Blaine Mart celebrated grand opening March 1

Blaine Mart, a new convenience store located on 2nd Street, celebrated its grand opening March 1.

The store is another business opened by Sukhwant Singh Gill, who has been a business owner in Blaine since 1995. Gill currently owns the Shell gas station and Big Al’s Diner, both on D Street. Gill is also a newly appointed member of Blaine City Council.   

“This store will be different from our D street gas station,” Gill said.

In addition to typical convenience store product offerings, Gill said Blaine Mart will sell a wider choice of items, such as novelty and gift products, and electronics. The store also offers parcel delivery and drive-through coffee.

Gill said he first had the idea for the store last year, after noticing many visitors were coming to Blaine to visit Peace Arch Park and then leaving.

Gill said many businesses, including his Shell station, are in a blind spot, and cannot be seen from the highway. He said he hopes, with the border closed and many people flocking to the park, the store can provide services to those looking to see friends and family.

In the future, Gill plans to  sell Blaine-themed items for tourists and selling Indian and Fijian groceries, noting these foods are difficult to find locally.

“There are nearly a hundred Indian families in the area and no store has these groceries,” Gill said. “We can draw people all the way from Ferndale or Lynden.”

To celebrate the store’s opening, Gill said the store will give customers either free bread or coffee for its first two weeks, until Monday, March 15. Gill and his son, Gury, gave away bread and milk for customers at their Shell station to help those struggling from the pandemic last spring.

Gill said this giveaway is more focused on customer appreciation.

“I’ve been in business for 25 years and always gotten good community support,” Gill said. “We look forward to the future and having the same support.”