Shawville’s Proxim closing, Uniprix expands

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Allyson Beauregard

SHAWVILLE – Ahmad Hassan, owner of Uniprix Santé Ahmad Hassan, recently purchased the
former Proxim pharmacie Filion et Laflamme to merge the two businesses; he is in the process of expanding his current
location at 332 Main Street.

Allyson Beauregard

SHAWVILLE – Ahmad Hassan, owner of Uniprix Santé Ahmad Hassan, recently purchased the
former Proxim pharmacie Filion et Laflamme to merge the two businesses; he is in the process of expanding his current
location at 332 Main Street.
According to Hassan, the Proxim pharmacy is not really closing, it is simply moving. “It is moving to my current location on Main Street. I have bought the inventory and the clientele, which was moved here June 1,” said Hassan, who added the move is hassle-free for former Proxim clientele. “They will now come to 332 Main instead of 174 Victoria where they can access all the same services.”
With the expansion, a new cosmetic section
featuring special brand cosmetics will be added to the Uniprix location. “I haven’t decided which brands I
will offer but I would like
to have either M.A.C
or L’Oréal, or both if
possible… some high-end brands like that because, around here, no one offers them,” explained Hassan, who hopes the expansion and renovation will be completed by the end of June.
Hassan had made an offer on the Proxim
pharmacy last year when it was placed on the market for sale after former
pharmacy owner, Richard Filion and his wife Manon Aubin were killed in a car
accident. However, the offer was not accepted. “Since they didn’t have any current buyers, I made an offer again and this time it worked out. I mean, there are two ways to get to Montreal – you either take the 417 or the rough roads. I had to take the rough road, but today I can say I made it there,” explained Hassan.
The sale of the Proxim pharmacy ended the
pending lawsuit between Hassan and former owners Jean-Francois Graillon, Shawn and Nathan Barber-Lanthier. Hassan was accused of hindering the sale of the former pharmacy by saying he would open another pharmacy in Shawville if his offer was not accepted. “When the transaction was complete, the lawsuit was ended from both ends…. we are friends again,” said Hassan.
The Proxim building will remain vacant; however, Hassan does have plans for it. “I haven’t made any
decisions about what I will do with the other building yet, but I have some ideas.
I don’t like to see it closed (and unused), but I am very busy right now so I will see, when I have time, about the other ideas I have for that location,” he concluded.