So Far, So Very Very Good!

In last year’s annual report, the expansion was something that would happen in the future - well, the future is now, and though it is a balmy August afternoon when I am writing this, by the time that you read it we should be deep in the middle of it all.

The expansion comes in two parts, the first being the smaller office expansion by the parking lot.  One of the things Robyn and the team realized when they started going over plans for the deli expansion was that we could no longer have people working in the basement.  This meant a smaller, additional expansion on the West side of the building was necessary, to bring the people who had been working in the basement upstairs. As I write this, the framework has already gone up for that side of the expansion, and by the time that the Annual Dinner rolls around that expansion should be finished, which means that the parking lot will have opened back up considerably.

Though the office side of things was definitely necessary, the heart of the expansion is happening on the other side of the building.  The co-op is expanding out 28 feet from corner to corner, which means that we will have a 29 seat dining area, a much more expanded hotbar, two new bathrooms, and an entirely renovated kitchen.  Something to be excited about is the addition of a new register located in the deli area, so that you no longer have to go back to the main registers to pay for your food. This should help to clear up some of the congestion that we currently face on a daily basis!

When planning the expansion, one of the things that Robyn and the team gave a lot of thought to was how to build with as little disruption to daily store operations as possible.  To do this, both expansions were built from the outside in, but as November rolls around, it is inevitable that we will have to break down the walls and close the deli for about a month.  However, in order to still provide for our community, Robyn made arrangements to be able to use the Next Stage’s beautiful kitchen to be able to make grab and go food. We thank you for your patience with us through this process, and hope that the end result is enjoyed by all.

Provided by Board Member Yitz Lefevre-Bort