By paNOW Staff

Local health food store closing doors after decades in business

Jan 6, 2014 | 11:00 AM

In 1994 health food stores were a bit of a new concept for Prince Albert, but a few decades later Sunlite Foods has become well-established in the city.

“The community has treated us very, very well. It’s been 20 great years and I can’t complain. All of our customers have been really, really good,” said owner Philippe Gaudet.

He said the opportunity presented itself and since they were already interested in health foods, they decided to pursue it.

Over the years, different treatments for illnesses have changed what they stock on their shelves, he noted.

However, what he calls a “great ride” is slowly coming to a halt. Gaudet is looking to sell the building and get rid of the entire store’s inventory.

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He insisted business in the downtown Prince Albert location has been steady throughout its run and has nothing to do with why they’ll be closing its doors.

“Downtown is great. If I had to do it all over again, I’d do it in the exact same location,” he said.

Instead, Gaudet and his wife Denise are looking to ease the heavy workload they’ve been under.

“We’ve just decided that 20 years in the business, it’s time to slow down, not work so many hours and maybe step back a bit and maybe enjoy life a lite more,” he explained.

There are pros and cons to being a small retailer, he said. For example, they have a lot of dedication to the business, but in turn that means they work six days a week most of the time.

Their decision to close down means some big savings on their inventory, which includes bulk foods, cosmetics, and footwear. They’re selling items between 30 and 60 per cent off the usual cost.

However, Gaudet isn’t in a rush.

“Once our inventory is cleaned out, then we’ll close our doors,” he said.

He joked that once they’re cleared out, anyone who is looking to hire someone with 20 years experience as a business manager can give him a call.

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