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The co-op also features a gas station
and convenience store, making it a
one-stop shop for visitors.
A true co-op, consumers don’t need
to be members to shop at Roaring Fork,
but for just $25, they can purchase a
lifetime membership that entitles them
to share in patronage dividends.
These dividends are derived, at least
in part, from the continued ability
of the store to be competitive and
attract customers. The desire to meet
customers’ needs was the major impetus
behind the decision to remodel the
location, according to Baldo Barragan,
store manager.
New Look, New Products
The remodel to Roaring Fork began a
few years ago, with updates to the co-op’s
electrical and computer systems and
repaving the store’s parking lot.
While these first steps in the process
weren’t necessarily the most noticeable
to customers, they made a big difference
in the co-op’s ability to operate efficiently.
With improvements made to the
business’ infrastructure, the remodel
quickly turned to the salesfloor.
Inside, Barragan and his team shifted
around some of the departments,
brought in plenty of new products
and added the convenience store.
“We brought in more new items in
hardware, too,” says Barragan. “We got
two new front counters, and we brought
in new lines, like Milwaukee power tools.
That line has been a good seller.”
When it came to updating and
enhancing assortments, the Roaring Fork
team also relied on help from Blish-Mize,
which sent a team to spend a week helping
remerchandise the store.
After moving all the old merchandise
to the warehouse located behind the
store, the team installed new fixtures
that would accommodate the enhanced
product selection.
Blish-Mize sales representative
Denver Randol, who helped with
the remodeling project, says it was a
challenge to keep the store open during
construction, but the Roaring Fork
staff managed.
“They had to do the work in stages,”
Randol says. “They did all this work
while the store stayed open.”
Barragan says he appreciates the help
he and the rest of his staff received from
Blish-Mize throughout the process.
“They helped with everything,” he says.
“I was very grateful; it was exhausting.”
While Barragan admits there was a bit
of an adjustment period for some of the co-
op’s longtime customers, he credits his staff
with helping ease shoppers through any
potential growing pains. “We have quite a
few people on the floor who can take our
customers where they need to go,” he says.
One of the most noticeable additions
that came about during the remodel was
the convenience store. This unique area
The remodel to Roaring Fork Valley Co-op included shifting departments and bringing in new products. The Roaring Fork and Blish-Mize teams did
the work in stages, and the store stayed open throughout the process.
Hardlines
Strategies
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Fall 2016
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