Getting through six long months of renovations is something to celebrate, and Freson Bros. did just that on the weekend.
On Saturday, March 21, Freson Bros. hosted a grand re-opening as a way of thanking residents and shoppers for their patience throughout the renovations.
The day was filled with activities for kids and parents, with oreo stacking, crosswords, and even pin-the-tie on the employee.
Aaron Coutts, manager of Freson Bros. in Barrhead, gave a sigh of relief when asked how it feels to see the work finally complete.
“Utter relief, but it’s going to take a lot of work to keep it the way it is,” Coutts said.
The renovations started in July, and were scheduled to only take four months.
“We thought it was going to be just a quick four month period, but renovations never go according to plan, so we ended up going a little bit longer than we wanted to,” Coutts said. “It felt like a lot longer than just the six months, but it’s going to be worth it.
The store is open for 24/7, and remained open throughout most of the construction.
“There was a few times where we had to shut down for safety reasons,” Coutts said, adding a welder was working on the roof at the time.
The store is not only larger, but has a few additions, Coutts explained.
“There are lots of new features in the store,” he said.
The deli counter has added a salad bar and a new hot case, located just a few steps away from the larger, more open seating area.
“It just updated everything that needed to be updated, and just made it Freson Bros.,” Coutts said.
Changing from IGA to Freson Bros. was a hard adjustment for some of the residents in Barrhead, Coutts said.
“I think that’s the biggest thing and the hardest change that the town is going to have to get used to,” he said, adding they also have a new focus for the store.
“We are focusing on different things, we are focusing on fresh, we are focusing on customers, rather than just filling shelves. We are trying to get more products, and healthier choices for people, that’s really why the change,” Coutts said. “We made it like this, because this is Barrhead’s store, this isn’t just my store, it’s for the customers in Barrhead and I think everybody in Barrhead can be proud to say they shop somewhere like this.”
The renovations included updating some old equipment, making them much more energy efficient.
“We did some environmental changes,” Coutts said, explaining that the cases used in the store prior to the renovations were older, and required more gas to keep cool.
The store has also switched to LED lighting, and has added windows for more natural light.
The Grand Re-Opening was hosted as a way of showing off their store and celebrating.
“I think everybody saw we were under renovations, and really it’s just to say hey guys it’s done,” Coutts said, adding they are also saying thank you with the addition of a few new members to their team.
“We have added quite a few employees because we are changing the way we do things, so we are creating a better and bigger job market for people out there,” Coutts said. “Hopefully that’s a way we can give back for the support from the community.”
“Everyday someone’s coming in telling me how much they love the place,” he said. “It’s always been positive reinforcement.”
