Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 1, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba a4 Winnipeg free press wednesday november 1, 2006 top news West end Sev robbed hours before closing for Good by Jason Bell they served up the final Slurpee at 11 . Tuesday at the now defunct 7-eleven on Sargent Avenue ? 18 hours after it had been robbed one last time. An armed robbery tuesday morning at the convenience store on Sargent at Spence Street prompted company officials to hasten their plans to close the store for Good. Winnipeg police confirmed a male armed with a knife robbed the West end convenience store about 5 . There were no injuries reported and investigators have no suspects in custody. The store had been slated to close at 6 . Wednesday however the doors were locked by 11 . Halloween night instead. This is seven hours earlier than originally planned and the change in closure time is to ensure employee safety com Pany spokeswoman Laurie Smith said tuesday. Through the Media coverage that this store has received there is con Cern that on halloween night some peo ple might come to the store to cause mischief before it closes. We be decided to close Early to avoid any potential problems. And we apolo Gize for any inconvenience this May Smith said its the first time the store has been robbed in Many months. Employees who faced the armed ban Dit have been offered victim services she said. The store open 24 hours a Day seven Days a week has been located in the heart of the West end for almost 35 years to the Day. Some would say the robbery is a sad but fitting Farewell for the store. The historic neighbourhood has become known More in recent years for Street violence and frequented by drug dealers sex Trade workers and gang members. On oct. 21, 34-year-old Audrey Cooper was murdered in front of a Spence room ing House just across the Street from the convenience store. Cooper was killed at 2 45 ., and its believed she was returning Home from the convenience store when she was attacked. Four youths have been charged with second degree murder including a 12?year-old girl two 14-year-old girls and a boy 15. The Sargent store is a regular late night hangout for youths area residents say. On monday Smith said the company decided not to renew the lease on the building months ago because of the stores poor business performance. She said the decision had nothing to do with its location in the crime Ridden neighbourhood. The store is definitely in a challenging environment to do business but its not the Only store in Winnipeg that is in a challenging environment or across the country said Smith. The decision was made months All eight employees will be relocated to other stores she said. location location location main floor of City Hall pros. Prestigious. Office windows with the voyeuristic possibility of one Day watching huge slabs of Limestone fall from the crumbling facade of police head quarters. Close to the reception desk which provides a Buffer against angry Vot ers. Thin fibreboard Walls make eaves dropping on fellow councillors a cinch. More social atmosphere for gos Siping and Deal making. Chance to eat coun. Harry Lazarenko Swine Gums. Cons. Councillors comings and goings can be easily seen Over reception desk by reporters. The Mezzanine pros. Comings and goings Are less Visi ble More discreet. Shorter hike to the Council Cham Bers making it easier to Duck out for a snack during protracted speech making. Near the Coke machine. Cons. Uncool. Lonely since there Are Only three offices there. No windows and Little Chance of getting one for four years. Makes occupants feel like College students in their first apartment. Phil Hossack / Winnipeg free press coun. Harvey Smith gets around to some housekeeping before making the move out of his noisy office behind the City Hall reception desk. Post election musical chairs prize berth in the Long Row of offices last weeks civic election said coun. Move into the office vacated by defeat City councillors on City Halls main floor. Each has a Sliv Jenny Gerbasi. De coun. Mark Lubosch. Or of a window a precious commodity in How Many workplaces do people i a moving up in the world longtime councillor before stepping in the modernist Limestone building. Just disappear a third of them mused laughed Wyatt. Ill be Able to get a Down two years ago to run for mayor. Race for vacated then there a the three Dingy Down Gerbasi who along with her Green Leipsic is the Only genuine newbie to stairs cubbyhole ? a Purgatory chaise lounge is staying put. You he has to thought about painting yet win a main floor office. Shell be mov office space reserved for Rookie councillors. Always have this Post election letdown but hell probably stick with the colours ing into Smiths quarters next week. They re offshoots of the staff lunch anyway and then you look around to of the Transcona nationals football the rest of the rookies ? Grant room on a Mezzanine one flight of stairs see people cleaning out their offices. Team ? Burgundy and White. Nordman St. Char Esscott Fielding by Mary Agnes Welch i below the main floor. Its not quite the its kind of coun. Justin Swan Del is expected to St. James and Jeff Browaty North basement but pretty much. Coun. Harvey Smith whose previous Park his desk in retiring coun. Peter Kildonan ? Are stuck in the basement. N what amounts to a grown up ver but this time one of the rookies ? quarters right behind the reception de Smedt a office on the main floor. Councillors can to move into their Sion of musical chairs Winnipeg Likely new River Heights councillor desk were noisy has nabbed former that a a move up too. Swandell been in offices formally hire their executive councillors Are jockeying for the Brenda Leipsic ? will escape four coun. Jae Eadies office which is the basement for the last year. Assistants or fire up their computers prestige of a main floor office with a years in a basement berth because tucked toward the end of the Hall. And newly elected councillor Dan until they re sworn in next tuesday. View. Enough Veteran councillors retired or Smith has already begun purging the Vandal will Likely take Defeated River then they have a week or so to Settle in who cares that its just a View of a were Defeated in last weeks civic elec huge stacks of newspapers and Docu Heights coun. Donald Benhams office before committee meetings Start and bus Stop a few stray skateboarders and Tion to open up four main floor offices. Ments he a collected and he a settled which is strategically located in the the business of City Hall rumbles on. The crumbling facade of the soviet its All decided by backroom chatter on an Interior aesthetic. Centre of the Long corridor. Its also got on thursday councillors Are hoping style police Headquarters and negotiating amongst the Council i just came from Western paint look the wackiest paint Job ? Blue and Yel to gather for an informal meeting to five departing City councillors have lors with the help of the City clerks ing at paint chips said Smith who was Low like Benhams Campaign signs. Decide who wants to serve on the half quietly cleaned out their cubicles Fol office and advice from a senior coun the first councillor to turn up his nose at a coat of primer had already been dozen subcommittees. Lowing last weeks civic election Ocillor this time Charleswood a Bill institutional beige. I think ill stay with applied tuesday. Those decisions can to be made until prompting an office shuffle that Clement. If things get Sticky the City the Light Lime Green plus a Little Vandal was elected wednesday mayor Sam Katz chooses his Cabinet reflects City Halls not so Subtle Fierar clerks office might draw lots. Coun. Russ Wyatt who has been defeating sitting councillor Franco which is expected to happen today. Chy. Amidst the mane vering though stuck in a windowless office in the Magnifico. He wont be relegated to veterans normally Nab a highly there a a certain melancholy following basement for four Long years Hopes to Rookie Row though because he was a. october 31 flyer prices effective oct. 31 nov. 5, 2006 p. 3 Dove haircare flyer should have stated selected products Only. P. 10 Polar water dispenser flyer incorrectly advertise this As the Vita Pur water dispenser. I tech 10 Iolo system Mechanic 6 pro and certified Dat laser mouse products May be arriving available in the computer department. London drugs regrets any inconvenience this May have caused their customers ;