Customer Survey Guided Remodeling Project At St. Maries Iga Store
The Archie McGregor family in St. Maries wanted their IGA store to be completely customer-friendly. So they conducted an extensive survey regarding what customers would want in the McGregors’ remodeled store.
Customers wanted “fresh.” The McGregors responded with “the fresh concept,” remodeling every department so everything employees do - in the produce department, butcher shop, deli, bakery, etc. - is in the customers’ sight.
Customers wanted “convenient.” So they’re getting wider aisles, faster scanners, easily-viewed price screens and more parking.
They wanted “special services.” They’re getting their own keys to the handicap cart, a new customer service counter and front-of-the-store, ceramic-tiled bathrooms with baby-changing stations and private stalls.
Customers said they wanted one-stop shopping. They’re getting an in-store Subway sandwich franchise and Bank of Latah branch with an automated teller machine.
They wanted “unique-to-Idaho” frills. They’re getting a walk-in beer cooler, a dial-the-temperature wine cooler and fresh, filtered water for bottled water containers.
All this is part of a $2 million remodeling and addition that should be completed in two to four weeks for Archie’s IGA.
The store is being expanded from 15,000 to 26,000 square feet with complete interior and exterior renovation. The produce, meat, bakery, grocery and deli areas are being enlarged.
The renovations also will benefit the store’s 50 employees.
The new check stands are ergonomically correct, with scanners, counters and shelves spaced to allow comfort and efficiency. One checker said she already can feel the difference at the end of the day.
Archie and Lorraine McGregor came to St. Maries 10 years ago from Coeur d’Alene, where Archie managed the old Albertson’s store.
He was chairman of the old Kootenai Memorial Hospital board, “signing on the dotted line” for the building of Kootenai Medical Center, he said.
“We’re all-Idaho,” McGregor said, in that all five of the McGregor children are University of Idaho graduates.
The amenities of the new store place it into an IGA-Plus category, allowing the market to participate with 10-12 other IGAs in the Northwest for better pricing and promotions.
Construction is being handled by McKinley Contracting, which primarily is using North Idaho subcontractors, said Jim Winger, project manager. The new Archie’s IGA will be the biggest store in St. Maries.
McKinley Contracting also is doing the renovation for the trading of spaces of Phase I development in Ironwood Square in Coeur d’Alene.
The Dollar Store is leaving its space on the east side of Albertson’s to take the combined west side spaces of Idaho Home Medical and Video Theater, the latter having moved to new digs on Government Way.
Idaho Home Medical in turn is moving to the Dollar Store’s old space. The medical equipment store is expanding to include medical uniforms. It currently offers durable medical equipment, including rehabilitation merchandize, customized wheelchairs and respiratory equipment.
The 10-year-old store is managed by Tambra Maple. Owner is Wayne Setzer, who also has Spokane Home Health Care.
A rose is a rose is a rose … Well, 9,600 of these would take up some space.
It’s also taking up plenty of space for the Just Roses store, which is renting a truck to haul the 800 dozen bouquets.
The Coeur d’Alene Rotary Club ordered the long-stemmed, red roses for a giant fundraiser, with most of the roses pre-sold by Rotary members. Others will be offered to the public at The Coeur d’Alene Resort on Friday.
Sixteen employees of the Just Roses stores in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane are working four days to process the flowers, which are being flown in fresh overnight and on ice from California. Owner Terri Stravens said the order more than doubles the store’s previous largest order, also for a Rotary fund-raiser.
For Valentine’s Day, though, the store sells 24,000 roses.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review