Brand new Crawford Bay Market opens

General manager Jamie Cox stands in front of the brand new Crawford Bay Market.

It is often said that visiting the East Shore of Kootenay Lake is like going back in time—however the brand new Crawford Bay Market, which just recently opened, certainly brings the small community into the 21st century and adds a much-needed service to the region.

The new Crawford Bay Market is a 6,000-square-foot full service retail outlet complete with groceries, gas pumps and in-store B.C. liquor agency. The store was built in three short months and employed many local contractors. The former location called the Crawford Bay Store was only 2,000 square feet.

"The customer reaction to our new facility has been nothing short of fantastic," said Jamie Cox, general manager of the Crawford Bay Market. "We fast tracked the building of the store so we would be ready for the busy summer season and so far, as I said, the reaction has been very positive from locals and visitors alike."

The area's Canada Post outlet is located on the property in a separate building.

"I managed ski hills for many years, so opening this new store was like opening a ski resort for the season. Lots of training of new staff, getting buy-in for all the employees, and moving things forward in a very tight time frame. Our contractors and suppliers worked very closely with us to ensure things went smoothly," said Cox.

The new Crawford Bay Market is owned by Johnny Stocker, a longtime resident of the Kootenay Lake area and his sons.