Inside Kadena's new BX complex

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mike Tateishi
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  When asked to describe the inside of the new 344,000 square foot BX - set to open Oct. 2 - the BX manager, Mr. Robert Rice, responded with three words: "shock and awe." 

The two-story layout of the new BX is the first thing most people will notice. The bottom floor of the complex houses a food court and concessions; the BX itself is on the second floor, accessible by both elevator and escalator. 

With the exception of furniture, which will remain at Foster Furniture on Camp Foster, Mr. Rice said that "customers will find the broadest stock assortment available to AAFES." Virtually every department has at least doubled in size; sections for infants and toddlers, shoes, and sporting goods have tripled. The home décor area has increased a mind-boggling 3,000 percent. "The store is so large," said Mr. Rice, "that we have 96 bicycles on display at any given time." 

In addition to traditional BX fare, the new BX has partnerships with companies like Coach, Macy's, and Swarovski Crystal. Mr. Rice said the presence of these partnerships gives customers the feel of those high-end stores, but at an AAFES price.

The new store features two customer service departments. One is located in the second-floor BX and the other is located on the ground floor. This means that if you have your receipt for an item, you won't need to go all the way up the escalator to the BX to make a return. Additionally, if you purchase a large item, you won't need to worry about how you're going to lug it down the escalator - the item will be ready for pickup on the lower floor after making payment at one of the 14 checkout counters. 

Another big change is the Power Zone. According to Mr. Rice, the Power Zone has undergone a major face-lift and is going to be "powered-up." In the interactive area of the Power Zone, customers can go to the gaming stations and try out the latest video games. There is even a music download station where you can download songs for as low as 65 cents. One major improvement over the old store is that this Power Zone has its own customer service counter, so a customer service representative will always be available to help. 

While the BX is awe-inspiring in and of itself, the 26 different first-floor concessions are just as impressive. The Tri-Service Clothing Sales will sell Army, Navy, and Air Force uniform items with an alternations shop located next door. There is a bookstore - the Bookmark - with twice the number of books and triple the magazines to choose from. Inside the bookmark is a "party store" with virtually everything you could need for your next themed party, as well as party planners to help you coordinate everything from the decorations to the cake, and even the presents. Even the presents! Mr. Rice said that there's a gift registry that will help parents eliminate the possibility of duplicate gifts at their child's next birthday party, "we can take that customer upstairs to the sales floor of the BX and scan the items that they would like to receive as gifts and we'll have a gift registry here for people to look at." 

After an exhausting day of shopping and party planning, customers can relax at the full-service spa offering weary shoppers not only facials, but massages as well. 

"This is special. This is special for the community; this is special for the entire island; this is special for AAFES. This is a big deal," said Mr. Rice.
 
Customers checking out the new store on Oct. 2 and 3 will be eligible for the giveaways taking place every fifteen minutes. Mr. Rice said at least one of those giveaways includes a $1,000 shopping spree. Mr. Rice said that on Sunday they are going to take a breather and do the giveaways every 30 minutes. 

Mr. Rice anticipates huge crowds over the course of the grand opening weekend. To help alleviate the parking crunch, AAFES will be running shuttles Friday through Sunday. 

On October 2, shuttles will run to the BX from the 4-Diamonds ball field parking lot and Ryukyu Middle School at 7:30 a.m.; starting at 9 a.m., shuttles will run to the BX from those locations every hour on the hour. Starting 9 a.m. Oct. 3 and 4, shuttles will run every hour on the hour to the BX from 4-Diamonds, Ryukyu Middle School, and the Kadena Medical Clinic parking lot. Return shuttles will depart the BX every hour on the half hour until 9:30 p.m. from Friday through Sunday.