By Sue Moore
“We appreciate Family Fare making this major investment in its Vicksburg store,” Steve McCowen, Chamber of Commerce president, said last week as he helped cut the ribbon for the grand reopening of the local supermarket.
Customers will notice the new façade on the north end of the building, that is located on W. Prairie Street in downtown Vicksburg, Store Manager Mike Melli said in his remarks. He thanked the patrons who put up with the construction phase of the project and the employees who kept things going inside during the three months of renovation.
District Manager for the corporation and overseer of the many changes, Joe Pugliese, pointed out the million dollar-plus investment in the store, starting with all new décor, the standard for SpartanNash Stores. “This was a much needed upgrade,” said Melli. “We have new interior design, new signage, new floral displays, new produce cases, new deli and bakery cases and displays, and all new meat cases, as well as increased variety in product offerings. The manager’s office was relocated to the back of the store to allow more space up front.” Melli, who came from the D&W affiliate in Portage, likes it that way so he can be out on the sales floor, helping in every department, even in the new checkout lanes.
Family Fare has been involved in local programs and events in support of the Vicksburg Athletic Boosters and South County Community Services, among others.
SpartanNash is a Fortune 500 company and the largest food distributor – in terms of revenue – serving military commissaries and exchanges in the United States. The company also distributes to independent and corporate-owned retail stores in 44 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Azores, Bahrain, and Egypt. SpartanNash currently operates 167 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare Supermarkets, D&W Fresh Markets, No Frills, Bag ‘n Save, Sun Mart and Econofoods.