FORT GORDON, Ga. (May 16, 2014) - "There will be some irritation, but we will try to make it less noticeable and still pleasant for the customer to shop," said Stefan Marks, Fort Gordon Army & Air Force Exchange Service general manager, about the construction happening at the main Exchange.
Contractors broke ground in November 2013 to start the $22 million construction expansion project of the Exchange to increase from 80,000 square feet to 180,000 square feet during a six-phase process to create a one-stop shop for customers.
There was a lot of consideration dealing with the design of the current building and its condition, which really is not shopper-friendly anymore, Marks mentioned. Walls will be knocked down and new walls added to increase the interior capacity space to upgrade the facility with new location for the food court, pharmacy, optical center, barber and beauty salon, laundry, nutrition shop, parcel shipping store, and to include the addition of military clothing sales, Class Six store and garden center.
" The timing is perfect in conjunction with our growth," Marks said. "The one-stop shop concept is well overdue for the Fort Gordon Community. The shopping experience between two buildings, PXtra and the Exchange, was no longer cost-effective or convenient for the customer."
Even after weather-related delays and challenges, Marks is still confident on the scheduled grand opening in September 2015.
Customer service will be located toward the front of the Exchange next to checkout registers to match today's industry standards.
"The old theory in retail was to get the customer through the store, give them a refund and we would expect and hope that after they get their refund they would have to go back through the store and maybe they buy something. I'm not so sure about that theory anymore," Marks said.
The customer service area can serve as an additional checkout to provide quicker purchases for customers waiting. The location reduces any potential for theft when customers walk in for a refund without a receipt.
Changes to come inside the food court include replacing Cinnabon, Robin Hood, and Anthony's Pizza with other food vendors such as Starbucks, Subway, and Arby's.
With a new food court scheduled to open in August, customers will still have a choice in a variety of food vendors, with a new open seating area that includes booths and a television tower. Stained concrete floors, upgraded lighting, and insulation will make the new facility more energy efficient.
Three main entrances to the parking lot will provide easy access straight to the new food court, main Exchange, and concessions area located with a military clothing sales where the current food court is located. Once the transition is made into the new food court with upgraded cooking equipment , the old food court will be demolished to rebuild the current structure during another phase of the construction. There will be a separate entrance for the Class Six.
"We've been getting a lot of excitement from customer's feedback," Marks said. "Construction at this point has not impacted current sales, which usually there is a drop in sales and we're fortunate we have not experienced that."
The parking lot is scheduled to be rebuilt closing access from 3rd Ave. and having two access areas near 40th St., and one at 39th St. The current seating area dividing the parking lot is scheduled to be demolished providing access to vehicles for additional parking.
"We do appreciate the customers' patience, as we transition in through the different phases of construction," Marks said. In the end, "you can see the benefit of walking into a mall and having it all right there."
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