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With a major remodel involving all of Store Design Services departments, Hudson County Market expanded from 56,000 to 70,000 square feet in 2007 and underwent a radical facelift to help solidify its image as the neighborhood grocer. The new design was modeled after an open-air farmer's market, complete with a barn-style entryway, railroad-inspired ceiling trusses and other rustic elements throughout the store.
Continuity between the new exterior and interior was job number one. Interior roofline elements, including faux brick haunches, simulated wrought-iron arches and railroad roof trusses, compliment the dramatic change in the exterior. This striking architecture serves as a foundation for the store's overall theme.
"When Jerry's Enterprises asked us to remodel their Hudson store, one of the first images we batted around was Grant Woods' American Gothic. Now that it's built, we're all calling it the American Gothic of supermarkets," said Harry Steen, Store Design Services Creative Director. Steen's team designed the store's interior signage to resemble vintage peach-crate art. The signs feature high-resolution photographs printed directly on wood, then distressed (digitally and mechanically), aged and varnished.
Unique design features include the store's polished concrete floors and corrugated tin wall finishes. Prior to the remodel, the floor was typical VCT over concrete. To add "heritage" to the store, Store Design Services found a contractor who removed the VCT, ground the concrete down to expose its aged patina, then added a rich dye. The dyed and polished concrete floor is expected to significantly reduce maintenance costs since it does not require waxing. For the store's corrugated metal wall finishes, Store Design Services contracted the nation's last supplier of laundry washboards.
With such impressive architecture and décor, a major challenge was to focus the customer's attention on the food, not the store itself. The design team employed HID track lighting over key areas in the produce, floral, deli and bakery departments. The background light levels in these areas were lowered to create a three-to-one ratio in favor of the track lights, which highlight all perishable product displays. In the general sales area, background light levels were increased for a bright, clean atmosphere.
The store stayed open throughout the entire 14-month construction phase, a decision that, if handled poorly, could have frustrated loyal customers and sent them running to competitors. To counter this, the design team provided Hudson County Market with illustrated renderings of each remodeling phase as it occurred. These renderings were posted near the construction areas to heighten customer anticipation of the new departments. Additionally, Store Design Services project manager introduced careful, thoughtful phasing of all construction and installation dates to provide minimal disruption of shopper flow.
Many industry publications, including Progressive Grocer and Gourmet Retailer, have published stories on the County Market remodel, and the store appeared on the May 2008 cover of VMSD. Most importantly, the store has also been embraced by the local shopping community. According to owner Mike Jutz, "The people of Hudson were so proud of it, saying things like 'Look at our store,' which is something every retailer loves to hear."
