Convenience and competitive prices make new supermarket shoo-in success

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A 10-minute downpour wasn't enough to put a damper on the opening ceremonies of Hobbema's newest grocery store.

More than 475 people gathered to celebrate the opening of Sonias Grocery Mayfair July 6. The 1,080-square-metre facility is a complete store, with a full complement of meat, dairy and produce items, as well as a bakery and deli.

The day opened with a quiet pipe ceremony at 10 a.m., then progressed to festivities which included a local dance troupe and two two-minute shopping sprees, both won by children.

The youngest contestant, Crandall Buffalo, 8, took his mum along on the wild ride, and bagged $144 worth of groceries. Kaylyn Buffalo, 13, went solo, and netted $82.04.

"It was a riot," laughed Nepoose, with Samson Management.

As project co-ordinator, Nepoose has seen the store grow from a concept on the drawing board to an enterprise employing 27 band members.

"This is owned by our own people and the location is ideal - right at the centre of Hobbema," said Nepoose. "We're retaining money in the community. The convenience is the major benefit because we don't have to go to town to buy our supplies and the store offers competitive prices.

"But another big thing is that we've created training and employment opportunities," said Nepoose.

Community spirit has been so supportive of the local endeavour, when uniformed staff filed out to watch the opening speeches, they received a spontaneous round of applause from the audience.

While the store and most of the staff are new to the grocery business, the manager Doug Seitz is an old hand at it. Seitz has 25 years of experience in the grocery business, running stores in northern Alberta successfully for more than two decades. His long-term plan is to be mentor and train a local staff member to fill his shoes in the future.

The name of the new grocery stores comes from the Cree word meaning monies. But Sonias was also the name of one of Hobbema's first entrepreneurs. Sonias, also known as William Thomas, was born "when the first frost came" in October, 1900. He was one of the reserve's first members to own an automobile, a fierce contraption that frightened his neighbors. Family folklore has it that Sonias was told many times to remove that "evil monster" from their sight.

As an adult, Sonias broke into the food business by setting up concessions at Sun Dances and other celebrations, like geese dances, powwows, and even during the haying season. Samson Management salutes his drive and determination by proudly naming the grocery store after him.

The Sonias grocery is part of the Samson Band's new 2,160-square-metre mall and gas bar. The combination gas bar and convenience store, which employs about nine people, opened for business March 10 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on-site at the 30,00 litre-capacity station.