IN a couple of weeks the Bowral Co-op will be almost unrecognisable.
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As part of the business strategy to focus on progression and more community engagement, the shop at the co-op is undergoing a major refit and extension in a bid to become a one-stop shop for its customers.
CEO Allan Bramble said they were expanding all existing categories and introducing new ranges.
"It is all being driven by demand from our members. The equine side is growing very fast, although domestic fowl is by far the largest and quickest growing sector," he said.
The floor space in the shop will be increased by 40 per cent and the co-op will now include a nursery section including plants sourced from local wholesale nurseries and a greatly expanded hardware section, in addition to new ranges of clothing, landscaping equipment and a local fresh produce store.
The producer side of the property will be improved with a steel roof expanding from the front of the building to the fenceline, providing protection for customers in wet weather.
"We are also offering new services to our customers such as animal health and agronomy," Mr Bramble said.
"From early December we will offer the full gamut of service - advice on nutrition, disease control and animal and soil testing regimes, and we will be able to provide tailored solutions," he said.
Two new staff will be available for consultation from Monday to Friday in the store or at the customer's property. Stool samples can also be brought into the shop and tested for parasites immediately.
"Our animal health services are especially unique in the Highlands. A good portion of our customers split their time between here and Sydney so they need everything in the one place. Also, we have quite a few coming back to the land after some time away who need a range of support," Mr Bramble said.
The first stage of the revitalisation - including the garden section - will be complete by mid December and the whole renovation will be ready by February.
Next year regular training and information sessions about animal health and agronomy will begin, as will a customer email ordering system.
"Our next steps are to consolidate and then consult with our members about any additional needs," Mr Bramble said.
