Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Super-Lite moving to city's south
Firm leaving Logan after half a century
Super-Lite president Simon Simkin says the Waverley Street location will be a better location for retailing. ( WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)
AFTER more than half a century on Logan Avenue, one of Winnipeg's oldest lighting stores is migrating south.
Super-Lite Lighting Ltd. is moving later this month to new leased quarters at 1040 Waverley St. after its landlord -- The Pal Group -- declined to renew its lease at 1901 Logan Ave.
Super-Lite president and co-owner Simon Simkin said in an interview Tuesday The Pal Group wants the space for its own operations. And although Super-Lite has been at the Logan Avenue location for more than 50 years, he and his business partners -- Stuart Pudavick and Allan Hochman -- say they think the pending move will be good for the company.
"The reason we like the (new) location is it's in the south end (of the city) and a lot of the new construction in Winnipeg is happening in the southwest," Simkin said.
"It's also a much better area for us to do retailing than the northwest and Logan," Simkin said, noting it's close to a number of large residential areas such as Lindenwoods, Whyte Ridge, River Heights, Fort Garry and Charleswood.
Although only about 15 per cent of Super-Lite's revenues come from direct sales to the public -- the rest come from sales to homebuilders and other commercial customers -- Simkin said "that's an area we could certainly grow just by being in this area."
He noted the new location is also only a three-minute drive from the booming retail hub of Kenaston and McGillivray. So that gives it good exposure to shoppers, "but we're not paying Kenaston's rents and we don't have Kenaston's traffic problems," he said.
The new store is to open on April 27. Although Super-Lite will start off with a little less space than it has at its current site -- about 24,000 square feet compared to 26,000 on Logan-- Simkin said that will jump to 44,000 square feet within the next three years. And it may happen sooner than that if the tenant leasing that other portion of the building -- a commercial printing firm -- decides to move before its lease runs out.
"Whatever we don't need we'll sublet (to someone else)," he said.
Simkin, who became part owner of Super-Lite in the late 1970s or early 1980s, said The Pal Group didn't want to renew its lease because it has a number of companies operating out of different locations in the city and wants to consolidate them at the Logan Avenue site.
He said The Pal Group bought the building from Super-Lite in the late 1980s when Super-Lite stopped manufacturing its own lighting products, and has been using the other two-thirds that wasn't being leased to Super-Lite. The Pal Group has a number of divisions specializing in a wide range of products including packaging supplies, plastics, foam packing and barcode technologies.
Once the Waverley Street store opens, the Logan Avenue location will be converted to a temporary clearance centre that will remain open until Super-Lite sells off the stock that isn't being transferred to the new store.
murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 15, 2009 B7
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Business
Poll
Most Popular
- Jury on Stobbe trial down to 13 members
- Police say it's a miracle anyone survived crash that killed 10 migrant workers
- Madonna 'not impressed' over M.I.A Super Bowl finger
- Jets defeat Leafs 2-1
- Two Mounties shot and wounded in rural area southeast of Edmonton
- M.I.A. splits from fiance
- Jets forwards among cellar-dwellers in payroll, goals scored
- LeAnn Rimes in pain following 'minor surgery'
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Smith injured after transit fare protest
- Two armed men rob store at Grant Park Shopping Centre
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Nick Carter's sister dies
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Group's speed-limit sign removed from Pembina Highway
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Kate Beckinsale's weight fears over Underworld catsuit
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- Golf course pressured on outstanding payments
- Trapped bear commits vehicular mauling, also manages to open garage door
- All the single ladies: 'Bachelor Canada' launches tour to find contestants
- Conservatives cut short House of Commons long-gun registry debate
- Two Mounties shot and wounded in rural area southeast of Edmonton
- Spanking hurts more than helps, studies find
- Ottawa hits ex-rural pharmacist with $3.1-M suit over suspect claims
- Casting tour for The Bachelor Canada stopping in city Feb. 23
- Author Léveillé wins arts distinction award
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- Time, it appears, is on Assad's side
- Baird says Canada is a better friend of Israel than United States is
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- 4 dead in northern Ontario plane crash
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.