Acquisition of Simply by Super U: delayed due to administrative issues

Rumors have been circulating for several months, and have intensified in recent days: Super U is taking over Saint-Martin Simply stores. Many statements have been made on social networks,  "Information from a reliable source (from the boss himself)..." The timetable was even disclosed. Next week, sales would occur to sell the last products and stock items, then stores would close to reopen in September.

So far, the major stakeholders have yet to comment on this transaction.

According to our sources, familiar with the matter, the process has been confirmed but it was delayed. The sale is therefore postponed.

BACKGROUND

To recap, the Super U store opened in Howell Center in November 2013. Its opening in Marigot was part of a project on a larger scale for the territory, since, at the time, both partners were thinking of opening a supermarket under the same name in the shopping center which was to be built in La Savane.

This project, in the northern part of the island, was financed by other investors who had specific support from the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (this latter was to partake in the capital of the company). The project had been presented to the Minister of Overseas Territories, Victorin Lurel, during his June 2013 visit. But for various reasons it did not succeed.

So far, Super U partners have not given up on their idea. ​In fact, they have proposed the construction of a commercial complex with a total area of ​ 9,643 square meters in Grand Case, including a supermarket measuring about 4,020 square meters and 61 stores (personal goods, home products, gifts, entertainment, services, sweets, beauty, health, optics, telephony, etc.). This project was submitted to the Territorial Commercial Development Commission (CTAC) of Saint-Martin in February 2015. It was well received.

But representatives of US Import-Export (Simply) then condemned the decision, which was eventually canceled by the National Commercial Development Commission (CNAC) who had re-examined it. Reasons cited for cancellation include the fact that "this endeavor [would have misappropriated] consumers from Marigot and Grand Case to a peripheral commercial center, that the project [would not be integrated] to the bustling city life of these townships". According to the CNAC, "the project [did] not include friendly transport means" due to the fact that there were no bike paths nearby and the RN 7 was the only access road. It emphasized that the project was to be constructed at the bottom of wooded terrain and that this aspect had not been reflected in the project’s architecture, thus it was not properly integrated into its environment.

Therefore, a third project is being developed today. But for now, no official timetable has been released.