The No Frills in Port Dover will no longer be “Mike’s No Frills.”
Rumours circulated throughout the week that longtime owners Mike and Christina Ramirez had been informed their contract would not be renewed with little notice.
Most posts indicating it was just one week.
Since then, a wave of online posts have surfaced in support of the Ramirez family, with many residents sharing personal stories about the couple’s impact on the store and expressing frustration over how the situation has unfolded.
That community response prompted Darlene and Margaret to head to the store Thursday morning with protest signs.
Margaret told NorfolkToday she felt compelled to speak out and couldn’t simply sit by while everything was happening.
While they were protesting, Mike Ramirez exited the store carrying a box of his belongings and told them he had officially handed in his keys.
We did ask to speak with him about the situation, but he said he is unable to comment at this time.
Darlene and Margaret also said representatives from corporate were on scene and asked them to move from the front entrance to the parking lot.
NorfolkToday has reached out to Loblaw Companies Limited for comment but has not yet received an official statement.
Margaret also spoke about the frustration many in the community are feeling over the change.
Darlene said she sees the situation as another example of large corporations prioritizing profits over people.
We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.