At Geisler's newly renovated Granby Supermarket, customers will find an eclectic mix of features, including high-tech shopping carts, an elaborate Munson's chocolate corner, produce from Connecticut and Massachusetts, and an expanded deli and bakery section. Masu.
The star of the show is a giant kiosk where employees produce fresh popcorn in the traditional butter style, as well as specialty flavors ranging from Oreo to bacon to blue raspberry.
President Bob Leibig sees all of this as part of how Geisler Co., the independent Connecticut-based supermarket chain, can compete as it enters its second century in business. Reibik, his brother Andrew, and cousins Ryan and Erik Nilsson believe Geisler's is one of the largest He said he believes he can improve against his rivals.
Part of that means investing more than $1.5 million to completely redesign the approximately 30,000-square-foot Granby store, and a ribbon-cutting and celebration at 9 a.m. May 4 will include the town Officials from the state and the state were reportedly invited. Reibick learned that when the chain renovated its Agawam, Mass., store, parts of the store were designed specifically for the Granby market.
“We've learned that bringing fresh produce to the forefront is really the direction our industry needs to go,” Reibick said Wednesday, offering visitors a chance to explore the produce section and an expanded showcase of in-store prepared foods for grab-and-go. he said while showing us around. “We're competing less and less with each other and more and more with restaurants. More than half of the food consumed in the United States is restaurant food, whether it's takeout or dine-in. ”
Starting Jan. 2 and beginning this month, construction crews installed new flooring, rearranged walkways and shelving, removed drop ceilings, added decorative lighting, and created a much larger entryway with more natural light. Added.
But beyond the structure itself, Geisler also uses a large number of state-of-the-art bakery ovens and other I have invested money in kitchen equipment.
“When you walked into the store (before the renovations), this area was blocked off by produce cases, and it was like a maze,” store manager Paul Bouchard said of the much larger entrance area. “That's taken care of now. Your focus is on prepared food. We have a very good lunch service and Wednesday is Senior Day, with a 5% discount for seniors. This is a place for prepared food. It seems to be one of the biggest sellers and you get 5% off when you buy 4-5-6 entrees a week.”
With national giants like Big Y and Stop & Shop just a few miles away, Geisler's places an emphasis on local ingredients and preparation that sets us apart. Above the produce section hangs signs highlighting local suppliers such as Rogers His Orchards in Southington and Hilltop Bee Farm in Simsbury. And Reibik emphasizes that freshly prepared meals made in-house are better.
“When you buy a roast beef dinner, the roast beef is cut at the butcher, cooked in the oven, and put into the main dish. We don't use any preservatives, we just salt and pepper it and bake it in the oven.” Reibik said.
The Granby store is the second to be completely renovated. Geissler's first renovated its store in Agawam, Massachusetts. It has not yet been determined whether the Summers, East Windsor, Windsor, South Windsor and Bloomfield stores will follow suit.
“Construction costs almost doubled due to COVID-19. This all started with us saying, 'We need a new floor,' and then it just kept evolving from there.” Reibik said.
Reibick said Geisler's intends to expand beyond seven stores, but has no short-term plans outside of the Connecticut and western Massachusetts markets. He said he and his relatives work directly with local farmers and other suppliers, and that connection can be lost if the chain stretches too far.
“Some chains advertise that their produce reps will be going out to tour local farms. That's me here,” he said.
Geissler's was founded in 1923, long before the concept of the modern supermarket was born. Some time after Adolf Geisler opened his first small store in East Windsor's Broad Brook neighborhood, he decided to expand to a new location.
“He wanted a 10,000-square-foot store, and people thought that was crazy. Who needs 10,000 square feet for a grocery store?” Reibick said. “The business is even bigger now.”
The Reibik and Nilsson families, great-grandchildren of the founder, now maintain the chain's social media program, which includes cooking demonstrations and video interviews with local farmers. The Granby store is now equipped with carts powered by Instacart's “Smart Cart” technology, allowing shoppers to digitally clip coupons, tally their spending as they add items to their cart, and quickly check out. Masu.
A hit with the business is the kiosk, which makes freshly made popcorn. John Snow was a cashier when the elaborate equipment was installed at the kiosk and said he has enjoyed working at the station ever since. He makes popcorn, puts it in boxes, and talks about it to passing shoppers, all while wearing an apron that says “Call me Colonel.”
“I enjoy this job. I don't think, 'Oh, I have to go to work in the morning,'” he said. “I think it's because of the coaches. They work a lot harder than I do. I had some bosses who didn't, but here they treat me well and I work hard myself.”
