NEW MINAS – Construction at the old Future Shop location on Granite Drive in New Minas has many guessing at what new store may be coming to the location.
The Granite Drive Plaza is owned by property development company Plaza Realty Reit and sits at the corner of Commercial Street and Granite Drive.
Company executive vice-president and chief information officer Peter Mackenzie confirmed the development details, saying the company is developing space for four separate retailers at their Granite Drive, Silver Fox and Commercial Street plazas.
In total, the company now owns 100,033 square feet of commercial space in the village.
Mackenzie also confirmed the project is slated for completion by fall 2018, with its new stores open by the Christmas season.
“By the end of the year, with the exception of the proposed pad site at Silver Fox, we will be fully leased,” he said.
Not yet confirmed who retailers will be
The development at the old Future Shop store comes after the company bought out the remainder of its lease and is renovating the space to create two separate retail spaces.
Another space is being renovated on the other side of Winners, for a third new retailer.
Mackenzie did not confirm the stores that will move into the spaces. Winners also did not respond to a request for comment on the development, happening on either side of its current location in New Minas.
With work happening on each of their properties in New Minas, Mackenzie said the company has its sights set on the village, where retail seems to be booming.
That, combined with the increase of traffic promised by the new highway access along Granite Drive interchange, which Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal spokesperson Marla MacInnis, confirmed is slated for completed this fall, has Mackenzie feeling very excited.
“This development is very exciting for us, and we hope people in New Minas are excited as well,” he said.
“This area has been a win for us – the fact we’ll be fully leased by end of year – this means we’ll be paying attention to New Minas in big way over the following year.”
