A makeover is planned this summer and fall for the Superbear IGA store in the Mendenhall Valley.
“In my opinion, the Superbear store is a very well run store,” said Tyler Myers, president of Washington-based The Myers Group and new owners of the store that anchors one end of the Mendenhall Mall. “The standards, the sanitation is all very, very good. But I do think it is a bit dated.”
Myers said their recent purchase of Superbear was just an opportunity that came up. Former owner Charlie Robinson passed away and his wife Judy Robinson was interested in selling. Myers referred to a confidentiality agreement and declined to disclose the price of the June 18 purchase.
“Superbear was something that came along when we came to Juneau. That wasn’t our goal to have two stores in town,” Myers said. “We’ve become very fond of Juneau. We think the people are great. Obviously, one of the most beautiful places on the planet.”
The Myers Group just finished renovating their previous purchase, Alaskan & Proud in downtown Juneau which became Foodland IGA and Ace Hardware. A pharmacy may open at the back of the hardware store later this summer and another small storefront at the Foodland Shopping Center is tentatively designated as either a future liquor store or health supplement store.
“Then, ultimately we would like to run both the stores as IGA stores with a common ad, leverage our buying power with the two stores, be able to lower some retail (prices) and make better offers for customers, and run two sister stores in Juneau with one on each end of town,” Myers said.
Myers said they retained all of the Superbear employees at the same pay, provided a retirement plan and provided medical, dental, and vision coverage for those working over 30 hours a week. There are 180 employees total at Superbear and Foodland, and current part-time workers could split their work at both stores to pick up more hours.
As for the upcoming renovations at Superbear IGA, Myers said they won’t be knocking down walls or rearranging the store’s layout. He wants to preserve Superbear’s back room, which is an expansive warehouse space and big walk-in freezer at the rear.
Instead, he said they’ll update the store’s lighting, flooring and exterior signage, and slightly expand the produce and deli sections.
Like at Foodland IGA, Myers said hundreds of new items will be introduced at Superbear IGA. Many of the new products will include specialty, natural and organic foods.
“For the consumer, what drives our business is the customer,” Myers said. “So, if a customer comes in and there’s something they don’t see that they want, all they have to do is ask.”
Besides a possible limited expansion to the meat counter, Myers promises no major changes to what may be the most popular department at Superbear.
“The meat counter in the store has an unbelievable reputation,” Myers said. “If you don’t hear anything else I tell you, my number one goal is not to mess up anything that is working really, really well.”
In addition, The Myers Group’s new company Seak Distributors will be distributing Sysco products and Franz baked goods in town.
