Bergland store may close at end of the month

By Ken Johnston
Editor

A landmark in Bergland may be seeing its last days if a solution is not arrived at by the end of August.
Current operator of Peterson’s Foodtown, Karen Sepers, has decided it is time for a change for her and when her lease runs out at the end of August, the store may close after 80 years in the community.
Sepers who has been running the business for nearly six years, said she renewed her lease in March but it runs out at the end of August and she is not planning to renew it. “I am looking to find another thing after this fall.” This fall her husband Tony has an art show in Winnipeg and then one in Atikokan. “I am going to help him with those then look for other employment,” explained Sepers. “Being so busy this fall it seemed an appropriate time to leave the business,” added Sepers.
With the grocery store being only one of a handful of businesses in or near Bergland and the only grocery store there and the loss of the Morson shopping centre recently, residents are very concerned. Laurie Pentney, co-owner of Spruce Creek Golf Course, just north of Bergland, called a public meeting to discuss options for keeping the store open. However, she did not return the Record’s voice mail last week.
But Sepers did attend the meeting at which she said there were many good ideas. “There are a couple of parties interested in taking over the store and I would be more than willing to work with them.” However, she did say that those parties are in the early stages of making it a reality and for that reason did not name them.
Bergland Café owner Jody Jolicouer, who’s business is right across the highway from Peterson’s said she has looked at possibilities as well but her building is inadequate. “If it were me I would look at moving it to one of numerous nearby vacant houses,” said Jolicouer Thursday.
Sepers said that she enjoyed her tenure at the store noting, “I will miss the social aspect of it and getting to know the community in this way was so wonderful.