POCATELLO — There is no specific date set for the opening of the new WinCo Foods store in Pocatello, one official saying only that it will open in the spring, but that official also said rumors of a March open “could be” true.

    “We have no date yet,” said Michael Read, vice president for public and legal affairs for Boise-based WinCo.

    Construction of the new 94,000-square-foot store, began last year on the Yellowstone Avenue property where the old Fred Meyer once stood. At more than twice the size of WinCo’s current, 42,400-square-foot Pocatello location, Read said the new store is “very much reflective of what we are building these days.”

    Those who frequent the current location who have never been in the grocery chain’s current building design will find significant changes in the store’s layout.

    For example, the current store has two main aisles running from side to side with multiple grocery aisles running form the front to the back of the store. The new location will feature four main aisles running from the front to the back of the store with multiple grocery aisles running from side to side.

    Regular WinCo customers will also see a large increase in the options the new store will offer and the comparable size of individual departments.

    “All areas will be larger,” Read said. “There will also be a large bulk food section with over 700 items.”

    It will also take a number of additional employees to run the new store.

    “The store will usually employ about 180 people,” Read said. “If it gets real busy, and stays busy, it could push to about 200.”

    Because the Pocatello store is one of only a few of its size, Read wasn’t certain just how many employees work there, but estimated it could be as high as 100. Efforts to fill those positions has been ongoing.

    “Certainly all of our current employees will be retained,” Read said. “We put notice out first to all of our current employees. Since we are an employee-owned store, we like to give current employees who want to work in Pocatello that opportunity.”

    Read said those who live in the area can expect to see an advertisement in local papers with special discounts celebrating that grand opening. Other than that, there won’t be a whole lot of fanfare when the new store opens.

    “Usually what we do is raise the flag outside the store, say the pledge of allegiance, unlock the doors and start doing business,” he said.