The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The community of Snow Lake was dealt an economic blow this week, when the Northwest Company announced that they will be closing their local store at the end of the business day on Saturday, January 10, 2004. The store, which is one of two grocery outlets in the community and the only complete dry goods retailer, is believed to have first opened in 1948. Over the years it has employed hundreds of people; however in the past 10 years, along with the store's business, staffing has dwindled. When it closes in January, eight part-time and one full-time employee will lose their jobs. Manager Adele Sigurdur chalks the closing up to a lack of consumer support for the outlet. "It's been an ongoing battle for the last ten years to keep the store open," she said. "We aren't blaming anybody, it's the economy, and for years this just hasn't been a paying proposition." Sigurdur says that news of the closing has both the employees and customers in a state of devastation. "Many of the older people will miss it. This was their walk each day to pick up bread or milk," she added. See 'Cuts' P.# Con't from P.# Although the store has seen cuts for years now, Sigurdur felt that, particularly over the last while, the writing was on the wall. "In the early eighties we had eight summer students working here, now we have nine employees, total," she said. Sigurdur stated that she thought the company's announcement was handled very professionally. "Each employee was called in and told what the company had to offer," said the manager. "They will get severance and there is counseling available if anyone requires it." Just the same, she says that the day of the announcement was a sad time around the store. Mrs. Sigurdur says that she will retire and she feels most of the other staff will as well. Leading up to the closing, stock will be sold off and whatever is left will be transferred to other Northern Stores.
