New Hi-Lo Superstore

The store, unlike other branches, offers large and small appliances, electronics, and houses a pharmacy, bakery and butcher shop. This Gulf View branch is the 17th Hi-Lo supermarket in the country.

Neal and Massy’s Executive Chairman, and chairman at Retail Line of Business, Thomas Pantin, at the opening ceremony of the superstore yesterday, gave a history of the chain of supermarkets. He explained that Hi-Lo’s first store was opened in 1950 on Marine Square, now called Independence Square, Port-of-Spain. It was the first cash and carry store, and the modern concept of a supermarket locally. In 1975, it became a part of the Neal and Massy family, Pantin added. “Today it is the latest in the Hi-Lo chain of food stores in TT, somewhat different to 1950, with a full service offering in the most modern of supermarkets to anything in the region.

It is the largest local Hi-Lo, approximately 70 percent greater than our next largest supermarket,” Pantin said.

He promised that the superstore, which has about 300 staff members, would provide a “spectacular customer experience” as Hi-Lo strives to satisfy customers’ needs.

“Recently we renovated two stores, one in Maraval and the other in Arima. Here we have an estimated 34,000 sq ft of retail storeroom. This store is like no other, customers can now purchase electronics and household appliances from this location. It is the second of its kind in the region as we opened one in Barbados,” Pantin explained.