Flin Flon shoppers will be able to buy sushi, aged beef and gourmet popcorn at the new North of 53 Co-op Store once it opens this spring.
Co-op general manager Tom Therien gave members of the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce an update on the new store during its Dec. 12 meeting.
Therien told the group that construction on the store itself was entering the final stages, with work completed on storage space and refrigeration units.
“Now they’re working on the floor of the store, so within a month you’ll start to see bits and pieces of
it looking like a new
store,” said Therien.
Therien added that the store will include a section devoted solely to creating sushi dishes – something Flin Flon has never had before.
“We will have somebody contracted to make it. We have a contract signed with a company in Japan who actually places people in your location and they work off a commission in the centre,” said Therien.
Joining the sushi section will be what Therien described as a “popcorn station.”
“It smells nice, not that labour intensive to make, but it’s something that we’ve noticed people buying and whatnot,” he said.
In addition to the specialty sections and typical grocery store fare, the new store will include another unique touch in the meat department – an area devoted specifically for aged beef.
“If you go to any high-end restaurant, this is what you’re ordering – it’s aged beef. You can actually see the beef aging from the counter,” said Therien.
The plans are going to take some time and manpower to become a reality. Therien said the store’s first round of employee hires – between 25-50 people in all – will begin in the new year.
“That’s going to be a daunting task for us, but we’re looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
The new Co-op store is scheduled to open in early April.
