A popular grocery store in Meaford is getting a new look and new owners.
After more than 17 years of operating Bill’s Valu-Mart on Highway 26, Bill and Barb MacDonald are retiring.
“We are truly blessed for all of the support and caring we have received and will miss seeing the smiling, happy faces (under the masks of course) of our loyal customers,” Bill and Barb say in a social media post. “We are grateful for our time here and are anxiously looking forward to retirement.”
Mike and Jody Masse are taking over as the new franchisees of the Meaford store. It will be re-branded as Masse’s Your Independent Grocer.
Jody says nothing is really changing at the store other than the name and owners. She says the products, prices and service will all be the same.
The Masses have been working in management at Independent Grocer in Exeter. Jody says her and Mike were actively looking for their own franchise opportunity with a similar fit in a smaller community.
“The opportunity came up here in Meaford and it was definitely a lot of the same feel and we were drawn to that,” Jody says.
She says the outgoing owners of Valu-Mart, Bill and Barb, have shared a lot about the Meaford community as they’ve been helping with the transition.
“They’ve really just told us how great the community is and how welcoming and supportive they are,” Jody says. “It was really great to hear from them about what a great community we’re settling into here.”
The official changeover at the store will happen on Sunday, Jan. 3. Jody says permanent signage for Masse’s Your Independent Grocer won’t be updated immediately, but a banner will be up displaying the new store name.
