CJ Lang opens new SPAR store in East Ayrshire with ‘record-breaking’ investment

Scottish wholesaler and convenience store retailer CJ Lang & Son is all set to open a brand-new look SPAR store in the village of Crosshouse in East Ayrshire.

The company said it has invested a ‘record-breaking sum’ in the store, as part of its ongoing refurbishment programme that has already seen SPAR stores in Gatehouse of Fleet, Spean Bridge and Balmacara undergo huge renovation programmes.

The Crosshouse store officially opens to local customers with an in-store party taking place from 13.30 on 31 August.

“We are delighted to offer the village of Crosshouse a fantastic new SPAR store. Along with local residents and shoppers, close by is the University Hospital Crosshouse and Crosshouse Primary School, which we know we can support with excellent customer service,” Colin McLean, CJ Lang & Son chief executive, said.

The refurbishment of the 3,216 sq. ft store took 13 weeks to complete and the showcase SPAR store boasts new refrigeration, freezers, flooring, ceiling, and LED lighting. The store has also installed new efficient energy saving refrigeration in line with SPAR Scotland’s green strategy, allowing them to expand and highlight the best of the SPAR Scotland chilled and produce offer.

The windows have been opened to create a welcoming environment and the store displays the very latest SPAR internal and external graphics design package as well as other retail technologies. There are 12 digital screens around the store which help navigate shoppers and promote special offers. Two new self-scan checkouts further enhance the customer shopping experience.

The food-to-go offer in the store has seen a huge transformation. SPAR Scotland’s over-arching food-to-go brand, CJ’s, adds a fresh look and hosts four cabinets as well as a new energy efficient oven. Running alongside CJ’s are a wide range of other food-to-go offers including Chicago Town Pizza, Costa Coffee, Calippo, Fanta, Rollover Hotdogs, and bread, morning rolls, savouries, sweet treats, and pre-packed goods from local bakers Browning’s of Kilmarnock.

The store stocks produce from local butchers, Pollok Williamson, and frozen meals from COOK.

Stock trollies have been introduced to the warehouse to help store colleagues carry products into the store much more easily and help save space from warehouse to the shelf, streamlining the entire process. There is also a dedicated screen in the staff room to highlight staff news and incentives.

As part of SPAR Scotland’s focus on sustainability, the company has partnered with Tomra to run a trial Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) which accepts aluminium cans, glass bottles and plastic bottles. Customers are being offered a 5p incentive to recycle at SPAR Crosshouse over the next few months. The companu said the trial in-store will help both customers and colleagues to prepare for the introduction of the deposit return scheme (DRS) in Scotland in August 2023.

“We have made a significant investment in the development of this store to give it a brand-new feel and it now exceeds all other stores in the area. The refurbishment is the largest we have undertaken this year and meets an exceptional standard. We are enormously proud of how the store design, format, energy-efficiency, and the introduction of key retail technology solutions such as the addition of a self-checkout solution, electronic shelf edge labels and a trial Reverse Vending Machine are key to our retail success,” McLean added.