Five months after first word of the remodeling project at PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor), the store celebrated its completion this week. We stopped by for a quick tour with PCC’s Diana Crane, who showed us the results – some of which are so subtle you might not notice till someone points it out. In the top photo, of course, what you see in the background can’t be missed – new deli offerings, including pizza and gelato. Closer to the foreground – the cheese case, like refrigeration/freezer cases all over the store, now has LED lighting, which is cooler and more energy-efficient. Ahead, some of what else is new:
You can watch the pizza oven by looking right behind the counter; Diana tells us it’s another case of sourcing locally – made in Western Washington. And inside the nearby cold-deli cases, here’s a change you might not notice till it’s pointed out:
New square bowls mean there’s more on display, and you can get a better look at what’s there. Visibility is a theme for much of the remodeling touches – note the windows alongside the relocated produce section, with a view to and from California SW:
Here’s a closer look at a dramatic change that’s just south of the produce – the store’s new space for the PCC Cooks classes:
It’s entirely behind glass, so shoppers can see in and class-takers can see out; energy-efficient appliances are in the teaching kitchen. The space also multitasks as tables for in-store deli diners, who previously had just a few spots to jockey over, by the checkstands. And for the summer, there’s a new patio where the loading dock used to be – from there, a view into the deli:
Outside that view, there are garage-door-style rollup windows that will make the patio truly open-air when the weather permits. Back inside, there are new restrooms on the west side of the store – with dual-flush toilets and paperless hand-drying:
Changing tables in both restrooms, too. Other changes include porcelain floor tiles that don’t have to be waxed (important for keeping the store as organic and chemical-free as possible, Diana notes), cabinetry made locally from recycled wood fiber, other woodwork in the store made from bamboo, and lower shelving/wider aisles throughout the store. One more major piece of remodeling work remains – Diana tells us the front of the 21-year-old store will get a new look soon. (P.S. If you’re new in West Seattle and haven’t been to PCC yet, it’s at 2749 California SW.)
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