New grocery store a possibility for Langdon

Times Contributor

 

There is a possibility that Langdon could be looking at a new grocery store, but it is too early to be confirmed.

“Numerous companies have done the due diligence on the grocery store,” says David Kalinchuk, the economic development manager for Rocky View County, “A portion of those have said this is a market place they are interested in.”

Nothing has been officially confirmed or denied yet, but Kalinchuk says there could be a place for a grocery store in Langdon. 

“Communities like Langdon have such a dynamic and growing population, they’re seen as being very attractive up-and-coming communities,” Kalinchuk says. 

Ashley Harper, a resident of Langdon, says both she and her husband are hoping their town will get a grocery store soon.

“I do think [getting a grocery store] will be beneficial,” said Harper, “it will open up more jobs in the community for the community.”

Having a grocery store, or any amenity, “adds to the attractiveness of the community.” Quality of life for residents also increases with the addition of any amenity, and in some cases they can add to the ability of consumers to carry on their consumer transactions more efficiently since residents would be able to get all their goods and services locally. 

Kalinchuk explains that any potential business looking to open have to do their homework. Businesses have to have a certain amount of people they can rely on to use their business consistently, and each business has a different minimum amount of people they look for.

After looking at a large range of data to determine how many people can potentially use the business, then the business can decide more effectively if opening is a possibility.

“Residents in the community consistently look for something [like a grocery store],” says Kalinchuk. 

Langdon has a great proximity to many things including Calgary, major roads and major industrial areas. Kalinchuk says the community has an anticipation for new services as Langdon grows. 

“With the current and proposed construction of new homes in Langdon, it’s very attractive for businesses,” Kalinchuk says. 

The more Langdon grows, the more businesses will begin to look at coming to the community. The population growth of Langdon is “steady,” the quality of homes is “constantly higher and higher” and the tax rates are “comparable” which all makes Langdon a good possibility.

Kalinchuk says that a community like Langdon has “such great curb appeal” because of the nice community and friendly people, and those factors may tempt an entrepreneur or a developer to want to open in that type of environment. 

Harper says that there are many benefits to living in Langdon, such as the smaller class sizes for students, and the freedom. The biggest benefit is the people in the community, who Harper says are very “friendly” and will “smile at you or say hi, even if you don’t know them.”

“It’s very relaxed and calming here,” says Harper, who also loves the abundance of services that can be offered, from the volunteer fire department to the local businesses.

“I would still use my smaller specialty stores,” says Harper, but she also thinks that having a large grocery store would make more products available to residents.