END OF THE LINE
The Bargain Shop to close in North Sydney Mall as Dollarama expands
The Bargain Shop in North Sydney closing soon.
Shoppers looking for a “bargain” at the North Sydney Mall will only have until the end of the month.
The Bargain Shop at the King Street location will close its doors as of Jan. 31 as the lease agreement between the company and the mall expires.
Jill Jennings, vice-president of human resources for Red Apple Stores Inc., which owns The Bargain Shop, said the decision wasn’t really in the company’s hands.
“We liked the location and we liked being in North Sydney,” said Jennings in a phone interview. “It was really just that the lease was up.”
Jennings, who couldn’t confirm
how many employees would be affected by the closure, said as of now the company doesn’t have any plans to open in another location in North Sydney.
Red Apple Stores Inc., which has 153 general merchandise stores across Canada, will soon only have three Bargain Shop locations in Cape Breton — Cheticamp, Glace Bay and New Waterford. Stores in Port Hawkesbury and Sydney have been closed.
Although The Bargain Shop is leaving the mall, the space it’s currently occupying won’t be left unused.
The North Sydney Mall has signed a long-term lease agreement with the Dollarama to relocate into the space as well as two adjacent spaces.
The expansion will increase the Dollarama’s current space by more than 20 per cent.
Howard Wiseman, president of RHW Property Group Inc. (property manager for North Sydney Mall), said the mall and Dollarama are going to make a “significant investment” as part
of the relocation, expansion and renovation.
“The new Dollarama store is consistent with the long-term vision and plans of the owners of the property,” said Wiseman in an email statement. “We are redeveloping this property to better suit the needs of the community.”
The Dollarama business was founded by Larry Rossy in 1992. The Dollarama operates more than 1,000 stores across Canada with all stores corporately owned.
The store features consumer products, general merchandise and seasonal items. The merchandise is sold in individual or multiple units at select, fixed price points up to $4, according to the company’s website.
The North Sydney Mall has approximately 16 businesses in 183,000 square feet of space.
RHW Property Group Inc. is actively seeking retailers for the North Sydney Mall, which would provide home décor, electronics, sporting goods, entertainment, community services, and a wide range of other services and businesses.
“(New businesses) would benefit from being in a property anchored by Walmart, Sobeys, Dollarama and Schwartz, which has ample and convenient parking,” said Wiseman. “We are targeting our efforts both nationally, regionally as well as locally.”
RHW Property Group Inc. has 40 properties across Canada including eight in Nova Scotia. Along with the North Sydney Mall, the company also manages the Causeway Shopping Centre in Port Hawkesbury.
When asked, Wiseman wouldn’t say whether or not The Bargain Shop was given an option to renew its lease agreement in North Sydney, only noting that the lease expires at the end of January.
Jennings said Red Apple Stores Inc. always has its eyes open for new locations, but as of now, the company doesn’t have anything planned for the Cape Breton area.