Anyone who has driven into the Boothbay Harbor Hannaford's parking lot lately has noticed that a large part of the lot is closed off to parking.

Upon entering the store it becomes apparent that some big changes are happening. Hannaford is getting a facelift.

Hannaford Manager Kacey Pike was there Jan. 8, overseeing the remodeling and helping customers find items that have been moved to accommodate the changing look of the store.

Lee Fecteau is here from a Waterville Hannaford to help support Pike through the six-month construction period.

“We've had engineers and architects come in and look for a smarter way for us to lay out the store,” Pike said.

The store will remain the same size, except for the addition of an area to be used for the Clynk bottle redemption service. The area currently designated to Clynk will be the new entrance to the store, alleviating some of the congestion that people sometimes encounter at the current entrance.

There will be another entrance/exit area near the existing one at the left front end of the store.

With plans for a fresh new, updated look, the floor and ceiling will be replaced, as will all the shelving and coolers. The current metal shelves will be recycled.

“Hannaford is really big on recycling everything we can, so we have dumpsters coming in for the metal and anything else that we possibly can recycle,” Pike said.

The store has employed “navigators” to help customers find their way around during the remodel.

“The navigators get updates every morning about where stuff might have been moved to, so they can help customers find what they're looking for,” Pike said.

There will be one additional grocery aisle, making aisles a little closer, but wide enough to easily accommodate two grocery carts.

“This will better utilize the space we have,” Fecteau said. “The aisles will be a little tighter, so most of the ‘in-aisle merchandising’ (small displays of items in the aisles) will be phased out. It's going to be a clean store.”

All new registers will be included in the update, and another service desk will be added.

“People told us there was sometimes an issue with a line at the service desk, so this will ease that problem,” Pike said.

Aside from the freezer cases at the far end of the store, which were replaced last year, all of the dairy and freezer cases, and coolers will be replaced.

There may be more of the fresh sushi items to choose from, too.

“We're looking into having some of the same products here that they have in Damariscotta,” Fecteau said.

They are hoping the chefs at the Damariscotta store can make the products to be delivered to the Boothbay location.

The additional grocery aisle will be for natural, organic items.

Pike said they have done surveys with customers to get feedback about what they want to see in the store.

“They wanted more organic and natural items. So we're looking into bring in more of those products.”

As for whether there will be more products that can be found in the Damariscotta Hannaford, but not in the Boothbay Harbor one, Pike said there will be some additional products, but space is still limited.

“Damariscotta is a much bigger store, so we're never going to have everything they have. But we have trucks going back and forth between the two stores, so we can get products that people want brought here when possible.”

Fecteau said that Hannaford “sister stores” are helping out with staffing during the remodel.

“We clean every day, so we bring extra people in to make sure the store stays as clean as we can make it.”

During the reconstruction there will be a slight change in hours. Hannaford will close an hour earlier on Sundays through Wednesdays, at 8 p.m. Regular winter hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A regular customer offered congratulations to Fecteau and Pike as he was leaving.

“Will I recognize the store when I come back? he asked.

Pike responded that everything in the store will be touched.

“You're going to see a totally new look when we are done. And all new colors.”

A grand opening is planned for mid-June.