Clearspring Centre plans Sunday shopping launch

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This article was published 12/08/2015 (3178 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Did you ask for Sunday shopping for Christmas? You may just have got your wish.

Steinbach’s Clearspring Centre plans to offer Sunday shopping for three weeks leading up to Christmas as a test run towards offering the service more in the future.

Centre manager Bob Frey told The Carillon that he outlined the plan to mall merchants in a letter sent to all stores on Monday.

The mall plans to open for Sunday shopping on Dec. 6, 13, and 20 from 12 to 5 p.m.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for years,” he said, pointing to his days advocating for Sunday shopping while on the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce board.

Frey says the initiative is a result of years of customer requests for the convenience of Sunday shopping year round but especially in December, saving a trip to Winnipeg to shop.

He says the mall will open under the province’s Sunday shopping regulations for communities without a Sunday shopping by-law. Steinbach does not have a Sunday shopping by-law. Under the act any business operating with four employees or less can be open on Sundays.

Those rules will be enough to allow most stores to open, Frey said, adding that their slate of participating stores was not yet confirmed.

“As many as can will open,” he said. “We’re optimistic that customers will appreciate that we’re throwing these extra hours at them.”

Cast your vote on The Carillon’s online poll. Should the City of Steinbach hold a referendum on allowing all businesses to operate on Sundays?