Dollarama on track for Aug. 20 opening

August 12, 2005
Portage Daily Graphic
Written by: Teresa Falk

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — Workers are putting the final touches on the new Dollarama store in Portage la Prairie as the store prepares to open in about a week.

“We’re 99.9 per cent done. We’re doing the final painting and touch ups,” said Bryon MacDonald, the company’s regional manager for northern Ontario, Manitoba and Sask-atchewan.

MacDonald expects the store on Saskatchewan Avenue West to throw open its doors to loonie-loving Portagers on Aug. 20.

MacDonald said this is near the projected opening day.

“We’re right on schedule,” he said.

MacDonald said the first load of merchandise will arrive tomorrow and the employees will spend the next week or so stocking shelves.

The vice-president of Winnipeg-based Shindico Realty Ltd., the project’s developer said the building process went smoothly.

Robert Shindleman noted the parking lot still needs to be paved, which will happen before opening day.
Shindleman, who has developed other Dollarama stores across Canada, said the store is 3,600 square metres and is one of the larger Dollarama locations.

MacDonald said the store has hired about 20 employees already and will probably hire another 10 in the coming weeks. He said the manager position has not yet been filled, but will be by the time opening day rolls around.

Shindleman said Dollarama is a true dollar store, with a variety of items each at the low price of one dollar.
“Everything is great quality and nothing sells for more than a dollar,” he said. “It’s amazing what you can buy for one dollar.”

MacDonald said the selection will be “unbelievable.”

“We get new items every day,” he said. “There will be nothing over a buck.”

With 360 stores to its credit, Dollarama is the largest dollar store operation in Canada. There are about 50 stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and northern Ontario, MacDonald said.

The S. Rossy Group jointly owns Dollarama with Bain Capital, a U.S. company based in Boston.

© 2005 Portage Daily Graphic. All Rights Reserved