A Giant Tiger discount store on Pembina Highway in Winnipeg is expected to close in late February, according to a sign posted on the store’s front door, adding to a string of closures affecting the Canadian-owned retailer‘s presence in Manitoba.
The Pembina Highway location is one of at least three Giant Tiger stores closing in the province, alongside outlets in downtown Winnipeg and in The Pas. Two years ago, Winnipeg locations on McPhillips Street and Main Street also shut down. CBC News said it reached out to Giant Tiger for comment but had not received a response prior to publication.
Shoppers React to Losing a Budget Option
For regular customers, the closure means losing a nearby source of affordable groceries. Rob Reimer, who lives close to the Pembina Highway store, told CBC News the closure removes one of the area’s cheaper shopping options. He estimated he would pay 20 to 30 per cent more for the same items at other nearby stores and said he expects to drive farther to reach the remaining Giant Tiger locations in the city.
Jamol Wilson, who moved to Winnipeg from Toronto about a month ago, said the store had become his regular shopping spot. He said the closure could affect household budgets and worried that other grocery stores might raise prices without the competition from Giant Tiger.
Community Ties to the Store
Anna Kolodka, another shopper, said she was surprised by the news and has personal memories tied to the location, including her children’s first jobs there. She said she has observed the store’s parking lot regularly full, suggesting it serves a large number of local shoppers. While she said she does not visit often herself, she noted the store has been useful for picking up smaller items at lower prices and said she was unsure what the closure would mean for shoppers who rely on its affordability.
The closures come as shoppers interviewed by CBC News described broader concerns about rising costs, with Reimer and Wilson both pointing to the loss of a lower-cost grocery option as a strain on household budgets.
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