Asian supermarket eyed for old arena site

Reaction is mixed to plans for a major Asian supermarket to be constructed on the site of the old Winnipeg Arena.

The Asian market will be the major tenant on the two-hectare site, located between Canad Inns Stadium and the Polo Park shopping centre, which has been vacant since the arena was demolished in 2006.

Bob Downs, development manager for Shindico Realty, says the development, which will also include smaller retail outlets andoffices, is worth tens of millions of dollars.

Shindico will not reveal the name of the supermarket owner, but says it is a Canadian company.

"It is an ethnic grocery store. It will provide a variety of food products for Asian market as well as other ethnic markets," Downs said.

Downs is still working out the final details of the project with the company, but says construction should begin before the end of the year.

A spokesperson for Vancouver-based T & T SupermarketInc. said the company is interested in the arena location but wouldn'tconfirm it is the one in talkswith Shindico.

Liam Sanders, a customer at a Chinese grocery store in Winnipeg's Chinatown district, told CBC News he is excited about the prospect of a T & T market.

He used to shop there when he lived in B.C., and said"they have a great selection of stuff [and] there's really good produce.

"The prices are good and the service is really good," he added.

'We feel bad about it. It will be a very very stiff competition for us.' Francis Tsang

However, some owners ofAsian grocery stores currently operating in the city aren't looking forwardtothat kind ofcompetition.

Francis Tsang, who owns Oriental Grocery,believes there aren't enough Asian people in the city to support such a large store as well as the smaller ones like his.

"We feel bad about it.It will be a very very stiff competition for us," he said.

His store has already been facing competition from another large Asiangrocer, Edmonton-based chain Lucky Supermarket, which openeda 20,000-square-foot market in Winnipeg in February.

At present, it is the largest Asian grocer in Winnipeg. But its size will be surpassedonce the storebeing planned for the arena site is built.

Sanders, though, thinks there are plenty of people to support yet another Asian supermarket, as well as the smaller grocers. It's wrong to only focus on Asian customers, because many non-Asian people, like himself,shop at thosestores, he said.