County Market Remodels Store for Farmers Market Feel

HUDSON, Wis. - Regional independent Jerry's Enterprises yesterday opened a newly remodeled County Market store here that emphasizes fresh, organic, and locally produced foods, as well as prepared meals, while staying true to the its promise of "bottom line prices."

Jerry's expanded the prototype store to 70,000 square feet from 56,000 square feet. Supervalu-owned Design Services Group, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., designed the store, and also provided store planning, interior design and decor, interior architecture, and engineering services and equipment procurement.

DSG said it modeled the revamped and expanded facility after a traditional farmers market, incorporating elements found in roadside farm stands and open air farmers markets.

"When Jerry's asked us to remodel their Hudson store, one of the first images we batted around was Grant Woods' American Gothic," said Harry Steen, DSG's creative director. "Now that it's built, we're all calling it the American Gothic of supermarkets."

DSG used barn-influenced roofline departmental treatments, faux brick haunches, simulated wrought-iron arches, and railroad-inspired roof trusses to lend authenticity and emphasis to the farm-style vernacular.

To continue the theme through store decor Steen and his team designed signage to resemble peach-crate art. The signage features high-resolution photographs printed directly on wood that is then distressed (digitally and mechanically), aged, and varnished.

Other features include polished concrete floors and corrugated tin elements. The designers expect the polished concrete floor to significantly reduce maintenance costs, since it doesn't require waxing.

DSG source the store's corrugated metal wall finishes from the nation's last provider of washboards for laundry, providing a fitting background for departmental signage that emphasizes the County Market's focus on value pricing.

Jerry's Enterprises operates 36 supermarkets under the Cub Foods, Jerry's Foods, and Save-a-Lot banners in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Florida. The company expanded into Wisconsin in 2004 when it purchased two County Market stores.
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