Saffies General Store “More Than a Store”
by Lise Bourassa
Photo: Arlene at the Original Saffies General Store
Saffies General Store was founded in 1933 when Nicholas Saffie married Alice Joseph and they took over the fledgling log outpost on the great lake Winnipeg at Plage Albert. The couple not only went on to run the store for the next forty years, but raise a family and create an enduring legacy of service to the entire beach community which lives on to this day.
When we purchased Saffies General Store in late 2006, although there had been numerous owners after the Saffies retired, we felt we had huge shoes to fill to keep this legacy alive.
My husband Jerry and I have now had the pleasure of running this business for almost 17 years. We rebuilt the store, invested time learning about our customers needs, and worked hard to keep our community vibrant and growing. Our customers have become like family through their friendship, loyalty and continued support. And we have learned the art of finding the place in our 2,000 square foot space for so many things; from fresh produce, groceries, coffee & slushies, to hardware and seasonal items, and even books, games, toys and apparel. We’ve learned that making this all work on a regular basis requires time, commitment and vigilance. This said, seeing our customers satisfaction and knowing we are carrying on this essential tradition is rewarding.
Over the years we have added Le Gouter Creperie & Grill, the Victoria Beach Store, the Summer Shack and most recently the Campground Store in Grand Beach Provincial Park, as they fit with our vision for Saffies and our customer needs. We have also had the pleasure of hiring hundreds of young students over the years and watch them grow into incredible adults. And we’ve now been here long enough that the children in the community born during our first year in business are now ready for their first summer job. We had always hoped that purchasing Saffies would be more than just another business venture, and it was. We bought the chance to bridge the old with the new, create so many friendships with so many good and beautiful people, guide so many youth through their first job, and create memories at the beach which will live a lifetime.
Last winter we added yet again to our sprawling enterprise in the form of a year-round commercial kitchen at Saffies. Over the past summer we were able to learn how to bake bread, cinnamon buns, pizza buns and more; and now we’ve realized a dream of having fresh baked goods daily.
This winter we are exploring what our customers would like for lunch and supper; this includes homemade soups and sandwiches daily, Tuesday Special meals, Pasta Night Wednesdays, Ethnic Food Thursdays, and roasted chicken on Friday and Saturday.
We are also starting to provide limited catering for the community. Every day we are learning about what our customers are looking for and having fun finding a way to bring it to them.
One thing we have changed over the years at Saffies however is its old motto of “Convenience the old-fashioned way” to “More than a Store” – and you know something – it really is.
Saffies General Store is open year-round. Our winter hours are 8 am to 8 pm daily. When you are out and exploring the Beaches of 59, come by, say hello, and become part of the Saffies experience!