A NEW £2 million convenience store has opened in south Belfast, creating 30 jobs.
As first revealed by The Irish News last year, Spar has set up on Sunnyside Street, just off the Ormeau Road.
The site, which formerly housed three retail units and a commercial premises, was cleared last year to pave the way for the new 3,014 sq ft store, situated below six two-bedroom apartments.
The store, completed following a 10-month build, is owned by Henderson Retail, part of the overall Henderson group which owns the Spar, Eurospar, Vivo, Vivoxtra and Vivo Essentials franchises in the north.
The new Spar outlet, which opened on Friday, features almost 20 bays dedicated entirely to locally sourced, fresh food, as well as 25 car-parking spaces and a free to use ATM.
Mark McCammond, retail director at Henderson Group believes the opening brings a "new level of convenience" to the local area.
“It is fantastic to open the store after a 10-month build, and feed in our knowledge of the local area to ensure it delivers for the community," he said.
“The Sunnyside Street store is one which will not only bring a host of essential everyday services and products but will provide an enhanced shopping experience for the area."
Store manager, Glenda Hanna added:
“We are proud to offer a choice of over 600 fresh products which have been sourced from local suppliers, including Spar’s own brand ranges including enjoy local, The Kitchen and the new The Greengrocer’s range of produce.
“We’ll also be home to some very popular concepts for Spar NI including the Occasions section for cards, fresh flowers and gifts, and introduce our new Spar Bakery concession."
The new store also features a food-to-go counter from Henderson’s Daily Deli, as well the popular Barista, which has set up its 360th in-store counter.
