New home for ACE 2

by Bria King

What was once the arrivals section of the ET Joshua Airport has been transformed into a sleek space for Ace 2 and Coreas Pharmacy 2, the anchor tenant of what is to be the Joshua Centre.

The store, which was located near the roundabout in Arnos Vale until recently, held an official opening on Thursday, November 26 in the parking lot area of the compound.

Ace 2, which also includes Coreas Pharmacy 2, is the first of several tenants to occupy a space in the former terminal building of the decommissioned airport.

“We had outgrown our old location that we occupied for approximately 12 years and were actively considering our options for how we could address the shortcomings and challenges of the previous site and plan for the future,” Brian George, Coreas and Hazells Inc’s divisional manager for Building Supplies and Auto said at the ceremony.

George noted that the government had long articulated plans for the buildout of a new city in the Arnos Vale area.

And he said that the company has been eager and intent to be a part of that vision.

“The new location has offered us more retail space, significantly additional parking — which I can’t exaggerate how important that is to us — significantly more warehouse space so that the company can expand our product offerings,” he said.

George added that the new site has construction supplies such as lumber, steel and cement available for customers on site.

The divisional manager also expressed anticipation for increased customer traffic once the remaining sections of the mall become operational.

The Arnos Vale store is the second store that Coreas Hazells Inc has opened within the last year.

Joel Providence, the company’s managing director said it is within its strategic vision to bring service to the people.

“We do so because we believe in ourselves and we believe in the future of this country. Our confidence is in the enabling environment and its state organs, our confidence is in our culture that is embraced by our 200 plus staff is solid,” he said.

Providence said the company quietly commemorated in 2020, its 175th anniversary of a “Coreas genealogical antecedent – Hazells Inc”.

The managing director gave a brief historical background of the company and said that its growth is “reflected in brick and mortar images”.

“But what good is a structure of cement and steel if it is not filled with good karma, by trained people who have a sense of purpose, who embrace values of fairness, integrity, accountability and dedicated service,” he said.

Providence said the opening of the store is testimony of the confidence the company has in its staff, who are committed to serving its large expanse of customers.

He also said he was pleased with the transformation that has taken place in the space that Ace 2 and Coreas Pharmacy 2 now occupies.

“Gone are the offices of Customs and Immigration, gone is the conveyor belt and the luggage room, gone is the VIP lounge,” he said.

These are now replaced by aisles and shelves of over 20,000 “well-priced” hardware, household and pharmaceutical products of quality.

“A beautiful expansive power aisle that when you look down its corridor from the eastern side near our customer service desk, you will be able to see right down, through the store, beyond the store, right through the shopping centre to the other end of Joshua Centre. I am gratified,” Providence said.

Hans King, the manager of National Properties and Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves also addressed Thursday’s official opening ceremony.

Following the formal event, invitees were invited to do a walk-through of the new store.