Producers Coop of Gaza put up the ProGo Convenience store in 2000. The traditional convenience store been a Cenex fuel retailer since that time. The convenience retail has endeavored through the years to meet convenience demands. Always offered are pizza, soft drinks, beer, auto supplies, snacks and grab and go food items. Through the years menu offerings have been updated to reflect the consumer. A bigger coffee station was added a softserve ice cream machine.
The agribusiness coop board and convenience store staff have been talking for a while about the store getting a spruce up. According to Dave Hicks, Producers Coop Manager, “One thing led to another.” This spring construction began. The project is more than a spruce up. It is a full fledged expansion. The company is doubling it’s cooler space and includes the installation of a trendy walk-in beer cave. There will be more freezer space; more general merchandise adn big new bathrooms. Hicks expects additional kitchen and dining offerings. An eye-appealing vestibule will be the new entry.
To accommodate the construction the closed convenience store across the highway was purchased and is now in operation. The food and general merchandise customers expect to be able to get from ProGo are still available in the new, temporary location. Food is served as late as 9:00pm. So is gasoline. Fuel purchases on the west side of Highway 59 can be made during regular business hours, 6:00am until 10:00pm. Fuel purchases are still available with any valid credit or debit card or a ProGo card 24 hours on the east side of Highway 59.
There is a glimmer of hope that the construction will be complete by fair time, approximately 45 days. But Hicks describes that time frame as “really aggressive.” He is confident that the construction will be complete in 60 days or so. The project will create new jobs in Primghar.
He doesn’t know yet what will happen to the temporary location after the remodeled store is reopened. He’d like to see a restaurant with a variety of offerings to open there. He’s open to ideas. “We really want this to be a benefit to the community, something it needs.”