Red Apple re-opens in Sioux Lookout 

Tim Brody - Editor

Red Apple is back in Sioux Lookout and customers couldn’t wait for the store to re-open its doors on April 12.
“We had at least 100-150 (people) lined up first thing this morning waiting to get in,” said Sioux Lookout Store Manager Peter Geddes. “Big Red was out keeping people entertained. We had the mayor and council members and a lot of other business owners from the community come out to support us today with our grand opening, so I want to say thank you to them. A special thank you to all of the community members that came out and had the patience to wait in line and join us for our grand opening and I look forward to seeing them back and everyone else in Sioux Lookout and our surrounding communities, I extend a very warm welcome to come and join us,” he shared.
Red Apple Stores VP Store Operations David Johnson, added, “We’re delighted with the turnout. We’ve been out of the market for two years, so the opportunity to re-open is exciting for us and we have a brand new offering for the customer. Compared to what we used to have here, I think you’ll be really impressed with the revised layout and a lot of the same products but there are certainly new products over time. Thank you, Sioux Lookout. It’s incredible the turnout this morning.”
Johnston further stated, “The sign says, “Big Brands Big Savings,” on the outside and I think that’s something that customers will be very impressed with is our brand selection, particularly in clothing, so people should visit us to check out and see what we’ve got and it’s changing all the time.”
Red Apple Stores’ motto is “Food, Fashion, Home, and More”. “So basically, we’re the one-stop shop for all of your household needs,” Johnson said.
Geddes shared, “We have an extensive product mix. We have clothing, hardware, groceries, candy, confectionery, we probably have one of the best selections in the community now.”
Geddes, who is new to the community, shared, “I arrived only last week, and I have been welcomed by many of the community members over the last several days. The store is bright, beautiful, clean. Everything is brand new. So, it’s a good offering for the community. In speaking with all of the people I’ve met in the community in the last several days, the excitement’s been tremendous.”
He said Red Apple has been “strongly missed” in the community, adding, “the excitement building up to today was tremendous.”
Geddes and other Red Apple staff were on hand to greet people as they visited the store.
“We had $10 gift cards and we had laundry baskets that we were handing out to our first 100 customers through the door,” he said.
The Red Apple store in Sioux Lookout, located at 81 Front Street, had been closed since March 3, 2022, when a section of the building’s roof collapsed.
“It’s been totally rebuilt… it’s like a new building,” Johnson shared, adding, “It’s been tied up in insurance for a couple of years, that’s the only reason that has taken us this long and we’re just happy to have it resolved and put behind us and rebuilt.”
“Again, we’re absolutely thrilled to be back and serving the community of Sioux Lookout and look forward to having Peter lead the charge here,” Johnson added.
“Our staff were, last couple of days, so excited and a little nervous because they knew how much the store was missed over the last couple of years, so they knew we were going to be busy this morning. Overall, this is a great opportunity for Sioux Lookout,” Geddes concluded.