McFrugal鈥檚 planned Aug. 31 opening has been postponed as the owners await occupancy and fire permits, according to Jason McDougall, COO of Fields Holding Company which owns the discount chain.
He said the municipal staff doing that work are scheduled to visit the store this week, after which time an opening date can be announced.
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McFrugal鈥檚 Discount Outlet is returning to 91原创 after a six year absence.
The discount store will be opening in the former Army and Navy Department Store site in 91原创 Mall, 5501 204th St.
McFrugal鈥檚 operated from 2000 to 2014 in an 8,000 square foot location on 56th Avenue where Farm Country Brewing is currently located.
The return to the local marketplace brings a substantial increase in floor space at 63,000 square feet. The company that owns McFrugal鈥檚 also owns 62 Fields stores located in small communities around Western Canada.
鈥淲e felt there was a good market overall,鈥� said Jason McDougall, the COO of Fields Holding Company (FHC). 鈥淚t was Army and Navy鈥檚 best store. And we understand that community reasonably well.鈥�
The idea to return to 91原创 came when Army and Navy announced it was closing due to COVID-19. FHC is not only taking over the space of the former department store.
鈥淲e bought a lot of Army Navy inventory from their stores closed,鈥� he said.
The plan is to also offer some of what was so popular at Army and Navy, name strong camping, fishing and outdoor sections, as well as mattress department, workwear and workboots, men鈥檚, ladies & kids fashions, family footwear, house and home department, grocery, and toys.
McFrugal鈥檚 stock comes from a variety of sources, including wholesalers, store closures, excess inventory, and even movie sets.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had whole fabric shops before,鈥� McDougall added.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 so varied, you never know from day to day.鈥�
The Aug. 31 opening date for the 91原创 location is ambitious. McDougall said it鈥檚 a lot of work getting a store this size ready to open. There鈥檚 already been more than 400 pallets of merchandise brought in and that鈥檚 about half of what customers can expect to find when the doors open.
鈥淲e鈥檝e never opened a store this size,鈥� he said.
The opening comes months into the global pandemic that Army and Navy said forced it to close after more than a century in business. FHC purchased the Fields stores in 2012 and closed the 91原创 McFrugal鈥檚 to focus on the department stores. McDougall said FHC has more than 500 staff. The McFrugal鈥檚 91原创 addition will mean another 20- to 25 full and part-time jobs, including many former Army and Navy staff who were put out of work with the chain鈥檚 closing.
COVID-19 means that the layout of the new McFrugal鈥檚 had to be revamped, such as making wider aisles to allow for social distancing. FHC management and staff are having to figure out how to provincial and federal COVID-19 protocols in a retail setting.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unique, that鈥檚 for sure. There鈥檚 no playbook,鈥� McDougall said. 鈥淲e use common sense as much as possible.鈥�
FHC also operates the 38,000 square foot McFrugal鈥檚 outlet in North Surrey and another one in Thunder Bay, Ont. It opted to go with a McFrugal鈥檚 in 91原创, versus a Fields store.
鈥淭he customer generally still wants to buy deals, and it鈥檚 hard to do that kind of stuff online,鈥� he said.
McDougall explained it has to do with the different atmosphere of each operation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very different, the McFrugals, how it operates,鈥� he commented. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more of a treasure hunt atmosphere at McFrugal鈥檚.鈥�
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