Frederick -- This June, patrons of the Blockbuster in Spring Ridge will have a new store.Weis market is expanding into the current Blockbuster site, according to store officials.
"Three years ago Weis called to ask if we would move," said Cecil White, operating member of the franchisee. "Weis went through the process with the county and it took that long to do it."
The new store, under construction at the eastern end of Spring Ridge Shopping Center, will be smaller than the existing store, said Tim Conway, general manager.
The current store is about 5,500 square feet. The new store will be 4,000 square feet.
"It looks bigger," White said of the framework going up, "but it has less depth than the existing store."
His group purchased what at the time was a Video Den at Spring Ridge. He changed it to a Blockbuster, one of 16 his franchisee group operates, half in Maryland, half in Florida. Only 18 percent of Blockbusters are owned by franchisees.
"The new store will have everything we have here and a little more," Conway said.
"We are adding to our confection line, more movies for sale and will have Blockbuster Total Access. That lets customers who have rented a Blockbuster movie online have the choice of sending it back by mail and ordering another movie, or taking to a store and picking one up. "They even get an extra rental free in the program," Conway said. It has brought in a lot of customers who had switched to ordering only online. "It is the best of both worlds."
The new store will have an open floor plan, "more like Best Buy or restaurants," Conway said. "We will have all new counters, fixtures, it will be a whole new look."
In back of the new building will be a larger office than in the existing store. "We have four people working in here," he said during an interview in the small office.
"We love Frederick , has been tremendous for us," Conway said. "We contribute to the economy and to many charitable organizations."
"We have a big corporate name, but the stores are locally owned and operated," said White, who has lived in Frederick 15 years.
Each of the franchisee's stores have about 10 employees. White said he plans to make changes at some of the other stores he owns in the area.
Dennis Curtin, director of public relations for Weis, said the store's perishable department will be expanded, as well as the seafood and deli areas. A specialty cheese department will be added, he said.
Natural and organic, as well as gourmet and ethnic food selections will be enlarged and the pharmacy will be expanded, Curtin said.
Curtin said the expansion should be completed by the end of the year.
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