1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow – Downtown shopping centre sold again

JULY 6, 1977—The Steinbach Shopping Centre, reportedly sold a month ago, has been sold again. At the same time, Stylerite Foods of Steinbach is taking over the Family Fare Foods supermarket under a new name.

The complex changeover took effect Monday and reduces the number of major food stores in town to two.

Under terms of this latest transaction, the shopping centre has been purchased from Merchants Consolidated and several local investors, who bought the complex from Jedman Investments a few weeks ago.

New owners of the 35,000 sq. ft. centre are Ernie Dyck of Steinbach, Max Gladstone of Winnipeg and Winkler, A.L. Friesen of Winkler and another Winnipeg associate. Friesen is a brother to Stylerite Foods manager Harry Friesen of Steinbach and operates a large grocery outlet in Winkler. Each of the new owners holds a 25 percent share.

In a separate transaction taking place at the same time, Gladstone, A.L. Friesen, Bill Friesen, Harry Friesen, Walter Penner and Dave Friesen, the latter three from Steinbach and already employed with the Stylerite firm, will become new owners of the large food store in the shopping centre. It has been renamed G.F.P. Foods Ltd.

A.L. Friesen explained the present Stylerite Foods outlet has been closed, while the hardware store downstairs remains open for business as usual.

Stylerite Department Stores, adjacent to the present Stylerite Foods store, is not affected by the change, although there have been reports the old building may undergo extensive renovations.

The Winkler grocer and investor said plans were not yet finalized for the large unoccupied area in the shopping centre opposite the food store. He said one possibility was a clothing store.

Value of the latest transaction was not disclosed, but the sale of the same assets last month was worth about $1.5 million.

The shopping centre was built by Jedman Investments Ltd., a locally owned company, and was partially open for business in November of 1976. It is the town’s first shopping centre, located on the site of the old Tourist Hotel.

Gladstone indicated new owners of the complex are already planning an expansion with details to be announced in the near future.