Oswego County Business Magazine

Friday February 8, 2013

Tops Ready for Major Expansion at Mexico Location

$1 million renovation plan to get under way at former Big M store

By Lou Sorendo

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Tops Friendly Markets is giving the village of Mexico a whirl. That bodes well for a community that recently lost a Stewart’s Shops location due to lack of business.

While the former Big M location, owned by the Farrugia family since 2004, served customers admirably, the new Tops location looks to invest in several upgrades at the 3385 Main St. location.

A Tops sign is the only indication now of the ownership change, but it is simply a “placeholder” until physical upgrades make it a bonafide Tops store, said John Persons, senior vice president of operations for Williamsville-based Tops.

“Our plans are to make the store as good of a neighborhood store as any of our 151 stores throughout New York state,” he said.

Persons said the concept of a neighborhood store format is to ensure each store is “answering the call of their respective neighborhoods.”

For example at the Mexico store, fresh cut meat is deemed more important than what it is at other locations. The store would then tailor offerings to customers’ needs, Persons said.

“It’s a different approach from the larger chains that roll out one consistent program at each and every one of their stores,” he said.

Persons said Tops is going to remodel and update the facility from a style and décor standpoint.

Investing in Mexico

“We are also going to add an addition to give the store more room and more selection for customers,” he said. Persons said the remodeling costs approximately $1 million.

The new Tops location is relatively small, measuring in at just around 12,000 square feet. Tops plans are to square the building off, which will add about 3,000 additional square feet of space.

One of the first moves Tops will make is to accommodate staff’s wishes for more frozen food and dairy space. Customers will also realize more selection throughout the store, Persons said.

“Customers will see new cases, new selections, new style and a new feel that will blend in very nicely to the existing building and community,” he said.

Persons said the Central New York area has received Tops well. Several years ago, it acquired Penn Traffic and its chain of P&C stores and went through a remodeling and re-branding process then as well.

“The Mexico location fits very well into the rest of the Tops stores in the area,” Persons noted. Pulaski also features a Tops store that employs 93 workers.

Expansion mode

Persons said Tops is “always looking for opportunities to grow” not only its existing store base but to expand into new areas.

While he could not disclose specifics, he did indicate there is a “good possibility” for additional growth in the future in Central New York.

Persons said Tops also seeks to “be good corporate and community citizens.” Tops offers value to customers through incentives such as its fuel rewards program, he added.

Bob Oustrich has been managing the store for over 20 years.

Tops employs 64 workers, and Oustrich said he does not expect the staff to be changed.

Oustrich, originally from Brewerton, said he sees the acquisition as being a positive for the Mexico community.

“Tops will take good care of the people and I believe we will carry on what has made us successful, and that is being community oriented,” he said.

Oustrich said in order to compete with the “big boys” like Price Chopper and Walmart, customer service is critical.

“Our perishables have been this store’s calling card,” Oustrich said. “We are noted for our fresh produce, meat and deli departments.”