After 10 years as the anchor of Squamish Station Shopping Centre, MarketPlaceIGA will close its doors in 90 days, employees learned this week.
Storeowners Shane and Nikki Sanderson were given notice after leaseholder HY Louie announced they were not renewing their lease with mall owner Bentall.
"We had negotiated renewal for the lease but just couldn't come to terms on the rental rate so it fell apart," said HY Louie spokesperson Scott Coburn. "We're not happy that it turned out this way. Business is business, it didn't work for us."
A spokesperson for mall owner Bentall said the company does not discuss business dealings. Nikki Sanderson confirmed that the lease was not renewed but would not comment any further.
Unconfirmed reports state the location will reopen as a Nesters Market, a franchise that falls under the Pattison Group umbrella along with Save-On Foods. Calls to the Pattison Group were not returned. It is unknown if the store's employees will retain their jobs.
If reports of a Nesters are true, the location would be the fifth location in the chain. The store became popular with its first store in Whistler, which opened in 1987.
