• JB LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. 

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) ushered in a new era of shopping here with the grand reopening of the North Express on July 9.  

The upgrade includes JBLM’s first Chopz restaurant, its second Hot Stuff Kitchen and third Hunt Brothers Pizza, along with an expanded Snack Avenue and a new walk-in cooler/freezer section.  

The upgraded Express features nearly 9,020 square feet of interior shopping space.  

New flooring, lighting, fixtures, signage and interior design elements were also installed, bringing the store in line with the Exchange’s most up-to-date facilities. 

The $2.8-million project took six months to complete, bringing a modern shopping experience and the latest dining and shopping options to more than 345,000 Exchange shoppers in the Seattle-Tacoma area. 

“MISSION COMPLETE” 

“We are honored to say, ‘mission complete’ on this expansion and renovation,” said JBLM General Manager (GM) Matthew Beatty at the grand reopening.  

“We owe thanks to the JBLM garrison and Public Works teams; our Exchange teammates here and at headquarters; and the JBLM community that shops here every day,” he added. “We are privileged to serve this community, and these improvements show the Exchange’s continued commitment to serving those who serve.” 

The grand reopening celebration included prize drawings, vendor demos from several vendors, including Coca-Cola; Monster; Echelon; Columbia Sportswear; OLM Food Solutions; Hunt Brothers Pizza; Pepsi; Cascade; Forwarded GE Marketing and Red Bull, which all provided giveaways and free samples so customers could try different items from the store and the new dining options. 

Source: AAFES 

Edited by Larry Lapka