Building permit issued for Sault’s second Giant Tiger location

10 a.m. update

A SooToday reader advises us that a notice on Giant Tiger's website says the new Sault location will open on Sept. 23, 2023.

Jessica Charbonneau from Giant Tiger's marketing and advertising department has confirmed to SooToday that Sept. 23 is the intended opening date, adding: "the store’s square footage is approximately 20,000."

The retailer has also obtained a separate $200,000 building permit to fit out the new location on Second Line.

Original story - 7 a.m.

So far, there's been no official announcement from Giant Tiger Stores Ltd., but the owner of an existing retail property at 275 Second Line West has quietly obtained a building permit for the discount retailer's second location in Sault Ste. Marie.

After less than three weeks of discussions, city officials recently issued a building permit for $900,000 in "landlord improvements for future Giant Tiger tenant."

The eclectic discount retailer is expected to obtain a separate permit to fit out the retail space for occupancy.

The new location will be at the intersection of Second Line West and Korah Road, in the Market Mall.

When the Sault's first Giant Tiger opened on Aug. 28, 2020 at 625 Trunk Rd., five customers were lined up at 1 a.m. and 57 were waiting at 7 a.m., one hour before the scheduled opening.

By 8 a.m., SooToday's Darren Taylor reported the line extended as far back as Wellington Square Mall's I.D.A. Drug Mart.

The Trunk Road outlet was Giant Tiger's 262nd Canadian store.

The retail chain often moves into existing structures considered too small for big box outlets.

Giant Tiger also does business in Ontario under the GTExpress and Scott's Discount banners.