous posters in that meat and produce doesn't seem to be available until mid-morning, if at all. I have been shopping at YIG for most items - the staff is great, no line-ups at checkout, and pretty good selection of items. I'm not sure if the market would support another big grocery store, wait and see I guess
Up 28 Down 2
Costco in the Yukon--I agree on Jan 18, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Costco would be fabulous here…I guess we might not have enough population…but it would be so sweet
Up 24 Down 4
Bud McGee on Jan 18, 2016 at 12:47 pm
I hope it is a Save-on-Foods rather than an Overwaitea. It will be hard to crack Superstore's P.C. points card system, the super bucks you get for gas and the free items you get for spending over $250. Superstore is not ideal, but they are pretty good. However, when you can't find any ground beef or green onions in the store on a Sunday, there is definitely room for competition.
Up 30 Down 6
Maureen N on Jan 18, 2016 at 11:20 am
I hope it is a new grocery chain coming in. Competition is always good for the customer. When we moved here we bought cat litter at the old Superstore and paid $12 a box. When Walmart opened they charged $4 for the same box. Over night Superstore was able to drop its price to $4 a box and keep it there. But they got all the money they were going to get from us. Don't like being taken advantage of. We buy from Walmart.
Up 42 Down 5
Michel Dupont on Jan 18, 2016 at 10:08 am
I'd rather see a Costco. There are no case lot store in the Territory. "We" from the communities would like to buy bulk pet food, toilette paper, paper towels, coffee, laundry supplies etc.etc. which cost an arm and a leg in our home communities.
Up 27 Down 16
June Jackson on Jan 18, 2016 at 7:56 am
No one said Walmarts was moving..or even thinking of moving. I like Walmarts.. I can get things there that I can't get anywhere else, the prices are the same as any of their stores outside and they hire everyone. 70? On the greeter stool, handicapped? Go tell people about computers...teenager? Stock some shelves.. they hire a lot of TFWs, but they also hire every Whitehorse resident without a police record that walks in the door. A lot of the local businesses have priced themselves out of my ability to purchase anything in their stores.
I also think that IF the Pattison group is going to put in a grocery store, that a business of that magnitude would have done their marketing homework and know what their financial prospects are. I like competition, it makes everyone a little more fair in their pricing. Anyone tried to buy a steak lately? I wanted to buy steak for my daughters birthday...$46.00 for 3 smallish steaks. We had hamburgers... yup.. bring on some competition.
Up 30 Down 5
ArJay on Jan 17, 2016 at 9:24 pm
A new cinema complex along with even more competition on groceries would be ideal, Mr. Pattison...
Up 8 Down 19
Deborah on Jan 17, 2016 at 6:48 pm
It's the small grocers who will feel the increased competition the hardest; the Super A in Riverdale, Riverside Grocers & the new Farmer Roberts, just about to hit its stride. We have room for lots of quality food vendors in town but we HAVE lots of quality food vendors.
The only way another grocery can find market share in Whitehorse is by taking it from someone else. That's too bad. Small groceries support families; they're family run businesses with everything invested and everything to lose. Overwaitea, Jimmy Pattison... someone small is going to get knocked out of the market. Maybe even someone not so small. What a shame, considering the community investment of family run business and independent grocery stores.
Up 14 Down 10
Way North on Jan 17, 2016 at 2:17 pm
I really wonder what people are complaining about; the grocery prices here are very similar to Superstore in Vancouver, except where they are doing local price matching. Both Overwaitea and Save on Foods in Vancouver are quite a bit more expensive than Superstore on most items. I shop locally at Bigway (in Granger) and find the prices there to be more reasonable than Save on Foods in North Vancouver.
Up 29 Down 7
Jack Colby on Jan 17, 2016 at 1:15 pm
SIGH - a new movie theater please
Up 39 Down 35
Thomas Brewer on Jan 16, 2016 at 10:39 am
While I'd prefer our two major grocery outlets (YIG and SuperStore) weren't owned by the same company (Loblaws), I'm not sure we need another large grocer in town... In addition to the two aforementioned places, there's two Super A's, Bigway, and even WalMart has a sizable grocery section (albeit no veg/fruit).
I will continue to shop exclusively at Your Independent Grocer because they've always got enough cashiers on and unlike SuperStore, they will still give the animal shelter $50 for every $5k of receipts dropped off at the shelter.
Up 25 Down 18
Walmart on Jan 16, 2016 at 10:24 am
can leave if it wants.
Up 17 Down 18
Hmmm on Jan 15, 2016 at 10:28 pm
I don't mind if Walmart closes, but it must be a little stressful for the existing grocery stores, which finally seem to be coming together. I'm loving Your Independent Grocer and even Superstore is becoming bearable. The last few years have been pretty turbulent for grocery stores here.
Up 74 Down 5
Foodie on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:58 pm
Another major grocery store owned by a national competitor to Loblaws is excellent (both Independent and Superstore are Loblaws). Even if the pricing is similar for both, they will force the Loblaws folks to up their game and offer regular decent produce and products at affordable prices. Competition is always good for the consumer... remember the Air Canada only days!
Up 47 Down 33
MIke on Jan 15, 2016 at 4:11 pm
I'm not sure we need a new food store do we? Unless they have super competitive pricing.
Maybe Pattison will build our modern multiplex theatre?!?!!
Up 28 Down 55
Mikofox on Jan 15, 2016 at 3:40 pm
I'm elated, we are finally getting a Cabelas store and a VW dealership in Whitehorse. WalMart may close though.