Remodel & Expansion Project

Current Status

As of Nov. 21:

• The Co-op's Board of Directors has approved the budget for Phase 1.
• The city has approved our building permit.
• Three express checkstands have been installed.
• Two roof-support posts have been installed in the body care and wellness area.

In 1998, when Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op moved to its current location, sales were less than one tenth of what they are now. Our staff was less than one-third of its current size.

In addition, customer surveys have consistently revealed a desire for a broader product selection, including deli foods, fresh meat and seafood, fresh bakery goods, and a water dispenser.

After searching for a larger store, or a place to build a larger store, we arrived at the conclusion that the costs of doing so were too high right now. In addition, our current location is better than the available alternatives. So we decided to see what we could do to use our current space more efficiently, and to expand it where possible.

Bringing in a Project Manager

We knew we needed a professional to manage the many aspects of the remodel and expansion. Fortunately, we soon learned about a firm in Burlingame that specializes in retail makeovers. Talking to other co-ops on the west coast, we kept hearing the same name over and over: Sutti Associates. They have an excellent reputation for producing high-quality results, keeping to a schedule and staying within a budget.

You don't have to go far to find several examples of Sutti Associates' fine work. Here are a few of the stores they took our senior staff to visit, to get some ideas for our project:

• Davis Coop
• Whole Foods Napa
• Mollie Stone in San Francisco
• Whole Foods Mill Valley
• Mill Valley Market
• Sonoma Market

Developing a Plan

After visiting other stores, we met several times with John Sutti, the founder of the 32-year-old firm. John quickly impressed us with his command of the myriad details associated with a project of this magnitude. He brought in his architect, retail equipment expert, construction chief and other staff as needed to help us create a plan.

The result is a multi-million-dollar effort spread across three years and split into phases. The first phase involves substantial remodeling, while the second phase is focused on expanding the store northward. A third phase may be needed to complete the remodeling -- but we may end up combining phases two and three.

The main advantage of this phased approach is that it allows us to limit our budgetary risk. We only commit to one phase at a time. In addition, it minimizes disruption to our customers and our staff, because Sutti's workers can confine their activities to one part of the store at a time. (They work mostly at night, so we don't anticipate having to close the store at all.)

At its August meeting, the Co-op's board of directors approved the budget and the plan for Phase One.

Phase One: Faster Checkouts and More Products

The first phase of the project will be concentrated in the south end of the store and involves several upgrades.

Express Checkstands

Three express checkstands will be added, which will greatly reduce waiting times for our customers. The large majority of our customers have only a few items, and should not have to wait in a slow-moving line. We have wanted to find room for at least one express lane for years -- soon we will have three of them, without losing any of our full-service lanes.

Reach-in Dairy Coolers

Dairy coolers will be replaced with more capacious units. The new coolers will have no doors, making it much more convenient for customers and eliminating the congestion in the aisles caused by opened doors. In spite of having no doors, these units actually use less power than our current refrigerators.

More Freezer Space

Our old freezers will also be replaced by higher capacity units, and more of them. Again, the new model is more energy efficient, too.

More Produce Capacity

New cases for the fresh produce will enable us to host an even broader selection of 100% organic fruits and vegetables. The new units will have automatic misters instead of the manually operated hoses we use now. Also, the warehouse cooler for produce will be enlarged, improving our sorely challenged backstock capacity.

More Grocery Capacity

Our old grocery shelves will be replaced by modern units that are much more flexible, allowing us to display a wider selection of groceries in the same floor space.

New Flooring

Goodbye linoleum tiles! We're switching to stained concrete, which is more durable and better for the environment. Only the floor in the south end of the store will be upgraded in phase one, but eventually the entire store will be converted.

Improved Office Spaces

Currently, we only have one over-used meeting room upstairs and no privacy in the office cubicles. As a result, many conversations that ought to be private are not. The Human Resources staff will have a private space after phase one, as will the general manager. The accounting and information technology staff will have improved offices, and all upstairs staff will have a long-overdue fire exit. Offices for the grocery manager and the front-end manager will be moved so they can be closer to their crews.

New Phone System

Our existing phone system has been at maximum capacity for some time, and our customers have complained about the voice-mail system. In addition, the mobile phone used by front-end staff has been unreliable and difficult to use. A digital phone system will be installed in phase one, providing plenty of expandability. We expect that its voice-mail system will be easier to use for our customers, and its mobile capabilities more accessible for our staff.

Later Phases: Exciting Additions to Your Co-op

In later phases, with the additional floor space afforded by a northward build-out, we look forward to adding many of the features our customers have long sought.

For starters, we will have a kitchen facility upstairs to support a broad array of prepared foods downstairs. You will be able to wander from the olive bar to a salad-and-entree bar for lunch, pick up an espresso drink, swiftly check out at one of the three new express checkouts, then go nestle in our outdoor patio.

After work, you will be able to pick up a roasted organic chicken for dinner, or choose from a broad array of packaged meats and seafoods.

Our three full-service checkstands will be replaced with three dual lanes, for a total of six full-service lanes. Combined with the three express lanes we're adding in phase one, we will then have a total of nine lanes instead of the current three.

Our staff is also looking forward to having more space upstairs for offices and meeting space, and additional restrooms.

Thank You, in Advance, for Your Patience

While the folks at Sutti Associates have assured us that they will do as much of their work at night as possible, there are bound to be some awkward times during the five weeks or so next spring when the main activity occurs. We will do everything we can to minimize the impact on our customers. We do not anticipate having to close the store during phase one, nor possibly during any phase.

For the inevitable discomforts that come with a project of this size, we apologize in advance and we very much appreciate your patience.