Stop & Shop Readies ‘Next Evolution’ Store
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC will open a new store in Chelmsford, Mass., that the Ahold USA division says will offer “more selection and innovative features to bring a new kind of grocery shopping experience to the Merrimack Valley.” The 72,000-square-foot store is scheduled to make its official debut on Nov. 18 at 7 a.m.
Replacing a 38,500-square-foot store, the new, first-of-its-kind location will feature such brand-new amenities an in-store nutritionist, a supervised child-play area, curbside pickup and innovative in-store shopping tools. Two veteran store managers, Ed Attubato and Joe Manganaro, will head a store team of more than 230 full and part-time associates.
“We are constantly seeking ways to improve the customer’s overall shopping experience each time we open a Stop & Shop store,” noted Mark McGowan, president, Stop & Shop New England Division in Quincy, Mass. “This new Chelmsford Stop & Shop is a leader when it comes to providing the breadth of selection and options for our customers. Our aim is to not only help simplify their shopping experience -- allowing customers to shop the way they prefer to shop -- but make it truly enjoyable as well.”
As well as carrying an expanded assortment of products in every department, the store will provide Stop & Shop's latest technological innovations, including the Scan It! Mobile app, six Check It! self-checkout lanes, 60 Scan It! hand-held devices and two Order It! deli kiosks where shoppers may pre-order deli items.
Julie Menounos, Stop & Shop’s first-ever on-site nutritionist, will be available to assist customers and for one-on-one consultations by appointment. At the Tree House, the supervised child-play area, an experienced child care team will entertain kids with toys, games for up to 90 minutes at no charge while parents shop. Two designated lanes will be merchandised with better-for-you snacks and beverages, as well as family-friendly publications and travel-size items. A self-service seating area with Wi-Fi Internet access will enable shoppers to surf the Web and check e-mail while relaxing with a cup of fresh coffee. And a Citizens Bank branch will offer convenient seven-day banking, extended hours and enhanced ATMs.
Additionally, the new store, which will pursue LEED certification, is expected to use up to 20 percent less energy than a typical grocery store of the same size. It was built with an extensive range of energy-efficient features, among them a white roof to reflect sunlight and reduce heat gains in the store, so the building requires less energy for space cooling; skylights to harvest daylight and dim fluorescent lights to reduce the electricity consumption during peak daylight hours; LED lighting is used in many areas of the store; a new DuctSox (fabric duct) ventilation system and low-air return in frozen aisles; Electronically commutated motors (ECMs) in the refrigerated fixtures and walk-in coolers to deliver uniform airflow while using less electricity; low-mercury fluorescent light fixtures throughout, with occupancy sensors in the storage areas and offices; an energy management system to monitor the performance of the lighting, refrigeration, and HVAC systems; low-flow fixtures in the bathrooms and prep areas to reduce water consumption; paints, adhesives and sealants with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to ensure proper air quality; storm water from the roof piped under the parking lot to help replenish the groundwater; and green cleaning methods with nontoxic materials for better indoor air quality.
Stop & Shop employs about 62,000 associates and operates nearly 400 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey.