Family Fare Rolls Out Remodels

As part of a $5 million investment in the Rapid City, S.D., market, SpartanNash celebrated the grand reopenings of two Family Fare Supermarkets, boosting their decor, offerings and services.

The stores, which previously operated under the Family Thrift Center banner, underwent an extensive remodeling and rebannering process to provide store guests with better customer service, everyday values and additional amenities.

“We paid close attention to what our customers expect in a grocery shopping experience,” said Tom Swanson, VP of the Retail West Division for Grand Rapids, Mich.-based SpartanNash, which owns the Family Fare Supermarkets among 148 stores in nine states. “Both of our newest Family Fare stores received updates and upgrades throughout, which we believe will complement the variety of new products and amenities store guests can enjoy.”

These are the first two Family Fare Supermarkets in South Dakota; SpartanNash operates 85 Family Fare stores in six states.

Surprise and Delight

Simultaneous ribbon-cutting ceremonies kicked off a week of daily giveaways, food samples and “surprise-and-delight” offerings throughout the stores.

At each ribbon-cutting ceremony, a pallet of food was donated to Feeding South Dakota for Rapid City. The food pantry also received a $4,300 donation from the SpartanNash Foundation as a result of the organization’s scan campaign to provide hunger relief.

The transformation of the two stores began in June, when they were reset to make it easier for store guests to navigate the perimeter and aisles. New signs, flooring and décor were also installed to update the interior of the stores, and the exteriors received a facelift.

In addition to the new esthetics – including energy-saving lighting and equipment – the Family Fare Supermarkets’ new offerings include:

• Yes loyalty rewards, which bring everyday savings, exclusive digital coupons, free and low-cost prescriptions, and a more personalized shopping experience

• Fast Lane, the click-and-collect program that provides a seamless online grocery shopping experience and added quality and convenience for busy families

• Expanded produce departments with a wide variety of organic and local farm-fresh products

• Expanded bakery and deli sections, featuring a menu of specialty, made-to-order bakery items and grab-and-go meal solutions

• Enhanced meat and seafood departments staffed by center-of-the-plate experts

• An improved dairy section and extended frozen foods to satisfy everyday needs in every section of the store.

The Mount View Family Fare also includes a Starbucks coffee shop and café area.

“We want to deliver a best-in-class experience with every trip to the grocery store, and these new and improved Family Fares will do just that,” Swanson said. “Our commitment to our customers will always be our top priority, and we appreciate their patience during this renovation. Our store associates have been and continue to be amazing during this conversion, and we thank them for their efforts throughout the remodeling process."

Continuous Evaluation

Swanson continued: “SpartanNash’s $5 million investment in the Rapid City market is part of our continuous evaluation of our retail footprint to right-size the market as neighborhoods change and grow. While it is never easy to close a store, the company decided to consolidate its retail operations in Rapid City from five stores to two. Associates from the three stores are now serving store guests at our new Family Fare Supermarkets, providing the same level of excellent customer service and reaffirming our commitment to serve this community.”

SpartanNash has accelerated its expansion of its Fast Lane click-and-collect program, expanding it to as many as 50 stores in the company’s nine-state footprint in 2017. Currently, 13 Family Fare Supermarkets offer Fast Lane, allowing store guests to easily order their groceries online and pick them up curbside.

SpartanNash’s core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent grocery retailers, national accounts, its corporate-owned retail stores, and U.S. military commissaries. SpartanNash serves customer locations in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahrain and Egypt. The company currently operates 150 supermarkets, primarily under the Family Fare Supermarkets, VG’s Food and Pharmacy, D&W Fresh Market, SunMart, and Family Fresh Market banners.