Kane area residents might soon have a larger selection of gas stations to choose from again as both the Choice and Uni-Mart are slated to reopen. Photo by Heidi Zemach.

The retail picture just got a little sunnier in Kane. 

Both Uni-Mart and Choice Discount Cigarettes will be reopened in Kane next month, under Corporate ownership.  Uni-Mart LLC, whose corporate headquarters is in State College, will run both stores, said Sherry Price, Uni-Mart's executive administrative assistant. Choice Discount Cigarettes will tentatively reopen its doors Nov. 1., Price said. Uni-Mart is set to open again Nov. 22, if it is ready.  

Bradford resident Abbass Kassir had owned the local franchises, and some additional Uni-Mart gas and grocery stores in Sheffield and Bradford. But he closed down all of his businesses suddenly last months for reasons unknown and laid off all the employees.

Signs in windows at both stores advertise that they are taking applications for all positions. The stores will carry much the same goods as they did before, and keep similar hours, but there will be different operation standards in place, Price said.

The Uni-Mart in Sheffield will also be re-opened soon under corporate control, according to Price.