New store sets up shop

Convenience for U opens in the SUB

As of the beginning of the winter semester, the vacancy left by the closing of the U clothing store on the second floor of the Bloomfield centre has been filled. Convenience for U, a front-store convenience, opened on Jan 4. It is a business run by Antigonish’s own MacKinnon’s Pharmasave, managed by Tony Parsons in partnership with The StFX Students’ Union as well as Sodexo.

The store is a precursor to what will eventually be McKin- non’s Pharmasave Convenience for U, as the area under construction in the back will eventually be expanded into a full-fledged pharmacy. Mr. Par- sons commented that, “We are working on the dispensary and that area, and the consultation room...I can probably see the pharmacy itself opening up for September, the new school year.”

He also added, “[The pharmacy’s] hours would be based off the needs of the students...a pharmacist will be on duty during those hours, and the location will be able to provide the services you’d expect of a normal pharmacy.” This means picking up and dropping off prescriptions and consultations as well.

As of now, Convenience for U is open from 9AM to 9PM, a schedule that Mr. Parsons explains will be quite fluid. “We are going to do that for a few months just to see what the students want. We are getting lots of feed- back from the students,” he said. He mentioned also that the hours may be subject to change in the following

evening, and holidays, saying, “Typically if other services on campus are closed for certain holidays, then we would probably follow suite. Though if we are having a lot of people say they’d like to see us open on, say, New Year’s...then we would certainly have people who would be happy to help them out.”

DCB support is not currently offered in the store, though according to Mr. Parsons, “We are working with the university, and the student union right now to put DCB into place.” Though it may be a month or two before the service is actually implemented, due a few “technical issues” which keep it from being implemented into a business, versus your average StFX service. He did mention, however, that it “is definitely something we want to see on campus”.

Alongside all of this, Convenience for U will soon offer a range of Sodexo products alongside products more typical for convenience store in an attempt to bring resh, healthier alternatives into the business. This will include things like soups, wraps, and sandwiches, and will “make up for the times when the cafeteria that is in Bloomfield is not open, and [Sodexo] would like to see their products still offered while [Convenience for U] is open.” There is also a range of toiletries and other essentials available for sale.

The store will also offer dry cleaning pick up and drop off, and eventually the option to make billing payments for Bell and Eastlink at the store. 

At the moment lottery and Pro-Line services are “not in the plan”. Mr. Parsons did mention the possibility of them being included in the future if there is a high demand for it, but due to “university initiatives that do not want it on campus at this time” they will not be included in the current business model.

Alongside all of this, employment opportunities for those on campus are expected to be made available in the coming months, and Mr. Parsons did mention that he is accepting resumes from anyone who would like to drop them off.