Rona Kelowna is NOT moving to the old Costco site

Despite all speculation to the contrary, Rona Kelowna is NOT moving to the old Costco location at the corner of Highway 97 and 33.

"I confirm that our current Rona store is NOT moving anywhere in Kelowna," Rona media relations officer Valerie Gonzalo wrote in an email to NowMedia Group on Friday.

Gonzalo's email was in response to NowMedia queries by both phone and email.

Gonzalo did not want to speak by phone, instead sending the email including only the to-the-point, one-sentence answer.

Back in February Costco moved from its long-time, 135,000-square-foot home at the corner of Highways 97 and 33 to larger, 167,000-square-foot digs at 2125 Baron Rd. with more parking and a gas bar nearby.

The lead up to the decision of Costco moving was itself the subject of much rumour and speculation.

Seems Kelowna loves theorizing and hypothesizing about big-box stores and where they may, or may not, be moving.

As Costco moved, some of the 11,900 members of the private Facebook group Kelowna Costco Groupies speculated Rona would move into the vacated Costco site.

That caused a buzz about a potential Rona relocation, but it died down.

At the same time, there was also conjecture on the Kelowna Costco Groupies Facebook page that the location may be turned into a disco roller rink.

Doesn't look like that's going to become a reality either.

Anyway, back to the task at hand.

Speculation amped up for some unknown reason on Friday with several people calling NowMedia to say they heard Rona will be moving to the old Costco site.

Stan Walt, who owns the property where Rona's 130,000-square-foot home-and-garden centre is on Springfield Road, concurs with Rona and says the store is staying put.

"I've heard the same speculation you have," Walt told NowMedia in a phone interview.

"It seems there must be the same Facebook dribble going around. Rona is a tenant in good standing and it's not going anywhere."

Walt is also the owner of Chances Casino, which is located next door to Rona on Springfield Road.

Rona was Kelowna's first home-and-garden big-box store when it opened as Revy in 1995.

In 2001, Revy was acquired by Quebec-based Rona and changed its name, but remained in the same location on Springfield Road.

In 2016, Rona was bought by US-based home-and-garden big-box chain Lowe's.

Rona Kelowna retained its name and again stayed put on Springfield.