Lakeside Spirits features a large walk-in cooler and a drive-thru. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

new business

Soft launch for Lakeside Spirits on Friday

May 18, 2023 | 4:13 PM

Lakesides Spirits, La Ronge’s newest alcohol retail provider, opens Friday at noon.

“We’re just really thankful for all of La Ronge for bringing us in and coming to the business. We know they have been so patient for this and just really excited,” said shareholder Sam Campling.

“We’ve actually never not been part of the community. One of the owners (Pat Campling) was born and raised here and his love for everything local La Ronge has been his whole life. He has always hoped to continue building this community in whatever capacity he could in a business sense, for example, for this one. Opening this is to create local business opportunities, local job opportunities, as well as keep the money in the local region.”

Pat Campling is the majority shareholder of the company that successfully won the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority liquor permit in an auction back in February. The permit sold for $3.27 million, the largest sum paid in the provincial permit sell-off.

With revenue from the new liquor store expected to be high, ownership does have plans to give back to the tri-communities in some capacity, at some point.

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“Profits from Pat Campling’s share will be going to a local hospital foundation in the name of Pat Campling Sr. that will be created in the near future,” said Sam Campling. “This will be for bettering local hospital equipment for the patients and doctors.”

Staff at Lakeside Spirits are stocking shelves in preparation for Friday. More inventory will arrive in the coming days and weeks. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Since acquiring the liquor permit, ownership also made a request to town council to reconsider current retail hours set in place in the Sale Distribution and Consumption of Beverage Alcohol and Cannabis bylaw. A bylaw amendment passed second reading last week to change the hours from the current 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays, and statutory holidays, to 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven day per week.

The bylaw amendment could move to a third reading as early as next week and become official. Hours of operation, for now, will be noon to 10 p.m. on Friday and then 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the days following, expect for Sundays and stats.

The new liquor store features a large walk-in cooler, as well as a drive-thru which will open in the coming weeks. Another new addition will be the sale of confectionery items like chips and soda, along with a selection of made in Saskatchewan spirits.

“We’re also just really excited to have customers from the local region and to also have tourists as they come out,” Sam Campling said. “We’re just right off the highway, so it’s a little one stop shop for them.”

The current number of employees need for the new store is unknown, but Christina Proulx has been hired as manager. Lakeside Spirits is located along Finlayson Street.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno