Strack & Van Til store director Kevin Grace, left, and President and CEO Jeff Strack address guests at the grand opening of the St. John Strack and Van Til Wednesday. Mawin Lal manages the sushi section at the remodeled St. John Strack & Van Til. The 68,000-square-foot supermarket, which Strack & Van Til first opened in 2006, underwent a major renovation that has greatly expanded its selection, including by boosting fresh produce at least 10% and nearly doubling its variety of value items. Highland-based Strack & Van Til, the largest local grocery chain in Northwest Indiana with roots that date back to 1929, gave the store a more contemporary look and moved the floral section to the front to make customers more aware that it has a full-service floral department that can handle weddings, funerals and high school dances at a time when there are fewer and fewer independent florists. “We’re just trying to find things that will make people’s lives easier,” Strack said. “We have all these things that are easier — rice cauliflower, zucchini noodles, sweet potatoes — where they’re kind of like a meal kit, where it’s quick easy solutions for everyone. We’re trying to offer items that are on-trend, that shoppers today want.” Other
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