On December 3, 2018, the Milk-Agro store in Moldava nad Bodvou, at Námestie Mieru, reopened. The complete renovation of both interior and exterior spaces lasted three weeks. We talked about what this renovation brought with the store manager Ivana Tóthová and her deputy Simona Balloková.
How long has the store been operating at this location?
Store manager: Well, if we start counting, I have been working for Milk-Agro for 15 years, at this location for 10 years, the last 5 years as a manager. I started as a saleswoman, then became a deputy, and now I am the manager.
Deputy: Before, there was also a grocery store here. The building was original and already needed extensive renovation, and indeed we got it. It’s a pity we didn’t take photos of how it looked before...
Did the renovation concern both interior and exterior?
Store manager: Yes. The roof was repaired, new floors were laid, walls were moved. The total size of the store even increased because a back part was added.
Deputy: You know, before it was a smaller store with narrow aisles, crowded with goods. Now, with the store enlarged and new shelves and counters added, it’s a big difference compared to the old space.
So you got everything new...
Store manager: Not everything (laugh) the staff stayed old! We stick to the principle that what is good should be kept and what is bad replaced.
Did you help at other stores during the renovation?
Deputy: Some of our girls went to help at other stores. They returned with new ideas, some of which we have already implemented at our store. It confirmed that we have a great team here, without which we wouldn’t have managed so well or had such results.
Store manager: Since the entire renovation lasted three weeks, my deputy and I used this time to visit other stores with our sales representative Marta Takácsová. From these visits, we brought inspirations. Before, I thought I couldn’t do anything new at the store, but after these visits, I changed my mind. It was a great enrichment for me personally. Together with my deputy, we thanked Mrs. Takácsová for this opportunity. New sales possibilities and benefits for customers were also shown to us by a consultation with area manager Kamil Schvarcz and a visit to the store on Hellova Street in Košice.
How did your customers react after the opening?
Store manager: They were glad we finally opened. They missed our products, and some even mentioned us personally (laugh). You know, we have a large part of clientele whom we know by name; many come to shop every day, even several times a day. Fortunately, the renovation went quickly and efficiently.
Deputy: Sales were also good; we were praised for them at the meeting (laugh). The increased sales area brought greater clarity in the assortment. The aisles are wider, and mothers with strollers have free passage for comfortable shopping. And the spaciousness between shelves is probably what mothers appreciated the most. Also, the added counters with dairy products allow an increase in the offer and quantity of goods.
Which goods do your customers prefer?
Store manager: It varies, for example, before 7:00 am it’s bread and pastries; then pupils or their mothers come to buy school snacks, and yogurts, cheeses, and other dairy products appear. Then come those who buy groceries for lunch preparation, often using our offer in so-called "grab baskets." And in the afternoon, those who want to shop for the next day come.
Deputy: Of course, our regular customers mainly buy our Sabi products, whether yogurts, milk, butter, cream, or the popular curd.
You also became a Cash and Carry store...
Store manager: The possibility of purchasing at wholesale discounts brings us additional customers who no longer have to travel, for example, to Košice.
Mention at least one newly implemented idea...
Store manager: We started slicing cheeses into thin slices; there is high demand for it...
Thank you for the interview.
