As the manager of the Winthrop Marketplace, Chris Wallerce knows how important it is to stay updated with current trends and best business practices, which is why he made the decision to make some physical updates to the store.
Replacing the floors and cash registers was a top priority for Wallerce, and in early April, during a brief store closure, New England Flooring worked around the clock to replace the floors, and local carpenter and loyal customer, Ben Schad, installed the newly designed cash registers.
“We installed new vinyl flooring almost two years ago, a big change from the old VCT floors that we had for almost twenty years,†said Wallerce. “Unfortunately, the flooring was defective and it would only turn into a safety hazard. As such, it had to be replaced.â€
Wallerce said they opted for a similar style vinyl wood plank flooring that maintained the desired aesthetic appeal that he had in mind, providing a warm and welcoming environment and easy maintenance. With the store closed briefly for the floor replacement, Wallerce made the decision to replace the cash register stands, just in time for the plastic ban going into effect for the Marketplace on May 15th.
“The register stands with the bag carousel was an outdated model to use. We wanted something that fit our wooden décor, was efficient to use, and looked good as well.â€
The registers are made of maple and pine, with a solid maple butcher block top and designed and built by Schad.
“The registers far exceeded our expectations. The new wooden stands completely change the look and feel of our store. The front of the store feels more open and spacious and allows for a more expedited checkout process. With space in our store being at a premium, the new streamlined stands create space for more product offerings for our customers. The renovations and changes are never completed for a grocery store. That means that new Point-Of-Sale register systems will be coming in the near future to allow for better reporting for our employees and more innovative sales and marketing for our customers. In addition, we are looking to add new produce cases and a grab-and-go refrigerated case to provide our customers with more options for quick and healthy meals.â€
In response to the updates, Wallerce said he’s received wonderful feedback from the customers, who were patient and supportive during the brief closure. The last time the Winthrop Marketplace had to shut down for a remodel was two years ago when the original VCT flooring was removed and replaced with vinyl flooring. During that time, a new bakery rack and front end displays were also installed.