PG TECH: FRESH & EASY’S ‘UNTETHERED’ ASSISTANCE • PAGE 122

JULY 2011 • VOLUME 90 NUMBER 7 • $10WWW.PROGRESSIVEGROCER.COM

EQUIPMENT & DESIGN

!Viva la machina!Page 136

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Price Cutter Plus, Springfield, Mo.Best Overall Store Design Conventional Format (new ground-up construction, over 50,000 sq. ft.)Store Designer: Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan.

The Market by Longo’sBest Overall Store Design/Urban Format (new ground-up construction, under 50,000 sq. ft.)Store Designer: Watt International Inc., Toronto Ont.

Bing’s Supermarket, Sedalia, Mo.Best Low-cost Remodel (less than $2 million) – Communi-ty-based FormatStore Designer: Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan.

Super 1 Food & Pharmacy, Shreveport, La.Best Low-cost Remodel (less than $2 million) – Value FormatStore Designer: Brookshire Grocery Co., Tyler, Texas

Glorioso’s Italian Market, Milwaukee, Wis.Best Low-cost Remodel (less than $2 million) – Urban FormatStore Designer: Mehmert Store Services, Sussex, Wis.

Ray’s Apple Market, Manhattan, Kan.Best Mid-budget Remodel ($2 million to $5 million) – Community-based FormatStore Designer: Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan.

Bistro Market by Price Cutter, Springfield, Mo.Best Mid-budget Remodel ($2 million to $5 million) – Urban FormatStore Designer: Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan.

Lakeview Grocery, New Orleans, La.Best Mid-budget Remodel ($2 million to $5 million) – Community-focused Conventional FormatStore Designer: King Retail Solutions, Eugene, Ore.

Runner-Up: Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy, E. Fifth Street, Tyler, TexasBest Mid-budget Remodel ($2 million to $5 million) – Community-focused Conventional FormatStore Designer: Brookshire Grocery Co., Tyler, Texas

Exito del Este, El Tesoro, ColombiaBest Overall Store Design – International/Hypermarket Format (new ground-up construction, under 50,000- square-feet)Store Designer: Watt International, Inc., Toronto Ont.

1st Place: Calgary Co-Op Quarry Park Centre, CalgaryBest Overall Store Design – International/Conventional Format (new ground-up construction, under 50,000- square-feet)Store Designer: King Retail Solutions, Eugene, Ore.

applauds a new collection of Store Design Contest award winners, whose innovative, functional masterworks profiled on the fol-lowing pages provide a closer look at 11 of the industry’s most engaging and inspiring concept supermarkets.

From downtown Milwaukee to a New Orleans neighborhood struggling to re-cover from the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina and various locales in between, 11 grocery stores that set the standard for overall excellence are showcased on the following pages of ’s second annual Store Design Contest.

Five categories — including two for new ground-up construction, as well as three budget levels for remodeling projects ranging from modest to unlimited — gave operators of every shape and size a chance to be recognized in the following classes:

Best Overall Store Design (new ground-up construction, under 50,000-square-feet)

Best Overall Store Design (new ground-up construction, over 50,000-square-feet)

Best Low-cost Remodel (less than $2 million) Best Mid-budget Remodel ($2 million to $5 million) “Sky’s the Limit” Remodel (more than $5 million)

Construction of eligible store designs and remodels must have been completed between January 2010 and December 2010.

b y M e g M a j o r

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WINNERS

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Best Overall Store Design/Urban Format(new ground-up construction, under 50,000 square feet)

The Market by Longo’s Toron To

role in giving each department its own unique ambiance, as did the selection of the light fixtures, the foot-candle contrast in each department, and the sleek use of graduated ceiling planes in several of the departments.

Another challenge the design team successfully tackled was the floor plan, which created a rela-tively narrow walkway between the deli and organic area. Task lighting was added above the service cases, but a drywall soffit would have visually closed off the space. An astute solution was devised in the form of a custom-designed, narrow structural band placed above the deli that allows for well-placed accent lighting without overwhelming the area with an overhead soffit.

In addition to its innovative and attractive interior, the store also has a number of sustainable features, including a system that reclaims heat from refrigeration units to warm the building.

Incorporating all of the fresh departments and offerings of its traditional stores within the reduced footprint of a 7,800-square-foot urban model, The Market by Longo’s builds on the success of

its evolving urban-concept store strategy that reflects a new genera-tion of Longo’s stores designed to meet an increasing demand for a superior shopping experience, while providing downtown customers access to a wide variety of quality foods.

Working closely with Longo’s to develop a solutions-based store format that placed less emphasis on center store in favor of fresh foods, store designer Watt International Inc.’s finished product skill-fully incorporates a streamlined offering of grocery, dairy, bakery and frozen foods.

To ensure a seamless, fluid floor plan to shop, the design team prioritized working with a footprint that was familiar to shoppers and similar to a full-shop grocery store. A rectangular shape was chosen to accomplish this goal, offering shoppers the perception of a more familiar store layout, and therefore making it easier for them to find everything they need.

The design placed produce in a familiar, favorite front-of-store location to highlight Longo’s fresh, healthy offerings while further reinforcing that the store is a condensed grocery store rather than an upgraded convenience store. Watt’s design team also incorporated custom lighting that elevates the space and takes advantage of the high ceilings.

The round silver lighting employed throughout, meanwhile, »22

PriCe CUtter PLUS

Mehmert Store Services is proud to have provided our Complete Project Management Service:

W222 N5734 Miller Way, Suite 109, Sussex, WI 53089 • 800.273.0755 • www.Mehmert.com

Mehmert Store Services is proud to have provided our Mehmert Store Services is proud to have provided our Complete Project Management Service: Mehmert Store Services is proud to have provided our

• Project Feasibility Study

• Coordination with Lending Institution

• Fixture Planning

• Construction & Equipment Requirement Drawings

• Interior Design / Décor

• Architectural Design

• Liaison to Historical Preservation Commission

• Coordination of Façade & Sign Grants

• Equipment Procurement & Management

• Project Management

• Construction Supervision

• Coordination with State & Local Authorities

• Retail Operations Consulting

• Asset Management

22 | progressivegrocer.com| July 2011 AHEAD OF WHAT’S NEXT

trains a warm spotlight on merchandise while adding an upscale feel to the urban store, which also conveys a more boutique feel to create a warm and inviting shopping experience.

Among the challenges confronted by the design team was a slight elevation of the front door, which prohibited customers from easily seeing it from street level. To solve this issue, a large amount of appetite-appealing exterior photography and clear signage communicating savings and specials was installed to entice customers and capture their attention.

Interestingly, due to recent street beautification regulations enforced by the city of Toronto, Longo’s and Watt were also challenged not only to redesign the inside of the new store, but also to refresh the exterior, while adhering to various city policies. And here again, the end result is an exterior that’s as inviting and visually stimulating as the interior of the gourmet compact grocery supermarket.

Another challenge that needed to be addressed and surmounted was the harshness of the concrete that surrounds the store. Working with Longo’s, Watt created exterior applications that covered most of the concrete around the store. Further, by using Longo’s brand colors strategically on the exterior of the build-ing, the store designers were able to soften the harsh exterior and bring the brand to life at street level.

Yet one more challenge was maintaining the brand essence of Longo’s between its suburban and urban stores. By using similar building materials and finishes while simultaneously communicating its core underlying messaging that conveys comfortably familiar layouts like those in its suburban stores, The Market by Longo’s has been able to maintain its own unique brand essence while expanding into a new and exciting market segment.

Since its grand opening in March 2010, Longo’s Hudson Bay Centre store’s first-year performance was strong, reaching 90 percent of its projected estimates. Even more promising are sales for the first half of 2011, which are currently trending at more than 30 percent over last year’s, reflective of strong customer and neighborhood acceptance and approval, as well as an excellent combination of loca-tion, design and offerings.

the Market by Longo’S

Store DeSigner Watt International Inc., Toronto

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