Commissary offers convenience at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany

This is the seventh installment in an occasional series highlighting the individuals and entities at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany.

MCLB-ALBANY — Many military installations include a commissary, a place where those with access to them can do their grocery shopping without having to cross the gate.

While not considered to be the most exciting component to Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, having a commissary there has its benefits.

The store — one of many commissaries worldwide — serves active duty military, retired military personnel and reservists, as well as their spouses and dependents. It functions as a grocery store for those with access, with a 30 percent discount on the overall bill.

“We don’t pay taxes,” MCLB-Albany Commissary Officer James Kirchner said. “We have a surcharge at the end, but don’t pay taxes.”

Fifteen years ago, reservists were not allowed to use commissaries unless they were on active status. Now, stores are open to reservists anytime, reflecting an effort to expand the customer base.

“We are trying to (bring in) more people to use it,” Kirchner said.

The employees at the Albany store pride themselves on keeping a family store with strong customer service in a clean and safe environment. Complimentary coffee is available to shoppers, and there are weekly deals and manager’s specials in the store.

Since MCLB-Albany is a relatively small base, there is a smaller number of customers living on the installation.

“If they live on the installation, they don’t have to leave the installation to do shopping,” Kirchner said. “We try to keep them here if we can. That is our goal.”

The store is in the process of introducing store brands being distributed by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA). There is Freedom’s Choice for food products, HomeBase for non-food items and TopCare for first-aid supplies, vitamins and over-the-counter medication.

“We are putting them out little by little to stay competitive,” Kirchner said.

Officials said 95 percent of commissary shoppers surveyed said they would purchase the generic brands. Vendors will also come in on occasion giving out gift cards to customers, another way officials hope to bring people in.

MCLB-Albany’s commissary has been around for decades supporting the people there. DeCA is currently operating on a budget set by Congress of $1.4 billion, and the future of the commissaries worldwide largely depends on the funds available to support them.

Keeping the doors open requires not just Congress, but vendor support that allows for lower prices, as well as the revenue generated by customers.

“That is why we need people to come in and support the commissary,” Tonya Landry, the Albany’s store’s manager, said.

Significant savings in the meat department, employees engaged in announcements and customer contests in the store are among some of the other ways the Albany commissary is looking to make itself relevant.

“Whatever it is to get them in the store and keep them in the store,” Landry said.

Prices are typically set by Fort Lee in Virginia, and the Albany store puts the products on the shelves. The store is slated for a renovation in the summer of 2018.

There is a goal at DeCA to incorporate a cost-savings methodology to make commissaries more competitive, focusing in on over 1,000 most-purchased items within different sales categories and comparing prices on all 38,000 grocery items in DeCA’s assortments against other grocers.

The MCLB commissary can also mirror other stores in its ability to help shoppers plan for special occasions. If a 24-hour notice is given, the store’s produce team can make fruit basket and trays, as well as vegetable trays.

The store also has an email newsletter updating customers on savings and special events.

A new addition to commissaries worldwide is the Military Star Card, which the MCLB store will start accepting on Oct. 23. It acts as a credit card on which customers will gain rewards points as they do at military exchange locations, and customers will be able to redeem the points at the commissaries — which they were unable to do before.

The Commissary Rewards Card, meanwhile, offers customers a way to download digital coupons online to a card they can use at the store rather than paper coupons.

For more information on DeCA’s stores, visit www.commissaries.com.