The Selfridge Exchange team unveiled Battle Creek Air National Guard’s first unattended retail unit at an official ribbon-cutting event on March 1, giving service members 24-hour access to snacks, drinks, grab-and-go meals and more.
Wing Commander Col. Daniel Kramer joined General Manager Charles Thrasher and Services Business Manager Doaa Hassan to cut the ribbon on the 2,700 square-foot unit and celebrate the new offering with the community.
As a full-size store, the unit is larger than a typical unattended retail market and has aisles of products and space for shoppers to commune and enjoy their food on the go.
The Exchange-operated store provides BE FIT 360-approved snacks, toiletries and other items Soldiers need to stay ready and resilient. The unit also includes a seating area; massage chair; a Starbucks coffee machine; a beverage machine that offers tea, hot chocolate and lattes; and a self-serve area for hot food items.
More than 350 shoppers have used the unit since its grand opening, yielding roughly $5,000 in sales during opening week. Thrasher cites the store’s convenience as its strength for troops and employees on the installation.
“The unit provides a variety of fresh, hot ready to eat food, snacks, beverages and essential items 24/7,” he said. “The commander expressed his amazement at what the unmanned retail unit offers and is very satisfied with how convenient it is for everyone.”
Selfridge Exchange will also open two new retail units at its Custer and Alpena locations this spring.
Leave a Reply