A family-owned Nisa forecourt store in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, has enjoyed an immediate sales boost since reopening following a £100,000 refit.

The Parkgate Service Station in Lurgan is one of three forecourt sites owned by the Knox family, who have been Nisa members since 2000. Sales are up 5% and rising since the store reopened just three weeks ago.

The project involved incorporating an ice cream counter selling freshly made ice cream from a local supplier, a new coffee machine, adding three metres of doored chillers, and an improved food to go offer.

Cake tables tempting shoppers with more locally-sourced fresh bakes and cakes now feature in the store and a new protein bay has been installed, appealing to the growing market of health-conscious shoppers.

General manager James Knox said: “It was starting to look a bit tired and worn and there were lots of little things that needed changing or replacing.

“We decided to use our Symbol Group Development Fund to invest in it and go with the new Nisa Store of the future evolution fascia and fittings.”

James is so pleased with the new look store that he is now making plans for a similar refit at the family’s largest forecourt shop in Donaghcloney next year, with a longer term plan of completing the third a little later.

He said: “The Donaghcloney store really is the jewel in the crown for us. It is our biggest at 3,000sq ft and so we wanted to get the re-fit done at Parkgate first to see how it worked. It was a trial run of sorts and we are really pleased with it. This is the blueprint and we will work to the same design when we upgrade Donaghcloney.”