NB Liquor closure to cause east end dry spell in Saint John

The most successful NB Liquor store in Saint John is about to shut its doors, possibly leaving the east end of the city without a liquor outlet for at least six weeks.

A new NB Liquor store is supposed to open in a new location about a kilometreaway, but that building isn't complete and no opening date has been set.

The move isn't being welcomed by some customers.

"It's already congested enough up there and it's just going tobe harder to get to," said Ellen Floyd.

The Parkway Mall store has the sixth-highest sales for NB Liquor in the province.

A sign at the store say it will close for good on Jan. 24 and reopen sometime in March.

The dryspell is not sitting well with customers.

"Well, it's going to suck there's no liquor store out east for six weeks, I'll tell you that," said customer Jody Bridges.

"Might have to buy in bulk."

Devin Doucette said the lack of a east-end liquorstore is going to be an inconvenience.

"I mean you're going to have to travel uptown or out to theirairport," he said.

"But I'm sure those who want their liquor will get it."

Thirteen full-time employees at the Parkway Mall store will move to other stores in the city.

DenisBruns, the representative ofCUPELocal 963, which represents the workers, said the movement of permanent staff will have a direct impact on part-time workers.

"We'll have these permanent employees going into other locations, which means that those casual employees in other locationsin the Saint John area might see a loss of hours," Bruns said.

Although the in-store sign says the Parkway Mall location will close for good on Jan. 24, NB Liquor spokesman Mark Barbour said the actual date of the closure is still up in the air.

However, Barbour confirmed the lease will expire at the end of the month.

Barbour would not say if NB Liquor has requested an extension to the lease.