Although it’s changed its name three times over the past 50 years, the essence of the store has remained the same whether the sign read Save-Rite, Super A or TGP.
TGP Jasper, also known as The Grocery People, celebrated its 50th anniversary with its customers and staff Nov. 9.
Although the existing store was built in 1965, the history of the store actually dates back nearly 70 years. It first opened its doors on Patricia Street in 1948 as a Save-Rite. At the time it was owned by a man named Valentine Kulak and occupied the bottom floor of a two-storey building.
It was the second Save-Rite store Kulak owned in Jasper.
“He opened the first one in about 1945 and then in about 1948 he opened the second one,” recalled Linton Kulak, Valentine’s eldest son.
In 1953, the original Save-Rite, which was located a few doors down from the Astoria Hotel, burned down. To replace that store, Valentine bought out Vern and Doug Jeffrey, who owned W.S. Jeffery and Sons Grocery, where the Sayuri Japanese Restaurant is located today.
According to Linton, his father operated both stores until he passed away in 1957.
“He really treated me well,” recalled Gerald Kulak, Valentine’s half-brother, who went by the nickname Jerry and worked at the two grocery stores as a teenager.
“He worked really hard and I didn’t mind working long hours,” said Gerald, explaining he worked from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. six days a week.
In those days a loaf of bread cost 19 cents and Gerald and Linton would regularly deliver wholesale goods to nearby summer camps and outfits.
“One time we were at Sunwapta Falls and we had stopped for coffee on our way up to the Icefields and we left the truck window down and a humongous black bear got himself through the front window and tried to get at the groceries and just about chewed the seat in half,” recalled Linton.
He said his fondest memories were delivering wholesale goods to various outfits in the park and meeting people like Bill Ruddy along the way.
Within a year of Valentine’s death, his wife, Emma, sold both stores to John Clark, who also owned a grocery store in Edson.
By all accounts, Clark continued to operate both stores under the same name and out of the same buildings until 1965 when he conglomerated both stores into a brand new, flat-roofed building on Patricia Street. It’s that store that still exists today.
Two years after it moved into its new location, The Grocery People Ltd., which was known as Alberta Grocers at the time, acquired the store and continued to operate it as a Save-Rite until 1982, when the name was changed to Super A Foods.
That name lasted for more than 30 years, until the store was rebranded TGP Your Jasper Grocer, in the summer of 2015. The rebrand was part of the company’s effort to tie the store closer to the community.
“It’s really inspiring to manage a store with such a rich history and that’s so rooted in the Jasper community. I really like living in a community where everyone knows everyone,” said Rick Lagace, the store manager, in a press release.
Over the years, the grocery store has been a big supporter of various community organizations, including the Jasper Food Bank. Every week the store provides the food bank with about 10 kg of ground beef at a reduced rate, explained Jess Stone, the grocery manager.
The store also has a collection box for non-perishable food items and donates any products that are past their best before dates, but still perfectly safe to consume. The bakery also donates any bread products that are two days old.
In addition to food donations, the grocery store donates to 12 different charities throughout the year through its community loyalty program.
In the past the store has also donated to specific causes such as raising money to help purchase a new blanket warmer for the community's seniors and it helped to raise money when “Grandpa” Dong Han and “Grandma” Doris Han’s house burned down last winter.
This time of year the store also supports Santas Anonymous, a local fundraising campaign that helps more than 50 families in Jasper. To support the holiday campaign, customers can either buy a turkey for a family for $20 or buy a $50 Christmas food hamper.
Paul Clarke
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