Excellent Stores opens new branch at Brentwood Mall

CEO of Excellent Stores Alex Siu Chong, centre, takes a photo with staff during the opening of their latest branch at Brentwood Mall, Chaguanas, on Saturday. - AYANNA KINSALE
CEO of Excellent Stores Alex Siu Chong, centre, takes a photo with staff during the opening of their latest branch at Brentwood Mall, Chaguanas, on Saturday. - AYANNA KINSALE

While many businesses had to close during the pandemic and economic activity slowed, Excellent Stores was kept busy getting ready to open its newest branch.

The company's chief executive officer Alex Siu Chong has expressed confidence in the timing of the company’s decision to open a new outlet on Saturday at Brentwood Mall, Chaguanas as the majority of health restrictions, including limiting public gatherings, come to an end on Monday.

The company previously closed its branches in Port of Spain (December 2020), Trinity (March 2021) and Arima (April 2021). It has also relocated its branch from Price Plaza, in Chaguanas to Brentwood.

Chong said the new outlet offered hope as the company recovers from the pandemic’s negative effects.

“The opening of this new store is a significant part of that hope…it is new birth and new beginnings as we emerge from this moment in history.

“Irrespective of what trials may come in the future, I am confident and I have great hope that we will persevere together and that brings me great joy.”

Given that the company’s head office and warehouse have been based in Chaguanas for over 20 years, Chong said the company has had a good rapport with customers in the borough and it wasn’t a hard decision to open the new outlet in Brentwood.

But the outlet’s opening didn’t come without challenges.

“Let’s place today’s events in the context of whatever we’ve been seeing globally. We are still living through a time of great uncertainty.

“We are emerging from a pandemic that has left much havoc in its wake, we are seeing rising costs everywhere and almost daily.

“For example, the cost of securing a shipping container, if you can get one, has risen more than five times pre-pandemic levels while the inflationary pressures are significant.”

The new outlet will utilise a variety of business intelligent platforms with a focus on data analytics to manage resources and meet customer needs.

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"Excellent Stores opens new branch at Brentwood Mall"

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