The Colusa Planning Commission has gotten its first look at the exterior remodel of Sav-Mor, the grocery store located in the Town and Country Shopping Center in Colusa.
The commission on March 23 approved a conditional use permit for North State Grocery to expand and remodel the front of the store.
The site plan calls for a 1,960 square-foot addition to enclose and modernize the front of the store, which will ultimately add about 12 total feet to the front.
Michel LeClerc, chief financial officer for North State Grocery, said the Colusa Sav-Mor is one of 22 grocery stores, 17 of which are Holiday Markets, in Northern California and Southern Oregon that are employee-owed.
LeClerc said the company is investing not only in a new facade for the Colusa store but a complete interior upgrade and new merchandise.
“For all of our customers, they are going to get all new everything inside the store,” LeClerc said, “All new cases, all new walk-ins, all new shelving, all new decor package. Everything is going to be gorgeous and beautiful and new.”
The Sav-Mor store is located on one of about 10 parcels in the 40-year-old shopping center that are independently owned.
Hilton Williams, the project architect, said the facade will be constructed of new materials to give the store a contemporary look, but the front will still “blend in” with the other buildings.
The enlargement of the store is expected to reduce the width of the walking area, but the remodel will not result in any change to the parking lot, Colusa officials said.
The project will be completed in phases, and the store is expected to stay open during the process. The interiors are expected to be done by November.
Colusa officials said that because Sav-Mor is the only large grocery store in Colusa, the modernization project is exactly what the city needs to serve its residents.
“I think it is a beautiful plan,” Commissioner Dick Armocido said. ■