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 shelves were bare, hearts were heavy and memories were as vivid as the almost unfathomable fact that Snow Lake's last Main Street grocery store wouldn't open for business come Monday morning. The community's Northern Store closed its doors for good at the end of the business day on Saturday, January 10. Even though there wasn't much left to buy, a number of citizens came by to offer condolences, say their thanks to staff and just walk around and remember some of their own history with the store. "It was a sad day for me yesterday," said Assistant Manager, Margie Cockle on Sunday. "There were a lot of people coming in to say thanks, some with flowers and baking. It certainly shows that you have done something over the years that people have appreciated." Cockle, a 26 year employee, said that she will certainly miss the people who frequented the store and working with the public. "But I think most of all, I'll miss the staff," she said with emotion in her voice. "I spend more time with them than I do with my own family." She says that as a staff they all worked very well together. "There are four of us who have been here quite a long time. We've worked as a team for many years. There was never any badmouthing or quibbling amoungst us. When there was a job to be done it got done," she added. Student employee, Ricki Henderson concurred that she will miss the people she worked with and the atmosphere they worked under, but admits that once she is done work, she will have more time to concentrate on her school marks during this her graduation year. 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. Once the store is cleared of stock, eight part-time and two full-time employees will be out of work. Since the closing was announced, staff have been boxing things up and sending them to other Northern Stores. Cockle says that they did reduce prices on some of the groceries and dry goods in order to sell off items that will perish or become damaged in transit. "It has taken some time, but we are close to three quarters done," she explained. Also, when the November 2003 announcement of the closing was made, a rumour circulated within the community that the Co-op out of Flin Flon was looking at taking over the store. However, Cockle stated that she wasn't sure what would happen with the store once it closed and was emptied. "The Co-op from Flin Flon was in to look at the building, but to my knowledge, nothing has resulted from that," she stated. "I do hope something happens. I know this building does need some maintenance, but other than that it is a good, large building." Meanwhile customers are also feeling the effect of the closing and wondering what they will do when they go to buy some of the things that only the Northern had to offer. Long-time customer Vera Janovic says that there has been a lot of great people work in the store over the years. She and husband Joe make a number of trips each day up to the Main Street bastion and she says that they will miss everything about the store. "I've come here everyday for thirty years," said an emotional Janovic. "There are many things that you can buy here and nowhere else." She fears that they will feel lost without it. Northern Store Manager Adele Sigurdur and Mrs. Cockle will remain on payroll tieing up loose ends until the end of January. The other staff will remain for a week after the doors close, continuing to box goods up, readying them for transportation. Following that, all that will remain of this once great employer, meeting place and shopping experience will be the memories of the many Snow Lake citizens who will miss her.
