It plans to triple the size of its retail market on Osburn Street over winter and add 50 undercover car parks for the 7000 to 8000 people who shop there each week.

Managing director Roger Arnold and marketing and promotions manager Louise Arnold said yesterday the larger market should be ready for the family’s celebration of the business’s 20th anniversary late this year.

The changes are the biggest since the late Paul Arnold moved the fruit and vegetable business from Olive Street, Albury, to Wodonga in 1980.

The new 1250 square metre warehouse uses a former paper storage area on Kendell Street of the former Moore Paragon.

Arnold’s saw the empty space as a chance to develop packing and storage areas with new coolrooms and an office suite, using energy-efficient LED lighting and a consolidated refrigeration system.

“Lighting and refrigeration are the biggest costs, and, like everyone else, we are paying more for them,’’ Mr Arnold said.

In stage 2, the old packing warehouse behind the Arnold’s shop will transform into a larger retail market, and an adjoining shed will become undercover parking.

“We are going to call the larger space a market, not a supermarket — I like the name and I want to retain a market atmosphere,’’ Mr Arnold said.

“Parking is important for the business.”

Arnold’s is also keeping to its family tradition with Mr Arnold’s second son, Jake, 18, joining brother Ben, 22, in the business last month.

“They are the fifth generation of Arnolds in the business established by our great-grandfather, J.G. Arnold, in 1892,’’ Mr Arnold said.

Arnolds occupied the Albury Myer-Centrepoint arcade from 1897 until 1980.

Editorial — page 24