Protesters at No Frills in Port Dover

Darlene Homeniuk and Margaret Hutchinson protest outside No Frills on Jan. 29 after Loblaws did not renew the contract for long-time operators Mike and Christine Ramirez.

Leah Bauer

Advocate Contributor

In a now semi-viral Facebook post it has been alleged that the owners of the Port Dover No Frills franchise were given a week's notice that Loblaws would not be renewing their contract. The original Facebook post ignited protest as it alerted people of what some consider a sneaky move by Loblaws. Port Dover and the surrounding areas have rallied behind Mike and Christine Ramirez. However, Mike and Christine themselves are not directly affiliated with the posts or the protests at the No Frills location.

On Thursday, Jan. 29, Darlene Homeniuk and Margaret Hutchinson braved the cold to protest outside of No Frills because they felt it was an injustice not only to Mike and Christine, but to the whole community. 

“Apparently a week ago management waltzed in here and said that they had to give up their keys,” Margaret Hutchinson stated. “So, because they (Mike and Christine) are such wonderful people we are out here saying that this is totally unfair.”

Mike and Christine had been running the No Frills in Port Dover for 16 years, and in that time they used their business to sponsor and support local events and sports teams.

Mike and Christine “worked for so many years to support the Port Dover community.” Homeniuk and Hutchinson said they are highly doubtful that the Loblaws corporation will continue the tradition of community outreach and donations. As people entered the grocery store the women educated unaware shoppers about the management change. The pair were encouraging shoppers to boycott and do their weekly groceries someplace else.