Giant Leap for Giant Tiger

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Manager Mark Lush stands outside the Richmond Street Giant Tiger store. The department store will be leaving that location and moving to the Thames Lea Plaza later this year.
Manager Mark Lush stands outside the Richmond Street Giant Tiger store. The department store will be leaving that location and moving to the Thames Lea Plaza later this year.

Giant Tiger will be doubling the size of its Chatham store this September as it moves to the Thames Lea Plaza.

Dean Bradley, president of Brad-Lea Meadows, which owns the Grand Ave. W. facility, said a multi-year deal has been struck with the Canadian owned national chain.

“We’re very pleased to be able to welcome Giant Tiger,” he said. “It’s a strong community partner and an excellent fit for us.”

Bradley said the store will occupy the former Staples site that was once a Zehr’s grocery store.

“It’s a great spot for them.”

Mark Lush, Giant Tiger Chatham manager, said the new store will have 20,000 square feet of retail space, compared with 11,000 at its current Richmond Street location.

“We opened at our current site on Sept. 16 of 2006, we’re closing here on Sept. 14 and we will open the new store on September 17, almost 10 years to the day,” he explained.

Lush said there would be some additional employees hired for the new location but staffing levels haven’t been confirmed.

Of Giant Tiger’s well-known reputation for giving back to the community, Lush said that is very much part of the company’s mandate.

“For us, being in and part of the community and supporting those who live around in any way shape or form is part of our code of ethics. It’s in our DNA.”

“Our founder Gordon Reid believes that it is our responsibility to give back to the communities that support us,” he said. “It’s at the core of our culture. It’s the right thing to do.”

Reid founded the privately owned company in Ottawa in 1961 and still plays an active role in its success.

“Even in his 80’s he is still involved and is an inspiration to us.”

Giant Tiger has more than 200 stores coast to coast and more than 7000 employees.

Lush said Giant Tiger will be selling many of the fixtures and refrigeration equipment at the Richmond St. building.
“We really will be starting fresh,” he said. “It’s a great feeling.”

Bradley said the search continues for a tenant for the footprint of the former Target store.

“We have some irons in the fire but there’s nothing we can publicly speak about at this time,” he said.

Thames Lea Plaza is home to more than 20 businesses.

23 COMMENTS

  1. Just a reminder, many of the Great management teams of KMART stores in Ontario joined Giant Tiger when the KMART were closed. I was a former member of those management teams. This is Great News for Chatham.

  2. Will be a great loss to this area for many … but a great opportunity for the store and the employees. Congratulations Mark and cant wait to see what new things the store will have to offer.

  3. Mark would u consider hiring someone on disability as I have a bad back can only stand a couple of hours then need to sit hate not being able to work as I have worked 40 years and only in early 50's

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