Chamber spotlight: Kenora’s Safeway

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles submitted by the Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce

This week we’re shining a light on Kenora’s Safeway — a cornerstone of the community that has long been known for its high-quality products, exceptional customer service, and deep commitment to local support.
We sat down with Trent Hamilton, Store Manager of Safeway Kenora, to learn more about how the store contributes to our local economy, how they support their dedicated staff, and what makes Kenora such a special place to live and work.
About Trent Hamilton
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you came to manage Safeway here in Kenora?
“I’ve been running Safeway here for 10.5 years, and before that, I was the Assistant Manager here for a couple of years, 15 to 16 years ago. I had to leave to Saskatoon to get my own store and was lucky enough to get the chance to come back and get to run this store.”
What Safeway Brings to the Community
Q: For those who may not know, how would you describe what Safeway brings to the Kenora community?
“We sell groceries. Everyone laughs but, I love selling groceries. We try to offer something to everybody in the community. Sometimes a little bit higher-end – full service meats, cut fruit, a full bakery, a full deli – something for everybody.”
Community Involvement and Local Support
Q: Safeway has always been known for its community involvement. What motivates your team to stay so involved in supporting local initiatives and events?
“At the end of the day, without the community – the stores don’t run. Without customers, we don’t run. We have a lot of fingers in a lot of different ponds, trying to help out wherever we can – hockey, baseball, figure skating, service clubs like rotary and kinsmen. At the end of the day, I think it’s the right thing to do. You have to be a good corporate citizen, and I think people appreciate that.”
Creating a Positive Workplace Culture
Q: What do you think makes Safeway such a positive place to work, and how do you maintain that culture within your team?
“I’m super lucky. I have great staff, and customers see that. Before my time, John Dahl ran Safeway here for 20 years – a phenomenal man – and he built that culture where we look for people that want to help people out and genuinely want to serve people. You see that bleed through. They’re going to do the right thing for customers. That’s the big thing, and that’s harder to teach.”
“And I’m thankful that we have a lot of leaders and key people in the store that come to work everyday and their sole focus is just to make people happy. It creates a workplace where not only is it fun to come into work, but customers are happy to come here. It’s a really positive place to work.”
Kenora’s Strengths
Q: In your view, what does Kenora do especially well as a community?
“We do a lot of things really well. We highlight what Kenora has to offer. We’re right on the lake, people shop by boat, and we’re surrounded by nature. The Kenora & District Chamber of Commerce and the City of Kenora do a great job with events that bring people to Kenora, like the Matiowski Farmers’ Market and Open-Air Markets.”
“For me personally, I’m always really proud of our great, young people who work for us. Some people say young people don’t want to work, but that’s not my experience. We have phenomenal summer residents who come out and stay at the cottage, and without them, it would be tough through the summer. Kenora does a great job of incorporating those summer residents and making them feel at home. It makes a big difference.”
Looking Ahead
Q: What’s next for you personally, and for Safeway here in Kenora?
“This is it. I’ve had my opportunities if I wanted to do more than run a store, and I’ve said thanks but no thanks. This is home for me, my kids and my wife. As long as I keep fooling them into thinking I know what I’m doing at the store, I’m going to stay here until I retire. I love Kenora, this is home for us.”

Kenora’s Safeway continues to lead by example – supporting the community, their staff, and Kenora as a whole. The Kenora & District Chamber of Commerce is proud to highlight the important role they play in our community.
The KDCC sends a big thank you to Trent and his team at Safeway for sitting down with us!
If you would like your business highlighted, please reach out to the Kenora & District Chamber of Commerce by emailing: communications@kenorachamber.com