BARBADOS’ FIRST HOMEGROWN MEMBERSHIP SHOPPING CLUB – ShopSmart – will soon be opening its third outlet in 11 years.
However, its assistant manager of purchasing and logistics, Carlyle Harewood, said the Worthing, Christ Church store would be different from the two at Holders Hill, St James, and Cheapside, The City.
Harewood told SATURDAY?SUN products would be available in smaller packages, but prices were still be highly competitive and below regular supermarkets’ rates. He said about 15 people would find employment when the store opens “anytime within the next two weeks”, barring unforeseen circumstances.
“It will be called ShopSmart Express. It’s going to be a smaller store and you won’t need a card to enter.
“However, valid ShopSmart members producing their cards will get discounts which will bring prices back in line with those at Holders Hill and Cheapside,” he said.
The assistant manager noted that the company was doing its best to beat the economic malaise.
“We have a cadre of supporters who remain loyal. Some people think we’re crazy to open a new location in a recession but we believe that as a Barbadian-owned company, we have to be bold,” he said.
Harewood added that people were becoming more and more familiar with membership shopping and the number of members was growing “steadily”.
He said the company was looking to introduce the ShopSmart Express concept to other locations and “if negotiations go well, other communities will be able to benefit”.