Camp Darby commissary nearing completion

By Joyce Costello, USAG Livorno Public AffairsDecember 18, 2008

Camp Darby commissary nearing completion
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

LIVORNO, Italy - Camp Darby has been watching the construction of a new commissary site morph into something that promises to be a key establishment within the community.

According to Gerri Young, Defense Commissary Agency Europe public affairs officer, the construction timeline for the newest commissary remains on target, as the store is expected to open its doors in May 2009.

"The new building has almost double the retail floor space than the old building and is expanding from three to seven aisles," said Young. "Customers can also expect to find nearly 500 new items lining the shelves."

Additionally, the new commissary will have bistro tables in the deli area for those who would like to eat inside, according to Giuseppe Ricci, store director here.

"Our sandwich bar has always been a popular lunch destination, so the new deli will have two sections: one for customers wanting sandwiches and another for customers wanting to buy deli meats and cheeses," said Ricci.

And most importantly, as the commissary gets ready to transition from one facility to the other, the customers will not be impacted by empty shelves or items not stocked.

"We are very careful in our planning to bring down a separate team from our region headquarters in Germany and a few other locations to stock and prep the new store while the old store is operating so the customers are not inconvenienced by the transition," explained Young.

Built in 1953, the commissary last underwent an upgrade in 1991.

"This new commissary will take the store into the 21st century and reflect what a modern grocery store is like," said Young. "We are excited about the new Camp Darby commissary and think the community will really enjoy the new store."

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