Big Y Continues Store Upgrades

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Big Y here has been busy. As well as the $20 million expansion of its newly opened flagship store in Northampton, the chain has also revamped its stores in Chicopee, Mass. and Killingly, Conn. Each store overhaul cost about $4 million each and took five months, according to the regional grocer, which added that all renovations were completed before the onset of the holiday shopping season.

"In addition to our ongoing investment in our co-workers, we continue to invest in our physical plants and equipment to bring the most energy-efficient and up-to-date shopping experience to our customers," noted Big Y president and c.o.o. Charles D'Amour. "At Big Y we constantly strive to better serve our customers by continuously improving our stores and adding new and expanded offerings to meet their ever-changing needs."

The 57,000-square-foot Killingly Big Y World Class Market, which first opened in 1995 and reopened on Nov. 8, received an in-store Y Pharmacy, and each department was updated with new fixtures and display cases, new flooring and decor, new customer restrooms, a new bottle-return room, and new lighting throughout the store. The company said that it "worked to make the improvements reflect a more energy efficient and up-to-date market."

A former Edwards Food Warehouse purchased by Big Y in 1996, the 64,000-square-foot Chicopee Big Y World Class Market, which reopened Nov. 12, had every refrigerated display case updated to both improve product variety as well as energy efficiency.

Big Y relocated the meat department from its former position in the center of the store to the back wall, to harmonize with the layout of other Big Y World Class Markets. Further, the store received a new cafe seating area, a new courtesy desk, a new ceiling above the enhanced produce presentation, upgraded cheese and olive bars, new customer restrooms at the front of the store, new energy-efficient lighting, and new decor.

It also hired 25 new employees.

Family-owned and -operated Big Y, the largest independently owned supermarket chain in New England, operates 56 stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts, with over 9,200 employees.
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