visit to the brand new Heron Bay MarketPlace last week. "I've been shopping here since it opened, and I can tell you, it's changed beyond recognition,'' one shopper said. "Back in the old days, no one in Bermuda had anything like all this.'' Another shopper, who can remember all the way back to 1973 when the Heron Bay Marketplace opened, credits Bermuda with growing so sophisticated that the supermarkets have had no choice but to keep up. "All Bermudians love to travel,'' he said. "And when you travel, you go to different places. You see different kinds of things. And you try them. Then you come home, and you want to try them again. But it used to be, you couldn't find most of the fancy foods here in Bermuda. Now all that's changed.'' Not long ago, canned peas were the single largest-selling food item in Bermuda.

Now the shopper can choose from a huge range in almost every category of foodstuffs, especially at the newly renovated Heron Bay MarketPlace. "We have broadened the product range dramatically during my time with the MarketPlace,'' said executive vice president Allan Doughty, who has worked for the company for 37 years, since 1959. "Bermudians are exposed to a wide range of food choices when they travel, and we wanted to reflect those choices here.'' He said that years ago, when the island relied solely on food being shipped in, the choices were more limited. "Now that we can fly things in too, we're able to offer a much broader range.'' In the old days, the MarketPlace might put together one container of fresh food, or two at the most, per shipment. "Now we bring in seven or eight containers a week for the MarketPlace stores,'' Mr. Doughty said. "We think the Heron Bay MarketPlace is now the match of any North American supermarket. That's what Bermudians want, and that's what we've put together for them,'' he said. The new indoor garden was a special hit with customers visiting the store for the first time since it was renovated. "They certainly made it brighter,'' said one woman.

"The fruit and vegetables are still where they used to be, more or less,'' said another, adding "but it looks much bigger, and now they've got the fresh meats all alongside.'' Denton Simons is the operations manager for general merchandise and health and beauty products for the MarketPlace stores. He sees the outstanding new feature of the Heron Bay store as "the wider aisles and the fact that it's much brighter. Also, we have an exceptional counter for cheese. We're hoping to attract the gourmet store customer as well as our regular customers.'' Very few products in the newly-revamped store are in the same location they once held, and with all the specials on offer, things can be a little confusing at first. You might think that all the changes would make life hard for the MarketPlace staff, but apparently that's not so.

Latricka Richardson, who's in charge of the vegetable racks, said: "At first, it takes a little while to get used to the new set-up, but then customers say it's great, they like it.'' If someone asks her for a product which the store doesn't carry, "I go to my manager and they try to bring it in as soon as possible,'' Ms Richardson explained. Ruby Landy joined the MarketPlace in 1969, the very same year the Heron Bay store opened, although she has only worked at Heron Bay for the past 12 years, where she is now employed as a floor merchandiser. "You have to get used to it, but a lot of customers have been telling me they like it,'' she said of the new store lay-out. "To me the biggest change is in the produce and fresh meat department.'' Clarence Gilkes is the manager of the Heron Bay MarketPlace. "It's been a busy five weeks,'' he said, with a smile. "I think the biggest change is in the first impression you have when you enter the store. It's very effective.'' He continued: "We're always on the look-out to modernise and update our operations, and to ensure that Bermuda has the best service available. We travel all over and collect ideas.'' Susan Richards is a cashier, who has worked for the MarketPlace for five years, three at Heron Bay. "At first, one or two of our customers were grumbling about the changes, but in the end they like the new lay-out,'' she said. "The produce section has improved greatly.'' Albertha Waite is the training manager for the MarketPlace stores. Along with all the changes, she has been running special training programmes for customer service. "We're very much committed to friendliness and courtesy to our shoppers,'' she said. "We want to let the customer know that we appreciate their business. Above all, we want to welcome you with a smile, and make sure we invite you back.'' Ms Waite said that the training has an effect not only on the staff, but also on the customer. Referring to the opening day last week, she said: "Yesterday was proof of the pudding. It was wild, but it was great. One of our cashiers told me she wished it would be like yesterday all the time.'' Ms Waite was pleased with the way her staff have responded to the challenge of all the changes the store has undergone. "I commended everyone,'' she said. The MarketPlace conducts its regular training programmes on a Saturday morning, with 50 or 60 people attending the training. Ms Waite is also very pleased with the changes at the store. "It's bigger, and different and brighter, like everyone says,'' she noted. "Now the first thing you see when you enter the store is Veronica Clarke's smiling face. She's our expert specialist on the Number One register.'' Ms Clarke is the "star'' of the television advertising which the MarketPlace has put on to let people know about the changes. On December 8, she will complete her ninth year working for the MarketPlace. Ms Clarke said that people have been recognising her from the TV advertising, and that the changes at the supermarket "are a big improvement. People have been telling me how nice the store looks,'' she said.

Once the dust settles -- although there isn't a speck of dust anywhere in the store -- MarketPlace customers are going to find themselves getting used to the new choices they have throughout the store. PHOTO CHANGING TIMES -- Great selection keeps the MarketPlace abreast. MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP