Welland Canadian Tire to become company flagship store with major expansion
April 21, 2022
Welland Canadian Tire to become company flagship store with major expansion
General manger Kevin Ryder and senior manager Richard King stand in front of the Welland Canadian Tire. The store is undergoing a major expansion that will transform it into a "Remarkable Retail" location. PAUL FORSYTH/METROLAND
Comparing the scope of what Welland’s Canadian Tire store will soon look like to an airliner hangar would be misleading.
Simply put, the hangar would probably be a runt compared to the store.
That’s because as part of a massive investment it’s making into its brand, Canadian Tire’s expansion in the Rose City is about to make the store a flagship for the high-profile retail giant celebrating 100 years in business this year.
Shoppers recently saw a wall come down at the back, revealing a massive expansion underway in the former warehouse area. The store will soon be transformed from its already massive 65,000 square feet into almost 120,000 square feet of retail space — about the size of 80 average-sized detached homes.
The Welland store will become one of two Canadian Tire “Remarkable Retail” locations opening in Canada this year, alongside a sister store in Ottawa.
Jason Kane, vice-president of store planning and design for Canadian Tire, said the Welland expansion that started in 2021 is part of the a $3.4-billion investment in its operations over four years.
“(It’s) to improve our customer experience across the country, integrate our digital and physical channels more effectively and ultimately create a better store and retail experience for consumers day in and day out,” he said.
Kevin Ryder, general manager of the Welland location, said the expansion of the 14-year-old store will allow it to transform how it showcases products and to have a vastly greater assortment of products.
“The experience we are planning to offer is like no other (customers) have experienced,” he said.
The store currently employs 125 people and will be adding more staff with the expansion, said Ryder.
The Welland expansion continues an 87-year history the chain has had with the city, starting with the original store on East Main Street opening on Aug. 1, 1935. It has since moved to two different locations on Niagara Street and then to the current location on Primeway Drive off Woodlawn Road in 2008.
Kane said he expects customers will be blown away when the expanded store officially opens later this year “The word people should have when they walk through the front door should be ‘wow,’” he said.
“Welland will actually be the largest Canadian Tire expansion we have ever done.”
The store, which will remain fully operational during the expansion, will have a vast assortment of Canadian Tire and national brands, said Kane.
“We’re trying to help customers with their jobs and their joys — it’s everything from fixing your house (and) fixing your car, but also all the joyful experiences around setting up your backyard for the summer, gardening,” he said.
“You’ll see everything from enhanced sports equipment, all sorts of living categories from pets to kitchen.”
The new store will feature improvements to the auto service operations and capabilities, a four-season garden centre at the front, and a nine-car drive through area where people will be able to pick up e-commerce orders or large items such as barbecues or patio sets, said Kane.
“We’re focused on serving customers however they would like to shop,” he said. “The development in Welland is really about bringing that to life in the overall store experience.”
The nine-car pickup area will be fully staffed, enclosed, heated and cooled.
“I think it’ll be loved by the people of Welland,” said Kane.
The company said it also remains committed to contributing to the community through its Jumpstart charities, which have distributed $5.5 million to help 63,000 kids in Niagara participate in sports and recreation since 2005.
With support and funding from Niagara-area Canadian Tire dealers, including the Welland store, Canadian Tire Jumpstart has proposed to gift the City of Welland a 13,200-square-foot inclusive multisport court and 2,000-square-foot inclusive splash pad through its inclusive play project.
