FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. - The red and blue sign outside the Fort Meade Express welcomes the community to a newly renovated store.
Formerly known as the Fort Meade Shoppette, the 11,000-square-foot convenience store now features a new location for its automatic glass-door entrance, a polished cement floor, LED lighting and two additional aisles.
The image upgrade, which began in July 2011, was completed Friday.
"Now that I can see the finished package; it's beautiful," said William Maxwell, the store manager.
CJW Contractors Inc., based in Greenbelt, completed the $660,000 project. Renovations to the 15-year-old building included stripping the old tile floor and moving product shelves and the register counter.
"It looks a lot better," said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Sara Minor of Navy Information Operations Command Maryland. "It looks a lot more organized. The decor is prettier."
The selection of snacks and "hot-to-go" food items have expanded. Sometime this month, the Fort Meade Express will feature a wider variety of European wines and an increase in the number of automotive supplies. An ATM machine also will be installed this month.
In addition, new signage and LED lights have been added to the store's nearby gas pumps.
The Fort Meade Express is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is operated by 40 employees.
"We are here for the community," Maxwell said.
In July, construction is scheduled to start on a new shopping center to replace the existing Post Exchange, which was assessed for renovations.
The new shopping center is scheduled to open in September 2014.
Jonathan Bright, general manager for the Meade Consolidated Exchange, which includes Army and Air Force Exchange Service operations on Fort Meade, Aberdeen Proving Ground and Dover Air Force Base, said the Shoppette's renovations and plans for a new shopping center are part of an effort to serve the needs of more customers due to the completed Base Realignment and Closure process.
"I think it's a great change," Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jamie Smith said of the renovations. "There's a lot more shelf space, and you know where everything else is."
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