By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The only grocery store in Sainte-Anne de Bellevue was saved by Claude McSween and his spouse Lory Vansteene last May, but after less than a year, the couple says that they can no longer endure the financial distress that it has bought upon them.

“Several elements have worked against us and considerably affected the volume of our sales, in particular the closure of the Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge,” they wrote in a press statement.

Though short lived, Marché Ami Plus, which took over the former Marché Richelieu, quickly became embedded in the community. With the lease with the franchiser Metro Epicerie up for renewal, the couple weighed their risks and decided not to continue operating the store.

“We have been working with McSween for over the past few months to find solutions, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. The store was no longer profitable and suffered a significant drop in sales volume, mainly due to the economic context,” spokesperson for Metro Epicerie Geneviève Grégoire stated.

Mayor Paola Hawa spoke with the couple and expressed that she is sensitive to their plight. She also stated that she was sad to hear the news.

Shortly before the new store opened, the couple operating Marché Ami Plus donated a truckload of food items to On Rock community services.

“They were very likeable and well meaning people,” Sainte-Anne de Bellevue resident and shopper at Marché Ami Gina Lopez said to The Suburban. “They will be missed.” n