Video By Cooper Slough

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Starbucks fans rejoice — the wait is over. Starbucks, located in the Vine Street Dillons, opened Tuesday to a steady stream of traffic.

And the coffee shop is not the only thing shoppers in the location can look forward to, as a sushi bar, expanded deli and pharmacy have also been completed in the remodel that began in January.

But work continues throughout the store with products expected to be moved throughout the location on May 2 according to Don Koerner, store manager.

In the meantime, many portions of the remodel are complete and can be seen in new cooling units, expanded offerings and a new entrance on the south side of the building.

The south side entrance is expected to become the main entrance for the building, which opens to the expanded deli, Starbucks, sushi bar and floral department.

The area will also have seating for about 18 people and a larger selection of grab-and-go items.

It will be “very inviting,” Koerner said.

Work on the north entrance is expected to begin next week, he said, and will create a straight entrance into the store, similar to the new south entrance.

Near the north enterence is the pharmacy department, where work has been completed as well. Customers will now access the pharmacy from a wrap-around counter facing the west. They also have access to a new pharmacist consultation room.

The remodel will also help make the location landfill free, a trend throughout the Kroger – the parent company of Dillons – brands.

While not there yet, the replacement of tile with polished concrete removes the need to use floor wax, and perishable items are donated rather than thrown away after they are removed from shelves for sale.

“Several years ago, Kroger joined the EPA’s Waste Wise Program and adopted the EPA’s ‘zero waste’ definition for our company-wide sustainability efforts,” according to the Kroger 2015 sustainability report. “Our goal is to ultimately meet and exceed the EPA’s ‘zero waste’ threshold of 90 percent in all our facilities.”

Even with new offerings throughout the store and as work continues, Koerner said customers can expect the “same great customer service” throughout the location.

Work at the location is expected to be completed this summer.