THE FORESTER, Wednesday, February 11, 2009 A11 A&P stores to be re-branded BY BRENT COOPER HUNTSVILLE FORESTER Work to re-brand the Muskoka’s A&P grocery stores will be com- pleted later this month, according Day Care And Training For Your “Best Friend” to a company representative. Marie-Claude Bacon, director of corporate affairs for Metro Inc., the company that purchased A&P DOGGIE DAYCARE Canada in 2005 for $1.7 billion, $ 00 said that the redesign of the Hunts- Full Day ...... 15 ville and Bracebridge A&P stores into Metro stores, should be done Part Day ...... $900 by Feb. 27. The renovations have already commenced at the two Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. outlets. “A&P is a very well-known Call now to reserve a place for your dog. brand, and the decision (to convert) was taken with that in consid- Puppy Kindergarten Classes and eration,” said Bacon. “When we CHANGES ARE COMING: purchased the company in 2005, The Huntsville and Bracebridge A&P su- Basic Obedience Classes starting soon! we said that we would look into the permarkets are in the midst of a changeover to a new brand. Parent Learn basic commands, social skills numerous brands in Ontario’s con- company Metro Inc. plans to have the two stores remodelled as Metro and manners. ventional sector to possibly create grocery stores by the end of the month. one brand. This brand would be Behaviour modifi cation programs for a stronger one to communicate try experts, is to help build the assets under one brand was a logi- to our clients, so we decided to Metro name as the firm fights for cal step. aggresive or fearful dogs are also available. unify all our stores under this one market share in Canada’s competi- She said customers have been brand.” tive supermarket wars. responding well to the stores that We provide one-on-one training for The ‘war’ has escalated in recent have already been re-branded. The The Montreal-based company those who are not able to attend regular classes. announced plans last summer to years with plans by super retailer first stores were changed over to spend $200 million to switch the Wal-Mart to open or convert more the new Metro format last fall. We also provide specialty training for names of a number of popular stores into supercentres in Can- “Of course, we are not just various needs, such as sled pulling Ontario grocery chains over to its ada, with as many as 60 opened changing the banner outside the and Skijoring. flagship Metro brand. Metro owns by the end of 2009. These stores store. We are doing a lot of reno- more than 200 grocery stores in combine its popular discount retail vations inside and upgrading our Harness and Skijoring equipment available. Quebec and another 274 in other stores with a full-sized supermar- products, including our private parts of Canada. ket under one roof for convenient label designs.” Call now to register By the end of this year, such one-stop shopping. Metro is the second-largest gro- 705-789-3586 recognized supermarket labels as Bacon said that while A&P cer in Quebec, after Loblaw Com- A&P and Dominion will no longer stores have been around for a very panies Limited. The company is Muskoka Dog Academy exist, although the outlets them- long time – the supermarket chain the largest chain in the province 61 King William Street, Unit 4, Huntsville, ON P1H 1E5 selves will continue to operate. opened its first outlet in 1927 – the with combined sales of $2.7 bil- The move, according to indus- move to unify all the company’s lion.