What will the new Decorah Hy-Vee look like?

(by decorahnews.com's Paul Scott):

This fall construction crews will begin the process of converting the former Quillin's food store in Decorah into a new Hy-Vee store.

Final decisions on which departments will be part of the new Hy-Vee have not been made yet, according to corporate Hy-Vee officials in Des Moines.  But decorahnews.com recently toured a similar Hy-Vee store to get a feel for what the new Decorah store might be like.

If the new Hy-Vee in Decorah looks like the similarly-sized Hy-Vee in Garner, Iowa, the Decorah area is in for a treat.

The first impression you have when you walk in the Garner Hy-Vee is that the store is clean, bright and colorful, with wide, easy-to-navigate aisles and helpful staff.

The Garner Hy-Vee has 29,000 square feet of space, while the Decorah Hy-Vee will be 22,000 square feet, so not all of the features of the Garner store might be the same in Decorah.  However, there are certain basics in every Hy-Vee store in the chain.  One of them is a focus on fresh produce.  Garner Hy-Vee store director Amber Hawks says the company sets high standards for its produce.  One of the ways it does that, she says, is to have its own produce inspectors in addition to the normal inspectors who supervise the condition of the produce.  If the produce doesn't meet Hy-Vee's standards at its regional produce facility, it is rejected.

Hawks says the emphasis on freshness also extends to delis at Hy-Vee.  Deli dishes are made fresh every day, she says.  At the Garner Hy-Vee, they are available for dine in or carry out.  The store in Garner also stocks "Hy-Vee meal time choices," which are grab-and-go meal combinations.

Thursday our series of stories about Hy-Vee will continue with a look at departments which might—but also might not—be included in the new Decorah Hy-Vee.