No Frills on the way to Steinbach?

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This article was published 04/12/2014 (3820 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The best indication yet that Steinbach will have the new downtown grocery store the city has been clamouring for emerged this week.

A Loblaws official told the Winnipeg Free Press this week that two abandoned Extra Foods locations in Winnipeg will reopen in the first half of 2015 as No Frills discount grocery stores.

A Loblaws spokesperson added to the intrigue by suggesting the first two No Frills stores to open in Manitoba may not be the last. The Extra Foods location in Steinbach closed in February 2013.

“It’s a big deal for us to introduce a new banner into the province and we are solely focused on the two stores planned for Winnipeg,” Kevin Groh, Loblaw vice-president of corporate affairs and communication, told The Carillon Wednesday.

“However, we are very optimistic that a value-focused store like No Frills will be popular and that other stores could follow in other markets. How we do that—whether through new stores or existing stores—really remains to be seen.

Steinbach mayor Chris Goertzen has mused previously the vacant downtown supermarket may return under the No Frills brand.

Goertzen said he remains confident the downtown shopping vacancy will be filled.

“I’m very optimistic that in the next few months we’ll see a change in that location and we’ll see that utilized,” he said. “It certainly is a lucrative spot.”