Big Y Bows Remodeled Conn. Store

Big Y Foods Inc. has completed renovation of its 42,500-square-foot West Hartford, Conn., World Class Market. The Springfield, Mass.-based grocer has served the area since acquiring a former Waldbaum’s Food Mart location in 2010. On Feb. 14, the company marked the completion of renovations with coffee, doughnuts and other refreshments.

Begun Jan. 1, the store overhaul, which was undertaken to enhance the customer experience, included expanding the kosher deli, meat and bakery departments. To meet more fully the needs of the area’s orthodox Jewish population, the store’s kosher meat and deli departments are now both glatt kosher with a full-time mashgiach (supervisor) in each department. The bakery is strictly kosher, and all three departments are certified and supervised by the Hartford Kashrut Commission.

Among other changes were the addition of more fresh greens and organics in produce, new pizza ovens, a new cake-decorating area, a new sushi bar, a new fresh-coffee bar, and new hot and cold soup offerings. Further fixes included all-new restrooms.

The store director, Dan Coogan, who worked at the location from 1996 until joining Big Y in 2006, brings 35 years of supermarket experience to his latest assignment.

Family-owned and –operated Big Y has 63 stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts with more than 10,000 employees.