UNIVERSITY PARK — The Penn State Berkey Creamery reopened its doors recently after being closed for almost two months for store renovations.
Though the store closed on Dec. 23, manager Jim Brown said that the renovation project has been underway for about nine months. According to Brown, the original renovation only planned for a floor replacement. The plans changed to a larger-scaled renovation upon finding replacing the floor would require taking out many existing pieces of the creamery.
There are some changes that customers will notice right away upon visiting the store. The new concrete terrazzo floor was installed with drains in various places in case of flooding. The old section containing the hot beverages was completely taken out to make for an unobstructed shopping area. The entire store was painted and new cabinetry was installed.
There also are some changes that aren’t as apparent to the untrained eye.
The walk-in freezer and cooler boxes were completely redone. The cooler box was increased from six to seven doors and was made deeper so that it is easier to stock from the back. The doors of the freezer and cooler boxes were increased from 28 to 30 inches. Three doors were added to the freezer box, taking it from six to nine. According to Brown, the freezer and cooler area was increased by about 40 to 50 percent.
The renovations also updated overall sanitation at the creamery. Brown said the creamery made the switch to stainless steel counter tops because they are easier to clean. The edges of the counter tops are raised so that no food spills onto the floor. And, all of the dispensing units were removed from above the counter top and relocated to the side of the cabinets for sanitation reasons.
Brown said that since the reopening, customer feedback has been positive.
One of the main goals of the renovation was to have separate sections where customers can browse for food, purchase their items and sit to enjoy their ice cream. The distinct sections clear up congestion for customers and make it easier to navigate the store.
“Over the years the customer count has increased … and we noticed more and more that we needed to improve the efficiency,” said Brown.
Though the January and February are typically the slowest times at the creamery, Brown said that being closed for almost two months did take a toll on the store. “I think we have our work cut out for us to play a little catch up.”
