‘End of an era’ as Dakota Family Foods set to close up shop after nearly 2 decades

July 11, 2024 Canuck

An independent grocery store that’s been a staple in Winnipeg’s St. Vital area for nearly two decades is getting ready to shut its doors.

Dakota Family Foods owner Scott Clement said there were a number of factors that played a role in his decision to close. The primary one was a failure to reach a new lease agreement with the building owner, but he says Manitoba’s minimum wage increase and theft were also part of his decision.

“Right now I probably have over 100 emails of customers reaching out, saying how sad it is,” along with support from customers coming into the store, he said.

“It’s very touching, to be honest with you, and it kind of really makes you feel like you’re part of the community, that you were part of the community.”

The decision was a tough one and months in the making, said Clement.

The lease for the building at St. Mary’s Road and Dakota Street is up in November, but he said he hasn’t committed to a hard closing date. He said the goal is to run down inventory at the store.

“Hopefully in the next few weeks I’ll have a better idea, and can pass that on.”

With many businesses in the city complaining about rising incidents of theft, a new initiative targeting retail theft in Winnipeg was extended on Wednesday, and will now continue through the summer.

While Clement said shoplifting isn’t the main reason his store is closing, theft is always in the back of his mind.

“Shoplifting in the grocery business has always been an issue,” he said.

“Yes, it has increased more so in the last few years, and I’ll be honest with you, the attitudes of shoplifters have changed substantially too.”

In the past, “when you caught shoplifters … you’d get remorse, you’d get embarrassment, you’d get apologetic [people],” he said.

“Nowadays it’s the complete opposite — ‘what’re you gonna do’ attitudes, and ‘you can’t do anything,’ and all that kind of stuff.… It’s the toughest part of the job that we deal with.”

He also said while he can’t blame the province for increasing the minimum wage, it impacts his bottom line.

The minimum went up from $14.15 to $15.30 last October, and is set to increase again this October, to $15.80.

“We’re still a small business and there’s only so much money floating around in the pot … and it affected us,” said Clement.

‘Great little family store’

The news of the store’s closure felt like the “end of an era,” said Joel Hunt, who got his first job working there as a teenager.

He worked at the store along with his two brothers — one of whom met his now wife there.

“A lot of their employees are lifers there,” he said. “They’ve been there forever, so it was really sad to hear that. It’s a great little family store.”

But he’s also happy for Clement and the next chapter of his life.

“No joke, he was there … seven days a week, every week that I was there,” said Hunt. “I think I saw him take maybe two holidays while I was there for five years.”

Clement said he’ll cherish the memories of his staff, whom he considers great friends.

“And of course the customers — that was the main reason why we were able to stay here for 20 years,” he said.

“They came in and supported a small family business.”

Up To Speed4:28Dakota Family Foods closing its doors after nearly 20 years

Scott Clement speaks with guest host Chloe Friesen about his decision to close his Winnipeg store after almost two decades. Lease issues, construction and theft are some factors that contributed to the hard decision, he says.

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‘End of an era’ as Dakota Family Foods set to close up shop after nearly 2 decades

‘Great little family store’

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