By Adam Donnelly

New store, old memories: Cooper’s Foods family honoured in Brock

Jun 2, 2017 | 2:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — For years, hungry Kamloops residents counted on Cooper’s Foods for all their grocery needs. Today, the President of the Overwaitea Foods Group dedicated a former Cooper’s Foods location to the family who first started the business.

Darrell Jones, President of the Overwaitea Foods Group, was on hand to make the dedication to Wayne Cooper. Cooper and his two brothers took over the chain from their father, who opened the first Cooper’s Foods in Revelstoke.

“What I remember the most is [my Father] making me come into work after school, all the time,” Cooper reminisced. “I’d just like to thank very much, all the people who have supported Cooper’s over the years, the wonderful job our employees have done over the years… and I’m just really happy to be a part of the Cooper’s organisation.”

The Cooper family received a plaque, which will hang in all former Cooper’s location, which is now Save On Foods. For Jones, the day was about celebrating the history the Cooper family created in Kamloops while embracing the newly renovated store out in Brock. Jones says adding cooper’s to the Overwaitea family was a natural choice.

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“It’s a real honour,” Jones told CFJC Today. “First of all, we’re so excited to be able to serve the people Kamloops, to begin with. We were fortunate enough 18 years ago to buy the Cooper’s stores off an unbelievable grocery family… To have Wayne here and do the plaque presentation, and show the complete remodel [of the store out in Brock], and show we’re doing a great job serving the people of Kamloops, and at the same time remembering the legacy of a great Kamloops institution, which is Cooper’s Foods, it’s a very special day for us.”