Changes are in the works for the SmartCentres shopping centre in Salmon Arm.
A Winners store and a Dollarama at the site are getting closer to reality, while a third Salmon Arm Tim Hortons restaurant is projected for late next year.
City staff report that a building permit was issued for Dollarama on Aug. 17, with a construction value of approximately $1.18 million. Four days later, on Aug. 21, a building permit with a construction value of nearly $3 million was issued for Winners.
As for Tim Hortons, Kelly Moores, owner of the two existing Salmon Arm franchises, confirms that the plan is to put a Tim Hortons at SmartCentres likely in October or November of 2016.
“Things can change all the time so I wouldn’t say it’s a done deal yet,” he cautioned.
Moores says he predicts it will be a smaller store than the other two, with a double drive-thru, or two lanes of drive thru.
“It’ll just offer another alternative for customers on that end of town; because of the closeness to other retail, there will be a lot of evening business.”
He noted it will also be closer for people staying in cabins in areas such as the North Shuswap, and will cater to the industrial area on the west side of Salmon Arm.
He expects it will employ about the same number of staff as the other two Tim Hortons.
“We typically run with 30-plus employees per location.”
Sandra Kaiser, vice-president of corporate affairs for SmartCentres, also confirmed a Tim Hortons.
“Yes, Tim Hortons along with Winners and Dollarama will be tenants on our site. As soon as I have more precise timing of openings, I will let you know,” she stated Monday in an email.