Markets 
A local Saskatchewan business is being evicted from Midtown Mall. Handmade Saskatchewan says that they feel blindsided by the mall’s decision to pull their lease, giving them just 30 days to vacate the premises.
Handmade Saskatchewan is a local goods shop that collaborates with regional artisans to put their works up for sale at an accessible storefront. They operate in four locations across the Saskatoon and Regina areas.
Raylene Dirkson spoke on the behalf of Handmade Saskatchewan. She is the Saskatoon manager and works at the Lawson Heights Mall location.
“Unfortunately we were given our 30 days notice to vacate a couple of weeks ago. It was completely out of left field; we weren’t expecting it,” said Dirkson.
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“We’re trying to make do with the situation, but it’s definitely not something we were expecting.”
It’s not just Handmade Saskatchewan that depends on their location. The local artisans who provide their goods are dependent on their sales through Handmade.
“We’re doing what we can to find all the vendors at Midtown a home, and ensure they can continue to make a living and sell their products,” said Dirkson.
The stock from the Midtown location will be moved to Lawson Heights mall.
Dirkson says that they were on a temporary lease with Midtown, giving the mall the ability to pull them with 30 days’ notice. She says they were in the process of seeking a longer lease.
“We’ve always had a very good relationship with Midtown Plaza. Nothing to do with finances or anything like that,” said Dirkson. “I was kind of flabbergasted.”
In a statement to Global News, a spokesperson on behalf of the mall stated that they were unable to comment on the situation, as they are unauthorized to comment on the behalf of tenants, or on the terms of their contracts.
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