Walking the empty aisles at what used to be the SuperValu in Gold River, a tiny island town of just over 1,200 people, Brad Unger can’t help but relive memories from his past.
The Vancouver Island man worked at the grocery store for 31 years.
“I don’t want to use the word depressing, but when you look around the community and here it is noon and you look outside and there’s nobody walking by the door, it’s hard to look at,” Unger said.
He started out as a meat cutter, progressing through several jobs until he purchased the store 14 years ago.
On Nov. 12 he was forced to close its doors for good.
“We’re a small community with one guy buying groceries from a company,” Unger said. “You know we’re not connected with the Walmarts and that so yeah it wasn’t easy.”
TD Bank’s decision to pull their branch out of the shop was only one of many factors that led to their problems, he says.
“Little things, you know, the government takes away fishing licenses in the summertime, we used to [have] like 300, 350 licenses you know, you don’t have that traffic flow,” Unger added.
While many Gold River residents were already buying their groceries an hour away in Campbell River, some people worry about how seniors will get by.
The local Fields store is now stocking additional dry goods and another merchant is stepping up to cover the gap with fresh produce and eggs.
“It’s definitely a huge loss, but Gold River is known to rebound and not go down quietly,” said Dawn Dakin with the Gold River Deli.
Some hope a different store will move into the now-vacant space.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island’s Gord Kurbis
