A massively popular, locally owned meat market in the Westphal area of Dartmouth is about a week away from the grand opening of its newly renovated store.
Gateway, located on Main Street, is about to expand into a much bigger space.
Spokesperson Tamara McKay tells our newsroom; there’s a lot of hype and people are getting excited.
“We’ve been working on it for a while, so I think it’s awesome that it’s about to open up,” says MacKay.
What to expect
The first thing you will notice is the retail store will be much bigger.
“That’s what the customers will first and foremost see when they walk in is, double the area to shop, and more room to get around,” says Mckay.
Photo: Gateway Meat Market/Facebook
There will be 12 cash registers, with a brand-new flyer with what McKay describes as “great deals”.
Twelve new cash registers are slated for Gateway in the expansion. Photo: Gateway Meat Market/Facebook
“I’ll be out in the parking lot myself, handing out some treats and chatting with customers and getting feedback,” adds McKay.
Much needed
Gateway first opened in 2008 at 1,700 square feet.
Since, it has been known for its good deals, attracting people from all over the Maritimes, and very long lines.
Photo: Gateway Meat Market/Facebook
One, had more than 100 people stretching down Main Street.
Next Thursday, the store will expand to 26,000 square feet including the entire retail space, warehouse and offices, which McKay says is a huge improvement.
“It’s our fifth expansion. So, we’ve kind of been careful not to bite off more than we can chew and we’ve done it little by little over the years.”
They have a variety of food, but McKay says, their focus will always be more on meat and produce.
“Meat is at the heart of our business, but we’ve adjusted over the years. We’ve brought in lots of produce, deli, frozen items, dairy and even vegan options,” adds McKay.
She says, they listen to their customers and bring in what they are asking for.
Bit of a delay
They had initially planned on the new store to open at the end of May, but there was a bit of a hiccup.
“The Nova Scotia Power cyber-attack put us back a little bit because we couldn’t move our power source,” says McKay.
“We had to move things like internet lines and just some things with HRM and moving power boxes and doing some underground work.”
However, she says, things wrapped up quickly and they are now on the home stretch.
Gateway opens its newly renovated store, June 19.
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