Top of the line

Bob Bonnar
NLJ Publisher
 
Decker’s Market has been in its present location since it was built in 1954, but it hasn’t always looked the way it does now.
The first addition to the structure was made in 1962, and the size of the store was quickly doubled in 1973. The building underwent a facelift in the mid-1990’s and a floral shop was added near the turn of the century.
But it has reached a point where the building can no longer accommodate the changes that need to be made to keep the business strong.
“Our store is at an age where everything needs to be replaced, equipment-wise,” Dan Decker said, noting that inefficiencies in the current building were going to make it more expensive to replace the equipment there.
So when the decision was made to build a newer and bigger grocery store on the east side of town to accommodate the new equipment, efficiency was a primary focus of the design.
“The over-arching theme is energy efficiency,” Dan’s son, Jeremiah, confirmed.
That efficiency is best seen in changes to the refrigeration units in the two stores. The current structure boasts 20 refrigeration systems and that number will be increased to 28 in the new store, but they will be governed in a manner that is clearly more efficient.
“We’re increasing the amount of refrigeration by 40 percent, but we’re moving from 18 compressor systems to only two. Currently we use seven different kinds of freon, and we will only have one in the new store,” Dan described, noting that the efficiency measures go even further.
“We will also reclaim our heat for our domestic water use, and to defrost the freezers,” he reported.
While these efficiencies will save on the bottom line, the customers should notice the improvements in other ways as well.
“The product will be fresher because of the refrigeration, and the other upshot of that is that the cases look better with all LED lights, and the products will pop,” Jeremiah said.
The store will also be 70 percent larger than the current one, but that will largely be due to increased storage capacity and some new services that are being offered. While the main part of the grocery store itself will be approximately the same size as it is at present — with somewhat larger produce and meat sections — the addition of a pharmacy, liquor store and sit down bakery/deli are going to account for a significant amount of the additional space.
“We will have an area where people can get a cup of coffee and a donut and sit down, or could have some lunch,” Dan said.
“It’s not a mall cafeteria. It will be a nicer coffee-house type of setting,” Jeremiah added.
Since there is a significant need for more storage, there was a premium put on space in the design of the new building, and customers will be sure to notice.
“The building will reflect that. The sidewalls will be 18 or 19 foot tall, and it will be clear span. There will be no posts in the building, and we hope to be able to utilize the room efficiently,” Dan reasoned.
Jeremiah said the layout of the different departments is also intended to maximize the space available and steer customers to those products that people still desire to buy from a store — instead of online — like meat and produce.
“It will have a better traffic flow, and we will emphasize the growing departments,” he said.
The new building promises to offer a modern shopping experience for local residents and visitors alike, and Jeremiah said he and his father are both excited over the commitment they are making to the business and the town they call home.
“When you go into a nice store, it says a lot about a community,” Jeremiah said with obvious pride.