Co-Op Updates Store and Celebrates

Roanoke City Council members join Co-op Shareholders at the recent ribbon cutting.

The Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op on Grandin Road has been a fixture at its current location across from the Grandin Theatre for two decades. Now it’s had a $700,000 facelift, which leaves the neighborhood grocery store with wider aisles, more seating for the in story deli – which has been completely revamped itself and now features a “hot bar” with daily specials. There’s a fresh coat of paint as well.

The Co-op worked around the remodeling and never shut down says marketing manager John Bryant, speaking after a recent ribbon cutting that featured several members of Roanoke City Council. Shareholders in the store – many of them local shoppers – were invited to join the ceremony too since they are part owners as well via their shares. The Co-op has been in Grandin Village for 40 years but relocated to its current location in 1998.

“It really needed a sprucing up. Rather than just a coat of paint we said let’s put some money into it,” said Bryant.  The front of the store was expanded to accommodate that new seating area (it now holds up to 40).  Bryant said the overall branding and look of the store was updated as well. “It has a fresh new feel and we’re excited to have everybody here for this event.” They celebrated the new look with two weeks’ worth of special deals as well.

Co-op shopper and shareholder Ron Graham was there for the ribbon cutting. “We supported [the remodeling]. I like the enlargement up front and the wider aisles.” Shareholders elect a board of directors at the Co-op and they were the people “heavily involved” with the remodeling decisions said Bryant, along with General Manager Bruce Phlegar, who then worked with an architect.

The bathrooms were also redone and the parking lot was “refreshed,” according to Bryant. New register systems at the checkout were also installed. “Anytime you spruce something up people are appreciative of it,” Bryant noted. “We’ve heard really good comments.

Gene Marrano

 

 

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