Vernon Canadian Tire store to reopen Feb. 10 after suspicious fire in November

Photo: Contributed

UPDATE 2:27 p.m.

There is an air of excitement at the Vernon Canadian Tire store as staff get ready to reopen after a fire in November.

Owner Jack D'Amico says the store will open Feb. 10.

“There's excitement in the store with the staff,” says D'Amico. “It's been a lot of hard work, but we are almost there. It was a great team effort. The staff has done miracles.”

D'Amico says staff were kept employed throughout the closure and will be returning to their previous jobs when the doors open.

More than 100 people work at the store.

“We had a lot of support from the community. It was overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like the store doesn't belong to me, it belongs to the community,” D'Amico said.

D'Amico said there will be a Back in Time Sale on opening day with all the promotions put on by Canadian Tire since Black Friday in effect.

ORIGINAL 9:33 a.m.

Vernon's Canadian Tire store will reopen next week in the wake of a November fire.

Owner Jack D'Amico confirms the store will open its doors to the public Feb. 10 after the Nov. 19 fire.

A suspicious fire broke out in the garden centre area outside the Village Green Shopping Centre business in the early morning hours.

The fire caused damage to a portion of the front structure of the store, with the entire store being impacted by smoke. The fire suppression sprinkler system was also activated, causing water damage.

Restoration crews were on site hours after the fire was extinguished and have been busy at the store ever since.

The auto service centre reopened on Dec. 5, with home delivery and curb side pickup being reinstated in late January.

RCMP have called the fire suspicious and are investigating the matter.