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A sewage break forced Wellburn's Market, seen in a file photo, to shut its doors on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019.Photograph By BRUCE STOTESBURY, Times Colonist

Sewage break shuts down Wellburn's Market grocery store, barbershop

Wellburn’s Market, a grocery store at Cook and Pandora downtown for more than a century, was forced to close its doors Friday morning after a sewage main problem in the building.

Customers were being turned away at about 10 a.m. after a city notice was posted, according to one customer who said the sewage system in the building’s basement had collapsed.

A barbershop next door was also forced to close. The building also has living units on the upper floor.

Wellburn’s had intended to close its doors sometime in 2020, and a redevelopment of the site is expected.

The grocery chain Save on Foods opened this year nearby at Pandora and Vancouver streets.