West Coast Distribution Center Brings New Convenience to Associates with Unattended Retail Unit

Nearly 375 associates who keep the Exchange’s tastes of home rolling through the West Coast Distribution Center (WCDC) now have access to round-the-clock shopping thanks to a new unattended retail unit (URU).

Distribution Center Manager Mike Martino and Services Business Manager Stevie Ledermann cut the ribbon on the DC’s new URU, which offers sandwiches, snacks, hot and cold beverages, over-the-counter medicine and more.

“The big upside is the expanded hours, especially for our night shift associates,” Martino said. “The previous Express store closed at 1 p.m., so our swing shift and night shift associates only had the option of vending machines.

“This URU takes care of other departments as well, whether they’re working overtime, weekends or holidays.”

Travis AFB Services Business Manager Stevie Ledermann and West Coast Distribution Center Manager Mike Martino cut the ribbon on the DC’s new URU.

The URU’s small footprint allowed for the formation of a new recreation/break room in the same space, adding a pool table, ping pong table, foosball, cornhole and golf putting mat.

The Exchange’s West Coast DC opened in July 2001 at the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop, Calif., 60 miles east of San Francisco and 60 miles southeast of Travis Air Force Base, whose management oversees the new URU.

The DC—the youngest of all the CONUS centers—covers 1.1 million square feet and serves more than 750 stores across the Western and Pacific Regions.

The unattended retail unit is available whenever the distribution center is operating, with normal hours Sunday at 9:30 p.m. through Saturday at 12:30 a.m.

The West Coast Distribution Center URU’s small footprint allowed for the formation of a new recreation/break room in the same space, adding a pool table, ping pong table, foosball, cornhole and golf putting mat.