By Vanessa Ybarra

Sahali Mall on the comeback trail after losing Target two years ago

Nov 30, 2017 | 4:25 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was a bargain bonanza Thursday morning with hundreds of people flooding Value Village to celebrate the stores opening in the Sahali Mall Shopping Centre.

Around 150 people lined up outside the store to be the first inside the new 28-thousand square foot store.

From housewares and clothes to shoes and christmas items, shoppers filled their carts and baskets with the latest second-hand items, some coming from as far as Bonaparte to browse the newly renovated space.

“I came in last night,” said Nancy Gaspard who travelled from Bonaparte. “I’ve been waiting for this day for a month and was here at 9 a.m.”

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“It’s fantastic,” said Carlo Beltrano. “It’s bright and has a big layout and selection of clothes.”

The store had sat empty for more than two years after Target, it’s previous owner, closed its doors in 2015.

Earlier this year Value Village announced it was moving its downtown Seymour location to the new site.

Sahali Mall building manager Tara Swain says Thursday’s opening day turnout surpassed expectations.

“The parking lot is full,” said Swain. “We waited a long time for this to happen and I can’t believe the traffic that’s coming in here today. It’s nice to see so many people and so many faces.”

Planet Fitness and Jump 360 Trampoline Park also moved into the Shopping Centre earlier this year.

Shoppers we spoke to say they’re pleased to see the increase in business and activity in the area.

“More people want to go to the other businesses and go into the mall more than they used to,” said Gerry London.

“Getting some new tenants in here just makes a little bit of change,”said Beltrano. “A lot of university students who live in the area now have somewhere else that they can afford to shop.”