Ed Lukezic has owned a number of Canadian Tire stores during his 20 years with the company, but his newest is extra special.
He and his wife, Valerie, purchased Orillia’s Canadian Tire. The new store sits next to the previous one at the Orillia Square mall.
“My wife and I are incredibly excited to be here. We’re going to be here for the rest of our lives. We’re going to retire here,” Lukezic said, adding opening the Orillia store is “a dream come true.”
The new store stands out among all of his previous ones, and that’s saying something since he has operated stores in Cochrane, Stoney Creek, Mississauga, Markham, Toronto and Saskatchewan.
The Orillia location is 140,000 square feet — about twice as large as a typical Canadian Tire.
“It’s a big store, but we want people to feel like we care about them,” Lukezic said.
It helps having 140 staff members, which is about double the complement at the previous Orillia store.
“Staff have worked really hard and we’re fortunate to have them,” he said.
The initial goal was to be up and running in mid-May, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the opening. It seems like it was worth the wait.
“Sales have been awesome” since it opened Nov. 1, Lukezic said. “I haven’t heard anything negative. It’s been hugely popular.”
The size of the store might seem disproportionate to the size of Orillia, but Lukezic is confident it’s a worthwhile investment. Orillia is growing, he noted, and said the customer base will include locals, tourists, cottagers and those who are passing through on Highway 11.
The amount of products and services offered should also be a draw.
“Anything that’s available from Canadian Tire, we probably have,” he said.
That includes an auto shop with the latest technology and all new equipment. Nothing was carried over from the previous store.
“When people are here and they see the selection, it feels like their store. They’re confident you’re going to have what they’re looking for,” Lukezic said.
Coming soon will be an area where customers can order ahead for in-store pickup 24 hours a day. They will scan a code they’ve been given and a compartment containing their order will open.
The new store included an addition to the mall, which is now owned by Canadian Tire’s CT REIT, and it took over the former Target location. Details about the future of the former store are still being determined, but Lukezic said it will include other retailers.
“Eventually, this whole mall will be transformed,” he said.
The new owners want to be involved in the community and will be looking at opportunities to do that through donations and sponsorships.
“We have an obligation to give back,” Lukezic said. “Without the community, we’re nothing.”
