Oneota Co-op is announcing details of its store remodeling

In December, Oneota Community Food Cooperative announced that it would be doing an extensive remodeling of its store on Water Street (http://www.decorahnews.com/archived-stories/2018/12/20988.html).
 
Now the Co-op has announced details of that remodeling project.  It will begin in early March and is projected to be completed by the end of May.  The project will include an upgraded refrigeration system; expansions to the deli, fresh and local meat, and produce departments; new bulk fixtures; new coolers and shelving and checkstands; and "a refurbished, cheerful interior" with LED lighting and other finishes.  Finholt Construction of Decorah has been hired as the general contractor, while Decorah Electric and Casper's Plumbing and Heating of Decorah will also be working on the project.
 
General Manager David Lester said, "This is an exciting time for our Co-op as we maintain our presence as an anchor retailer on Water Street in downtown Decorah. We believe that this investment is an important one to make sure that our downtown remains vibrant and continues to be the main reason people want to visit, work, and live in our community."
 
Oneota Co-op recorded total sales of $5.14 million in 2018. Of those sales, $1.28 million came from 78 local vendors whose items were grown, produced, roasted, processed, or packaged within a 100-mile radius of the store, approximately one-quarter of total sales. Market studies find that the average cooperative grocery store returns about 43 cents of every dollar directly back into its community through its commitment to locally sourced products, payroll, donations and other local purchases. This compares to about 13 cents of every dollar returned to its community from corporate-owned grocery chain stores.
 
More information about project timeline, detailed architectural drawings and plans will be available in the store for member owners and customers to review throughout the project. In addition, current member/owners who live in the state of Iowa will be receiving more information in the coming weeks about opportunities to invest in the project.