A fresh No Frills

No Frills isn't just the name of the locally owned supermarket chain, its owners say, it's a description of a business plan that allows them to offer extras to consumers while preserving the company's low-prices tradition.

“It starts with a good location and a reasonable landlord who will negotiate a lease that works for both sides. A few years ago, money was flying everywhere,” said No Frills President and CEO Fred Witecy.

The company found what it believes is a prime spot for its first No Frills Fresh store at 132nd Street and West Center Road in Baker Square, named for the longtime Omaha supermarket family. No Frills Fresh opened Wednesday morning in a former Baker's Supermarket.

A spokeswoman for the company said about 600 people attended the grand opening, hundreds of whom arrived before the 9:30 starting time. The store gave away 250 bags of free groceries, 50 more than planned, and 100 $10 gift cards.

Special events will continue for two weeks, including randomly selected “instant winners” whose grocery purchases will be free at the checkout.

No Frills personnel redesigned the exterior and the interior of the 61,000-square-foot space, including introducing a crisp color scheme of yellow and white and whimsical signage with expressions such as “Icing ahead,” “Make your grill grin” and “Steer here for cold beer.”

But despite the full floral department, the bakery, the pharmacy, the expanded butcher counter, the separate liquor store and numerous other extras, the no-frills principle prevailed in designing and furnishing the store, company officials said.

Instead of using “fancy consultants,” Witecy said, No Frills relied on the expertise and judgment of its associates, including Chief Operating Officer Lonnie Eggers and Kevin Hennessey, vice president of perishables.

“There are no fancy brass fixtures, no fancy canopies or other structures. We saved a fortune,” Witecy said.

His wife, Joy, selected the paint colors and shopped for reasonably priced ceramic tile used behind the deli counter. Tuesday, she was helping stock the floral department.

The savings are passed along to the customer, Witecy said.

The motto is clean, cheerful and cheap, said Eggers, who formerly worked for Baker's and remembers the 132nd Street and West Center Road store as one of the busiest in the state.

Hennessey said customers want value and quality, which is why items in the produce, deli and meat departments are “constantly culled.” About five years ago, customer expectations increased dramatically, particularly for produce, Witecy said.

“Look at those apples,” Hennessey said, pointing to a mountain of red fruit. “Those are beautiful apples at a great price. That's what people want.”

No Frills Fresh is the 17th store for the chain, which has been owned by its seven-member management team since July 2008. Witecy became president in January 2007.

A second No Frills Fresh expected to open next year will anchor the Pacific Pointe shopping center near 204th and Pacific Streets. That store, similar in size to the one at Baker Square, is the company's first newly constructed store in about two decades.

Contact the writer:

444-1050, pat.waters@owh.com