Fort Erie shop builds community pride while supporting food bank

A new shop is giving back to Fort Erie through donations that support local families.

Sarah Grugios, owner of Superior Apparel and Swag Shop, started her business in 2020 and relaunched it in Fort Erie after moving with her family earlier this year.

She donates a portion of sales to Community Outreach Program Erie (COPE), a local food bank, in memory of her brother, who died in 2022 after being turned away from a full homeless shelter on one of the coldest nights of the year.

“If that program had more funding, you know, he might still be here,” Grugios told Fort Erie Radio in an interview. “It’s fueled me to help the community, and I just like to do this in his honour.”

The shop’s Fort Erie Pride T-shirts sell for $20, with $5 from each shirt going to COPE. The donation will support programs, including the Christmas basket initiative for families in need.

Grugios once received a Christmas basket from COPE when her children were small, an experience that inspired her to give back through her own business.

“I know what the difference is when you have a basket when you have little kids at home, it’s the difference between Christmas or not,” she said.

She now runs her business full-time from her Fort Erie home and hopes to one day expand into a storefront on Jarvis Street.

“I just want the community to know that we’re here and you know there’s power in numbers, and I’m hoping that I can make a difference,” said Grugios.

Her next project will include a fundraiser design for Gillian’s Place, supporting women and families across Niagara.

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