Fort Riley Launches New Express Concept

Fort Riley’s Big Red One Express is the pilot location for the reimagined Exchange convenience stores. The innovative format infuses new items, specialty beverages and hot-to-go foods into the assortment. A new queuing system at the registers gives customers multiple chances to pick up items on their way out.

Although it’s too early to measure its success in numbers, customers have approved of the new food concepts, especially the J. Walken Chicken.

The Convenience Channel team collaborated closely with the Customer Experience and Central Region teams to  retrofit the Express with the new concepts. The teams will evaluate and update as necessary to ensure designs and programs are successful and scalable to smaller footprints.

“We will ensure they include the best of the best when it comes to assortments and that we create a quality customer experience,” said Convenience Channel Division Vice President Sean Shaw.

Eric Sidman and his Customer Experience team blended the colors, textures and graphics to make the reimagined store inviting.

“When you enter the store, there are angled fixtures and displays that naturally lead customers through the middle of the store and, when it is time to check out, the queuing system navigates them past many enticing impulse items. The Class Six section of the store has new fixtures and is educational as well as inviting,” Shaw said.

There are small changes, like a charging station where Soldiers can sit, eat, and charge their mobile devices. A Yeti drink station is situated perfectly to showcase this highly colorful array of cold treats instead of being lost on a counter with other beverages.

The Convenience Channel team is closely monitoring the results at Fort Riley, especially as troops return from Korea and Afghanistan. More than half the base has deployed since the decision was made to make Big Red One the first reimagined Express. About 4,000 troops are due back in April.

“We are confident that when troops return, they will be pleasantly surprised,” Shaw said.