Institutional decay

>> Long-time St-Laurent resident Warshaw may be closing its doors

by NOEMI LOPINTO

Photo by Jason Felker

After 66 years as an institution on the Main, Warshaw Supermarket may be going out of business. At least, that’s the buzz in the neighbourhood and a major source of anxiety for their part-time employees.

Last year, the 20,000 square-foot store was chock-a-block with produce, rugs, pillows, furniture, china, tablecloths, lamps, wicker chairs, plants, coffee makers and all sorts of other goods Plateau-dwellers might need. This year, the shelves are empty—and so are the aisles. “Liquidation sale” signs are up on windows and doors. The official line from management is that they are gearing up to renovate. But employees aren’t buying it.

“I’m convinced they’re going down,” says an employee who requested anonymity for fear of losing his job. “Management is being really secretive and the customers are drying up. We’re constantly refereeing calls from collection agencies. Most of the time we have to say the owners aren’t there.”

Vince Dubé worked in the produce section at the store for a year before quitting two weeks ago. “They are going out of business, in my opinion,” he says. “They owe different people money and there are companies who have been refusing to deliver goods to them for a long time now. [Produce distributor] Canadawide Inc. wasn’t delivering for most of the winter. All season, we had no vegetables and we had to order through another store.” Dubé believes business has suffered ever since a competitor, Segal, set up shop two blocks away seven years ago.

Signs of the store’s age can be seen everywhere—from the wrought-iron sculptures threatening to fall off the north wall to the clashing ’70s paint job to a 30-year-old number counter pinned to the wall which always reads, “Serving number 32.” The Warshaw owner-matriarch, Helen Levy, has been working there since she was a child. She can still be seen working the aisles in her trademark silk kimono.

Changing with the times

Levy’s daughter, Lorry Silver, is in charge of the changes taking place. Silver says the economy has changed, and so must the store. “This is a very stressful time for us,” Silver says. “We’re trying to stay profitable in light of a dismal economy. The store’s real estate is under-used, and in order to stay profitable we need to generate income. We’re scaling down to only what’s most profitable.” The second-floor loft, which used to house Plantation, their plant and flower warehouse, is for rent. Silver is working with architects and brokers to see what can be done with the 20,000 square feet both above and below the store. Tentative plans include commercial lofts, office space, smaller stores and parking. They are also planning to sell the three Ste-Dominique parking lots behind the store.

“It is not our intention to go anywhere,” Silver insists. “I know it looks like we are closing, but we have to liquidate stock, stay focused and plan our next move. There is lots of interest from developers and retailers, but we want to keep in mind what the community needs. This is most stressful for my mother, because she hates to disappoint the customers. I want the people to know our intention is to stay, and capitalize on our asset. We have to make sure we’re making the right decision.”

Silver, who says she has worked at the store on and off for most of her life, is looking at plans to radically reduce the store’s size, selling space to small retailers while retaining a “core Warshaw,” consisting mainly of fruit and vegetables. “I came back to do this,” says Silver. “I want to make sure everything is done properly. We’ve had some good years, but now this space is grossly under-used. We need to modernize it.”

Silver says customers were temporarily mollified when management put up signs warning of upcoming renovations. But employees worry because they see no sign of renovations and dwindling sales. Silver says there is a core group of long-term employees who will not be losing their jobs. “As long as we’re in business, they are with us,” she says. “But we can’t keep them all. There’s a lot of movement in our part-time staff anyway, and we think they’ll be able to cope.”

One of the stock boys, Ken, says he can’t wait for them to go out of business. “I’ll collect E.I. and skateboard all summer.” :