Photo By Levingston M Lewis | 170605-N-BD308-041 NORFOLK (June 5, 2017) Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jose...... read more read more
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PORTSMOUTH, Va – Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) reopened the ship’s store June 5 after a two-month renovation.
Renovations to the store included a new, spacious layout, new shelving, and a more up-to-date appearance.
“We almost completely gutted the store,” said Ship’s Serviceman 1st Class Amanda Cole, the S3 acting Leading Chief Petty Officer. “We got everything from a new deck to new coolers. It was a much-needed update.”
Inside, the walls are now lined with t-shirts and Wasp memorabilia, while aisles are filled with snacks and one corner of the store has new coolers filled with beverages.
“We’re hoping that the new renovations will boost sales,” said Cole. “It really looks like the Exchange - almost like a store that you would see out in town. Before, when you walked in, you could definitely tell that it was a ship’s store, but the idea of the renovation was to make it feel like you’re not on a ship.”
When Sailors and Marines are at sea for weeks, or sometimes months at a time, anything to make a person feel back at home is a welcome sight.
“It’s kind of like our little treat that we have on the ship while we’re out or when we’re underway,” said Ship’s Serviceman 3rd Class Jennifer White, a ship store operator. “It’s a store that we can go to and get some things we enjoy that maybe we didn’t bring out with us; something that you would normally go and pick up from the grocery store. It’s a huge morale booster.”
The store provides essentials and other products found at grocery stores such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, shirts, socks, and snacks.
“It feels great to have the ship store open again,” said Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jose Gonzalez, one of the first customers in the newly renovated store. “There is definitely a huge difference in here, the remodel looks really nice. There’s more room, more products and it’s much more organized.”
A portion of the profits made from ship store merchandise are donated directly back to Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) aboard the ship.
“MWR gets most of their money for the special events from us,” said Cole. “That’s what helps with our [Holiday] party and command picnics or what have you. It’s always good to know where your money’s going. It’s going right back to the crew.”
Wasp is currently involved with sea trials in preparation for their upcoming homeport shift to Sasebo, Japan where they are slated to relieve the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2017 11:36 |
| Story ID: | 236863 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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