BOWDEN — Reddi Mart, a gas station, convenience and grocery store operating in downtown Bowden for decades, is closing on Jan. 31.
Reddi Mart owner/operator Patty Houchin confirmed the closure during an interview with the Albertan.
Houchin said the property owner, Parkland Corporation, will not renew the lease, which expires at the end of April.
She knows the closure will be hard on the community, leaving residents with few options for grocery purchases, especially in downtown Bowden, but despite a lengthy effort, she was unable to change the company’s mind.
“It’s sad. It’s very sad because of all the seniors here in town. I feel terrible,” she said.
Houchin said she’s closing Jan. 31 so that her husband and son, who are farmers, can help her clean everything out. She said because they’re farmers, the end of April wouldn’t work for them.
Houchin has owned and operated the store since 2021. Before that, she worked for about 15 years for its previous owners, Larry and Shirley Adams who had owned the business since 1985.
Houchin said on Feb. 14, 2024 she learned that the lease would not be renewed.
“I got a phone call saying that they were putting my site, along with 156 other sites up for sale across Canada,” Houchin said.
“I was supposed to hear at the end of June if the place sold. I didn’t hear anything. They said ‘oh, maybe the end of July,’ so I tried back in July, tried back in August. Nobody had an answer for me.
“My territory manager came to me here (at the) end of November and he said, ‘Patty, they’re definitely not renewing your lease.’
“I said, ‘OK, why?’
“He said, ‘your fuel sales are down and they don’t want to put any money into the building.’
“I said, ‘OK, did the building sell?’
“(He said) ‘I don’t know. Everybody above me has changed hands, nobody will talk to me. I don’t have any answers for you.’”
Houchin said she discussed the matter with a law firm but has now concluded there’s nothing more she can do.
About eight people work for in the store, all part-time.
Houchin said she initially informed them of the pending closure at the beginning or middle of December. They then received letters regarding the closure at the end of that month.
Houchin said she really enjoyed running the business.
“I absolutely loved it,” she said. “I mean, worked for Larry for 15 years. I had a great mentor; he taught me everything. I wouldn’t have taken it over if they were going to close it down.”
However, she said, “I’m tired of fighting with Parkland.”
Once the store is fully empty and closed, Houchin plans to take six months off to contemplate her future.
It was suggested perhaps she could open another grocery store, but she said it takes a lot of money to start one up.
Besides, it’s just too difficult, especially for small businesses.
A big problem, she said, is inconsistent or only partial deliveries from suppliers.
“Everybody’s suffering,” Houchin said. “You go into a big grocery store, they don’t have groceries. You come into my little grocery store, I don’t have groceries.”
“Like I order one kind of flour or one kind of this, or one kind of that. If I don’t get that, I’ve got to wait another whole week-and-a-half, two weeks before I get my next order, so it makes it really hard to stock a little store.
“It makes it really hard to continue on if your suppliers aren’t supplying you with everything that you need or order. If you’re only getting two-thirds of an order, you’re always fighting to put stuff on your shelves.”
Houchin said she does have other work experience besides Reddi Mart to fall back on.
“I’ve done everything. I’ve worked at the golf course, I’ve worked at the liquor store here in town,” she said.
“It’s just sad, (but) you know what? As one door closes, another door will open.”
The Albertan reached out to Parkland Corporation officials by phone and email for comment but did not receive a reply by press time.
