Completion nears for Mega East remodeling

The newly-remodeled Mega East grocery store, 1201 S. Hastings Way, Eau Claire, will be open to the public by late March, according to Consumers Cooperative Association CEO Mike Buck.

"We still have to raze the old store and create a parking lot, which will take another five to eight weeks, depending on the weather...so the front of the store won't be open until the first week of May," said Buck, who added that the approximately $9 million project will result in a 58,000-square-foot store featuring a liquor department, an Associated Bank branch office, a post office and a Caribou Coffee franchise store.

"The Caribou Coffee will be located at the front of the store to serve the breakfast needs of our customers with a common seating area," said Buck, who explained that the entire grpceru store will be reconfigured in its current location.

"Our overall mission is to build a store that presents an experience. The store will be faced directionally in line with other businesses on South Hastings Way. There will be new products, new services and a different presentation...with a lot of windows to bring in natural light. The design of the store and interior decor have been done to honor the legacy of the Consumers' Cooperative Association. It will be a modern grocery store with a heritage decor package," he said.

Consumers Cooperative owns and operates three Mega Foods grocery stores, 17 Mega Holiday gas convenience outlets and two Mega Lube centers. The businesses employ 695 people. Hoeft Builders is the general contractor. TBL