Super changes in store for Palmwoods SPAR
Palmwoods SPAR manager Ange Lea can’t wait to give the interior a refurb... “It will be much appreciated by staff and customers”.
Palmwoods Spar Supermarket is poised to receive a major interior revamp to revitalise and strengthen the store’s presence in town.
One of the oldest buildings in the Valley with some historical significance, SPAR Retail Operations Manager John Buttler said the plan was to freshen the shop without losing the traditional appeal of its facade.
“It’s a really pretty shop from the outside,” he said. “But, it does need a freshen up inside. We appreciate the heritage of the building so we’re going to concentrate on the interior.”
“We want to give the customers a bit of a nicer, crisper shopping experience. It’s a quintessential SPAR store, a traditional small community store and the local customers are the lifeblood of the businesses. And the support from the community of Palmwoods has been beyond expectations. But we need to keep improving our offer and we’re looking forward to thanking them for supporting us.”
Mr Buttler said the store boasted a close knit team. “Manager Ange Lea has been there since day one, and she’s got a team of people, mostly locals themselves, and they know a lot of the regulars and the community and they have become part of the community. The store is working well and we want to invest in that and keep freshening it up. And we’re just finalizing the plans of what that’s going to look like.
“I think the customers will be really quite happy with what we’re doing when they see what we’ve put together for them.”
Mr Buttler said the renovation would include new refrigeration, modernised fittings and lighting and a revamped layout.
“About 18 months ago we had a new floor put down and the customers appreciated that and now it’s time to do the whole interior to really give it a lift.”
Mr Buttler said the revamp was not a knee jerk reaction to a recent Development Application for a Palmwoods Shopping Centre.
“Freshening the interior is something we’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “We welcome the new competition but it is the right thing to invest in, as we want to support the community. They’ve been good to us. And it feels right to freshen up the shop so we would certainly be doing it, regardless.”
SPAR bought the Palmwoods IGA and Woombye Supa IGA sites in 2017.
“Since then the two stores have gone from strength to strength cementing their place in the community with a distinctive offer that has resonated well with the locals,” said Mr Buttler.
“A combination of good old fashioned service and value will ensure SPAR its place in each community respectively.”