The people who circulated a petition trying to get a Metro grocery store back at the Porcupine Mall got Mayor George Pirie’s support this week. They also got some advice.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, the mayor suggested they ask the 3,200 people who signed the petition for ten dollars each, and form a cooperative to establish their own store.
“With the board in place, then you do a marketing study, you do a business study. You say ‘How do we make this happen?’ The community will be fully involved in that solution which I think is essential to get this determined.”
The east end has been without a full-service grocery store since Metro pulled out last year. The company also owns the mall, and isn’t returning calls to the petition group or the mayor.
He implied this week that the grocery store doesn’t have to be at the mall.
“You can find out where to put that store. First thing is to get the business plan in place to see if it is supported, is there price points you have to match, will the store really thrive here in South Porcupine?”
Since Metro closed, the nearest full-service grocery store is at Algonquin Boulevard and Highway 655.