CENTERVILLE —
Since 1982, the Centerville Fareway store has looked pretty much the same. After 30 years at the same location, the Centerville Fareway is sporting a new look after a recent remodeling project this year.
So Fareway grocery manager Doug Cosgrove, Fareway meat manager Larry Williams, Fareway assistant meat manager Keith Hehr and Fareway assistant grocery manager Jeremy Wight along with Chamber Ambassadors Kris Laurson, Henry Ortmann, Miranda Dunham, Mike O'Connor, Larry Bettis, Jon Schmidt and Joyce Bieber held a ribbon cutting ceremony in the fresh produce aisle Wednesday morning to unveil the store's grand re-opening
New ceiling tile, new flooring tile, new paint, new lights, new refrigeration and an expanded frozen food and dairy selection are just some of the changes made during the remodeling project this year, Cosgrove said. Triple the amount of freezer and refrigeration cases, new check out lanes, wider isles, greater food selection, expanded deli and meat selection are more changes customers will immediately notice.
"We have added on to a lot more companies," Cosgrove said. "Some of the pizza companies have more varieties now that they can put in because of the additional freezer space. A lot more variety of ice cream, too."
Cosgrove said the customers have had good things to say about the changes.
"They really like the idea now they have a lot more variety to choose from in the freezer department and dairy departments," Cosgrove said. "We now have a 40-foot beer section that's new. We have cold beer now."
Cold beer is important for customers and out-of-town visitors coming to Rathbun Lake for the weekend and something they like to have, Cosgrove said. Beer sales have tripled since the new refrigeration cases were installed.
One of the main impetuses behind the remodeling project was to upgrade the refrigeration and freezer section of the store, Wight said.
Cosgrove said they needed to expand the refrigeration, freezer section to keep up with trends in the food industry.
"That's where the food industry is growing now, is fast, easy meals for families," Cosgrove said. "And that's usually the frozen food department. Both Mom and Dad are working now. They don't have time. They're on the go. So we have a lot of on the go meals over there in the frozen food department."
And at the Fareway meat counter customers can purchase hand-cut meats and smoked meats like ham balls and baby-back ribs for fast and fresh easy to make meals.
"And because everything is all fresh cut by meat cutters every day, that's another big selling point for Fareway," Hehr said.
Cosgrove thanked his customers for their patience during the remodeling. They decided to keep the store open during the process rather than close until it was finished.
"Because it wasn't easy," he said. "There was a lot of construction people in here that we had to work around. They were on the sales floor as well as in the back room."
Cosgrove has been with the company for 32 years, the last 12 years at the Centerville location. Cosgrove has also worked in Osceola, Newton, Greenfield and Sioux City.
Williams has been with the company for 23 years, the last two years at the Centerville location. Williams has also worked in Ottumwa, Urbandale, Washington, Clear Lake, Marshalltown, Ankeny and Eldora.
Hehr has been with the company for 10 years, the last year at the Centerville location. Hehr has also worked in Oelwein, Altoona and Geneseo, Ill.
Wight has been with the company for 11 years, the last 1.5 years at the Centerville location. Wight has also worked in Denison, Nevada, Emmetsburg and Geneseo, Ill.
Southeast Iowa
Related Photos
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From left are Chamber Ambassadors Kris Laurson, Henry Ortmann, Miranda Dunham, Mike O'Connor, Fareway grocery manager Doug Cosgrove, Fareway meat manager Larry Williams, Fareway assistant meat manager Keith Hehr, Ambassador Larry Bettis, Fareway assistant grocery manager Jeremy Wight and Ambassadors Jon Schmidt and Joyce Bieber Wednesday morning for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand re-opening of the Centerville Fareway store. Photo by Michael Schaffer/Daily Iowegian
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From left are Williams, Hehr, Cosgrove and Wight standing in one aisle of nothing but refrigeration and freezer units, a focal point of the re-modeling effort at the Centerville Fareway store. Photo by Michael Schaffer/Daily Iowegian
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