The Blind Bay Village Grocer is being recognized for excellence in country grocery store service on the international stage.
Colby and Annette Woodhead, the store’s owners, will be travelling to Japan in May to compete for distinction of the best Shell country retailer globally.
The store, which gets gasoline services from Shell, was also awarded country retailer of the year by the company in 2015.
The awards from Shell are judged on information from secret shoppers.
The Blind Bay Village Grocer has won several awards since it opened in January 2010. In 2011 and 2013, the store was named the best small grocery store in B.C. and the Yukon by The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. The Village Grocer was also the first runner-up for the best small grocery store award nationally in 2011 and 2013.
The store struck gold again in 2014, when it was named the best small grocery store in Canada and the regional winner for B.C. and the Yukon at The Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards.