It is the end of an era for an Ottawa grocery store. After fifty years, Hartman's Indepedent on Bank Street is changing hands. The owner Larry Hartman is retiring.
"I have mixed feelings," says Hartman. "I am happy that I am able to retire but I am sad that I won't be able to see all the people and my staff, there were some emotional goodbyes."
The Centretown landmark started in 1974, and after being on the same street corner for five decades- Hartman says he has seen a lot of change. "The area has changed for the better, quite a bit over the years, but for the first ten fifteen years, it was pretty rough," he says.
The store will be closed for three days as they transition from the old to the new, but Hartman wanted to make sure his former emploees were looked after.
Hartman says, "I made sure that (the new owners) would take them on and nobody would lose there job, and that was very important to me, we were like family."
The new store will now be called Bank Street Your Independent Grocer- and will open Thursday. Manager Dave Massine says there won't be too much change, but he has big shoes to fill. He says,"I dont know if anyone actually takes over from Mr Hartman, but hopefully they are lucky enough to continue on with the legacy that Mr Hartman has created in his years in the business."
Larry Hartman says he plans on staying busy in retirement with some real estate projects, and he also hopes to spend more time with his wife of 49 years, three childlren and his grandchildren.
