NEW BERLIN, Wis. -- A stone fireplace in a convenience store? While it may sound extravagant, the motive behind Open Pantry's bold new design model is to capitalize on its upscale foodservice offerings, inclusive of gourmet coffee, made-to-order burritos and grab-and-go pizza, salads and sandwiches.
The Pleasant Prairie, Wis.-based chain of 34 stores held a grand opening of the 3,600-sq.-ft. site in New Berlin, Wis., on Tuesday, complete with balloons, cake and giveawaysnot to mention an array of dignitaries, including about a dozen suppliers, two local [image-nocss] mayors and a state senator.
And the location is certainly a standout by c-store standards: a 20-ft. ceiling that runs the length of the sales floor, a bright interior design inspired by the Olympics and its color scheme, steel-plate and wavy-metal accents, three towers in the architectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright, and a central fireplace with leather chairs defining a relaxed, comfy seating area.
The store defies typical design, said Steve Nikolas, president of Z abest, Brookfield, Wis., who helped design and build the site. They wanted to break the mold of the standard definition of a convenience store, and they've done a great job doing so.
The design, according to company president Robert Buhler, is an evolution, building upon past successes to create an ambiance that will communicate the quality of their coffee and new made-to-order burrito area.
We're offering the Starbucks visitor an alternative, so we need to engulf that customer in an image, Buhler said, pointing out how the large, wooden coffee bar and comfortable seating area sets the tone. And maybe that same customer watches other customers eating our [burritos, gourmet salads or hot dogs] and will decide to try them.
Buhler admitted that you don't need to put a fireplace in every store, but the intentions are to reposition the c-store in the minds of consumers where the demographics, traffic and investment makes sense.
Going forward, Open Pantry is implementing elements of the prototype design into many of its other locations. The goal is to establish a consistent brand message, Buhler said. The company has created versions of the coffee bar, for instance, that can fit into stores that have less square footage. The key is to have consistency in branding, Buhler said.
For Open Pantry, the New Berlin store is a culmination of research and in-field testing of concepts the chain hopes to take into the future, said Jim Fiene, senior vice president for the company. From customer traffic patterns to parking spaces, foodservice choices to what music they play over the store sound system, Fiene said the new site embodies the destination concept and represents a bold effort to get the customer back into the store.
For area dignitaries present, the store was a great achievement. This is the Taj Mahal of New Berlin, said Jack Chiovatero, the city's mayor. A lot of people are proud of what Open Pantry has done. Wisconsin Sen. Mary Lazich (R) said, We in the Senate are always looking at economic development and job growth. Here we have a high-end, solid organization bringing wonderful things to the community.
[PICTURED: Cutting the ribbon on the newest Open Pantry store are (from left) Rhonda Lazich, Jim Fiene, Robert Buhler, Sen. Mary Lazich, New Berlin Mayor Jack Chiovatero and Liz Henry. Photo by Eleazar Galaviz.]
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