Big Box Store in Ganges

Big Box Store Takes Over a Full City Block of Ganges

by Emily McIvor

Many of you may know about-and feel helpless to prevent-the takeover of an entire city block of downtown Ganges by a big box chain store. No, wait, BIG BOX? That has got to be a mistake!! Not on Saltspring, right?!

Well, unfortunately it is true. Plans are going ahead to displace Admirals Specialty Foods, Windflower Moon, Acoustic Planet and Saltspring Soapworks. They will all be shoved aside by Mark's Work Wearhouse. Talk about a neighbourhood bully! The part that is less widely known is that Mark's is a subsidiary of Canadian (crappy) Tire.

The big chain will take over after January when the building they're in is taken down and rebuilt (presumably to Mark's specifications). Imagine the thrill of the tourists next summer, when they're picking through plastic coffee mugs and made-in-China tube socks. And, when local contractors want to replenish their wardrobes with Carhartts, they will only have to fight their way through the Ganges parking nightmare to get them. It's a win-win situation!

It is a 'little' sad that we won't be able to drop in to Windflower Moon and browse their unique selection of spiritual books, gifts and clothing anymore. I guess we 'might' miss the local, organic and wild meats as well as by-the-piece sushi and imported groceries at Admirals. Soon enough though, it will just fade to a vague memory of a time when Saltspring was different, when local character meant more than million dollar mansions.

Saltspring Soapworks owner, Linda Quiring, says that her store will have a new home in the current Mark's work-clothes section after the renos are done. Acoustic Planet owner, Greg Esposito, plans some kind of amalgamation of the store with his music studio nearby, although the view won't be quite the same. The real tragedy though, is for Paul Boatman and Laura Roveda, the owners of Admirals Specialty Foods and Windflower Moon (respectively) and their employees.

Laura plans to close her store for good in January, after seven successful years of business. Although she says it's time for her to move on, I'm sure it would have been preferable to sell the business rather than just selling off stock but everyone knows you can't sell a store without a storefront.

Admirals owner, Paul Boatman is the only one who remains unresolved to his demise as a business owner on Saltspring. He and his late wife Pamela, started the store 20 years ago in the old Creekside building, where Apple Photo now resides. Twenty years of community service as well as the provision of excellent and unusual groceries and unique, character window display. This is an unceremonious end for Admirals, a store which regularly takes international orders from regular visitors to Saltspring. It is also a step in exactly the wrong direction for Ganges!

If you are interested in helping preserve the unique character of Ganges, please contact me at: mlmcvr9@gmail.com .

Thank you