By: Barry Coulter and Gillian Francis
Cranbrook Save-On-Foods celebrated its 100th anniversary on Nov. 5, inviting shoppers into the store for food, music and free giveaways.
Patrons were treated to free hot dogs, chips, cupcakes, pop and coffee. They tried their hand at Spin the Wheel to claim discounts on local food items and collect Rewards points, and entered a draw to win one of five gift baskets.
Local vendors set up shop to give away samples of their products and local musician Greg Gomola entertained the crowd in the afternoon.
Upstairs in the office, the store had set up a display of old photographs and historic memorabilia.
"It's exciting. It's been so wonderful for us to be a part of the community for 100 years. I don't think our customers realize how long we've been here and how deeply we're a part of this community. We want to continue giving to the community moving forward here," said manager Ted Murrell.
When asked what Save-On-Foods' greatest legacy or community contribution has been through a century of operation, Murrell said it's the connections staff build with people and the community causes the store supports.
"It's all about our team members, customers and the community. We're very involved with the charities in town, sporting groups. We support local as much as we can," he added.
All the money made at the anniversary party will go to East Kootenay Foundation for Health's Warm Embrace Campaign to fund a NICU at the hospital.
The venerable Western Canadian supermarket chain started its long life in British Columbia in 1915, as Overwaitea Foods, out of New Westminster. Its Cranbrook store, opened in 1924, was its 31st in the province.
Back in 1924, there was a lot of top spin and excitement prior to the establishment of the Cranbrook store. From the Cranbrook Courier, December, 1923:
“The Overwaitea Company of Vancouver have decided to engage in business in Cranbrook in the grocery trade, securing the Jackson property on Norbury Avenue [now 10th Avenue]. It is said this concern never advertises, have adopted a cash and carry system and do a strictly cash business."
The newspaper added, with a certain air of expectation: “The two latter propositions may be all right, but we never yet encountered an outfit that could do business unless it advertised.”
The Penticton Herald announced in January of 1924 that “B. Gough, assistant at the local Overwaitea store, left on Friday’s train for Cranbrook, where he will open a new store for that company.”
And later that month: “Work is proceeding in the new J.J. Jackson store building on Norbury Avenue in preparation for the occupancy of the place by the Overwaitea Co., as announced recently. George R. Leask is contractor, having the work in hand.
“The company also announces the opening of a new branch at Trail, and the other places in its chain of stores are Vancouver, New Westminster, Nanaimo, Vernon, Chilliwack, Penticton, Kamloops, Kelowna and Merritt.
“They announce as the essential reasons for their success, their quality goods, large buying power, small profits, co-operative interest of their staffs, no credit, and delivery extra where required.
“Mr. B. Gough of the Penticton store is now in the city in connection with the preparations for the opening of the new store.”
Like many businesses in Cranbrook, Overwaitea had a somewhat nomadic existence. Originally opened at 37 Norbury Ave. (10th), “beside Frame’s Bakery,” Overwaitea subsequently moved to 45 Baker Street in the early 1940s. Archie Bryden became its manager in 1948, and was manager when the store moved to 68 Baker Street, in 1953, on the site of the Allan Hotel (formerly the Wentworth Hotel) which burned down previously.
The store relocated from Baker Street to the newly opened Tamarack Mall in June 1977, with Lyall Fraser taking over as manager.
Cranbrook’s Overwaitea moved again in October 1998, to a new building at 505 Victoria Avenue North — its current address — with Doug Alton as manager.
Jimmy Pattison bought Overwaitea Foods in 1968. The stores were gradually converted to Save-On-Foods stores beginning in the 1980s. The Cranbrook Overwaitea closed on December 6, 2001, and re-opened as Save-On-Foods on December 8, 2001 (the last two remaining Overwaitea stores switching in 2018).
